14 MOTORCYCLE MOJO MAY 2019am really excited to get back
out onto the roads and trails on
a motorcycle. Winter is hard for
Canadian riders, but it’s even
harder on our trusty mounts. If
you simply parked your bike and
took the key out last fall, then you will
probably have some problems come
start-up time. Corrosion, degrading fuel
and prolonged cold can wreak havoc
on our bikes and batteries. Even mice
could cause problems.
My prep for the start of the riding
season begins when I put my bikes
away in the fall. I change the oil,
remove the battery and connect it to
a trickle charger, and add stabilizer
to the fuel. The bike gets washed and
thoroughly dried before I apply a coat
of wax. Rust inhibitor is then carefully
sprayed on the metal bits, so none gets
on the brakes. For some of my vintage
bikes, I substitute gasoline with Aspen
alkylate fuel for lawn equipment. It’s
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I use it in a vintage trials bike I ride only
once a year; that way, I don’t worry
about cleaning the carb before simply
kicking it over.
I’ve bought at least 10 bikes in the
past that had mice nests in the airbox.
To prevent this, put some duct tape over
the air inlet. Parking with the tires on
wood and propping the bike on a centre
stand or race stand is also a good idea.
If the bike needed some work that
I couldn’t get done before storage, I
make sure to take it into the dealer
before spring starts. Dealers appreciate
business any time of the year, and you
won’t lose riding time getting the work
done over winter. Or you can wait in
line when you realize in the spring that
you need tires, a tune-up and a new
battery.
I also spend a couple of winter eve-
nings treating my leather riding gear,
sitting by the television tuned to the
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at Christmastime. My numerous leather
boots and gloves also get treated with
mink oil to keep them supple and water
resistant, and my favourite old Kenny
Roberts Yamaha jacket also gets a good
massage with dubbin wax to water-
proof it and give it a good shine. When
looking for a new helmet, I shop at the
bike shows. That reminds me: I need a
new liner for my Arai. (It shrank after
I washed it and put it in the dryer, and
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With the right preseason prep and
that freshly charged battery installed,
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ready for spring. But are you ready? I
don’t know about you, but I’m rusty
after spending several months off a
bike.
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bike to a paved parking lot, where
I’m permitted to be, and practise to
sharpen my skills. In the spring, my
low-speed balance isn’t what it was in
the fall, so I try to go as slow as I can in
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clutch won’t cause damage as long as
you don’t apply the brakes or rev the
engine really high. I then ride in big
circles, gradually making them tighter
and tighter. I’m not happy until I can
turn the bike at full lock with my feet
up on the pegs; counterbalancing really
helps here. If you are curious about
springtime warm-up, you can search
“Clinton Smout” on YouTube, where
I’ve posted some videos demonstrating
a few exercises.
Once I feel comfortable with my
low-speed skills, I pick up speed a bit
and work on braking. Some of the bikes
I own are older and without ABS, so it
is important for me to practise braking
hard without locking up the wheels. If
you do so, make sure that the pavement
is clean and free of sand or salt before
trying traction-challenging manoeuvres.
Once I can stop quickly without sliding
the tires, I then practise hammering
the rear brake to purposely slide out. I
believe all riders run the risk of losing
traction when braking or cornering. I
practise drifting the rear wheel out by
pulling in the clutch and hammering
the rear brake. My aim is to practise
controlling a loss of rear traction, which
will help me hang onto my bike when
the back wheel has an unplanned drift.
If you are worried about wearing out
your rear tire doing this, then practise
on gravel, but always do so cautiously.
The tire will slide easily on gravel,
much like on a wet, paved road.
Only then am I ready for spring. So
get prepared, and remember to watch for
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LIFE’S AN ADVENTURE
by Clinton Smout
I
ILLUSTRATION:DEANFOSTERGETTING READY FOR
SPRING RIDING