Monthly Archives: November 2010

Winterizing Tips for Your Motorcycle

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For those of you that park your Cruiser or Sport Bike for the Winter, it’s very important to insure that it is properly “Winterized”.  This will keep your bike in tip top shape for the Winter and provide for easy start up for that first Saturday in March when the sun is out and the thermostat outside is hitting 70.  Here are some useful tips:

Motorcycle Oil Change
It is good to change motorcycle oil prior to Winter storage. After it is changed, run it for a few minutes to get the new oil coated on the engine. Also lube moving parts (cables, etc.) with recommended lubricants.

Gas in Carburetor
Gasoline that sits in the carburetor for extended periods of time is not good for the motorcycle.  Before storing for the Winter, burn the gas out of the carburetor by running the motorcycle with the petcock turned to off.  When the bike shuts off, you will know all the gasoline is out of the carburetor.  In addition, add some gasoline stabilizer to your tank per the instructions

Tire Pressure
Check the pressure of both tires and make sure it is up to the recommended pressure (do the same just before you start riding again).

Clean the Motorcycle
Bugs, road tar and other items that hit your motorcycle while riding can wreak havoc on your windshield, paint and chrome if left on for extended periods of time.  Before parking your motorcyle for the Winter, give it a good cleaning with a soft sponge, some hot water and a mild cleaning agent (dish soap works good).

Battery Maintenance
This is usually the most overlooked item and its’ really the simplest to perform.  Motorcycle batteries, if left sitting, will lose approximately 1% of their charge per day.  To counteract this, invest in a Battery Tender trickle charger.  The trickle charger will supplya small constant charge to the battery keeping it fully charged.  In addition to keeping you from having to buy a new battery come Spring, it will also greatly increase the life of your battery.  The Battery Tender’s run about $40.

All of these maintenance items can be performed by yourself at home. If you’re not comfortable with doing some or all of them, feel free to contact the Service Department at Contra Costa Powersports.

Suzuki 2011 RMZ450 with Ryan Dungey

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For 2011 Suzuki has taken the reigning FIM/AMA Supercross Championship winning RM-Z450, and fine-tuned it into an even more potent machine. For MX enthusiasts, it doesn’t get any better than this. Check out Ryan Dungey below on the brand new 2011 Suzuki RMZ 450:

The 2011 RM-Z450 has undergone numerous updates:

  • Stricter AMA noise limit (94db) while keeping smooth engine output
  • Compression ratio has been increased from 12.2:1 up to 12.5:1 for higher output
  • Intake and exhaust timing has been changed for better engine feeling with lower noise output
  • ECU settings have been updated for more linear acceleration and improved over-rev.

In addition, Suzuki has focused on making tuning and maintenance easier on the 2011 RM-Z450 by including two optional couplers with the unit to change the EFI setting (richer and leaner) along with a convenient fuel line cap for regular maintenance.

2010 Suzuki RMZ450 Shown

What you have with the 2011 RMZ 450 is a cutting-edge open-class motocross ride that’s more potent than ever. We just received our first shipment of this hot bike at Contra Costa Powersports.  Feel free to Contact Us with any questions or regarding availability.

2011 Wilseyville Harescramble District 36

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For the last several weekends, Joe our Sales Manager (on his Suzuki RM250 and I (Jason, the Parts Manager on my Honda CRF450X) have been working on the course for the 2011 Edition of the Wilseyville “Classic” Harescramble. We both belong to 2+2 Racing Team, the AMA/District 36 Club that puts on the race.

Start of the 2010 Classic

The race is held on private property, the Schaad Ranch, outside of a town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas called Wilseyville. My dad, George Hendrix (a multi-time District 36 Enduro champion) is the trail boss and I am proud to say that our race is considered the one “most run” on the District 36 calendar.

The property is only used once a year, and it is only for 2+2’s race. There are pines, oaks, scrub brush and river crossings. All providing a mix of trail that cannot be duplicated in this areas events.

A Riders Getting it On

 Here at Contra Costa Powersports, we work all week with motorcycles. When our weekend comes, we are out there again. On our bikes, doing what we love. We are riding, giving back to our sport that we love so much, and doing everything we can to let every minute of our lives be about what we love: motorcycles. Come join us and feel the passion.

Safety Gear

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The importance of good safety gear should never be overlooked.  A customer who recently purchased a used motorcycle (2006 CBR600) from us was returning home from her job in Napa, CA.  On Highway 29 in American Canyon near the new Walmart, a full size buck deer suddenly jumped out in front of her. 

She had a fraction of a second to swerve but could not avoid the back half of the deer. Next thing she knew, she was in the air hitting both sides of her helmet and sliding across the pavement. A high quality helmet such as a Shoei can make all the difference in any kind of crash.

Fortunately she had a good helmet, jacket and riding pants.  The helmet was scratched on both sides, the pants were torn up but in general, the safety gear served it’s purpose.  You never know when you’re going to need it but when you do, you’ll be glad you were wearing the right gear.