The arrival of spring, the coming of warmer, drier weather and longer, sunnier days means, for most of us, the biking season has begun once more after a long winter lay-off – but what do we need to check on our bikes before that first ride?

After all, after months of being laid up in your garage, extended inactivity and exposure to cold and damp can prove not only debilitating for your bike – but dangerous for you if not checked and rectified before that first spring ride.

And we’re not just talking about slightly soft tyres or perhaps spongy brakes, there can be a whole, long list of things to watch out for.

Ideally your bike would have been in tip top condition before being laid up: clean and serviced, and tucked up in a warm and dry place, but even if you’ve been diligent you should always take the time to cast an eye before heading out for that first ride.

So, what, exactly should you check on your bike? What should you look for, and what should you do about it? Here’s our experts’ top five recommendations for ‘pre-season’ checks…

Are the electrics alive?

Months of inactivity in a cold, damp garage can be a killer for bike batteries and many people, sensibly, now use trickle chargers to keep their batteries healthy over prolonged periods. Simply turning on the ignition and pressing the starter will reveal a reveal a drained or weakened battery but better still to measure the batteries status.

A healthy power cell should have 12.5v or more – anything less will require charging, or perhaps even replacement with a new battery. As both these remedies take time, we recommend it’s the first thing to check. But even if the battery level is good and your bike starts and idles ok that’s not then end of your electrical checklist.

Do all your bike’s lights work correctly, too? Not just the headlight (in all its settings) and rear brake light but indicators, riding lights (if fitted) and, if relevant, those illuminating your bike’s dash, too. And while you’re at it, it’s a good time to check the correct and free operation of all the controls, too – by which we mean throttle, brake and clutch levers, gearchange, rear brake and so on. If not, adjust and lubricate as required.

Fluid intake

We all know a healthy fluid intake is vital for humans but it’s equally true of your bike (albeit in different ways) – and we’re not talking about just topping up your tank. Firstly, modern fuel notoriously degrades if a bike’s stood for an extended period. As a countermeasure, hopefully you drained most of your tank before laying your bike up for winter. But now is the time to add five litres of fresh petrol which will effectively reinvigorate any fuel left, helping to prevent poor starting.

And by ‘fluids’ we don’t just mean petrol. Now is also the time to re-check the levels of your engine oil, radiator coolant and brake fluid as well – and double-check for any leaks.

Rubber solutions

Tyres are probably the most important aspect of your bike to check after a long period of being laid-up as, not only will their pressures likely be incorrect, flat-spots can develop and rubber can degrade with cracks appearing – all of which can potentially make your first post-winter ride lethal.

Ideally, you should have over-inflated them over the lay-up period and, in a perfect world, perhaps with its centre or paddocks stands, lifted both front and rear wheels off the ground to avoid flat spots. But now is also the time to adjust their inflation to normal road pressures and, while you’re at it, check the wheels spin smoothly and inspect the tyres themselves for cracking, bulges and other imperfections – plus, of course, check that their tread depth is still within legal limits! If in doubt, now’s the time to get some new rubber fitted.

Chains and sprockets

Unless your bike has the alternative shaft or belt drive systems, this is one of the areas that’s most affected by long lay-ups if not maintained correctly. Chains and sprockets are notorious for corrosion when parked up for long periods, especially if not cleaned thoroughly to remove grime and road salt before it was laid up.

So, inspect thoroughly, check it runs smoothly by rotating the rear wheel and that there are no ‘tight’ links, clean if necessary, re-lubricate and adjust as necessary. And while you’re at it, also inspect both front and rear sprockets for any worn or hooked teeth.

Brakes/suspension

When you’re rotating the wheels the check the tyres or chain run take the opportunity also to check that the brakes haven’t seized and aren’t dragging or binding. Again, brake caliper seizure is not uncommon on machines that have been stood for a while, especially if not cleaned thoroughly prior to a long lay-up. If they are, free up and lubricate as necessary and, while you’re at it, check there’s plenty of life left in the brake pads.

Obviously, you should also check the suspension, which can also be prone to seizure. Ensure that both the front forks and the rear suspension compresses and rebounds correctly. Fork seals can fail if a bike has been sitting for a long period, too. So, wipe a tissue around the stanchion and seal to inspect closely for any weeping oil.

Words: Phil West

Photos: Honda