Maintenance
Getting your motorcycle ready for riding season in North Haven
Connecticut winters are hard on a bike that sat for months. A short checklist of what to look at before the first real ride of the year.
March 4, 2025 · 4 min read
By March, most bikes around New Haven County have been sitting for three or four months. Some of them start right up. A lot of them do not, or they run rough for the first few rides. A little attention before the season saves the breakdown on the side of Route 5 in May.
Before you turn the key
- Tires. Check pressure and look at the rubber. Tires that sat flat-spotted or cracked over the winter are not safe at speed.
- Fluids. Old gas breaks down. If it was not stabilized in the fall, drain it and start fresh. Check oil and coolant levels.
- Brakes. Squeeze the lever and push the pedal. Spongy feel means air in the line. Worn pads are easier to fix now than after the first long ride.
- Chain and sprockets. Clean and lube the chain. Look for tight spots and hooked sprocket teeth.
- Battery. Charge it fully. A battery that sat all winter may hold a charge or it may not.
When it is more than a checklist
If the bike will not hold an idle, or the brakes feel wrong, or something just sounds off, that is the point where a phone call makes sense. Small problems get bigger fast once you are putting real miles on.
Bring it by the shop on Washington Ave and Steve will go through it. A pre-season once-over is one of the cheaper things you can do for a bike you plan to ride all summer.