Top 5 Tips For Summer Bike Maintenance

Whether you choose to ride your bike throughout the year, or you prefer to stow your motorbike away during the winter, now is the time to really get the most out of biking.

Motorbikes are always best in the summertime, when you don't need to worry so much about hazardous weather conditions making your life a bit of a misery. However, you can't simply hop on your bike and ride off into the sunset - no, you'll need to do some maintenance during the warmer months to make sure your bike is in tip-top condition.



If you'd like to ensure your motorbike is in perfect condition for the summer months, consider carrying out these five great maintenance tasks:

1) Check and clean your battery
Just as car drivers need to, motorcyclists have to check their batteries on a regular basis to make sure they're still in good order. Be on the lookout for broken terminals, bumps in the case, cracks or leaking, as all of these factors can signal a broken battery.



If the terminals are corroded, you'll need to clean them. Always wear gloves and protective clothing when doing this. Begin removing the cables (beginning with the negative one) and then spray a specialist cleaning fluid onto the terminals. Once it's reacted with the corrosion, you can wipe it clean and reconnect the cables (in reverse order this time, starting with the positive cable). If, however, the corrosion is a bit deeper, you may want to use a wire wool brush to gently clear the area.

2) Drain and refill the fuel tank
If you've left your bike over the winter period with a half-empty fuel tank, it's very important that you empty and refill it before you set off. This is because air can get into your fuel tank, as it's not completely impervious to the outside world. This air can end up condensing inside your tank, which can add water to your fuel.



Drain the tank as much as physically possible, and then run the bike until it completely runs out of fuel, as a little will still be left in the tank. Those with plastic fuel tanks will be able to refill their tank immediately, whereas those with metal fuel tanks may want to prep theirs beforehand. You can do with a simple oil solution, which will stop it from rusting in the future.

3) Give your tyres a once over
This isn't really a maintenance task that should be saved for the summertime - you should always keep an eye on the state of your tyres. It's a basic task that every motorbike owner should know how to do.



Check the tyre pressure of your tyres and consider pumping them back up if they're a little deflated. You should also check the treads to make sure your tyres haven't worn too thin - allowing this to happen could result in a dangerous accident.

4) Examine your helmet
It's vital that your bike helmet remains in perfect condition, as it could be the one thing that saves your life in the event of an accident. If your helmet has even the slightest crack or dent in it though, it may not perform to the best of standards.



Thoroughly examine your bike helmet to check for cracks and other damage. Remember - if you've fallen off your bike and banged your head, you may need to replace your helmet due to internal damage that you won't be able to see.

5) Start a new logbook
Noting down everything you've done in a new logbook can ensure you're able to keep track of your actions. You should also write down your starting mileage.



This will also come in handy should you decide to sell your bike during the year!

Do you know of any other maintenance tips that we've missed off? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by driving and motorbike enthusiast Aurora Johnson on behalf of Central Contracts, a car leasing company in the UK.

(Images courtesy : Shutterstock)