TOTO
7th July 2009, 12:02
As new riders, it is sometimes useful if we know the basic things that we need to do to maintain our bikes. If you just got into biking and don't particularly know what to do to maintain your bike in good working order here are some tips for you.
#1 - Wash Your bike.
May sound simple, but you will be surprised how many things can go unnoticed if it is covered with a cm of road dirt. Once a week or fortnightly is enough. After you wash it, and the bike has dried up, have a look underneath and around for some leaks. If you discover a leak, go to the dealer and ask them to see what is causing it. Your motorcycle shouldn’t leak, unless it’s a Harley (*JOKE*) :killingme They can usually say where it’s coming from and if it is a worry or not.
#2 - Look after your chain
Lubing your chain: Chain needs to be lubed every 500km (with chain lube you buy from bike shops) and cleaned every 1000km to maximize your chains' life. If you are riding in winter conditions in a very heavy rain, then after a day ride in the heavy ride you need to spray the chain with lube as water washes off your chain lube.
Cleaning your chain: you need 1 jar, 1 old toothbrush, kerosene, old rag and chain lube, and you can do with some disposable gloves (not essential), and some old newspapers to put under your bike so you don’t mess up your driveway/garage. Dip tooth brush in kerosene, and go over a 10ish cm section of the chain. Brush from all sides like you brush your teeth. Don’t be shy with the kerosene. After you brush the section, dry it with the rag. Proceed to clean the whole chain this way. Leave whatever kerosene has left to evaporate for the next 3-5 minutes, then spray the chain with chain lube. NOTE: Spray the chain on the inside i.e. the side that touched the sprockets. Don’t spray it on the side. Your aim is to get chain lube between the links. All this usually takes about 20-30 minutes
Tightening your chain: This is not a hard thing to do, but it's good to be shown by a professional how to do it first. You can learn from the manual too, but I prefer to watch first before I start tinkering on the machine I trust my life to. So, take your bike to a motorbike workshop or Cycletreads if you are in Auckland and ask them to tighten your chain for you and ask them to let you watch, and explain to you. If you don’t get it the first time, go again and ask the same way - no shame in asking to learn. Chain tightening cost about 10 - 20 bux as it is only a 5 minute job. How to know if your chain needs tightening - the slack of the chain should be between 25mm - 35mm when you are SITTING on the bike. Probably best to have a friend sit on the bike for you while you check it, as it quite hard to do it while sitting on the bike yourself. extreme situations - if your chain is super tight with no slack, your bike may snap the chain or over time eat away the gears in the engine, if the chain is too slack bike will feel sluggish than normal and chain may fall off and lock the back wheel causing you to crash. Hence the specified chain slack.
#3 - Check your tyres
Tyre Pressure: Your bikes manual should say what are the recommended tyre pressures for your bike. If you don’t have the manual, it usually specified on the side of the bike or under the seat. If that is also not obvious, then go to your local motorcycle dealer and ask, they will be only too happy to answer and give you recommendations.
Check your tyre pressure every week - good idea to have a dedicated day to it (i.e. Saturday). Tyre pressure needs to be checked and adjusted when your tyres are COLD - i.e. you haven’t ridden anywhere on them in the past hour. Very few people have their own air compressor at home - if this is the case a good tool to have is a Pen Tyre pressure gage. You can buy from any automotive or bike shop, and is a handy piece of equipment to have for 10 bux. Use it to check the tyre pressure at home when tyres are cold and decide how many psi of air you need to add to your tyres, then go to the petrol station and check your tyre pressure again. You will probably find that it has gone up slightly. Then add the psi of air you calculated at home to the new tyre pressure you have obtained at the petrol station. Put the as much air as you think the tyre should have, and reached the pressure with YOUR gage, rather than trusting the machine at the petrol station. Those machines are sometimes off. If you are satisfied with the tyre pressure then you are done, if not, adjust by putting more air or taking some out until happy with the result.
Note: If you intend to carry pillion, for a long distance you will need to increase the tyre pressure by 3-4psi on both tyres. Don’t forget to reduce the pressure after your pillion is no more riding with you.
Tyre Wear: Learn to check your tyre wear. Minimum tyre groove depth by law is 1.5mm all around the tyre. anything less than that and you are in danger, especially in the wet, as the groves serve to channel excess water, hence helping you stay stuck to the road, upright.
Check for punctures evry week.
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#4 - Check your oil level.
Look in the bike manual or ask the motorcycle dealer to show you how. It takes 10 seconds but can save your bikes engine and your ass. Do it every 500 km when you lube your chain.
#5 - Check your coolant level. Same as #4, learn how to check it, and if you don’t know how, ask. Can save your ass.
#6 - Do your servicing regularly.
Seems obvious but there are many people who neglect it. Most learner motorbikes are Japanese. Japanese bikes servicing periods are generally every 6000kms.
#1 - Wash Your bike.
May sound simple, but you will be surprised how many things can go unnoticed if it is covered with a cm of road dirt. Once a week or fortnightly is enough. After you wash it, and the bike has dried up, have a look underneath and around for some leaks. If you discover a leak, go to the dealer and ask them to see what is causing it. Your motorcycle shouldn’t leak, unless it’s a Harley (*JOKE*) :killingme They can usually say where it’s coming from and if it is a worry or not.
#2 - Look after your chain
Lubing your chain: Chain needs to be lubed every 500km (with chain lube you buy from bike shops) and cleaned every 1000km to maximize your chains' life. If you are riding in winter conditions in a very heavy rain, then after a day ride in the heavy ride you need to spray the chain with lube as water washes off your chain lube.
Cleaning your chain: you need 1 jar, 1 old toothbrush, kerosene, old rag and chain lube, and you can do with some disposable gloves (not essential), and some old newspapers to put under your bike so you don’t mess up your driveway/garage. Dip tooth brush in kerosene, and go over a 10ish cm section of the chain. Brush from all sides like you brush your teeth. Don’t be shy with the kerosene. After you brush the section, dry it with the rag. Proceed to clean the whole chain this way. Leave whatever kerosene has left to evaporate for the next 3-5 minutes, then spray the chain with chain lube. NOTE: Spray the chain on the inside i.e. the side that touched the sprockets. Don’t spray it on the side. Your aim is to get chain lube between the links. All this usually takes about 20-30 minutes
Tightening your chain: This is not a hard thing to do, but it's good to be shown by a professional how to do it first. You can learn from the manual too, but I prefer to watch first before I start tinkering on the machine I trust my life to. So, take your bike to a motorbike workshop or Cycletreads if you are in Auckland and ask them to tighten your chain for you and ask them to let you watch, and explain to you. If you don’t get it the first time, go again and ask the same way - no shame in asking to learn. Chain tightening cost about 10 - 20 bux as it is only a 5 minute job. How to know if your chain needs tightening - the slack of the chain should be between 25mm - 35mm when you are SITTING on the bike. Probably best to have a friend sit on the bike for you while you check it, as it quite hard to do it while sitting on the bike yourself. extreme situations - if your chain is super tight with no slack, your bike may snap the chain or over time eat away the gears in the engine, if the chain is too slack bike will feel sluggish than normal and chain may fall off and lock the back wheel causing you to crash. Hence the specified chain slack.
#3 - Check your tyres
Tyre Pressure: Your bikes manual should say what are the recommended tyre pressures for your bike. If you don’t have the manual, it usually specified on the side of the bike or under the seat. If that is also not obvious, then go to your local motorcycle dealer and ask, they will be only too happy to answer and give you recommendations.
Check your tyre pressure every week - good idea to have a dedicated day to it (i.e. Saturday). Tyre pressure needs to be checked and adjusted when your tyres are COLD - i.e. you haven’t ridden anywhere on them in the past hour. Very few people have their own air compressor at home - if this is the case a good tool to have is a Pen Tyre pressure gage. You can buy from any automotive or bike shop, and is a handy piece of equipment to have for 10 bux. Use it to check the tyre pressure at home when tyres are cold and decide how many psi of air you need to add to your tyres, then go to the petrol station and check your tyre pressure again. You will probably find that it has gone up slightly. Then add the psi of air you calculated at home to the new tyre pressure you have obtained at the petrol station. Put the as much air as you think the tyre should have, and reached the pressure with YOUR gage, rather than trusting the machine at the petrol station. Those machines are sometimes off. If you are satisfied with the tyre pressure then you are done, if not, adjust by putting more air or taking some out until happy with the result.
Note: If you intend to carry pillion, for a long distance you will need to increase the tyre pressure by 3-4psi on both tyres. Don’t forget to reduce the pressure after your pillion is no more riding with you.
Tyre Wear: Learn to check your tyre wear. Minimum tyre groove depth by law is 1.5mm all around the tyre. anything less than that and you are in danger, especially in the wet, as the groves serve to channel excess water, hence helping you stay stuck to the road, upright.
Check for punctures evry week.
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#4 - Check your oil level.
Look in the bike manual or ask the motorcycle dealer to show you how. It takes 10 seconds but can save your bikes engine and your ass. Do it every 500 km when you lube your chain.
#5 - Check your coolant level. Same as #4, learn how to check it, and if you don’t know how, ask. Can save your ass.
#6 - Do your servicing regularly.
Seems obvious but there are many people who neglect it. Most learner motorbikes are Japanese. Japanese bikes servicing periods are generally every 6000kms.