Welcome to Motorcycles Guide
Shadow Motorcycle Accessories 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
Shadow Motorcycle Accessories News
A tale of two Thompsons: The answer to my motorcycle music trivia quiz - The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (blog)
A tale of two Thompsons: The answer to my motorcycle music trivia quiz The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (blog) By Paul Mulshine/The Star Ledger On a prior post concerning motorcycles I ran a photo (below) of a redhaired woman on a British motorcycle and asked what song it should remind you of. I guess there aren't many Richard Thompson fans among my readers, ... |
2012 Honda Shadow Spirit Comparison - MotorcycleUSA.com
2012 Honda Shadow Spirit Comparison MotorcycleUSA.com With more than 20 years in the motorcycle industry Jan serves as editor of LadyMoto.com. Honda's Shadow cruiser hasn't been around for quite as long as the Sportster, but a version of the 750 V-Twin has been in Big Red's lineup since 1983. |
Akrapovič Scooter Exhausts – Style, Performance & Choice - Stay On The Black
 Stay On The Black | Akrapovič Scooter Exhausts – Style, Performance & Choice Stay On The Black Affordable urban transport in the shape of twist and go scooters has always lived in the shadow of large capacity motorcycles. But with the demand for efficient, rider-friendly, commuting transport coming to the fore, the 'scooter' world is growing ... |
Seneca man dies in motorcycle accident - Anderson Independent Mail
Seneca man dies in motorcycle accident Anderson Independent Mail A Honda Shadow motorcycle is removed by authorities after a Seneca man was killed while riding it. The accident happened Friday night on Harbin Acres Road near Forest Ridge Road, within view of the victim's home. A 30-year-old man died late Friday ... Coroner: Seneca man killed when motorcycle he was riding crashed less than 200 ... Motorcyclist killed after losing control of vehicle |
Police release the names of two killed in Tuesday motorcycle crash - WPSD Local 6
Police release the names of two killed in Tuesday motorcycle crash WPSD Local 6 Hoerman's truck then hit the rear of a 1998 Honda Shadow motorcycle stopped or slowing in the outside lane, throwing Storrs and his passenger, Caroe, from the bike. The tractor-trailer continued westbound, swerving into the inside lane. |
Classics on display at Civic Center - Marinscope Community Newspapers
Classics on display at Civic Center Marinscope Community Newspapers Novato resident Paul Zell's 1952 Vincent Black Shadow, with its custom torpedo-shaped sidecar, won the award in the British motorcycle class. According to Zell, the Black Shadow had long been packed away by an eccentric San Rafael custodian known to ... |
Deadly Accident on Ohio River Bridge - WSIL TV
Deadly Accident on Ohio River Bridge WSIL TV Police say Storrs and Caroe were riding a 1998 Honda Shadow motorcycle west on I-24 when they were struck by a tractor-trailer and thrown from the bike. PADUCAH -- Two people are dead after a crash on the Ohio River Bridge on Interstate 24. |