Preparing Your Boat and Motorcycle for Warmer Weather

When sunshine starts dancing on the lake, boaters and motorcyclists will be eager for some warm-weather fun. Before your boat hits the water or your bike hits the road though, ensure they are ready. Preparing your summer toys for spring ensures proper performance and safety. These tips for preparing your boat and motorcycle for spring will give you peace of mind and get you on the water/road in no time. If you have any questions, contact our office at 413.475.7283 or Complete our online quote form today!

General Tips for Preparing Your Boat for Spring
– Check that the boat registration is current and onboard. You need to have this available if a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officer asks to see it.
– Clean the hull with a marine-safe cleanser. Avoid using dish soap as it may remove wax.
– After cleaning the hull, apply a coat of wax to protect the finish.
– Clean windows and hatches to ensure unobstructed visibility.
– Inspect wiper blades and replace if necessary.
– Check that drains and scuppers are clear. Clean as needed so that water can properly drain off instead of pooling in your boat.
– Clean and polish metal with a good metal polish.
– Invest in boat towing insurance with Encharter Insurance. You’ll be glad you did if an emergency arises.

A Maintenance Checklist for Your Motorcycle
– Check all your lights. If you kept your bike on a battery tender over the winter, your battery is likely in good shape to start the season. Turn on the electrics and get a friend to help you make sure your headlight’s low beam and high beam functions both work, as well as front and rear turn signals and brake lights. Lights in your instrument clusters should be in good working order, as well. If anything isn’t working as it should, now is the time to replace affected light bulbs before you get out on the road. If nothing comes on, your battery needs to be jumped or possibly replaced.
– Inspect Your Tires. Real talk: You should check your tires every single time you ride. On four wheels, you might be inconvenienced by a flat or a slow leak in one of your tires. But when you’re relying on only two wheels, you absolutely need both those tires to be properly inflated and to not be damaged, because your life depends on it. Check the info on your bike (it’s often on the VIN plaque or the chain guard) to find out proper cold tire pressure, no matter what rubber you choose to stick on your bike. Your bike has been sitting in one place all winter, so it isn’t surprising that your tires might be a couple pounds low. Replace your rubber, if it’s damaged, badly squared off, or too worn down.
– Check your oil, coolant, and brake fluids. The last thing you want on a nice day of riding is to find out that your fluids are either no longer performing like they should, or that you don’t have enough of them in your bike to do their jobs. If you don’t already have a solid maintenance schedule set up where you’re checking and changing out all three of these fluids on a regular basis, now is a great time to start.
– Examine everything in detail. Check your frame (and fairings, if you have them), torque everything properly, tighten screws — basically, look over every square inch of your bike. Check that things like your fork seals aren’t cracked, and that your forks aren’t weeping oil. Isn’t your bike beautiful? Oh wait, what’s that crack on the frame? Phew, it’s just dirt. Better to know that now (and wipe it off) than to find out that it’s a serious piece of damage that puts you in danger when you’re going 140.
Preparing your boat and/or motorcycle for spring may be painstaking, but a couple hours or so of checking out your boat/bike to make sure it’s fit for the water/road now can save you precious weeks of hassle later. Having peace of mind while you’re enjoying them all season with coverage from Encharter Insurance. You can reach us at (413) 475-7283 or online at https://www.encharter.com/personal-insurance/specialty-insurance/.

Chat with an Encharter agent about your insurance today:
413.475.7283
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Source: https://www.rawhide.org/blog/recreational-vehicles/preparing-your-boat-for-spring/ and https://www.complex.com/sports/2014/04/prepare-your-motorcycle-for-spring-maintenance-checklist/

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