We are all guilty of it, we are busy and at the first sight of sun, we grab our helmet and go…but if it’s been a month, even a week of not riding your bike you should check your tire pressure and do a quick walk around your bike. I recently was asked if I knew what tire pressure I was running and when the last time was that I checked, honestly, I think it had been two weeks…my tires should’ve been inflated to 30-32 lbs., but I was told that they came in at 20! Yeah, I was both surprised and embarrassed. Considering I spend so much time on my bike and safety is paramount, it was a wake up call that I need to be much more on top of checking them weekly. Needless to say, every chance I get I wipe down or wash my bike after a long ride and do a quick check of everything in order to have it ready to go for my next trip out.
Whether it is a day or weekend trip just some basic precautions can make your trip go smoothly, a little preparation can make all the difference. Firstly, check your tire pressures (check tire manufacturer and look for your tire type to get the recommended pressures to run) and look at the tread-wear indicators near the center of the tire, if they are even with the tread surface, it’s time to buy a new set. Also look for cracks, splits and separation of tire compounds all these things mean it’s time to retire those tires. Next, look at your wheels, if you have spokes tap them with a wrench and listen for a ting, if it thunks then it could be loose. If there is a crack in your cast wheels, you are pretty much grounded until you order a replacement. Take a quick check of the axle nuts and bolts too and if you should need to tighten them a quick look up will give you the torque specs on your specific bike.
Check your oil, your dealership should have shown you where the window is located and where the oil level should be. Most bikes need to be straight up and down and not leaning on the side stand in order to properly read the level, then look around the engine and on floor for leaks. If you see bright green drops of coolant under your bike, wipe them clean asap, pets are attracted to the ethylene glycol which is sweet tasting and poisonous, then find the source of the leak. Also, check your brake and clutch fluid, if it’s been a while since you’ve changed it and it is starting to get an amber hue it is time to flush it out and put in some nice fresh fluid, nothing feels better than the feeling of confidence when you squeeze that lever and it delivers a perfect bite as it brings you to a smooth stop.
Quick look at forks and rear shocks, just run your finger around the forks to see whether or not the seals are leaking and use a flashlight to check the shocks for any leaks. Inspect your chain and if you haven’t cleaned it do so to make sure that there is no rust on it. Lube the chain and check how much give there is in the chain, if it’s more than over half a tooth’s distance (and the chain adjusters are all the way back) then it may be time to consider a new chain, otherwise you are good to go.
Get on your bike and have someone stand in back and front to make sure your lights aren’t burned out and functioning properly, they are our only means of communication to drivers so they need to be in working order. Make sure the headlights, turn signals and brake lights work then hit the high beam and horn to make sure everything is working. Check for any loose nuts and bolts and tighten and then if you are adding accessories like racks and luggage, make sure they are secured and nothing is dangling that could get caught in the rear wheel or sprocket. Then lastly, but certainly not least, make sure you are gassed up, geared up and ready to go!
Vixens, get out and ride!
