It’s been a long, cold winter here in Pennsylvania, but finally spring is in the air.
And you know what that means for your friendly neighborhood Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyer. It’s time to get that bike out of winter storage, and hit the road.
But any serious rider will tell you, you can’t just go down to the batcave, start your bike up and take off without taking care of a few important tasks first.
A little care will extend the life of your bike.
Motorcycle Spring Readiness Checklist
Keeping your bike in peak condition will also help you stay safe and accident-free, with no need to call a motorcycle accident lawyer to protect your rights, fight with providers, or for you to deal with injury, loss of work, or any of the other unpleasantries that come with any motorcycle accident claim.
A 7-Point Spring Pre-Flight Checklist
- Check your lines and cables for damage, deterioration, or corrosion.
- Throttle and brake cables
- Oil line
- Brake line
- Check and replace fluids if necessary.
- Clutch, brake and coolant levels all need to be checked, as they all degrade as they sit, especially with significant changes in temperature.
- Top off with new, sealed fluids that are the same brand as what is in the tank or reservoir.
- Tires and wheels – Faulty tires are a leading cause of accidents that can cause major issues with your bike, leading to a serious need for Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyers for property damage recovery.
- Make sure your wheels didn’t crack or rust over the winter, and are free of dents. Make sure your spokes are good to go too.
- Check for wear-and-tear, bulges, and cracks in the tires. Tread should feel pretty uniform to the touch.
- Top off the air to factory specs.
- Check your fuel – If you winterized properly last year, you either drained your tank or added a fuel stabilizer like Motorex (for your dirt bike), Maxima, or Sta-Bil. If you drained the tank, check inside for rust, condensation, or general gunk-iness before you fill ‘er up. Your bike will run better and longer with fresh, high octane fuel in the system.
- Battery – Good lord, if you’ve ever gotten all fired up for your first ride of the year, only to find that your battery is shot, you know how frustrating this can be. So make sure to check your battery before you get too excited to hit the road. I recommend putting the battery on a trickle charger for winter storage. They even make so-called “smart chargers,” that automagically shut down when the battery is topped off.
- Check your light bulbs and replace if needed.
- Let the bike idle – Let your bike idle for a few minutes to warm up and get the fluids circulating (a good idea before any ride, but especially important if the bike hasn’t been started for a few months). Listen carefully to the engine. Then take it out for a short ride to make sure everything is tight, working properly, and just feels good.
Once you’ve completed these 7 steps, you’re ready for your first real ride of the spring.
But you’re not done! Don’t forget to double check your insurance to make sure your coverage didn’t expire over the winter. And take a few minutes to determine whether you have adequate coverage.
Reach out to me, Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyer Lee Gaber, Esquire 1-888-292-5352, with your questions and comments. Yes, it’s free.
Then grab your helmet and hit the open road!