When you’ve invested good money in a new motorcycle, it really pays to know how to take care of it! Some people buy motorcycles thinking that taking care of one will be no different than looking after a car, but they’re wrong. While there is certainly some crossover in principle, the two vehicle types are very different beasts.
Below are some key tips that will hopefully assist you in taking better care of your own motorcycle.
1. Brush Up on Motorcycle Knowledge
First of all, having more knowledge about motorcycles in general will help you take better care of your own bike. To do this, why not find the best and most authoritative motorcycle blogs to follow and learn from? Simple articles and other information on platforms like these can help you learn how to avoid bad habits, how to better enjoy your riding experience, as well as how you might be able to fix things if and when they go wrong.
In addition, the more you know, the less likely you are to become a victim of an unscrupulous mechanic who wants to overcharge a naive first-time rider for maintenance and repairs that they don’t really need.
2. Get a Paint Coating
Whether you look for motorbike paint coat options that are simpler, or a little more complex and expensive, the principle of looking after the paint is a good one to follow. The first thing people will notice about your bike is how good it looks and the paint job on it has a lot to do with that, not to mention the cleanliness of the metal parts, the badging, and so on.
Paint protection will help to ensure that although your bike is so exposed to the elements when you’re riding it, the bike’s colour and splendour will always be able to shine through.
3. Regular Oil Changes and Chain Lubrication
Two key pieces of maintenance that you simply cannot ignore are oil changes and chain lubrication. For a motorcycle, an oil change is usually needed every 3,500 to 4,500 kilometres, or once a year for conventional oils. If your bike uses a more modern and cutting-edge synthetic oil, then you can push it longer, perhaps up to 11,000 miles. There are also oils in between that might need replacing about every 6,000-8,000 miles.
Check your owner’s manual and double check with your mechanic to be sure which oil is needed, and how long is recommended between changes. You should find it in your owner’s manual maintenance section where there is usually a full OEM-recommended maintenance schedule.
Lubricating the chain is another key bit of maintenance that you can’t ignore. It needs doing roughly every 500-1000 kilometres as conditions dictate. Taking time to have the chain lubricated will always cost less than having to replace it!
4. Keep a Close Eye on the Tyres
The first thing to remember is that regardless of the brand, apparent quality, or how little you’ve ridden your motorcycle overall, the tyres never last past 10 years. The best rule of thumb when it comes to looking after your motorcycle’s tyres is to have them inspected each year as part of your regular service. If the tread is worn to 1.6mm or less, then you are already riding on unsafe tyres.
5. Take the Bike Out Regularly
Finally, the battery on your motorcycle will drain all the way down if you don’t take it out regularly. The fuel also deteriorates when it is left sitting there for long periods of time. Riding at least once a week for 20-30 minutes is the minimum amount of riding you should undertake to keep your bike in decent shape. Adding to that will always help.
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