post winter checks

[Lee]

how about a list of stuff to check if your bringing your bike out of hibernation? Lets assume the rider just pushed it into the back of the garage thinking "ill sort that out over the winter" but never actually got round to it. No doubt that will be a familiar story.
Im gonna start off with tyres. Odds are they will need some air and probably checking for any signs of wear, cracking or flat spots. What else needs checking ?
No thread hijacking here ! Just one suggestion per post, lets have plently of input from everyone

[keyboardbiker]

Feb 28, 2010 8:05:10 GMT Lee said:

No thread hijacking here!

You have been warned!

[David]

Charge the battery.

[Lee]

Git! I was gonna suggest that one next, ok you have pumped your tyres up and charged your battery. Before it goes anywhere near the road, is your insurance still in date ? Tax and test are a minor consideration as you can ride without either of them provided you are en route to a test centre and the appointment has been pre arranged by telephone.

[morphius]

Brakes, ..... stood all winter calipers could have seized on, fluid check....... linkage to rear greased....

[David]

Feb 28, 2010 8:05:10 GMT Lee said:

Just one suggestion per post.

[morphius]

Thats all ive put..... brakes...... might have elaborated slightly but brakes is brakes

[Lee]

electrics. Check all your lights indi s front and back brake lights work.

[teedee]

Check all your electrics to ensure that a mouse hasnt eaten through part of the wiring (happened 2 winters ago to a workmate)....couldnt help but laff when he told me

[David]

Feb 28, 2010 8:49:42 GMT @morphius said:

Thats all ive put..... brakes...... might have elaborated slightly but brakes is brakes

The Thread Police were referring to a previous offender not you mate!

[Lee]

Chain. Clean and oil it, try and free off any tight spots or kinks by working oil in. Alternatively if your the kind who replaces it every year anyway just oil it and set the tension

[David]

Engine oil level.

[morphius]

Wallet, no good getting halfway with no money

[maverick]

Gear change linkage, remove and grease main pivot.

[teedee]

I can do very basic bike maintenance , but i always book my bikes in for full service at the very beginning of the year and ask them to do the trickier stuff.

[JP]

chech your rubber for perishing, due to spills of fuel onto your tyres or if they've been sat in something chemical. good sign is blueing on the tyre. can scrub it off with abrasive or just through riding but it creates a smooth surface so you should take it easy for a good few miles. also same effect can be caused by sun damage!

[David]

Check your riding kit, it may also need some attention!

[wheelnut]

Our brains. It's no coincidence that if you look at a graph of motorcycle fatalities the biggest spike is the first sunny sunday in april.

After spending several months driving a car we're not used to the acceleration, the steering inputs and the general feel of the bike, making the chances of us throwing the bike at the scenery and frightening the local wildlife much higher than they would be if we were back in the groove.

This also applies to the eejits like me who have been wobbling round on greasy roads for the last 4 months. The first sight of a dry, grease free road and the relief sends us off like a rocket.

So, for the first ride, take time to get to know the bike, ease ourselves in gently, reacquaint ourselves with how it feels to ride before we go for any heroics.

[Lee]

fuel. If your bike has been sat around for a long time, consider draining it off and replacing it with fresh fuel. If you put additive in though at the end of last season it should be ok

[Billy Whizz]

tyre pressure ,and the disc lock you forgot to take off