New York Chapter "W"

Gold Wing Road Riders Association

Rochester, NY

Fall is not the time to LEAF your bike alone

Now that our riding season is quickly coming to a close, we should "fall" into an end of season bike check.

Walk around the bike and check for obvious and not so obvious maintenance related items that can be fixed during the long winter's nap. Take a sheet of paper with you for notes on what needs to be repaired on your bike. Tape it to the handlebars so you can add to the list, as other things may become more apparent.

Tires - Check for wear cuts or imbedded objects. Check the sidewall for the date of manufacture. If your DOT number has 3 digits, the first 2 are the month and the last is the year. If it has 4 digits, the first 2 are the month and the last 2 are the year. If they are 4 yrs old or more or you see cracks in the sidewalls or tread area, you may consider getting new tires.

"Brakes - Check condition of the brakes for wear, replace as needed. Check the condition of the rotor for gouges or uneven wear.

"Brake Fluid - If you don't remember changing it, it is probably overdue. Fresh brake fluid will assure you that there is no moisture in your system. This moisture will cause brakes to hang up due to the calipers sticking. Also change the hydraulic clutch fluid at the same time.

"Engine Oil - Most people will change the oil and filter at the end of riding season to rid engine of contaminates. Add the right amount of oil and new filter so your bike can hibernate with clean oil. Squirt oil into the spark plug holes to coat the cylinder walls. Put the engine "kill switch" to off and spin the engine over a couple times to get the oil through out the engine. You can also get engine "fogger" to spray in the carbs to do this as well.

"Differential Oil - Check the level, change as needed.

"Battery - Check the water level and add distilled water if needed. Remove it and put it on a battery charger and charge it throughout the off season. There are also 'trickle chargers' that can be used to continually charge your battery during the off season. This is important with the clock and other electrical gizmo stuff, which will cause a continual drain on your battery.

"Radiator - Check coolant level and for any possible leaks from either the radiator or hoses. Check the hoses and replace them if they are several years old or appear "swollen". Look into the radiator for the post seasonal collection of bugs and other trophies. This collection will reduce your radiator to keep your engine cool.

"Gas tank - Fill your gas tank and put in an additive to "stabilize" your gas for the winter. After you put in the stabilizer, allow the bike to run for a few minutes to allow it to get into the carbs. Make sure your tank is full to reduce the air space, which reduces condensation, which will cause the tank to rust.

"Bike cover - Cover you bike with a breathable type material that will not retain moisture. Use a high quality polish and soft cloth or t-shirt to remove the polish to eliminate scratching the paint. Polish or spray a silicone on the chrome to help reduce rust from forming. Pat it gently on the head light and tell it how much you enjoyed its company this past year. (This is optional of course and may be best done with no one else around)

As you walk around your bike, take notes and keep them with the bike and add to your list as needed. This can be your checklist if you do the work yourself, or take it to a dealer. Now is a best time to make sure you bike is safe for next years ride. Winter is a good time to read your motorcycle manual, again. Now that you are "leaving" your bike prepared for the next season, branch out and plant your nose in some overdue motorcycle reading.

Practice Safe Riding

Gary Mandak

Chapter "W" Educator