Motorcycle Maintenance Basics
Taking
proper care of the things you love and relish can have a huge impact
on the way they treat you in return. Mechanical parts and machinery
have a tendency to fail and become unreliable. This can occur if an
owner fails to take care of the smaller details such as basic and
obvious maintenance. Taking care of these simple, little tasks can
easily extend the working life and enjoyment of an individual's
machine. Some of these maintenance basics can be done on a weekly
basis while other tasks need only a periodic check-up. Of course some
maintenance will need to be done by professionals, but you can do some
of the simple tasks yourself. In this article, part 1 of a 3-part
series aimed at basic maintenance, we'll take a closer look at the
detailing aspect.
Basically, there are several ways to clean and wash a motorcycle. Some
people choose to skip the soap and water, and go straight to the
instant detailers that come in a bottle. While there's nothing wrong
with that, occasionally it's good to use an automotive-style soap to
loosen the dirt and grime in the nooks and crannies. For the latter
method, the materials needed include a hose, carwash-style soap (one
that won't strip the paint or wax like household detergent), chrome or
aluminum polish, and plenty of soft terrycloth towels or rags.
Depending on the type of wheels on the bike, you may also want to
purchase a wheel cleaner product, although WD-40 makes a great cleaner
for wheel rims. Spoke rims will require a little more elbow grease and
can be cleaned with aluminum polish.
Another area of the bike to scrutinize is the underside. This is where
much of the road tar and grease can collect from the street. Engine
de-greasers can easily help out here, but be careful not to get any of
the de-greaser on parts that require grease. If you accidentally do
get some on these parts, wash it off immediately.
Going over the entire bike this way is really important, especially if
you live on the East coast or in the Midwest where salt is used on the
icy roads to melt the ice. Salt is a vehicle's enemy because it is
highly corrosive. Regular cleaning and detailing of your motorcycle
will alleviate, if not remove, these problems. Detailing your bike
also gives you another opportunity to check your tires, chain, oil,
brake fluid, air and oil filters, and other vital portions of the
machine as you normally would during a pre-ride checklist.
Detailing your bike will not only make it look its best in your garage
and on the road, but it will also help to make you aware of other
things to monitor. These are things that could easily turn into
problems if not inspected regularly.
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