Motorcycle Service Guide to Keep Your Bike Running For Years

You enjoy riding through the streets on your motorbike. It is a true feeling of freedom to have the wind whipping around you. However, if you want to keep the bike on the road, motorcycle service is important. By doing basic maintenance, you can keep your cycle going indefinitely.

Breaking It In Properly

If you want to start maintaining your bike, you have to break it in right. The most crucial part of your cycle’s engine is how you handle the first few hundred miles. You need to treat the first couple thousand with care, as well.

Check with your owner’s manual to find out exactly what limits you should take. Each brand is slightly different, and some have a long list of restrictions, such as the type of oil to use for the first few hundred miles. The manual will indicate what other oil type, if any, you should use. Some machines require that you do not go past a certain RPM until after you hit a few thousand miles.

Read the Manual

Your original manufacturer’s manual is going to be the best place for maintenance information. The manufacturer knows what motorcycle service your vehicle needs more than you may. It is important for you to read and study it to ensure that you know what to do.

Additionally, you can buy a service manual. This book can cost anywhere from $40 to $100. However, it is worth the investment if you want to do some of the more sophisticated maintenance procedures yourself. This manual includes instruction on things like how to rebuild parts of your motorbike and includes hard-to-find torque values for each bolt on the vehicle.

Oil Changes

Routine oil changes can extend the life of your engine. It can help ensure that your engine maintains proper lubrication. If the oil is old and filled with dirt and debris, the oil cannot do its job as it is supposed to.

You should check with the manual in order to determine how often to change the oil. If you drive in a dusty or dirty environment, you probably should have it changed more frequently.

Bearings

Motorcycle service should include greasing your bearings. Those who ride a dirt bike learn this maintenance tip early, as new motorbikes need attention in the steering-head bearings and suspension linkages. Additionally, those who ride street bikes need to get into the habit of this maintenance. Even though sealed bearings are relatively maintenance free, suspension linkages need care on a regular schedule.

On occasion, these parts will need to be replaced. While greasing, you will get the opportunity to inspect the bearings. In addition to physical inspection of the bearings, being in tune with your bike and knowing when the front or back suspension is loose, you will know when to change the bearings.