3 Tips for Maintaining Your Motorcycle

A properly maintained motorcycle is a fun motorcycle. A properly maintained motorcycle is less likely to leave you beside the road, waiting to be hauled in for repairs. Most importantly, a properly maintained motorcycle is a safer motorcycle. And safety should always be your number one priority while riding. We know motorcycle maintenance at Freedom Cycles. For more information, visit us in Grandview, MO, proudly serving Kansas City, MO, and Overland Park, KS.

1. Brakes and Tires

You can check the tire tread by sticking a penny into the grooves. Now, look at the penny from a level viewing angle. If you can still see most of the penny, then you'll likely need new tires fairly soon.

After you check the tires, inspect the brake pads next. Do they still have plenty of material on them? Ideally, they should have a half-inch or more.

2. Oil and Fuel

Gasoline is not the purest substance in the world, believe it or not. A good portion of the gunk found in the holding tanks at a gas station will eventually end up in the tank of somebody's vehicle. The fuel filter captures that gunk before it can find its way to the engine and cause you problems. Your motorcycle just won't run the way it should with a partially clogged fuel filter. Change it.

Also, make sure to check the oil before you buy a used motorcycle. If it's low, top it off. If the oil seems to contain small particles in it, then those are likely to be engine shavings which indicate motor trouble yet to come.

3. The Battery

Any motorcycle that sat in storage through several Midwestern winters is probably going to need a battery change soon. Always look and see what shape the battery is in before the start of the riding season. If it looks like it's been on there a while and the terminals are corroded over, expect to replace the battery soon.

4. Your Helmet

Always inspect your helmet for damage prior to riding. Did you store it on a shelf in the garage during the winter months? If it got knocked off the shelf accidentally, you may want to replace it, especially if it shows any signs of impact

Motorcycle helmets are rated for only one impact. After that, you must replace it if you want to protect your skull. Normally, a drop from the level of your hand won’t harm the helmet. But anything more than that, you probably want to replace it.

Maintaining your motorcycle is work. And of course, you could also just let Freedom Cycles do all the work. We have a superb maintenance and parts department. Our staff is extremely knowledgeable about all things motorcycle related. Come on into Freedom Cycles today, located in Grandview, MO, and proudly serving Kansas City, MO, and Overland Park, KS.