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10 Tips To Be Ride Ready After A Riding Pause

Last Update: 17 April 2023

Best Ride Ready Tips to Start Your Motorcycle Riding Season Right - MOTORESS
10 Tips To Be Ride Ready After A Riding Pause

Have you had a riding hiatus from your motorcycle? Or maybe you live in a climate where the seasonal change (such as winter) forces you to hibernate until better weather?  It’s important to return your motorcycle to “road ready” after winter storage, or after any long-term pause –  for a multitude of safety reasons.  Yet equally important is to ensure your mental and physical ability is also ready to ride.
So, whether it’s seasonal or life’s circumstances that have prevented you from riding, use these 10 tips to be ride ready for the road ahead!

Your Motorcycle

LIQUIDS

  • Remove and thoroughly clean all the grease you’ve placed on the bike as anti-rust proofing over the winter or the storage period. You can use gasoline for this, brake cleaner or a general motorcycle de-greasing speciality cleaner.
  • Check your oil level to ensure sufficient oil.
  • Check your brake fluid levels front/rear. If needed, top up or change. (Refer to your operators manual.)
  • Inspect coolant if applicable. If low, fill.
  • Inspect fuel level.

FINAL DRIVE CHAIN

  • Inspect the tension of the chain and adjust if needed. Refer to your owners’ manual.
  • Check front and rear sprocket wear. Inspect points of the teeth.
  • Grease your chain if needed.

TIRES

  • Check the tire pressure level with your gauge; add or reduce air amounts if needed.
  • Inspect tire rubber/wear level and look for objects inside the treads.

BATTERY

Hopefully your battery has been on a charger over the winter or riding pause. If not it’s likely dead and will need an immediate charge and test to ensure its health.

  • Check the electrolyte levels if a standard battery and add distilled water if needed.
  • Instal the battery and ensure connections are clean.

BRAKES

  • Check brake pads visibly for wear (pads may be worn down; check your owners manual).
  • Pull in the front brake lever and ensure smooth responsive application/use.
  • Press on rear brake lever/pedal to also ensure smooth application/use.
  • Inspect brake cables for wear.

CONNECTORS- BOLTS AND FASTENERS

  • Check and adjust mirrors.
  • Inspect footrests/pegs/floor boards that bolts etc. are tight and in place.
  • Check licence plate holder to ensure adjusted/fastened and don’t forget to update your licence plate sticker/registration for the new year.
  • Check the rear shock(s) /shaft and front fork tubes for rust and oil leakage which may be present or has accumulated during [winter] storage.

LIGHTS AND LIGHTING SYSTEMS

  • Confirm that lighting is in good working order.
  • Check rear brake light by depressing the rear brake pedal (reach and hold your hand in front of the brake light to see illumination).
  • Check headlamp, high beam and horn.
  • Test indicator/turn signals as well.

RIDER CHECKLIST

RIDING GEAR

Before you ride ensure your gear is clean and ready for the season. At the first good sign of riding weather, you don’t want to rush out on a ride with an old or dirty helmet visor you can’t see through.

  • Clean inspect boots, buckles/fasteners and bottom soles ensuring good grip. If not, replace.
  • Inspect pants for rips and/or deterioration of material.
  • Inspect knee and hip protective inserts and that they will stay in place.
  • Clean and inspect jacket and protectors – shoulders, elbows and back. Be sure zippers etc. are not old/worn and still work.
  • Clean helmet and inspect. Remember a helmet needs replacing every 3-5 years.
  • Clean and inspect gloves. If material has thinned, get a new pair.

RIDE REFRESHER

10 Tips To Be Ride Ready After A Riding Pause - MOTORESS
First stop a vacant parking lot to refresh your riding skills.

This is often overlooked in the excitement of getting out on the road yet is extremely critical!  Be certain you head to a parking lot to refresh your skills after a long winter pause, or any break from riding. It will just take a few minutes!

  • Practise an emergency / quick stop in a straight line.
  • Practise push steering.
  • Practise a lane change and using your hand signals.
  • Practise going slow.
  • Practise a sharp right hand turn from a stop.

TRAFFIC PREPAREDNESS – MENTAL READINESS

  • Unpredictable Road Conditions.  Many riders wait until there have been a few rain showers to help clean off the roads before taking their first ride of the season. If you can’t wait for the roads to get cleaned off, be aware of the hazards you may meet. Road crews typically use salt or sand to melt ice on the roads during the winter and much of it is still waiting for you in the spring. Also look out for ice hiding in the shadows and snow melt running across roads that can be extremely slippery. Corners and intersections are where you are most likely to encounter bad traction, so stay alert to avoid logging your first crash of the year.
  • Ride Defensively. You need to be aware that other motorists haven’t seen motorcycles on the road for months and they may have forgotten they share the road with you when spring comes around. During this time of year more than any other, you need to be on the look out for cars straying into your lane and turning in front of you. It’s your life on the line, so take responsibility and assume they don’t see you — always drive defensive
  • Getting Into Riding Shape. It’s great to be riding again and it may feel like you haven’t missed a beat but your skills are not going to be as good as they were last fall or before your riding break. Your reactions and timing can be a little off and situations like sharp corners can sneak up on you unexpectedly. Start your ride off with a nice easy pace  to slowly blow off the cobwebs on both yourself,  and your machines workings. The first ride isn’t the time to be pushing your limits. An accident now could easily end your riding season before it’s even begun.
  • Review your blocking, following distance, spacing and lane positioning. Don’t forget tactics like traffic checks (looking over both shoulders before a lane change, after a stop,  etc.)

AND AFTER THE SNOW HAS GONE – MORE TIPS!

If you’re heading out after a cold season has subsided, the outside temperature may still be cool on your first ride, including the temperature of the road. This means that it will take longer for your motorcycle tires as well as engine, to warm up.

  • Snow-melt, hidden ice and wet roads are all hazards to contend with during early spring rides.  Sand and debris is common on the roads after winters snow ploughs have dominated the roads. Watch for sand and grit near the edge of the road/in many sections in curves, corners (off/on ramps).
  • Road Surface. Watch for potholes from frost damage.
  • Motorists need to get used to seeing motorcycles on the road again/ amongst them. Be extra alert while they realise you share the road once again with vehicles who may have had a long number of months without two-wheelers riding amidst them.
  • And don’t forget, new season means referring to your owner’s manual to best manage your motorcycle maintenance needs.

Despite all the dangers of early spring rides, there’s nothing like the feeling of being back on the bike again.

Your enthusiasm will be extremely convincing- to you!  Be smart, use extra caution on your first ride as your skills will be out of practice.  Allow for sufficient space during your ride to allow time to react both physically and mentally.  Statistics show that it’s these first rides of the year where the highest amount of mishap occurs.

Finally, do a pre-ride inspection  by walking around your motorcycle before you hop on and turn that ignition key.

If you prepare your motorcycle and ride cautiously, you’ll jump start the season with success.
Get out there and ride and a have a super skill-fully fun season!

 


Indian Motorcycles

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