First rides of season

Ah spring is finally here , and got first COVID shot . Temperatures have been on a roller coaster so time to do some checks on bikes.
1. Check tires and pressure.
2. Battery fully charged and level correct.
3. Check plugs and gap.
4. Check fuel line for cracking .
5. Air filter .
6. Brake pads, rear brake indicator .
7. Fork seals for leaks.
8. Check all lights ...especially rear brake light
9. Most importantly for me check helmet.
10. Run out of fuel and fill up with fresh fuel when fuel level is low.
11. Check oil level and change as required.
12. Check brake fluid level .
This may seem common sense , but these are things that get overlooked.
1. Now my friends ...watch for loose gravel , pot holes , poor patch jobs on road .
2. Be extra alert of people not used to seeing motorcycles .
3. Watch for road rage if you get cut off resist temptation of getting violent with driver.
4. Watch out for debris on the road after winter, leaves and trash can be on edge of the road.
5. Even as experienced of a rider as I am ( riding since I was 14 and now 54) go slow getting back to riding ...after winter and not being used to riding .

Just some thoughts BE SAFE .

 

Sound advice, I'll be firing my bikes up next week after being stood for 5 months.

 

Just a reminder, If your bike ran good when you put it away for the winter it should NOT need the carbs adjusted if it runs poorly this spring. RUN IT through a tank of FRESH fuel at highway speeds at least once. You would be surprised how quickly problems go away. Refrain from making ANY adjustments until you have a few highway miles on the clock.
As my uncle used to say "you need to blow the snots out of it".
Ride safe.

 

Should be ok, we have decent fuel here in the UK but as a precaution, fuel stabiliser was put in the tank and ran through the carbs.

 

Beware car drivers not used to seeing bikes. on a ride two weeks. Ago I met two - had to take avoiding action both times..

 

Most accidents around here a Salesmen told me at a Yamaha Dealer is being rear-ended at a stop and it stuck with me...
So when I pull up to a stop I leave extra room in front of me and leave the bike in gear until I can see the the vehicle slowing and I have notice that a lot of drivers notice what I'm doing and give me the same respect and leave extra room between them and me.

 

When stationary, it's good practice to display a brake light until such time as you are confident that the following vehicle is slowing down or stopped behind you.

 

While I think most additives are snake oil, I really believe using Seafoam or Mercury Quickleen in every tank has kept my carbs running well for all these years. If I have a small engine (M/C, mower, blower, weed whacker, etc.) running rough after storage, running a tank laced with Seafoam has always smoothed it out and solved the problem (old gas).

It isn't a magic bullet, and can't open a passage that is blocked, but if fuel can get through the passage, Seafoam will likely clean it out. I rebuilt my petcock several years ago, and there was no hint of varnish inside the mechanism. Just my opinion on things. YMMV.

 

so , how much do you pay in the States , for Seafoam , cheapest i can see in uk ,on ebay is £14 , for a pint bottle, seems rather expensive, or does it go a long way ?
how much do you put in a tank full?
stu

 

A 5 gallon (US) tank only needs 1 1/2 ounces for storage. Though I prefer to use Sta-Bil for winter storage.
A pint of Seafoam lasts for several years unles you have several engines to use it in.

The original formulation of Seafoam is $6 -$7 U.S for a pint. They do have some that's marketed for High Mileage engines (BS IMO) that costs double.

 

wow , thats about half price of over here.