The key to getting the most out
of your bike's performance for many years after its purchase is by adhering to
a regular maintenance schedule. While the routine of taking care of a bike is
easy, some may find it somewhat difficult or tiresome to stick to the schedule.
However, if you decide to treat
your bike right, it will go a long way which will considerably reduce the wear
and tear that accelerates its aging and deterioration. Maintaining a bike is
much easier than what most of us are inclined to think and in the long run, it
will save quite a significant amount of money which we might end up paying for
purchasing expensive spare parts.
This article covers advice and
tips to guide you in the steps you need to follow to take care of your bike. The
following steps are a sure way of keeping your bike in tip top condition if
they are followed properly:
1. Following the Manufacturer's Manual:
As much as it may be quite
boring/overwhelming to read the detailed bike's manual from the manufacturer,
they admittedly know more about the bike than the consumer because hey, they
are the makers of your mean machine.
2. Proper Engine Run in (Break-In):
When you lay out the cash to
purchase your Motorcycle, you surely need it to begin its life out right. This
implies you need to "break it in" accurately. The most crucial miles
for your new motorcycle are the first hundred and then thereafter, the next few
thousand. It is highly important that the owner handles the bike properly
during these early times. The manufacturer's manual contains all the necessary
guidelines to follow during break-in such as revolutions limits for a specific
number of miles, proper oil to use amongst many others.
3. Changing the Engine and Gear Oil:
You should to be well acquainted
with the idea that changing your oil within the suggested rules is the absolute
best thing you can do for any motorcycle or any sort of vehicle.
It's just more important to
change your motorcycle oil on a regular basis because motorcycle engines work
harder - at higher RPMs and speeds than truck and cars engines.
Frequently changing the oil is
highly recommended as it lubricates the many moving parts within an engine and
prevents them from grinding into each other. It also helps keep the engine
cool. The owner's manual specifies the kind of oil to use as well as how
frequently it should be changed.
4. Air Filter Cleaning:
If the air filters aren't clean,
then one could be cutting off air flow to the cylinders and abrasives such as
dust or dirt could be making their way into bearings and valves. It is thus
advisable to follow the recommended schedule as outlined in the manual. The
cleaning should be done even more often if one rides his motorcycle through
dusty environments.
5. Correct Air Pressure:
One of the vital parts that
obliges your steady consideration is the tires on your motorbike. Maintaining
the Correct Air Pressure for the tires will improve their shelf life as well as
improve fuel mileage and handling as well. Another aspect to look after is the
wearing of tires. As the mileage on your bike goes up, so does the tire
wearing. Always remember that your tires are the ones which keep your bike connected
to the road, but if your tires lack tread, then the ability to keep that
traction will decrease. And that’s why you should keep the correct air pressure
in your tires. Inspect your tires regularly and keep them filled to the
recommended levels.
6. Grease the bearings.
This should be done religiously.
Steering stem bearings as well as wheel bearings should be checked regularly.
Even so, periodic replacement of key bearings should be done.
7. Drive train:
Have a keen eye on the drive
train. Keeping your drivetrain healthy is important to do. And I can’t
emphasize that enough. The chain, shaft or belt that transfers power to the
rear wheel should be well taken care of Issues such as chain stretch, belt
cracking, sprocket wear and oiling in the shaft housing should also be looked
at.
8. Battery:
You should always carry out Proper
battery maintenance. Keep your battery charged during downtime. A trickle
charger is effective in this regard. Electrolyte level should also be not
allowed to get too low as internal plates will be exposed building up heat and
reducing capacity.
9. External Parts:
When accessorizing your bike for
either performance or looks, one should look for quality aftermarket parts that
have got the same build/workmanship quality as the original parts on you bike.
10. Have a Pre-ride checklist:
Before taking the bike for a
spin, be sure to check out levels of oils and fluids, tightness of bolts and
fasteners as well as electrical switches and controls. You can make fixes if
anything is wrong.
11. Adjustment of Valves:
Check the maintenance schedule in
the owner's manuals for the frequency of valve adjustment. Engine failure,
reduced performance as well as burnt out valves may result, if valves are not
adjusted accordingly.
12. Replace coolant every two years:
Many of the riders out there
neglect this factor. The liquid coolant in motorcycles becomes acidic after
some years of use which leads to rust and corrosion, that eats away at the
cooling system and engine leading to water pump failure, overheating and
consequently expensive repairs. The coolant should be replaced ideally after
every two years with a 50% mixture of distilled water and anti-freeze coolant.
13. Riding Style:
Ride sanely and conservatively. The
bike will last longer if you brake easy, turn smoothly and accelerate steadily
as opposed to pushing it rough carelessly. Above all, avoid crashing your bike
at all costs.
14. Waxing:
Waxing can break or make a bike.
Mark my words. Clean and Wax the Bike Regularly. But do keep in mind to use
soft wax only which adds a layer rather than taking one off, which happens if
you use cutting compounds. Why I’m mentioning this is because some modern bikes
are actually covered in a layer of lacquer or plastic that can easily be
damaged due to use of cutting compounds as they leave permanent swirls in the
paintwork.
15. Sparkplugs
Whenever there’s a need to change
the sparkplugs, Make sure you have the correct plugs for your bike. Actually
sparkplugs don’t need frequent change. You can refer to your bikes manual to
check how often in should be done. The most vital thing to mention is that when
you change your sparkplug check the owner’s manual to find out the correct gap.
Also check the code number as the code number on each one will differ from
manufacturer to manufacturer.
16. Electronics:
You just cannot ignore lighting
as well as the ignition system. If these two components are not functioning
properly then your motorcycle will be inoperable. So always look after these
two components. Check them regularly.
If you want your engine to run
smoothly then You will always have to make sure that your engine is only
getting the fuel it needs and no other surprises. Fuel is the blood of your
motorcycle, so you will have to keep close attention to this one. Replace the
fuel filter after few time because you can't control what the gas you pump into
your motorcycle brings with it.
Also always examine the fuel tank, fuel fittings
and fuel lines for leaks and cracks. If you want your bike in a good shape, use
fuel stabilizer.We hope this article by gAuto brought you useful information! Click Here to schedule a motorcycle detail!
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