Friday, February 18, 2011

Motorcycle Season is Approaching!

Warmer weather is here and the Karcher Agency wants you to have a safe and happy motorcycle season. Here are 4 quick tips to prepare your motorcycle for the road.  Motorcycle Prep Tip 1: Clean the entire engine with a mild detergent and water solution. Remove any metal-protecting agents as well as any plastic or rubber covers from the air box intakes, exhaust pipes and air box drain.  Motorcycle Prep Tip 2: Make sure the battery is in good condition and fully charged, be sure the vent hose is connected and routed properly, drain and replace any oil that was in the engine during storage, lubricate all areas as instructed in the operators manual, change the spark plugs and check the engine coolant.  Motorcycle Prep Tip 3: If your bike is chain driven, inspect the chain and drive sprockets for excessive wear or loosening and adjust if nMotorcycle Prep Tip 4: Inspect and correct the following equipment after pulling your bike from storage: tires, brake pads and shoes, coolant hoses and brake lines, cables, turn signals, reverse lights, kill switch, horn and headlight. If your bike has hydraulic brakes, check the fluid level and follow the manufacturer's recommendationsecessary. If shaft-driven, inspect the oil level in the final drive unit and make sure it's filled to the proper level.  Now you are ready to start the engine!  Let it idle to warm up and circulate the necessary fluids for operation.  If there are any unusual sounds have it looked at by a qualified cycle mechanic then enjoy the ride!