3 Things Every Harley Owner Should Be Doing For Their Bike

"Being an owner means being responsible," is one of the things my Dad used to say, and it makes sense. As an owner you should be vigilant and watch for early warning signs to help prevent major disasters later on.

This is true if you are responsible for an animal - you have your dog/cat vaccinated to prevent him or her from getting sick. If you own a house and ignored that the furnace was going out or the roof leaked, you know you'll be into spending some serious money to get them fixed.

I asked Chad, our Service Manager at FX Caprara Harley-Davidson, what are the 3 things he wished Harley owners would do for their bikes, and here's what he said:

Battery Tender

Sure you need it during the winter when your bike is hibernating and the snow is falling. But even in the warmest summer months, if you're not riding for even a week or two, it's a good idea to plug your bike in. 

Brake Service

Everybody loves to go fast, but forget that it's just as important to be able to stop when you need to. If you have your bike routinely maintained (like your owners manual says in the back), you'll be fine. (Are you maintaining your ABS?) The very worn brake pads above are mine, off my bike, while she was getting her 50K mile service.

Tire Pressure

We had a customer bring his bike in for service, swearing up & down that the wheel bearings were gone in his front tire. What was the actual problem? His tire pressure was about 12 pounds under what it should be. If he had just bothered to check he could've saved himself a bit of money.

Doing these three things is not a guarantee that your bike won't need service or repair later on. But it will help you to get to know your bike better and possibly prevent major damage down the road.