Spring is springing! Your motorcycle is calling you! Your friends are tired of hearing you say, “I just want 2 ride!”. But before you hit the road you should perform a few tasks to make sure you are safe, and the bike is prepared for the riding season.
I am going to avoid some of the more obvious stuff like T-CLOCS and try to hit the things you might have overlooked or not thought about. Of course, you REALLY should do the T-CLOCS, with a much detail as possible, but there are dozens of articles out there about those tasks.
Sooooo, what makes my list of things to prepare for riding season.
1 Check your gear – Your riding gear has been setting around as long as your bike. It might have been stuffed in your saddleback for months. Get your gear out and clean it up. Run it through the wash or clean it by hand. Apply water repellant or waterproofing after you have cleaned your gear for a little more protection, unless a rainstorm is your preferred method of cleaning your gear.
2 Check your helmet – Yes, your helmet is part of your gear, but I am calling it out separately as it deserves special attention. First clean the exterior, those bugs from 2019 should be dry and easy to remove by now. Next remove and clean the interior padding, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Also, check out all the nooks and crannies for SPIDERS (and not the Can-Am species by the way).
3 Replace Gear – I know that many of you, just like me, try and stretch your money as far as possible but now is a good time to take a good look at your own gear. While this is really an inherent subtask of the first two items on the list, I wanted to call it out as YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY. Is your helmet still good to go, are your gloves still in good condition? If something is not right, then get it repaired or replaced before the season gets into 5th
4 Give your motorcycle a colonoscopy – If you did not do a good job preparing your bike for winter you should peek up your tail pipe. It is not uncommon for “critters” to climb into the exhaust to hide food or make a nest.
5 Give your bike a rub down – Happy ending optional. Give it a good wipe down to clean off the dust and debris that has adhered to your bike over winter. This way you might avoid the stinky smells from all the dust and dirt burning off as the engine heats up.
6 Restock your saddlebags – If you pack a first aid kit replace what you used last year or what is now expired. Sunscreen and chapstick….might what to swap them out for new. That candy bar you had for an emergency snack go ahead and eat it now and put a new one in its place.
7 Review the owner’s manual – Get yourself reacquainted with the bike.
8 Check your insurance – Did you stop or reduce your insurance on the motorcycle over the winter? Give a quick call to your agent to get your insurance up to date.
9 Remind yourself about PANIC STOPS – Find an unused bit of road or parking lot, get up to speed and BREAK HARD! Get that feeling on what you and your motorcycle will do when you must do a sudden stop. Often ride with a passenger? Then run this exercise with them on the bike as well. It is best to know how it feels in a controlled environment before you really need to do it. OH, check your breaks before you do this to make sure they are good to go.
I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!! 