There’s nothing wrong with picking up a hobby. It takes your mind away from the busy, stressful routines of every day and lets you take a moment to relax. That’s why most people disturbed by the events in their life prefer it over visiting a therapist.
There are many options to choose from, but not all of them offer you to savor the moment. It is one of the many luxuries that a motorcycle enthusiast can enjoy. Being one, you can plan long rides at odd hours to catch the wind hitting against your face. It’s never too difficult to witness the sunrise or enjoy the sunset in solitude. And you never have more people pushing to tag along with you than you can handle.
The only adjustment you have to make is learning a little more about bikes, like every other hobby. The rules and safety measures for riding a motorcycle are slightly different. It can be a dangerous ride in the wrong hands, so you need to be extra cautious. A helmet, gloves, and pads to cushion the fall in an unfortunate accident should be enough. But having a decent insurance plan and a lawyer for motorcycle accidents on speed dial wouldn’t hurt you. If anything, they can get you out of a tough spot unscathed or grant you an impressive compensation.
With that word of caution, you should also know that it would never go that far if you are maintaining your ride. Several things require your attention when it comes to managing a motorcycle. Here’s a list of maintenance tips for motorcycle enthusiasts if you haven’t caught on already. It should bring you up to speed and keep your precious motorbike in tip-top shape.
1. Learn More About Motorcycles
The first thing that any bike owner needs to do is learn more about motorcycles. After all, it’s another piece of machinery that can start showing signs of a problem at any time.
Make sure that you have all the information to handle that situation. Try to go through your motorbike’s manual and learn everything that you can find in it. If you have a reliable bike mechanic, talking to him can be educational as well.
Or, you can become a member of a motorcycle club. The people there can teach you several things diagnosing and fixing a problem with your ride. You might also get to learn the tools that you might need on hand, so it’s a bonus in every way.
2. Install New Brake Pads
A motorcycle is an aerodynamic ride so, it can pick up a lot of speed. It means it experiences a lot of friction before coming to a stop every time you apply the brakes. That’s why you need to make sure that brake pads are thick enough to withstand it.
Go for changing them every 6,000 to 9,000 miles to have them working adequately. Avoid riding with worn-out brake pads, or you might put the lives of everyone at risk. Using your motorcycle like that can cause a severe accident, positioning you as well as those involved in danger.
3. Maintain the Tires
The tires of a bike play a vital role in its use. They increase the rider’s control over the motorcycle and give it a firm grip on the road. Usually, they have a decent lifespan, but it gets affected by environmental conditions and how you use them. It’s why you should be careful against rough use and make sure to check them for holes and tears.
Remember to keep them inflated at a recommended level, or you will be putting yourself in harm’s way. Overinflated tires compromise your grip on the road. That can cause your bike to skid on the roadway. Similarly, underinflated tires can make it harder to maintain stability and affect the use of brakes.
4. Clean the Air Filters
A motorcycle is mostly exposed to the environment, even more so while it is on the road. That makes it open to catch a lot of dust and other tiny particles. It can damage its small and delicate inner parts.
Bikers need to change the air filters in their motorcycles every 6,000 miles to avoid that from happening. It is preferable to do it more frequently if they are riding around in the dusty regions. The surroundings affect your bike’s performance somehow, so make sure never to neglect those air filters.
5. Change the Motor Oil
A strong and powerful engine is the bike’s beating heart. Motorcycle enthusiasts need to keep it healthy by regularly changing their motor oil. The ideal period to do this is between every 3,000 to 6,000 miles. Although, these numbers can vary depending on various other factors. The make of your motorcycle and the kind of motor oil you are using are the likely reasons. The summer season can cause an increase in motor oil consumption.
For most riders, it’s all the care they need to perform. Just remember that you need to change your oil filters with the oil as well. That will keep it safe for some time, even if you forget to go for routine oil changes but don’t test your luck.
6. Go for Sensible Maintenance
Besides all this, remember to pay attention to the way your bike looks and feels. Try to keep it clean and regularly grease the parts that might require some lubrication. Your focus should be on the fork oil and health of your bike’s chain with this. These things affect the smoothness of your ride and can make you uneasy while riding.
Also, check your motorcycle’s battery health. Make sure that you change it about every two years and timely recharge it if the bike is not in use. Most motorcyclists put their bikes away in winters only to find a dead battery later on.
And lastly, follow a standard maintenance protocol while looking after your bike. Listen to its sounds and the feeling while driving it. If you think something is off, go for a check or ask a professional to take a look. That can help avoid a potential problem.
Summary
These were the top maintenance tips for motorcycle enthusiasts to keep their bikes in top shape. Remember to keep them at your fingertips and not neglect them because you don’t feel the need. Give your bike the time it deserves and always go for routine health checks from a professional. That should extend its life as well as make it safer for you to ride on the roads.