Cleaning:
Inspection
Visual inspection: A perfect visual examination can let you know many things such as oil leaks, tire cracks, rusting, lighting, brake fluid and oil levels.
Sound inspection: Engine sound (cam chain, Tappet sound), drive chain noise and rest of the noise factors tell what went wrong with your ride. So carefully listen what she tells to you.
Engine oil
Tyres
Air-filter cleaning
Spark plug
Clean the tip of the spark plug using an emery paper and the electrode gap should be between 0.8-0.9 mm. Check the color of the spark plug to diagnose engine function. A dark black plug indicates rich Air-fuel ratio light brown plug represents lean AFR. Reddish-brown color represents ideal air fuel ratio. Check this for every 3k kilometres. Change the spark plug if the insulator or electrode gets damaged. Under ideal conditions a spark plug can last even up to 15k kilometres.
Battery:
It is necessary to check the battery electrolyte level every 2 months in case of lead acid batteries and add distilled water as required. In case of maintenance free batteries check voltage level mentioned in the battery by using a voltmeter or a multi-meter (if you have one). If the voltage level drops below few volts then take it to your nearest authorized dealer. If the battery voltage drops below 2 volts its a good sign of completely drained one.
If not using your ride for more than a month remove the battery charge it fully and keep it in a safe place. Avoid using lightened articles and flame near the battery. Smear vaseline or other petroleum jelly on the terminals to prevent rusting.
Lubrication:
Check for oil leaks in forks. Change brake fluid and front fork oil once in every two years. Inspect brake fluid level and presence of air bubbles through inspection window. If air bubbles were formed then high the chances of brake failure. Once the level decreases abruptly check for leaks. Ensure that the fluid never spills on the painted surface as it may damage the paint. Clutches, brake pedal, levers, handle bar bearings, gear shifter has to be lubricated properly for smooth movement.
Get a good spray lubricant to lube all these parts or else u can use a normal 2T oil for this purpose.
Brakes and cable free plays:
Throttle operation can be checked by twisting the throttle. It has to be free and has to return completely without any locks. Clutch adjustment may be required if the motorcycle stalls while shifting gear.
Rear brake wear can be adjusted by rotating this nut in clockwise until the desired limit is achieved. Disk pads can be cleaned with a good brake cleaner or using an emery paper.
Fuel:
Use good quality of fuel for good performance and longer life. A good octane fuel prevents knocking of engine. Always fill the fuel in cold conditions so that the density is higher. Do not fill the fuel up to the neck of the tank this makes lot of fuel to get evaporated and wasted. fill up to half the tank for good efficiency.
Coolant and radiators
Check the coolant level for every 1500 kilometres in case your ride is a liquid cooled bike like Yamaha R15, Honda CBR series etc.
Use a small brush to remove dust from the radiator grills this improves cooling area and provides better cooling. Always use a good quality coolant. never use water as it may corrode the radiator soon. For oil cooler check for dust and grime and scrap and clean it regularly.
Carburetor and fuel injectors:
Carburetor plays a vital role for the entire performance of your motorcycle. A proper air fuel ratio is very much indeed for good mileage and engine life. Clean the carburetor for every 8k kilometres. Fuel injected bikes like R15, CBR series, Duke 200 uses a fuel injector instead of a carburetor. A lot of injector clean additives are available in the market to clean the injectors if it gets blocked or not clean.
Initially when the bike is brand new the air-fuel ratio setting is usually kept high so that break-in occurs soon. The optimum setting has to be kept after the running in period for good engine life and performance. As long as these things are carried out there won't be any problem created for the engine.
These periodical checks makes your ride always in top notch condition along with the proper setting of AFR(Air-Fuel ratio) and engine tuning.
Wash and clean your motorcycle twice a month. This prevents accumulation of dust and dirt on the surface and parts. In turn which is more comfortable to clean with a piece of cloth rather than making it very stubborn. Also make sure that no water settled in any of the parts in order to prevent rusting.
Use a mild auto wash shampoo like amway car wash, formula 1 or as per your choice so that it protects the paint finish without damaging it. Company service centres nowadays are not providing a quality wash so its better to do it by ourselves.
Avoid using high pressure water jets to delicate parts like dash, switches and other electrical parts. Only use it to remove tough dirt and accumulated mud under the fenders, mudguards, crankcases. If you have a good hose pipe this job is quite an easy task.
Inspection
Visual inspection: A perfect visual examination can let you know many things such as oil leaks, tire cracks, rusting, lighting, brake fluid and oil levels.
Sound inspection: Engine sound (cam chain, Tappet sound), drive chain noise and rest of the noise factors tell what went wrong with your ride. So carefully listen what she tells to you.
Chain alignment: Proper chain alignment is very essential for hassle free ride and long life of chain and sprockets. Open the chain inspection cover (if your bike has a closed chain guard) and insert a finger. Push it above and below to check the slack. It should be between 20-30 mm vertical. Never over tighten as it may result in a snap.
If the chain is open without any protection frequent lubrication is necessary to avoid noise and damage to the chain. Cleaning of chain should be carried out at least 3-4 k kilometres interval. Use a toothbrush, kerosene and a cloth to clean dirt and grime. After cleaning it completely apply SAE 90 oil or a good chain lubricant. Its easier to clean a open chain than a closed one.
If the chain is open without any protection frequent lubrication is necessary to avoid noise and damage to the chain. Cleaning of chain should be carried out at least 3-4 k kilometres interval. Use a toothbrush, kerosene and a cloth to clean dirt and grime. After cleaning it completely apply SAE 90 oil or a good chain lubricant. Its easier to clean a open chain than a closed one.
Engine oil
Engine oil is the blood of your steed, Check crankcase and engine head for any visible oil leaks. Check oil level through inspection window or by using a dip stick for every 1000 kilometres. change oil every 2k kilometres as our environment is very hot and dusty. Frequent engine oil changes will prevent sludge formation inside the engine and also increases engine life.
If you have proper tools check for drain bolt nut and you can change it by yourself. Park your motorcycle in main stand, open the dipstick and drain bolt. collect it in a tray and dispose off safely. Always change the oil when engine is hot.
If you have proper tools check for drain bolt nut and you can change it by yourself. Park your motorcycle in main stand, open the dipstick and drain bolt. collect it in a tray and dispose off safely. Always change the oil when engine is hot.
Tyres
Always maintain proper inflation pressure. This ensures longer life of tires. Visually inspect for cracks, air leaks near valve and for pierced objects. Also check the tread depth of tires. It has to be at least 3-5 mm thick. Change the tyre if its worn off excessively to avoid skidding and other accidents.
Air-filter cleaning
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| Foam air-filter |
Clean the air filter for every 3k kilometres for better performance, replace it every 10k kilometres if its a paper filter, 12 k for viscous air filter and 8k for foam filter. Visually inspect for cracks or damage. This part definitely improves performance and mileage. A paper filter and viscous air filter can be cleaned by blowing compressed air. The foam filter element is cleaned by dipping it in kerosene and squeezing it. After completely getting squeezed its dipped in 2T oil and squeezed again. Now its ready to be fitted in your ride.
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| Viscous air filter |
Spark plug
For most riding conditions a normal spark plug is satisfactory. However if the motorcycle is going to be operated for extended periods at high speeds or near maximum power in hot climates the spark plug should be changed to a cold heat range number. This prevents overheating of the engine and knocking.
Battery:
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| Maintenance free battery |
If not using your ride for more than a month remove the battery charge it fully and keep it in a safe place. Avoid using lightened articles and flame near the battery. Smear vaseline or other petroleum jelly on the terminals to prevent rusting.
Lubrication:
Get a good spray lubricant to lube all these parts or else u can use a normal 2T oil for this purpose.Brakes and cable free plays:
Throttle operation can be checked by twisting the throttle. It has to be free and has to return completely without any locks. Clutch adjustment may be required if the motorcycle stalls while shifting gear.
Fuel:
Coolant and radiators
Check the coolant level for every 1500 kilometres in case your ride is a liquid cooled bike like Yamaha R15, Honda CBR series etc.
Use a small brush to remove dust from the radiator grills this improves cooling area and provides better cooling. Always use a good quality coolant. never use water as it may corrode the radiator soon. For oil cooler check for dust and grime and scrap and clean it regularly. |
| R15 radiator |
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| Pulsar 220 oil cooler |
Carburetor and fuel injectors:
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| Fuel injector |
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| carburetor |
Initially when the bike is brand new the air-fuel ratio setting is usually kept high so that break-in occurs soon. The optimum setting has to be kept after the running in period for good engine life and performance. As long as these things are carried out there won't be any problem created for the engine.
These periodical checks makes your ride always in top notch condition along with the proper setting of AFR(Air-Fuel ratio) and engine tuning.
