Spring is here, and everyone is anxious to start the new riding season. For the last several months you have been bouncing around the house, watching old race and riding videos, talking non-stop about riding, basically annoying every non-motorcycle riding person around you. But now it’s time to ride!

One way to get a jump on the riding season is to get in the garage and make sure your bike is in the best condition it can be for the new riding year. Changing your oil, checking your tires and chain, giving the whole bike a once over for properly tightened fasteners, these are all basic jobs that should be taken care of.

One of the major parts of a motorcycle that sometimes gets neglected is the suspension. Working on your forks or shocks can be a little intimidating, but, with the right reference materials and tools, it is something that even an intermediate level home mechanic can do. Whether it’s just a simple fluid change, new seals, or even a full revalving job, you will feel the difference. Riders of all types, from dirt to street, can benefit from well set up and maintained suspension. Plusher, more compliant suspension and better performance all result from proper maintenance and service of this part of a motorcycle that is often neglected.

Of course Motion Pro has many of the tools to make suspension work easy and fast. Advanced mechanics that are serious about this type of work will benefit from the Motion Pro Soft Jaw Suspension Vise (p/n 08-0391), which makes servicing forks or shocks a snap. Fork seal drivers, damper rod tools, bleeding tools, and setup tools like the Fork Tru (p/n 08-0412) and the Uni-Sag Scale (p/n 08-0406) all make for a complete suspension tool kit, and will save you time and money. The newly introduced Motion Pro Deluxe Bearing Tool (p/n 08-0294) is the best tool for working on swingarm and suspension linkage bearings and bushings, and is a great addition to your toolbox. A more in depth article on the Deluxe Bearing Tool is included in this newsletter. Motion Pro even offers advanced tools like the Shock Filler and Gauge (p/n 08-0072) assembly, which is critical for rear suspension work, and a service not offered by many shops.

Get a jump on the riding season, and add competent suspension service to your home maintenance program, your bike will love you for it, and you will love the difference it makes in your motorcycle.