Motorcycle maintenance tips

Even modern motorcycles require consistent maintenance in order to keep them in a good shape and prevent unpleasant surprises and breakdowns on the road. Despite the fact that today’s bikes are much more reliable and easier to take care of, it’s still necessary to carry out a few steps to make sure that your vehicle is safe to ride and to be able to enjoy refreshing motorcycle trips without ‘bumps’ along the way.

Nevertheless, as more and more people in addition to the dedicated motorcycle enthusiasts appreciate the benefits and convenience of motorcycles and purchase them to hit the busy road on weekdays to reach the office avoiding heavy car traffic, run errands and ride around just for fun, they sometimes forget to take simple motorcycle maintenance measures every bike owner should be aware of.

But, motorcycles require owner’s attention just as cars if not more. It’s necessary to inspect a motorcycle regularly, keep the tires’ pressure at a sufficient level, take care of a chain (or belts) properly, replace oil, charge the bike’s battery and check its fuel filter and replace it whenever there’s such a need, etc. These steps, once executed on regular basis, help not only prolong the motorcycle’s durability and keep it in a better shape over a longer period of time (as any vehicle ‘wears out’ in course of time anyway), but also prevent and identify the perspective problems at their beginnings. And, that allows fixing them as soon as possible, before they develop in full force, cause a lot of trouble on the road and a reasonable mechanics’ check.

Automotive services and repair shops offer motorcycle owners, who whether don’t know how to perform those maintenance steps on their own or just don’t have time or desire to do that, to carry out basic maintenance activities by their professionals. Besides, they are able to tackle motorcycle breakdowns even on the spot, when you’re stuck in the middle of the road with a bike that refuses to ride no matter what. If you are just looking for motorcycle repair and service shops in your local area, visit HireRush.com, specify your search to the town you live in, look through the ads of the best mechanics and contact one of them directly from our site.

Check out local automotive services

However, even if you plan to address a professional mechanic to maintain your motorcycle, there are still some things you should be able to do on your own to take care of a bike in between the visits to the mechanic or in urgent situation. Let’s see what we can do then, shall we?

Motorcycle maintenance routine

1. Don’t be too cool to read the manual

If you’re new to the motorcycle world, it’s better to do the research and at least figure out how your model of a bike works, its peculiarities, speed limits, gas consumption per mile and also what a manufacturer recommends regarding its maintenance. Oh, speaking of that, it’s necessary to take into consideration the riding conditions when determining the frequency of carrying out the maintenance steps. Depending on the climate, quality of the roads in your local area and motorcycle’s mileage, you may have to pump up the bike’s tires or change the oil more (or less) often.

2. Check motorcycle’s tires

The easiest way not to forget to check the tires’ pressure is to do it every time you fill up the gas tank. Most of the gas stations offer pumping-up service, but you can do that pretty much at any auto repair or mechanics shop. Also, it’s always good to have a tire gauge in the motorcycle’s tool box all the time, in case you’ll need to pump up the tires urgently or if you’re used to maintain the tires’ pressure levels on your own and you’ve already figured out to what extent they need to be pumped up.

Generally, mechanics and automotive professionals note that under-inflated motorcycle tires are quite dangerous on the roads, as they may blow out just as you move and cause terrible accident. Besides, tires in such condition tend to wear out faster. However, it’s not good to overinflate the bike’s tires as well.

Aside from the pressure levels, you also have to check the motorbike’s tires for any cracks or holes in them. Besides, it’s necessary to replace worn-out tires without delay due to the safety reasons.

3. Inspect brakes regularly

Replacing brakes fluid once a year or once every two years keeps the brakes performance on proper levels. As this fluid absorbs moisture, which decreases its efficiency, it’s also necessary to check the fluid reservoirs on regular basis and top up the fluid from a new, hermetically sealed bottle every time (because of that same moisture reason).

Change too thin pads of the motorbike brakes. If you continue using them, it might damage the metal parts of the brakes and cause more expenses on full replacement.

4. Replace the oil in a motorcycle and clean its air filter

Checking the oil levels and constantly keeping it at high or maximum marks is good for the motorcycle, while low oil levels are disastrous for any bike.

There’re several rules automotive specialists follow while replenishing oil in the motorbike. First of all, your vehicle must be as leveled as possible during this process, so it’s better to place it on a center stand. If you can’t do that, just keep a bike as straightforward as you can (or better ask someone to do that). Don’t pour too much oil in, as if it overflows, it will get into the air cleaner and mess it up. To avoid that mistake, figure out how much oil fits into the ‘gap’ between the low and high (or max.) marks and buy an according bottle not to add more than necessary. Be careful not to get dirt pieces or other particles into the oil or oil container while you check the levels or top it off. Use a proper oil filter.

Generally, it’s good to change oil in a motorcycle every 1000-2000 miles, but not less frequently than every six months. It all depends on how often you ride the bike and how you ride it (shorter or longer trips, weather and road conditions, high or low speed).

5. Take care of chain/belts

Maintain proper motorcycle chain tension to prolong the life of its gearbox, transmission and chain itself and ensure smooth and easy shifts of gear. Bike’s chain shouldn’t hang too slack or too tight, as it won’t function properly when the motorcycle moves on the uneven surfaces. Look through the owner’s manual to see how to adjust and tighten a chain in your model of a motorcycle.

Besides, chain has to be well-oiled all the time, so you should lubricate it as often as you fill up the gas tank. Some owners suggest doing that after every single ride, when the chain is still warm, so that is soaks up the oil better. But, let’s be honest, rare people do it as often.

Usually, motorcycle chains last about 13-15K of mileage and it’s better to change them at the mechanics afterwards.

Belts do not require too much maintenance. You should just check them every once in a while and tighten them when needed.

6. When to change fuel filters in a motorcycle

If there’s a fuel filter in your motorcycle, you should make sure that it’s not clogged and replace it once in two years.

7. Motorcycle battery maintenance

Perform motorcycle battery check-ups once in a month. Examine its cables, clamps and connectors to make sure that they’re not damaged and tighten the connection if necessary. Check the battery’s electrolyte levels and charge it once in a month or when you feel that the motorcycle’s starter sounds too weak, or when you haven’t ridden your bike for more than two weeks.

Frankly speaking, battery is something you shouldn’t mess with if you’re not an experienced motorbike owner. Of course, you can charge it by yourself, but if you notice that there’s something wrong with it, entrust the fixing part to a professional motorcycle repairer.

Find a local motorcycle repairer

8. Pay a visit to a mechanic to carry out an annual comprehensive examination of your motorcycle

Just as cars, motorcycles require full annual inspection to check their gear and state of other mechanisms and parts. Don’t skip an appointment even if you’re sure that your bike is in a perfect condition, as you might skip something a professional eye will notice and take care of. So, don’t forget to book a comprehensive motorcycle examination at the motorcycle repair shop every single year.

9. Wash your motorcycle

Wash your motorcycle frequently to get rid of all the dirt and dust that sticks to it during the rides, as if you wait until it dries up completely, it will be very hard to wash it off, and you may ruin the paintwork during the process. So, get your motorcycle cleaned after you muddy adventures straight away (but after the engine cools down). However, washing a motorcycle too often is not a good idea as well, as you’ll wash off all the lubricants on chains and cables as well, and you’ll have to spray them all over again to ensure their protection.