Cleaning and preparing your motorcycle after Winter storage should be a passionionate task. Yes, after the many months of waiting. Doing anything to your motorcyle is a much anticipated task. Sure it is not on the “hunny do list.” But it is the number one to do item on your list. Whether you ride a BMW tourer, ZZR1200 Sport Tourer, or Victory Kingpin, you should approach the task like a Zen master. Learning about your bike again, fine tuning it up and preparing it for its first spring ride. So, get out the cache of cleaning supplies, soap, polish and waxes, lubricants, etc… and get to it!

The following punch list has been comprised by reading through the various motorcycle owners manuals (MOMs) and service manuals. As well as, from my own experiences as to what works. After a few months in storage for both you and your bike, I encourage you to read your general maintenance sections of your M.O.M just to make sure you did not forget something basic like inflating the tires to the proper inflation specifications.

• Check battery terminals (clean, if necessary, with baking soda and water).
• Dry or apply an after wash product (there are several available), then dry.
• Check oil and other lubricants.
• Check cables and lub with specified lubricants.
• Check tire pressure and wear.
• Check, charge, or install the battery (positive lead first).
• Check all lights, and operation of each.
• Check brake fluid level, and pads/shoes for wear.
• Wash or apply a pre-wash, and then thoroughly “bathe” your ride.
• Apply leather treatment to leather components.
• Check drive belt, chain, or shaft.
• Polish and wax all chrome and painted parts.
• Add “octane” booster (if desired) according to directions.
• Clean inside of helmet with mild soap (let dry).
• Write down beginning mileage.
• Review any notes written before putting your motorcycle in Winter storage.

Finally, you made it through your first spring motorcycle maintenance task and now are one with your motorcycle. Well, not quite yet. Now you need to fine-tune yourself. By that I mean, practice your basic riding skills. Head out to an empty parking lot and practice your braking, slow-speed riding techniques, and clutch control. You will find that you are a bit rusty. This will also give you a chance to see if there is anything you missed while going through your spring tune-up punch list.

The bottom line is to have fun. Motorcycling is all about the passion. I firmly believe in one doing their own motorcycle maintenance. If you are doubtful of your mechanical skill all you need to do is go to one fo the many online motorcycle forum sites and post questions or browse their How-To articles. Ideally you want to go to a site that pertains to your model motorcycle.

Contributing author to Cycle Solutions
http://www.CycleSolutions.net

Jamis Bikes is a popular bicycle manufacturer and to celebrate their success, we have found 5 facts on this popular brand which have been provided below:

1. Jamis Bikes have a unique range of bikes. Jamis are one of the only manufacturers to provide a large and varied line of bicycles ranging from road, street, comfort and mountain bikes. No matter what you are looking for, you can be sure to find a bicycle suitable with Jamis.

2. They win awards. Bikes by Jamis have won many awards from industry recognized Bicycle Magazine. An example of Jamis Bikes which have won awards is the Jamis Commuter series which was given the “Best Commuting Bike” award in 2007. Not many other mountain bike brands win awards consistenly.

3. Perfection is their mission. What better to do than to associate yourself with a brand that openly says they strive for perfection? The folks at Jamis have a mission to create perfect bikes every time so you can be rest assured that your bike has been built to the highest standards.

4. Affordable. There is no need to pay over the odds for a decent mountain bikes. A recent survey done a shopping comparison site showed that Jamis Bikes offered the most affordable bikes when compared to rivals.

5. Design and Performance. Just because the bikes made by Jamis are affordable does not mean they skimp on design and performance. In fact, Jamis Bikes take great care in their frame designs and also look to innovate with a host of unique features such as the famed mp3 suspension in their DakarBam series.

There are four easy steps of buying mountain bikes or any other type of bikes. But if you’ve never bought one before you may find yourself in an uncomfortable position as you are staring up at over 50 bikes on a rack and they are all screaming for you to buy them.

Set Your Price- If you don’t know how much you can spend you are going to get anywhere, especially not the cash register. A nice mountain bike is going to set you over at least $200, now this isn’t saying you can’t find one cheaper. There are a ton of stores, garage sales, ebay and many more places that you can purchase a bike for cheaper than the regular prices.

Research- Before you go shopping you should do a little research on how much a mountain bike runs. This way you know a high and a low that you might find. Reviews are also a great way to find out which bike you may want to get.

The Test Drive- While not all stores will allow this, some will let you test ride their bikes if they really think you are about to purchase them. Make sure it really fits you though, everything should feel comfortable. Once you’ve found the one that is just right for you, buy it and start having fun.