QuestionOK, now that the weather is turning warm, and my motorcycle insurance is about to kick in, I'm going to unpack the cycle from winter storage. What things do I need to be mindful of?
What should be done to ready my Honda CM450E for road work again?
AnswerAhh, spring. Time to tune up your bike and your brain.
First things first, plan to ease into riding. You can't just jump in where you left off last fall. Your motorcycle brain has been in hibernation for a few months and you need to work back up to the level you were at before the lay-by.
For the bike, here's what you want to take a look at:
Tires: How old are they? If they're more than 3 years old, replace them. Old, hard tires are slippery, especially when it's cold. If they're still fresh, take a look at the wear and reset your tire pressures.
Fluids: Change oil and filter, bleed the brakes and get some fresh fluid in there, take a look and top off or replace coolant.
Controls: lube and adjust throttle and clutch cables so you have about a 1/4 inch of freeplay.
Lights: all work?
Chain/sprockets: inspect, adjust, clean, and lubricate.
Brakes: adjust rear brake, take a look at pads and/or shoes. If you've got less than 3mm, replace them.
Forks: all clean? If there's any mess, think about replacing the fork seals and fork oil.
Last, get your torque wrench out and your shop manual and retorque every nut and bolt you have access to without tearing the bike apart. Things vibrate loose over time, and doing this can help you get acquainted with your bike and help you identify potential problems.
Good luck and have a great summer!
Pat
