Motorcycle maintenance tips for new riders

[p.dath]

Found something regarding, how to know when it is time to replace the tyres on your motorcycle...

hope it helps someone.

Excellent video on tyre wear.

[B.Crump]

hi im trying to sus how to fix the frint forks on my young fullas 50cc they have a lot of play in them and i refuse to pay $300+ to take it to bike shop im quite machanicy minded iv taken them off bike but i cant see how to get them open it is a lynx 50 any help would be geat cheers

[TOTO]

hi im trying to sus how to fix the frint forks on my young fullas 50cc they have a lot of play in them and i refuse to pay $300+ to take it to bike shop im quite machanicy minded iv taken them off bike but i cant see how to get them open it is a lynx 50 any help would be geat cheers

I presume you can open them up and change the springs, but I am no expert on forks. You may wanna ask that question in the Bike Mechanics section.

[TOTO]

notice a few people asking those things again, so here is a bump for yaz

[Dirty Heathen]

One thing to add a lot people never even think about is never ever thrash a motor when its cold is the fastness way to take a lot of life off a engine.

If you have got time to warm a engine up before you go out is really good other wise keep revs right down until the bike is warm.

I warm all my vehicles up for about 1-2 minutes before leave in the morning.

[discotex]

One thing to add a lot people never even think about is never ever thrash a motor when its cold is the fastness way to take a lot of life off a engine.

If you have got time to warm a engine up before you go out is really good other wise keep revs right down until the bike is warm.

I warm all my vehicles up for about 1-2 minutes before leave in the morning.

Warming up your bike by idling is pointless at best and damaging at worst.

You should let it run no longer than it takes to put on your gear or run without the choke then ride it gently until it's fully up to temp.

You're trying to make sure everything metal has expanded to the maximum size and the only way to get all the gear-train parts to do that is to ride.

My bike is fully up to water temp within a 2km but I don't cane it for a bit after that just to be sure.

[Dirty Heathen]

I am not saying sit there for 5 minutes one of the main reason is to let the oil circulate thought the engine before you go which of coarse does not take very long but you would be surprised the amount of people that just jump in or on a vehicle and drive off revving it hard.

I do the same thing as you I start the bike then put all my gear on.

I may be new to road bikes but I am not new to engines.

How is letting the engine just get warm before you ride pointless or please tell me how it causes damage?

As I say its a short warm up to get the oil moving and some heat into the engine rather then jumping on a going on a stone cold engine not talking about waiting for the bike to get to peak temperature.

[IdunBrokdItAgin]

This video should be on the defensive driving course, I had to explain bad trye wear on my course - I wasn't impressed as I had paid paid for the course.

Shows that you ACC money doesn't go anywhere near where is should do.

[discotex]

I am not saying sit there for 5 minutes one of the main reason is to let the oil circulate thought the engine before you go which of coarse does not take very long but you would be surprised the amount of people that just jump in or on a vehicle and drive off revving it hard.

I do the same thing as you I start the bike then put all my gear on.

I may be new to road bikes but I am not new to engines.

How is letting the engine just get warm before you ride pointless or please tell me how it causes damage?

As I say its a short warm up to get the oil moving and some heat into the engine rather then jumping on a going on a stone cold engine not talking about waiting for the bike to get to peak temperature.

Sorry mate wasn't meaning to come over as saying you're full of shit. I was clarifying what you were saying.

A lot of people leave their bikes and cars idling for 5-10mins to warm them up which is what I'm talking about.

What I meant about possibly causing damage (when excessivly idling) is a couple of things:

1. If you don't warm up by riding (low RPM etc) you don't warm up the gearbox/final drive/etc. So if you leave it on the stand for 10mins then rape it you'll still have a load of cold bits getting worn.
2. Oil flow from the pump isn't going to be great from an idling engine.
3. All the crap that builds up due to the engine not combusting completely ending up in your oil.
4. Catalytic converters getting damaged by the crap from incomplete combustion.

My manual specifically says not to idle the bike to warm it up. I'm sure other modern bikes do as well.

[Dirty Heathen]

Ah all good man was a good point in case people go over board with it lol.

[Crasherfromwayback]

A lot of people leave their bikes and cars idling for 5-10mins to warm them up which is what I'm talking about.

What I meant about possibly causing damage (when excessivly idling) is a couple of things:

1. If you don't warm up by riding (low RPM etc) you don't warm up the gearbox/final drive/etc. So if you leave it on the stand for 10mins then rape it you'll still have a load of cold bits getting worn.

On a fast idle is fine. Bikes with a choke (seeing as they have carbs)...get the choke off asap and hold the throttle open manually. Fuel injected bikes are fine left happily doing their thing.

The engine oil is shared with the gearbox in most bikes mate...so getting it warm will also warm transmission bits etc. But engine wear is mainly a problem through running tolerences...as in...a piston expands way quicker than the cyl assembly...hence why liquid cooled two strokes cold seize easily if ridden hard cold.

So you need to get the cyl and piston (s) coming up to operating temperature together...to avoid one out growing the other. It's not and never really has been a gearbox/clutch issue.

[p.dath]

Warming up your bike by idling is pointless at best and damaging at worst.

You should let it run no longer than it takes to put on your gear or run without the choke then ride it gently until it's fully up to temp.

I've had contrary advice on this one (not to say it is right or wrong). I was told it was good to let it idle with the choke for a short while. The choke increases the RPM, which increase the oil pressure, which helps to get everything coated.

I appreciate you don't want to run the bike for too long with the choke out.

Your thoughts?

[TOTO]

Hey everyone. This thread is about maintenance of your motorcycle. please keep it on topic, If you have some actual advice on MAINTENANCE of the motorcycle please feel free to share it. Otherwise would be greatly appreciated if you keep the pointless drivel to the rant and rave section or threads on debating on how motorcycles actually work. It is more and more common that there is great advice on this website that is so often clogged an burred in chit chat and shit steering that no one can actually use and benefit from it.

THANK YOU !

[nothingflash]

Hey everyone. This thread is about maintenance of your motorcycle. please keep it on topic, If you have some actual advice on MAINTENANCE of the motorcycle please feel free to share it. Otherwise would be greatly appreciated if you keep the pointless drivel to the rant and rave section or threads on debating on how motorcycles actually work. It is more and more common that there is great advice on this website that is so often clogged an burred in chit chat and shit steering that no one can actually use and benefit from it.

THANK YOU !

Hey - thanks for this thread. You've inspired me finally. It's a mud day here in Wellington so I'm off to the shed to do some long overdue BASIC maintenance. Cheers.