Bike Prep

[tsanterre]

SO...

Last year was my first year of racing... meaning this is the first time I'll be pulling my race-bike out of storage to get it ready for the up-coming season!

Anything I need to do to the bike other than the normal prep work of taking a bike out of storage?

I mean, I've read other threads / forums, I know basically what to look for / what to do.. but I want to make sure I'm not over-looking anything since it will be my first time coming out of winter and going to the track.

Anybody made themselves a little check-list that I could steal?

TIA

[OreoGaborio]

Step 1 - look at bike
Step 2 - kick tires
Step 3 - start bike
Step 4 - ride bike
Steps 5 through 1,322 - wish you had gone through the entire thing to check torque specs on all the important bits.

[tsanterre]

word homie.

Steps 1 - 4 - done.

I do have shop manual with all the torque specs... i check that sucker often.

ANYWAY...anyone else with useful input?

[OreoGaborio]

Eff yoo! That was useful!

Seriously though... just go through the bike & see what it needs.

Change oil if needed
Change filters if needed
Change spark plugs if needed
Blah blah blah

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Step 1 - look at bike
Step 2 - kick tires
Step 3 - start bike
Step 4 - ride bike
Steps 5 through 1,322 - wish you had gone through the entire thing to check torque specs on all the important bits.

This is all I did last year. This year I plan to also change a bunch of crap I wanted to change last year and never got around to.

Every bike is different. I ride an EX. The only "prep" I NEED to do is

1) remove family of mice from airbox
2) put front wheel & tire back on
3) ride bike

[tsanterre]

what about suspension?

["Dangerous" Dan K]

I'm told you should at the least do your fork oil every season, and if you're legit fast just send your shit to Kates every spring. I've done my fork oil exactly once, ever, and it was toward the end of last season. I'll probably do it again opening weekend.

[OreoGaborio]

what about suspension?

I thought you were just pulling it out of storage & running as is

This winter I...
Rebuilt my motor
Rebuilt my suspension
Completely disassembled the bike down to a frame, swingarm & wiring harness
Checked wheel bearings
Checked swingarm pivot
Repairing & repainting bodywork
New brake master cylinder
New brake lines
New lightweight battery
All new fluids
etc etc etc.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

I thought you were just pulling it out of storage & running as is

This winter I...
(Paid my motor guy to) Rebuilt my motor
(Paid Kates to) Rebuilt my suspension
Completely disassembled the bike down to a frame, swingarm & wiring harness
Checked wheel bearings
Checked swingarm pivot
Repairing & repainting bodywork
New brake master cylinder
New brake lines
New lightweight battery
All new fluids
etc etc etc.

fixxored

Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you. At your level buy the best shit you can, I'm sick of watching you podium without winning and god knows those 2 LW aliens in front of you don't do all their shit themselves.

[tsanterre]

I thought you were just pulling it out of storage & running as is

That was my question... can I just pull it out of storage and run it as is? Would that be safe? Would that be harmful to the bike?

I'm def. not legit fast.

The things you mentioned seemed more like upgrades then routine maintenance.

I'm looking for more NEEDS than WANTS. I understand you can never be too cautious.. just trying to make sure I nail down the stuff that is going to keep the bike safe and me safe.

[OreoGaborio]

change fluids if necessary, torque important shit if necessary and ride

It's not like bike's magically turn into death traps over the winter

[RyanNicholson]

Yea I always just changed all fluids, double checked the brakes (fluid and pads), and gave the bike a really solid cleaning and once over. Pretty much stuff I'd check any given race weekend anyway.

[Rambunctous]

Drain antifreeze and add water wetter

[STREET&COMP]

Not to be an ass but the best post storage prep is pre storage prep, change your fluids before you put the bike in storage, treat the gas and fill the tank, or if you have good storage that is climate controlled and the temp doesn't vary too much drain it completely. Disconnect the battery, and throw it on a GOOD tender. Check the tires and psi, check the chain and give give it a good lube, check forks and fork seals, brake lines, pads, master cylinder. Double check all nuts and bolts that are attached to something that moves, pinch bolts, carrier nuts, swing arm, axles, steering stem, calipers. For the motor if you can touch the bolt check it, they make small wrenches, if it feels loose with a wrench check the torque. That's just a quick run down on what I do to my bike before I store it, I mean odds are it's the last time I'm gonna touch it for months and I need spend as much time with it as I can.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Drain antifreeze and add water wetter

I forgot this one because I don't plan on doing it until I get to the track (mine is stored in an unheated shed) but definitely a really good thing not to forget!