Riding your bike after being Stored away
We got some questions about, what to do if you stored your bike for the last few months, and kind of mechanical checks should be preformed before going for a ride.Your motorcycle will need a good going over before your first ride. It's best to check it over few a days before you want to go out, so there's time to deal with any problem that may show themselves.
If your motorcycle has been standing for a few months, the first place to start is the battery. Obviously, if it's dead you'll have nothing when your turn the key, but if there's some life in the battery check all the bulbs and make sure they're all working, or else get any duds replaced before your ride.
Even if there's power in the battery, it may have dropped its charge over the last few months, and that may be enough to make the bike reluctant to start, so, give it a try. If the battery's flat or down on power you'll need o take it out and charge it.
If you're been periodically starting the bike through the past few months, running it for a few minutes and then shutting it down again, it may be a good idea to change your spark plugs before you ride. Run like this, modern unleaded fuel can coat the spark plugs with crap, so they'll resist the spark and make starting hard or running erratic.
Have a good look around the bike and check that fasteners are all still tight. Also check for leaks, not just oil leaks. It is possible that rubber hoses of the cooling system are cracked and leaking. Check the adjustment of the chain and give it a good lubrication. If it's dry, give it two of three soakings over the course of 24 hours.
Before you move the bike, check the forks. If they were pitted or dirty when you put the bike away, the fork seals could crack, even a dried fly can be enough to do the damage. Ensure the tubes are clean and pump the forks up and down to look for telltale traces of oil exposing damaged seals.
The brakes ill need to be carefully checks. They'll be stiff, but should free up with a few pimps of the lever. If they don't come back, it's as well to strip them down and clean them, to be on the safe side.
Last, but certainly not least, check the tyres. They'll probably be a bit flat, so get them up to pressure and check the tread all the way round. Look out for cracks or splits in the sidewalls and stones stuck in the treads. Check them against next days before you go for a ride in case of slow punctures.
