Do you often check your bike to ensure everything is functioning well? Getting stuck on the road due to a flat tyre isn't something you would want to experience. Can you imagine igniting your bike engine and failing to start when you are ready to ride?
You should maintain your bike regularly to last longer and avoid the disappointment of bike breakdown while riding. Doing some bike tune-up at home will keep your motorbike in perfect condition. However, you should have a comprehensive bike insurance policy to get a financial shield when your bike needs an expensive repair.
Your two-wheeler needs a tune-up, whether a brand-new or old bike. Are you wondering when you should give your bike a tune-up? Check the rusting bike parts. Is your bike screeching? Do your bike gears skip? When you notice any of those conditions, know that your bike requires some maintenance. Though you need bike insurance, you can improve your bike performance using the following tune-up tips.
Best Tips on How to Maintain Your Bike at Home
Check Tyre Air Pressure and Adjust
Bike tyres should have adequate air pressure for smooth riding. Tyres will tear and wear faster when you ride the bike with low tyre pressure. Make sure to check the pressure before you begin to ride. You can fill the tyre pressure if you notice a drop from the standard pressure.
Check the bike manual to determine the level of air pressure your tyres need. Avoid overfilling tyres with pressure since it causes discomfort when driving. Are your bike tyres thin? If yes, you should fill them with more pressure than thick tyres.
If your tyres lose pressure more often than usual, consider replacing them. Tear and wear weaken tyres; you need new ones to reduce repair costs. But you should also get bike insurance to minimize the expenses of tyre repair or replacement.
Read more - All About Bike Tyre Pressure Maintenance
Regular Bike Washing and Degreasing
Your bike will function best with regular cleaning. Washing keeps the bike neat and removes debris and dust that can attract rusting. Ensure to use low-pressure water from a hose when cleaning your bike. When you use pressurized water, you can force dust and dirt into the bearing, which affects bike movement. Water with too much pressure also can remove grease, affecting the bike's rolling.
Dish soap is suitable for bike washing as it is non-toxic. You should use a soft –bristle brush to clean off the stubborn staff from your bike. Begin washing your bike from the top down. Make sure you buy two-wheeler insurance for bike protection since anything may happen when washing your motorcycle.
Bike Lubrication
Adequate bike lubrication makes your machine move smoothly. The bike's moving parts wear faster due to friction. So, lubrication will prevent mobile parts from freezing up and excessive wear. You will also keep bike rust and corrosion at bay through lubrication.
Though lubrication is essential, avoid overdoing it. You can damage bike components and reduce performance due to over-lubricating. Ensure you wipe the excess lube before riding. You should also focus only on the moving part when lubricating your bike.
Avoid using the old junk bike lubricant you find in the garage. Thin oil dissipates faster and doesn't hold. On the other hand, too thick oil gum up and draws lots of dirt, damaging your bike. But you can always protect your bike with comprehensive bike insurance. Insurance covers the cost of unexpected repairs or maintenance.
Fix Loose Bike Wiring
Mid-ride breakdown can frustrate you big. That's why you should check all wiring connections in your bike and ensure everything is in the right place. Use your service manual and identify the bike circuit through the wiring schematic.
You should also tighten the blown a fuse. Bike wiring may require an expert. That's why you need bike insurance to pay for an expert mechanic when in need.
Change Oil
Have you covered thousands of miles with your motorbike? If yes, you should replace the engine oil to keep your machine running safely. Riding lowers oil viscosity, hence draining faster. Ride your bike for 5 minutes to warm it up before replacing the oil.
You should switch off the engine while your bike stands upright. Then, remove the drain and oil fill plugs for the old oil to escape. Make sure also to take out the oil filter. When the oil drains, install a new oil filter and restore the parts you had removed.
You can then refill your motorcycle oil using a funnel. The bike engine is quite a sensitive part. That's why you should buy two-wheeler insurance to protect your motorcycle.
Maintain Bike Chain Cleanness
Bike chains require some cleaning to avoid dirt build-up, which attracts rust. Today, many bike chains are O-ring and need less cleaning. But you would want to clean the chain after reaching the miles your bike manual recommends.
Begin to clean the bike chain by elevating the rear wheel and keeping the transmission neutral—allowing easy chain movement. You can then use a soft bristle brush to clean the chain. Don't forget to get two-wheeler insurance to cover unexpected bike maintenance expenses.
Replace the Bike Coolant
Bike coolant prevents the engine from overheating, rusting, or freezing. Begin by removing bodywork and accessing the coolant drain bolt. Get a drain pan and place it under the engine before removing the bolt to drain the coolant.
Remove the radiator cap to ensure you drain everything, and reinstall the drain bolt when you are done draining. You can then fill the bike with new coolant using a funnel.
Make sure you put the radiator cap back and fix the bodywork you had removed. After that, ignite the engine and allow it to warm up for some minutes before you cut the ignition. Take advantage of a bike insurance policy wherever your bike requires an expensive checkup.
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