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Let’s Talk About.. The Fall!
Now what am I referring to… I’m talking not talking about the fall of civilization ( although sometimes it may feel like it’s coming!) I’m talking about my most favorite time of the year! It’s time for bonfires and hoodies and cooler temperatures!
From gorgeous fall color to enjoyable temperatures, and all the other awesome things about fall, there are the incredible riding opportunities! But there are some things to consider before you head out on that leaf peeping tour.
First thing is your battery. Fall can bring some big temperature swings (Depending where you are). If your battery is getting weak and you’re just trying to eek it through until winter, be aware that it might not have the juice to crank up your stallion first thing in the morning, or if you have had an extended stop and the temperature has dropped. Once your bike has cooled down it is like the first crank of the day all over again . This is not the time to find out your battery was a little worse than you thought! Remember to keep your bike on a tender once the temperatures start dropping during the night.
Next you want to make sure that you are keeping fresh fuel in the tank, and that the tank is staying full. When you have an air pocket in the tank, this allows for condensation. Especially during the shoulder season of fall when temperatures vary greatly from overnight to noon time, it is important to keep fuel stabilizer in the tank to help keep that gas fresh and free from water. If you notice that the bike seems to be cutting out or “popping” a lot, try adding some octane booster into the tank to smooth it out.
Now we get to the tires!... Be aware that outside air temperature greatly affects your tire pressure! Even though you may have just checked it yesterday or the day before, if the temperatures have fluctuated, your tire pressure can be way off. This is also the time to make sure that your tread depth is adequate. Fall weather can change quickly. Wet roads or frosty conditions are not the time to stop and check how much tread you have left, or if you can squeak that back tire until the winter service check.
The fall is also a great time to get an oil change. Most of us slow down our riding in the fall as we start to wind up the riding season. This is the perfect time for an oil change. We have fresh oil for those cooler morning starts and it will also give us fresh less corrosive oil to sit in the bike over the winter.
Lastly, let’s think about our drive system, be it a shaft, chain or belt driven motorcycle. Fall is usually a little wetter and dirtier, with more debris on the road. This will invariable kick up onto the drive train. You should get in the habit of checking your drive train before every ride. If you have a belt drive make sure that the belt is clean and free from debris or fraying. If you have a shaft drive make sure that there is no debris, like leaves or loose twigs around the shaft. If you ride a chain driven bike make sure to keep the chain clean and well lubricated. If you get in the habit of lubricating the chain while its till warm this will help the lubrication to fully soak through the chain components and give you better pro-tection of the parts!