The New Riding Season - Are You Prepared?
So, you want to get back on the road after a long, cold, snowy, frost creating, road tearing winter? You put your baby to bed (winter prepped, right) back in October or November (or you are a "die hard" and rode until your fingers would not bend anymore or salt and ice played chicken on the highways) and now are getting it out to face a new riding year? You read up on the newest biking techniques and mechanical breakthroughs on those dark days of winter when all you could do was dream of the open road, or ready to throw darts at those motorcycle writers whom rubbed it in as they tested new bikes in California, Florida, Arizona or Europe? Hmmm...well, at least the darts!
Before, and I mean before, you get on the road to ride, there are quite a few important items that have to be taken into consideration before you suit up. Having said that, let's look at a number of procedures that are important to your riding well being.
1. Is your bike ready?
Depending on what you did to prep your bike in the fall for storage, has a big impact on what you will have to do in the spring. Regardless, check the bike over from front to back, top to underneath. Tires, inspect for cracks, tread wear left, air pressure (recommended amount by manufacturer) spokes (tight, loose, broken) if equipped, tire type. Tire type is important (not brand, that is up to your tastes and budget, but whether the tires are of the soft or hard type - see separate article on this web site). The roads you will be traveling on are still in the early phases of having the frost removed from the ground underneath them, and are not yet holding great amounts of heat, especially in the early morning hours. Because of this (not the best way to start a sentence, but I think we can live with it) your tire does not have the traction it normally would have on a warm or hot asphalt surface. The tire gripping power of the tire plays a big role due to the fact a cold tire on cold surface = real slippery. A soft tire helps to equalize (not totally) this reduced "grip-a-bility" but still take care when accelerating, braking hard, or leaning hard in turns.
Brake discs / drums - If your bike has been in a damp environment, whether heated or not, during the winter, you may have a film of rust on the brake discs /drums . It is easy to determine on discs, not so easy with drums as you have to remove the cover. Wipe it off, and depending on the amount, you may want to use a water based rust remover on a rag (do not spray or apply to the discs), and wipe them down. Then make sure you use first a dry rag to remove the rust cleaner, then use water on a rag to wipe the discs again (removes residual rust cleaner), then a dry rag (not the one you used to clean off the cleaner the first time) to finally get rid of any water.
From the front to back:
Forks - any sigh of fork seal leaks? Get on bike and compress and release the forks hard to check. Bearings - how are the wheel bearing s and head bearings? Cables - as they should be? Turn the handle bars back and forth a number off times to check tightness and chaffing. Check the levers as well to see if rust has occurred inside the sleeves during the winter months. Lubricate as needed. Gas tank - open and inspect. Did you put gas stabilizer in the tank (stir it up, and ran the engine for a few moments) before it was put to bed (recommend filling the tank vs emptying it for storage. Many will debate this, and in some cases, a commercial storage unit may require you to empty the tank before they will accept it) It doesn't matter if you did or not, still inspect the tank for rust, moisture, and leaks.
Continue moving to the back -
Battery, is it fully charged, did you have it on a battery tender over the winter, and are the connections tight now, or if you are just putting it back in because you kept it snuggie in a heated environment. At the back, you have already checked the tires, spokes, and discs. Chain - if a chain, clean it off with a chain cleaner, because you put the proper chain lube on it so it would not rust over the winter. Reapply the chain lube (you should do this after you have warmed up the chain by a short ride or if sitting on a centre stand, put the bike in gear and run the chain for a minute or so. Also check the tension of the chain to see if it is to loose or too tight. Belt drive? Any loose materials on the belt, no tears, or how is the tension? Shaft drive -- even though they are pretty much maintenance free, t doesn't hurt to take a moment to check the fluid level. Speaking of fluids - oil. Did you change it before winter, if not, now is the time to do it. If you do, replace the washer on the drain as well. Make sure thee level is OK too (look for leaks and fresh oil under the bike on the floor and look at the underside of the engine. Other fluids - are they OK, and if they haven't been changed in a while, refer to your owners manual for recommendations as to when and type used. Lights and electrical - as in a pre-ride (that really is what this is, a long form of a pre-ride) check all lights and electrical components.
One last thing, anywhere on the bike that a mouse or some other little creature looking for a nice, dry, comfy home for winter can hide and make residence should be looked at (under the seat, air breather, saddlebags, etc.)
2. Alright, the bike is ready to rock, but wait. What about you?
Remember, you have not been riding for quite a while, and just like the bike that has been sitting around for awhile, small amounts of rust occurs, and that happens to riders as well. Your body and mind right now are not well co-ordinated for bike riding. You may think so, but it pays to ride with caution at this point. To get everything back in order, make your first number of rides in areas where you can concentrate on getting the "feel" back with your bike.
Another factor to consider - you are a bit older (wiser too as you have read up on new techniques and so on) than you were months ago. The body has a habit of changing. Did you put on weight during the hiatus, or did you loose weight? Either will make a difference to how you co-ordinate with your bike. Your safety clothing - does it fit the same with the changes in weight, or are they in need of replacement. Example would be your helmet - how old is it (check inside to see the manufactured date. A rule of thumb is a maximum of 5 years, and then replace it ). Did you have an injury that might make a difference? Are you now taking medications that you didn't have before, or a change in the amounts of your medication. What does your doctor or pharmacist recommend? Stress - is it increasing, decreasing. Did you start a new job that requires a good deal of thought or dedication through a lot of the time which might interfere with concentrating on riding (may sound like silly thing to include, but, think about it), or did you retire and have more free time on your hands, or at least, others think you have more free time!
Alright, you are almost ready. One of the things we continue to forget, and one that I highly recommend is to stretch and prepare the body and mind before each ride. Having a daughter who is a physiotherapist, she can pretty accurately diagnose a patient as a rider before they tell her, based on the complaints they have. Most issues could be avoided if the rider just took 5 minutes before the ride to stretch properly to better prepare for the demands we place on our bodies when we ride. However, before starting a stretch regimen, check with your doctor or a physiotherapist for the exercises best for you.
3. What About The Roads You Will Travel On?
It is amazing what frost and fluxuating winter weather will do to asphalt. The roads you travelled on before winter may now sport brand new potholes (usually strategically placed in the bikers path) that were not there before. The road surface can take on a new look than that you are not accustomed to. In addition, residual salt and sand used to make driving safer in cold weather can become very dangerous for the biker due to the reduced traction your two points of contact have with the road. Be especially aware of sharp corners and approach with caution. Snow melt or water seeping on the road can become slippery or even frozen if the temperature is low enough and these areas get hidden by shade later in the day.
These are just some of the "roadworthy" items to keep in mind.
So, are we now ready to ride, after all that has been said in this article? That depends on you. Are you and the bike "in sync", and are you ready to enjoy the road again? If so, then, "go for it", ahh...., cautiously at first, and enjoy the ride!
Before, and I mean before, you get on the road to ride, there are quite a few important items that have to be taken into consideration before you suit up. Having said that, let's look at a number of procedures that are important to your riding well being.
1. Is your bike ready?
Depending on what you did to prep your bike in the fall for storage, has a big impact on what you will have to do in the spring. Regardless, check the bike over from front to back, top to underneath. Tires, inspect for cracks, tread wear left, air pressure (recommended amount by manufacturer) spokes (tight, loose, broken) if equipped, tire type. Tire type is important (not brand, that is up to your tastes and budget, but whether the tires are of the soft or hard type - see separate article on this web site). The roads you will be traveling on are still in the early phases of having the frost removed from the ground underneath them, and are not yet holding great amounts of heat, especially in the early morning hours. Because of this (not the best way to start a sentence, but I think we can live with it) your tire does not have the traction it normally would have on a warm or hot asphalt surface. The tire gripping power of the tire plays a big role due to the fact a cold tire on cold surface = real slippery. A soft tire helps to equalize (not totally) this reduced "grip-a-bility" but still take care when accelerating, braking hard, or leaning hard in turns.
Brake discs / drums - If your bike has been in a damp environment, whether heated or not, during the winter, you may have a film of rust on the brake discs /drums . It is easy to determine on discs, not so easy with drums as you have to remove the cover. Wipe it off, and depending on the amount, you may want to use a water based rust remover on a rag (do not spray or apply to the discs), and wipe them down. Then make sure you use first a dry rag to remove the rust cleaner, then use water on a rag to wipe the discs again (removes residual rust cleaner), then a dry rag (not the one you used to clean off the cleaner the first time) to finally get rid of any water.
From the front to back:
Forks - any sigh of fork seal leaks? Get on bike and compress and release the forks hard to check. Bearings - how are the wheel bearing s and head bearings? Cables - as they should be? Turn the handle bars back and forth a number off times to check tightness and chaffing. Check the levers as well to see if rust has occurred inside the sleeves during the winter months. Lubricate as needed. Gas tank - open and inspect. Did you put gas stabilizer in the tank (stir it up, and ran the engine for a few moments) before it was put to bed (recommend filling the tank vs emptying it for storage. Many will debate this, and in some cases, a commercial storage unit may require you to empty the tank before they will accept it) It doesn't matter if you did or not, still inspect the tank for rust, moisture, and leaks.
Continue moving to the back -
Battery, is it fully charged, did you have it on a battery tender over the winter, and are the connections tight now, or if you are just putting it back in because you kept it snuggie in a heated environment. At the back, you have already checked the tires, spokes, and discs. Chain - if a chain, clean it off with a chain cleaner, because you put the proper chain lube on it so it would not rust over the winter. Reapply the chain lube (you should do this after you have warmed up the chain by a short ride or if sitting on a centre stand, put the bike in gear and run the chain for a minute or so. Also check the tension of the chain to see if it is to loose or too tight. Belt drive? Any loose materials on the belt, no tears, or how is the tension? Shaft drive -- even though they are pretty much maintenance free, t doesn't hurt to take a moment to check the fluid level. Speaking of fluids - oil. Did you change it before winter, if not, now is the time to do it. If you do, replace the washer on the drain as well. Make sure thee level is OK too (look for leaks and fresh oil under the bike on the floor and look at the underside of the engine. Other fluids - are they OK, and if they haven't been changed in a while, refer to your owners manual for recommendations as to when and type used. Lights and electrical - as in a pre-ride (that really is what this is, a long form of a pre-ride) check all lights and electrical components.
One last thing, anywhere on the bike that a mouse or some other little creature looking for a nice, dry, comfy home for winter can hide and make residence should be looked at (under the seat, air breather, saddlebags, etc.)
2. Alright, the bike is ready to rock, but wait. What about you?
Remember, you have not been riding for quite a while, and just like the bike that has been sitting around for awhile, small amounts of rust occurs, and that happens to riders as well. Your body and mind right now are not well co-ordinated for bike riding. You may think so, but it pays to ride with caution at this point. To get everything back in order, make your first number of rides in areas where you can concentrate on getting the "feel" back with your bike.
Another factor to consider - you are a bit older (wiser too as you have read up on new techniques and so on) than you were months ago. The body has a habit of changing. Did you put on weight during the hiatus, or did you loose weight? Either will make a difference to how you co-ordinate with your bike. Your safety clothing - does it fit the same with the changes in weight, or are they in need of replacement. Example would be your helmet - how old is it (check inside to see the manufactured date. A rule of thumb is a maximum of 5 years, and then replace it ). Did you have an injury that might make a difference? Are you now taking medications that you didn't have before, or a change in the amounts of your medication. What does your doctor or pharmacist recommend? Stress - is it increasing, decreasing. Did you start a new job that requires a good deal of thought or dedication through a lot of the time which might interfere with concentrating on riding (may sound like silly thing to include, but, think about it), or did you retire and have more free time on your hands, or at least, others think you have more free time!
Alright, you are almost ready. One of the things we continue to forget, and one that I highly recommend is to stretch and prepare the body and mind before each ride. Having a daughter who is a physiotherapist, she can pretty accurately diagnose a patient as a rider before they tell her, based on the complaints they have. Most issues could be avoided if the rider just took 5 minutes before the ride to stretch properly to better prepare for the demands we place on our bodies when we ride. However, before starting a stretch regimen, check with your doctor or a physiotherapist for the exercises best for you.
3. What About The Roads You Will Travel On?
It is amazing what frost and fluxuating winter weather will do to asphalt. The roads you travelled on before winter may now sport brand new potholes (usually strategically placed in the bikers path) that were not there before. The road surface can take on a new look than that you are not accustomed to. In addition, residual salt and sand used to make driving safer in cold weather can become very dangerous for the biker due to the reduced traction your two points of contact have with the road. Be especially aware of sharp corners and approach with caution. Snow melt or water seeping on the road can become slippery or even frozen if the temperature is low enough and these areas get hidden by shade later in the day.
These are just some of the "roadworthy" items to keep in mind.
So, are we now ready to ride, after all that has been said in this article? That depends on you. Are you and the bike "in sync", and are you ready to enjoy the road again? If so, then, "go for it", ahh...., cautiously at first, and enjoy the ride!