Rider playbooks
Practical, checklist-driven guides for the moments every rider hits sooner or later - buying a used bike, the first month with a new one, getting it ready for the season. Each step comes with a plain-language reason, not just an instruction.
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Riding style
All-weather motorcycle commuting: a maintenance checklist
Keep a daily commuter safe through rain, cold and road salt: chain care, rinsing salt, tire pressure in the cold, lights, wet brakes, battery and CVT belt.
15-step checklist
Seasonal
What a year of motorcycle ownership costs: how to budget
Budget a year of motorcycle maintenance from your own mileage and service intervals: every cost category, how to estimate each, and how to track actuals.
16-step checklist
Buying
Buying
What to check before buying a used motorcycle
How to inspect a used motorcycle before you pay: paperwork first, then the wear story, a cold start and a ride. Know what to walk away from.
15-step checklist
Buying
Questions to ask when buying a used motorcycle
What to ask a used motorcycle seller before you travel and at the viewing: ownership, records, crashes, modifications, why they sell and what is included.
15-step checklist
Buying
How to read a motorcycle's service history
How to check a used motorcycle's service history: stamps vs invoices, matching dates and odometer, gaps, missing major services and what to do with no book.
15-step checklist
Buying
Used motorcycle test ride: what to check
How to test ride a used motorcycle: agree insurance and deposit first, then check cold start, clutch, gearbox, brakes, steering, suspension and electrics.
16-step checklist
Ownership
Ownership
What to do after buying a used motorcycle: the first 30 days
The baseline service for a newly bought used motorcycle: which fluids to change, what to inspect and how to restart every service interval from today.
16-step checklist
Ownership
Motorcycle break-in procedure: riding a new engine right
How to break in a new motorcycle: vary rpm and load, follow the manual's limits, bed in tires and brakes, and log the first service on time.
14-step checklist
Ownership
Your first DIY motorcycle service: what to do and what to log
Plan your first home motorcycle service: the basic job list, the tools, torque values and fluids per the manual, and exactly what to record.
15-step checklist
Ownership
Preparing your motorcycle for sale: the records that raise the price
Get a motorcycle ready to sell: gather the service records, fix cheap faults, clean and photograph it, disclose honestly and hand the history over.
16-step checklist
Seasonal
Seasonal
Motorcycle spring checklist: after winter storage
Get a motorcycle back on the road after winter storage: battery, fuel, tires, brakes, chain and controls, in the order that avoids damage.
15-step checklist
Seasonal
How to store a motorcycle for winter: checklist
Store a motorcycle for winter without spring surprises: cleaning, fuel, oil, battery, tires, covers and rodents, in the order the job actually goes.
15-step checklist
Seasonal
Before a long motorcycle trip: a 10-day countdown
Prepare a motorcycle for a long trip on a 10-day countdown: service due, tires for the distance, chain, load and pressures, spares and documents.
15-step checklist
Seasonal
What a year of motorcycle ownership costs: how to budget
Budget a year of motorcycle maintenance from your own mileage and service intervals: every cost category, how to estimate each, and how to track actuals.
16-step checklist
Riding style
Riding style
Enduro and dirt bike after-ride checklist
What to do after every dirt ride: wash without forcing water into bearings or the airbox, service the foam filter, check chain, spokes and bolts, log hours.
14-step checklist
Riding style
Adventure bike trip prep: checklist
Prepare an adventure bike for a mixed-terrain trip: tires and pressures for load and surface, preload for luggage, protection, spares, power and fuel range.
15-step checklist
Riding style
All-weather motorcycle commuting: a maintenance checklist
Keep a daily commuter safe through rain, cold and road salt: chain care, rinsing salt, tire pressure in the cold, lights, wet brakes, battery and CVT belt.
15-step checklist