Maintain a Motorbike
Maintaining a bike is an easy routine. But for most it can be kind of troublesome and tiring. Taking care of your bike is the key to a bike that will serve you well for years.
Contents
Steps
- First of all change your engine oil or gear oil frequently as it lubricates your gears and engines, and also keeps your engine cool. Not changing the engine oil will cause further damage to the engine Which can't be noticed early. The owner's manual will specify how frequently the oil should be changed and this schedule should be followed.
- Next is the spark plugs; it is the item which causes a spark which in turn will ignite the petrol. This should be changed as specified in the owner's manual (or if a problem is suspected). It is critically important to use the correct spark plug grade and type. If the manual suggests an iridium plug then these can be worth the extra cost, lasting {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} or more. Considering that it can take several hours to access the spark plugs on many modern bikes this is money well spent.
- The chain which rotates the rear tire should be kept lubricated. If it's kept lubricated, it should last for a very long time ({{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} is not unusual). If it's not lubricated, it would be damaged due to excess heat and will wear. This cumulative wear on all the separate links makes the chain loose, and more likely to fall off the sprockets. This can be very dangerous indeed. The chain tightening procedure should be detailed in the owner's manual, but bear in mind that too tight is a lot worse than too loose.
- Also washing the bike is part of maintaining. Keeping it clean of dirt (and salt in winter) will not only make it look nice, it has its benefits and it's the key to a bike which lasts long. It also makes it easier to notice missing or loose bolts and nuts.
- Checking the tire treads every once a week is a good habit. You should change the tyres when you notice a change in the way the bike handles, as specified by local legislation, or at the very latest when the tread is worn down to the wear bars. Under-inflated tyres will overheat and may fail. Over-inflated tyres will give less than optimal grip.
Tips
- motor oil or gear oil can be used as lubricant for the chain. Used motor or gear oil can be used.
Warnings
- Inspect your motorcycle carefully and fix things right away if you notice potential trouble. Safety first as they always say. That is the only way to spot problems before it causes an accident.
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