[Tinsnips]

Motorcycles are an investment. We love them and care for them like an additional child or pet. We name them, we talk to them (well...I do anyway) and we count on them to get us where we want to go. We all want the best for them & maintenance is how we ensure they will always be ready to do that for us.

Here are some things to keep in mind when you are planning out your bikes maintenance schedule & some things you may want to make sure you have on hand to make your bike safe for many miles to come.

1. Consider buying a shop manual for your bike - It has all the (usually) correct info you need to buy the right parts & the steps to perform some of the tasks yourself.
2. Follow the manufacturers recommended service intervals - Every bike is different. Some need frequent attention to specific things and some are fine with long service intervals.
3. Use the proper fluids! - Motorcycles are different than cars. Be sure to use manufacturer approved oil, coolant, & brake fluid.
4. Use good parts! - This is a tricky one. Generally the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts are the best as they were specifically designed for the bike. There are cases where quality aftermarket parts perform better but this is a part by part bike by bike type decision. General rule of thumb has OEM parts as a safe bet.
5. Avoid knock off parts - There are many places to buy parts and often we are tempted when we see a $200.00 part on line for $60.00. These often look indentical to the part you need but it usually ends there. I have seen countless instances where these parts either don't fit at all or have a very short service life due to being made with inferior materials. Consult a manufacturer specific forum or other owners if you aren't sure.
6. Don't forget to maintain your gear! - Sometimes we have the bike in tip top shape but haven't really looked at the chin strap on our helmet of the seams on our gloves. Show your gear a little love too so it can pay you back when you really need it.
7. Be Prepared - Think about the type of riding you do and what you may need should something unforseen happen. Check those emergency type things are in good shape and ready. Rain gear? Tire patch kit? small air pump? Basic tool kit? If you are off road should you have a compass & some matches?
8. Document it - I am bad for this, but still. You should do it. It is good to know when soemthing was done last. Write the date on your oil or air filter.
9. Keep your reciepts - This one is a good one for acouple reasons. First off, you can check where you bought it last time and what it cost. Second, having a folder with all the reciepts and service done to the bike will add value to it when it comes time to negotiate a price should you decide to sell.
10. Check for manufacturer recalls - From time to time safety defects are found and the manufacturer will correct the deficiency for free at your local dealer. These are not things you are likely to see or check. Keep your machine up to date on these items.

Let us know if there are any things you like to think about and prepare for to make your motorcycling life easier.

 

[lesblank]

Great info. An item I'll add to your list:

"Nut and Bolt" check"

Simple process, take a few wrench and check every nut and bolt you can easily reach. Sounds like a time consuming task, but really isn't. Most bike you would need about 5 wrenches. Just put a wrench on the bolt and test tightness. If it's loose, get torque wrench out with thread locker. If it's tight, jump to next one. I do this about once a month. When in Houston commuting daily things work loose. Now on my dirt road it's probably more important. On another forum, someone just had a rear caliper bolt come out. Caliper shifted locking up rear tire. Luckily he didn't go down. Don't be "that" guy who could have avoided this, but didn't.

 

[Tinsnips]

Great info. An item I'll add to your list:

"Nut and Bolt" check"

Simple process, take a few wrench and check every nut and bolt you can easily reach. Sounds like a time consuming task, but really isn't. Most bike you would need about 5 wrenches. Just put a wrench on the bolt and test tightness. If it's loose, get torque wrench out with thread locker. If it's tight, jump to next one. I do this about once a month. When in Houston commuting daily things work loose. Now on my dirt road it's probably more important. On another forum, someone just had a rear caliper bolt come out. Caliper shifted locking up rear tire. Luckily he didn't go down. Don't be "that" guy who could have avoided this, but didn't.

Good point! That is one of the reasons I suggested getting a shop manual. Many manufacturers list torquing a lot of important fasteners at specified intervals & list the proper torque specs for each.

Given the dirt road you have I would expect things might vibrate loose faster than on my pavement princess. Every bike and it's use is different - I would imagine you gonna go through air filters faster than the specified service interval. I can easily get two seasons out of one & just change it so it's "new".

 

[lesblank]

I would imagine you gonna go through air filters faster than the specified service interval. I can easily get two seasons out of one & just change it so it's "new".

K&N, buy once, clean regularly, once a month. In the summer they dry real quick. Wife gave me that "look" the other day when I brought it in and placed on kitchen island. I debated with her it was clean. Yea, I lost and took it back outside.