Maintaining your Motorcycle

Whether you consolidate your motorcycle riding to the best riding days, or you like to ride all year round, you’ll want to make sure there are some routine checks you’re making before every ride. Even driving a car is considered a high-risk activity, so riding your bike requires a lot of careful preparation to ensure you’re going to be safe. Wild Fire Harley-Davidson® takes our riders’ safety very seriously, so we’ve provided some essential checks you should be making on a regular basis. But you’ll also want to make sure your bike comes in for regular checks from a professional. When that time comes, stop by our Harley® service department in Villa Park, Illinois just outside of Chicago.

Chains, Shafts, Belts

The power and traction from your engine gets funneled to the tires via a system of chains, shafts, and belts. If your bike is chain-driven (which means the engine is connected to the rear wheel with a chain), you’ll want to keep the chain lubricated. Spray lubricant should suffice. If your bike is belt-driven, check the belt for frays or tears. For both types of bikes, you’ll want to make sure your chains and belts have the right amount of slack--not to loose, but not too tight.

Brakes

Make sure that both brake fluid reservoirs--the one for the front tire and the one for the back--have the right amount of fluid and top off as needed. Take a look at your brake pads and make sure there is still plenty of material left and that they’re wearing evenly. Pay attention to your brakes as you’re riding, as well. If you hear unusual squeaking, grinding, or notice pulsating, consider taking your bike to a professional.

Tires

While you may feel tempted to skip certain checks before every ride, don’t skip your tires. Always check to make sure there is the right amount of air pressure in the tire, according to manufacturer recommendations. Also, check the treads to ensure the tires don’t need replacing and that they’re wearing evenly.

Fuel

While you’ll always want enough fuel to get you where you need to go, there’s more to this step than filling up at the nearest gas station. If your bike starts sputtering or has a hard time starting, it may be time to replace the fuel filter.

Also, keep in mind that the less you use your bike, the more you’ll have to pay attention to what you put in your gas tank. If you don’t ride that often, you’ll want to start using a higher octane fuel to avoid sludgy and corrosive deterioration that comes with ethanol heavy fuels. If you know you’re going to store your bike for an extended period of time, make sure to add fuel stabilizer for the same reasons.

Oil

While the importance of oil change is fairly common knowledge, it’s still worth mentioning. Before every ride, remove the dipstick, clean it, reinsert into the bike, and check the oil level and quality. Top off as needed, but if you notice it’s dark or sludgy, then it’s probably time to get the oil and oil filter changed. If you notice there are metallic shavings or powder, it could be a sign there are parts grinding together, and you’ll need to see a mechanic.

Battery

If you have problems starting your bike and it’s not the fuel filter, it could be the battery. Charge it if it’s drained, and if that doesn’t work, then it’s probably time for a new battery. If you get a new battery and that drains fairly quickly, then the real problem might be the alternator. If you need to store your bike, consider removing the battery or at least removing the leads from the posts so it won’t drain in storage. If you notice corrosion on the posts, start by cleaning it off with a solution of baking soda and water, although keep in mind that corrosion in an old battery might be a sign that it’s time to have it replaced.

Hopefully, this gives you a good starting point for keeping your bike in tip-top shape, although you may find there are additional checks that are worth adding to your list. If you still need the perfect bike to properly maintain, then stop by Wild Fire Harley-Davidson® to see what we have on our showroom floor right now. We’re situated in Villa Park, Illinois serving the greater Chicago area.