In this latest installment of the “Staying Safe on Your Motorcycle” series, another quick tip while you are getting ready for your first ride this year: if you have wire wheels, get a spoke wrench. 

Anything that turns or swivels or endures a lot of motion will eventually come loose...  And this is definitely the case with the spokes on your motorcycle’s wheels. 

You should check the tension of your spokes with a spoke wrench, at least once a year.  And now that it’s Spring, we’re all getting the itch to summer-ize our bikes. So, while you’re giving your bike a thorough once- or twice-over, take the time to check those spokes.  Of course, if you have mag wheels, you don’t have to bother with that...  :-)

But if you do have spoke rims, keep in mind that loose spokes can easily cause some very big problems when you’re ripping down the road at highway speeds--so definitely add this to your springtime maintenance checklist.