STRAIGHT ANSWERS
FROM THE BENCH.

Fuel stabilized and run through, a fresh oil change, the battery on a tender, tires off the floor, plugged pipes and a cover. Here is why each one matters.

The last four digits of the DOT code are the week and the year the tire was made. Past five years we replace it, whatever the tread says.

Most modern engines hold their clearances well, but a tight exhaust valve burns. Here is how we decide when to check, and what it costs.

Clean it, lube it, check the slack. A chain looked after every 500 miles lasts about twice as long as one that is ignored.

Most bikes ride badly because the sag is set for someone else. A $95 setup often fixes what riders try to fix with a new shock.

For $149 we put any bike you are about to buy on a lift and write down what we find, with numbers, before you hand over money.