Here comes the summer…
Temperature rises, volume remains constant. The result?
While, over the last few years, winter has tended to sneak in a nasty little lastminute bite just as we think that spring is finally with us, when we wave goodbye to February and welcome March with open arms we can start to feel that the worst is over and that riding season is truly upon us.
When the sun breaks through, it brings some warmth to our cold bones; there are flashes of bright, lime green with buds breaking out on trees and bushes; sparks of primary colours from springtime flowers; and morning light is welcomed with mellifluous tones from the birds’ dawn chorus. The long, dark nights of winter are forgotten about, and we can start to think about riding without half-an-hour of preparation beforehand. It’s my favourite time of the year, for all of those reasons.
But springtime does bring other issues. Not least of which is the pressure brought by being determined to get one of my own bikes finished and ready for use in the milder climes of summer. Although I’m very keen to extol the virtues of riding all-year round, I also have some bikes that will only ever be for summer use. You read all about my racing last year, and the Bandit 600 race bike is one that needs some maintenance before I think about returning to the track, as even though I’m not doing the full season I do plan a race meeting or two, alongside a couple of Classic Bike Track Day events, so at the very least the little Suzuki needs a service and a change of brake pads, and I really need to check and grease the swinging arm and steering head bearings while I’m at it. I also have a twinshock trail bike to MoT and register, as I’d like to take part in a long-distance trial or two, as well as doing some green-laning, and it’d be nice if that was ready before summer, too. Oh, and there’s the cheap bike that I’ll be using for the Longest Day Challenge in June (more on that next issue), that needs thoroughly checking over and making ready for the big day. And then there are the project bikes that have been hanging around for a little too long with nothing being done to them, and although they don’t need to be done so I can use them this summer, they’re still something of a Sword of Damocles, and I really want to make some kind of progress with them as well.
Of course, the situation will be entirely the same for many of you, too. And this isn’t made any easier for those hardy folk who have been riding through winter, as now is the time to give the ‘winter hack’ the love and attention that it needs after a season of rain, road salt and abuse. Although, thanks to modern cleaning products, additives and protective coatings, winter use doesn’t necessarily have the same destructive effect on a motorcycle’s components. Chain lube created for wet weather conditions stays in place; aluminium and steel components covered by protective sprays don’t get eaten away by aggressive road salt; and pretty much every bike built now has an exhaust that is entirely stainless steel, barring the end can. But, even so, a spring clean using the local jet wash isn’t really enough, and a proper deep clean with the bodywork removed and wheels out is what is required. Not just to ensure that everything is clean, but to check on the working order, too.
And winter brings more than just dirt and salt. The last year has brought more damage to vehicles from road defects such as potholes than previously reported – insurance statistics point to a rise of 66% over the UK – and it’s at this very time of year (mid-February as I write this column) that the roads are in their worst condition. Wetter conditions (yes folks, another joy of climate change) and heavier vehicles on our roads conspire to make life a little more hazardous for us on two wheels. But it’s not just something to accept and put up with, as we can play a part in getting the issue resolved. Report all potholes as soon as you get chance – it’s easy enough via www.gov. uk/report-pothole – and put the pressure on your local authority to get them fixed.
Pressure, it’s not just about having to get your bike ready for the road, but getting the road ready for your bike.