Keeping Your Motorcycle Road-Ready

Everyone loves the performance they get from their bike. With loads of torque and great control on the road, a motorcycle delivers everything you need for a rush and a smooth ride. But it won’t be performing so well if you don’t keep on top of maintenance. In fact, without regular inspections and service, that high-powered machine could quickly be reduced to nothing more than a few hundred pounds of dead weight in your garage. Or even worse, if you try operating a bike with faulty components, you’re putting yourself at risk for a serious accident, which would harm both your motorcycle and yourself. You don’t want either of these things to happen, so you can avoid them with some simple DIY repairs and services. A regular maintenance routine will go a long way in preserving your bike’s quality, so we put together this brief guide for you to follow. However, if you have more serious damages or aren’t comfortable performing any of the tasks listed here, we’d be happy to help fix up your motorcycle in our service department at Crossroad Powersports. We’re located in Upper Darby, Philadelphia.

Ensuring Good Tire Quality and Pressure

There’s nothing too complicated about tires, but keeping them in good shape is vital for your safety. If a tire blows out while you’re travelling at highway speeds, you’ll lose control and have a tough time avoiding an accident. This situation would be extremely dangerous, but you can avoid it by simply looking at your tires before every ride. First, we recommend getting a tire pressure gauge so you can make sure each tire’s at the right level before you leave. Next, take a look at the sidewall and tread for any signs of wear. If the tread markers get under 20% of the original length, this means your tire’s ready to be replaced. Also, tires with punctures, bulges, or any other signs of damage need to be repaired or replaced right away, so keep an eye out for these problems as well.

Changing Your Filters

Just like cars, motorcycles use filters to prevent contaminants from damaging the engine and other components. Your fuel filter, for instance, sits below the tank and keeps harmful substances out of the fuel injectors. The air filter’s another important one. During the combustion process, your motor uses air that’s passed through this filter, so the filter’s necessary for blocking dirt and other corrosive particles from getting into the engine. Last of all, you probably already know about the oil filter, but we’ll mention it anyway. Motor oil is a lubricant that keeps the engine’s internal components from grinding together, but it won’t lubricate very well if it’s thick and sludgy. The oil filter prevents contaminants that will deteriorate your oil’s quality, and because it filters so much, you’ll want to replace it every time you perform an oil change.

Changing Your Fluids

Finally, just like quality filters are important for your engine’s health, all the fluids on a motorcycle also work hard to keep it running for years to come. Try checking the oil every week. Make sure it’s not to thick or viscous, and if the levels are too low, top it off. Similarly, your transmission fluid is also important, but it lasts a lot longer. This means you don’t have to replace it nearly as often, but try to check the quality every time you change your oil.

With how much you cherish your motorcycle, it just makes sense to spend a little bit of time taking care of it. This involves regular inspections, small maintenance projects as needed, and of course, bringing it into our service department when there are more serious issues. We’ll also help you out with oil changes and other small tasks if you’re not comfortable with them, so don’t hesitate to stop by Crossroad Powersports near Wilmington, DE, Camden, NJ, and New York.