Motorcycle Maintenance: Spring Prep

With spring just around the corner, it’s about time to pull your motorcycle out of storage and start getting it ready for the upcoming season. However, prepping your motorcycle for spring doesn’t mean just giving the model a quick oil change and hitting the open road. To ensure all of your motorcycle’s important parts and components are in good condition after a long winter, be sure to follow the maintenance tips we’ve listed below. 

Check Tire Pressure

Cold temperatures often cause air pressure to drop—leaving you with two flat tires come springtime. Even if your tires aren’t completely deflated by the end of the season, you’ll still need to inspect them for any signs of damage, debris, or leaking air, and check the air pressure to ensure they’re still sufficiently filled. 

Recharge Your Battery

Disuse is hard on batteries and—if you didn’t hook your motorcycle battery up to a drip charger over the winter—it’ll likely be dead in the spring. If your battery can still hold a charge, you can recharge it with a battery tender, otherwise, it will need to be replaced completely. 

Change Fluids

Gasoline and engine oil are especially sensitive to cold temperatures, and we recommend having both fluids flushed and replaced after bringing your motorcycle out of storage. You’ll also want to inspect other engine fluids—such as your brake fluid or coolant—for signs of leaking, debris, discoloration, or condensation, as these are all signs the fluid needs to be flushed immediately. 

Feeling overwhelmed by your motorcycle’s many maintenance needs? Don’t panic, come visit us here at St. Charles Harley-Davidson®! Our location in St. Charles, MO offers an amazing on-site service center to care for all of your important motorcycle repair and maintenance needs, and we’re always happy to serve those in St. Louis and St. Peters, MO.