Welcome to Motorcycles Guide
Harley Davidson Motorcycle Dealerships Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
Motorcycle Maintenance - A Basic Guide
from: By: James HunabanHere we have a few things you should check on your motorcycle on a regular basis. I assume you have a handbook with the specs for your bike, if not, go get one. You may be able to find some data for your particular motorcycle on the net. You can also pick up workshop manuals for various models on eBay in PDF or CD form for little money.
Whereas with a four wheeled vehicle you may get away with being lax with things like tire pressures etc, this is not the case with a motorcycle. You should not risk compromising the safety and stability of your motorcycle, for the sake of a bit of routine maintenance.
Pre-ride check
* Tires - check condition and for foreign objects in the tread.
* Tire pressures - it is vitally important to keep your motorcycles tire pressures either on spec or very close to it.
* Oil level - always check with the bike on level ground.
* Coolant level - only if your bike's liquid cooled, obviously.
* Chain - check the tension and make sure it's well lubed.
* Brakes - check they work and that they feel good.
* Lights - check all your lights, especially the brake light, you
don't want to get rear ended, do you?
* Visual inspection - self explanatory.
* All ok - hit the road.
Periodical checks
* Check battery - see that the connections are tight; I dropped a bike once because of a loose battery connection, strange but true. Also check the electrolyte level on some batteries, a lot of newer batteries are gel filled, sealed for life types, so no need with these.
*Carb balance - if your bike is multi carbed get yourself a Morgan carbtune or similar. It can be a little tricky the first time you balance them, but when you've done it once, the second time will be easy.
*Ignition timing - only necessary on some bikes, most newer models have electronic ignition which does not need touching, normally.
*Valve clearances - unless you're a good home mechanic, take it to a dealer.
*Wheel bearings - grab each wheel with it off the ground and see if there is any sideways play. There should be none or maybe a trace at most.
*Steering head bearings - with the front end off the ground, grab the forks and push and pull. There should be no play.
*Swinging arm bearings - with the back wheel off the ground, check for any sideways movement in the swingarm, there should be none.
*Brakes - check fluid levels, brake hoses for deterioration, and pads/shoes for thickness.
*Cables and levers - should operate smoothly. Get some grease on lever/pedal pivot points, and get some lube down the cables, if you can. A cable oiler is a handy tool.
*Nut and bolts - go all round the motorcycle with your spanners and check that all nuts/ bolts/screws are nice and tight.
Well, that's about it for some basic maintenance, obviously, unless you're a good home mechanic, any bigger jobs will have to go to a dealer. The problem can be finding a good one with skilled mechanics you can trust. I manage to keep my Yamaha Fazer 1000 running sweet just using the steps listed above. It does help that this model only needs the valve clearances checking every 26,000 miles.
About the author: James Hunaban is the owner of www.motorcycling-news.com/ a site full of Motorcycle information.
For more motorcycle articles visit: http://www.motorcycle-articles.com
Harley Davidson Motorcycle Dealerships News
Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Dealers Ranked Highest By 2012 Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index®
MONTEREY, Calif., May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Harley-Davidson dealerships returned to the top ranking in the newly released 2012 Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index® (PSI®) U.S. Motorcycle Industry ...
Read more...Harley-Davidson F-150 rides high on the hog
The Harley Davidson package certainly draws attention to itself.Hulking at the curb under a coat of black metallic paint (with stylized, flame-like decal on the sides) and sporting every option Ford can pack onto an F-150 pickup, the Harley Davidson package certainly draws attention to itself.
Read more...Harley-Davidson zips on Kolkata roads
Kolkata, May 14: Harley-Davidson, the icon for bikers which calls up images of burly easy riders zooming across American countryside, had arrived India in 2010. Now, the opening of a new dealership in Kolkata was announced on Sunday marking the motor company's entry in the eastern part.
Read more...State officials say motorcycle fatalities have gone down because of rider training VIDEO
Motorcycle fatalities have gone up in the United States as more riders take to the road. But in Michigan, the number has gone down.
Read more...Harley Davidson dealership opens in Kolkata
Harley Davidson India today announced the opening of a new dealership in Kolkata marking the motor company’s entry into eastern India as ....
Read more...2012 Ford F-150 4x4 SuperCrew
Harley-Davidson F-150 rides high on the hog
Read more...Harley Davidson eyes 25% growth; targets small cities
PTI Mr Anoop Prakash, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson India, during the opening of showroom in Kolkata on Sunday.
Read more...