Introduction to Motorcycle Maintenance - Page 2

Common Maintenance Tasks

Here are some common motorcycle maintenance tasks. This is not an all-inclusive list. Some tasks are easy and require very little previous knowledge or skill; others tasks are more difficult. This is geared more to street bikes and recreational dual sport and offroad motorcycles and riding. More aggressive riding and competition type bikes may require more frequent maintenance and additional service.

• Fasteners - checking, especially for the chassis (steering, suspension, wheels, exhaust mounts, etc.)
• Controls - checking and adjusting
• Cables – operation, condition, lubrication
• Lubrication of pivot points
• Lights, horn and switches – checking, replacing bulbs
• Inspection of wiring, electrical connectors and other parts
• Brakes – inspection (disks, brake lines, pads or shoes), checking and replacing the brake fluid, bleeding the brakes, replacing brakes pads (infrequent)
• Tires – inspecting, checking air pressure, flat repair and replacing (can be physically difficult)
• Wheels – inspecting rims for damage, checking spokes for damage and looseness, adjusting spokes, checking wheel bearings (at tire changes), balancing (at tire changes)
• Drive chain – inspecting, cleaning, adjusting, replacement (infrequent if well maintained)
• Sprockets – inspecting, replacing
• Drive shaft – inspecting, service
• Drive belt - inspecting, adjusting, replacing
• Steering head bearings - checking for looseness, tightness or notchy feeling
• Front suspension – inspecting, adjusting, (fork oil replacement, fork seal replacement)
• Rear suspension – inspecting, adjusting, (lubricating linkage)
• Fuel system – checking for leaks or deterioration in fuel lines, replacing clogged fuel filters, replacing fuel lines
• Cooling system – checking coolant level, checking for leaks, adding or replacing coolant, checking water pump, hoses and radiator
• Air filter – checking, cleaning, replacing
• Battery - checking acid level (if not sealed type), removing, replacing, charging
• Engine oil – checking, adding and replacing
• Oil filter – replacing
• Spark plugs - checking and replacing
• Valve clearances - checking and adjusting (may be very infrequent, depending on the bike; some are easy to do, but some may be more challenging if access is poor or camshafts need to be removed)
• Cleaning
• Winterizing - see: A Guide To Winterizing Your Motorcycle

The procedures for the tasks listed above will likely vary, at least a little bit, from bike to bike. Some of the tasks are very quick and easy to perform, like checking your tires and tire pressures or checking and adding coolant. Some tasks like checking the valve clearances, and possibly adjusting them, are more involved and more bike specific, so I advise getting a copy of the service manual for your motorcycle.

I’ve written up some bike specific maintenance procedures on this website as well as some bike specific service information. I’ve also written a general guide to winterizing your motorcycle. For other bikes and maintenance tasks I can offer some general guidance. I’ll state again that it’s best that you refer to your motorcycle’s owner’s manual and service manual for specific information.