Motorcycle Maintenance Checklist
The fall is a great time to get out and ride your motorcycle! The winding hills of the Ozarks are truly breathtaking, especially when the leaves begin to change colors. Fall is right around the corner and if you plan to get out on your motorcycle it's a good idea to perform some maintenance tasks before adding more miles to your bike. Today, your favorite motorcycle dealer at the Lake of the Ozarks has a maintenance checklist for your motorcycle - check it out!
After your bike is up to date on its maintenance, it's time to get out and ride the open roads! If you have questions about your bike maintenance, feel free to give us a call! During your maintenance checklist, if you find any parts that you need, did you know we have a huge selection of online motorcycle parts? Hop on over to our website and check it out! If you're in the market for a new bike, we can help with that too!
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.
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