How To Care for Your Harley-Davidson
If you’re planning on storing your Harley-Davidson motorcycle for an extended period of time, there are several steps you can take to ensure that your bike will stay in good condition and be ready to ride once you take it out of storage. Inspect and Charge the Battery Make sure your battery is fully charged, and also check to make sure that it isn’t leaking. If you find it is leaking or that the case is bulged, then the battery is overcharged and needs to be replaced. Some Harley-Davidson owners keep their bike charged by starting it and running it for short periods of time while in storage. This method is actually counterproductive. It leaves the battery in a discharged condition and makes it more susceptible to sulfation. Instead, you should use your Harley-Davidson battery charger or battery tender to charge your bike’s battery to full capacity. The charger or tender works by using a microprocessor to read the battery voltage, and then adjusts the charging output based on the voltage. Change Your Oil Changing the oil may seem obvious, but it’s important not to forget this step. Dirty oil will increase the corrosion rate, especially during long-term (such as winter) storage. You don’t want to have to get an engine rebuild! Make Sure the Fuel Tank is Full If you’re storing your motorcycle, you should ensure that the fuel tank is completely full. A low fuel tank leaves its metal exposed, which leads to corrosion. If the tank becomes extremely corroded, you may have to invest in a corrosion removal treatment or an expensive replacement. Old, stale fuel can also pose a problem. You can combat this danger by adding fuel stabiliser, which will slow the fuel’s aging process. Check the Tyres Check the wheels and tyres. After all, these are the foundation of your bike. First, check the air pressure in both tyres on a consistent basis. This way you’ll be able to tell if one tyre is losing air faster than the other. Air could be escaping through a small hole in your tyre. This article was originally published on FredSines.uk.