As winter is in full effect, many of us are looking forward and beginning to prep for warmer weather activities. You are likely itching to get your motorbike out for its first ride of the year. It's best to do some routine maintenance along with any other desired upgrades for the coming season now.

Do a walk around of your bike. Make a list of everything that needs work or updates. Whether you need to do spot cleaning, add storage options, or replace a part, you will also need to make sure you have done your regular maintenance to ensure your motorcycle is performing optimally.

5 routine motorcycle maintenance steps

1. Oil change

Ensure you have ran the bike for five minutes to ensure it will drain easily. Check your owner’s manual to find out how often you should be changing your oil, and how to drain it.

2. Replace air filter

Sometimes the air filter is easy to access and change, but you may have to remove the gas tank and other parts to get to it. Once you get into the air box, take out the old filter and replace. Then reinstall anything you moved.

3. Check brakes

You should be testing your brakes before each ride. Ensure they are in good working condition, are tightened, and have plenty of brake fluid. Change your brake pads if necessary.

4. Check battery

If your battery takes a full charge, that’s a good sign. You should be able to get a good gauges on whether or not your battery is beginning to kick it by how easily it cranks your engine over and its age.

5. Clean your chain

You will want to clean the chain when it gets dirty or at the mileage your owner’s manual recommends.

If you are at a mileage milestone, take it in for a mechanical checkup.

When you are ready and spring has arrived, take your motorcycle for a drive to wake it up. Choose a route that you have driven before that allows for plenty of space and speed as well as stopping to check on how the bike doing.

You can repeat this maintenance check anytime your motorcycle has been sitting for a bit or you notice something isn’t working optimally. Hope this helps you build a routine for best performance practices.