5 Street Bike Maintenance Checks

Whether you’re an experienced street biker or you’ve just purchased your first from Surdyke Yamaha, maintenance is key to extending the life of your ride. While it’s always a good idea to have a professional take a look at your street bike if you have major concerns, the smaller maintenance duties are actually simple enough to complete by yourself. The best boat dealer at the Lake of the Ozarks doesn’t just sell boats!

1. Checking Tires/Tire Pressure

Tires might be the first maintenance check that comes to your mind, and this is a good thing. You should be checking your tire pressures regularly to stay safe. How often is regularly? Different experts suggest different time frames. We recommend factoring in how often you ride your bike and on what terrain. Weekly is a good, general frequency. It’s important to check your tire pressures while they’re cold – meaning not right after you hop off after a long ride. It’s recommended to let your bike cool down for an hour or so before checking the tire pressures in order to get an accurate read.

2. Checking the Brakes

Brakes are an incredibly important safety factor when it comes to maintaining your bike. If your brakes are worn, they can drag, causing them to be less effective and drag, causing you to slow down when you don’t need to. You can check the brakes by lifting your bike on a rear stand and trying to spin both wheels, one at a time. The rear will have some drag from the chain, but the front should spin freely. If you feel ANY drag, you’ll want to bring your bike in. You know your bike better than anyone, so you will more than likely be able to feel or hear when they need an update. If you hear a squealing or squeaking noise when you try to brake, it might be time for a replacement.

3. Changing the Oil

Experts recommend changing the oil in your bike every 2.500 to 4.000 miles, but you’ll need to double check with your bike’s manual. Changing the oil in your bike can be a tricky task, but it’s the most important and cost-effective maintenance check to be done. Leaving old oil can drain power from your engine, and you don’t want your bike running without the proper lubricant.

4. Changing the Air Filter

Let your bike breathe! Cleaning or changing the air filter in your street bike is often one of the most overlooked maintenance checks. It’s incredibly important to keep your engine supplied with fresh air to keep it running at max potential. Your bike will have either a paper filter, a foam filter, or a cotton filter. The methods for changing these filters are all different, but all important.

5. Cleaning the Chain

Your bike will either have a standard, non-sealed chain, or an o-ring chain. Non-sealed chains don’t have any way of keeping themselves lubricated, so they require more attention. O-ring chains are engineered to keep lube and grease in and dirt out. But over time, both of these chains will eventually dry and wear out. Be sure to clean your chain of any dirt and grime before lubing up. Check your chain and sprockets regularly to see if they need to be fully replaced.

Now that your beautiful street bike is all fixed up, it’s time to take it out for a spin! And another, and maybe another… If you have any questions about street bike maintenance or how to identify any of these parts on your bike, don’t hesitate to stop into Surdyke Yamaha or give us a call at 573-348-6575. We also have an extensive online motorcycle parts store. Surdyke Yamaha has a great selection of Yamaha bikes at the Lake of the Ozarks. If you’re considering getting yourself a new or used street bike, don’t hesitate!

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Highway Store Location        Marina Store Location         Surdyke's Port 20

5863 Osage Beach Parkway      1660 Yamaha Drive               5395 Spruce Lane

Osage Beach, MO 65065           Osage Beach, MO 65065        Osage Beach, MO 65065

(573) 348-6575                       (573) 348-9283                    (573) 348-3178