Road tripping on a motorcycle is the most exhilarating experience you’ll ever have. Motorcycling gives you an opportunity to have a closer look at the landscapes that attracted you. You will become part of the scenery and will feel the environment including cool breeze, sun rays, and raindrops directly. You will explore new cultures and enjoy the ambiance that each state has to offer while traversing on a vintage ride. Besides being a fun-filled adventure, motorcycling can have many risks and challenges. You must prepare yourself for those upcoming challenges and the most common of all those is the breaking off of your ride. Before hitting the road, just make sure that your motorcycle is fit to make the trip and you are taking all the needed spares, and tools in your motorcycle bag. Also, you should get some lessons about the maintenance of your bike for a smooth trip. Read on to learn in detail some maintenance tips that could be handy for you at the time need.
Check lubrication:
The user manual of your ride has clear instructions about when to change your oil. Follow those instructions and change oil accordingly when you embark on a road trip. If you are traversing through off roads or dirt roads, check the oil level frequently and if needed add some oil where necessary. It’s is rightly said that good condition lubricant plays a vital role in keeping the engine run smoothly. Furthermore, get your chain and brakes oiled after every morning because they also need to run smoothly to avoid bigger troubles.
Clean or change the air filter:
You must get your motorcycle’s air filter before setting out on your journey. When riding through sloppy roads and rough patches your ride will have to experience foreign abrasives like dust and dirt at the valves, internal bearings, and cylinders. Therefore, after such a show, do remember to check the filter, clean it, or replace it. Many of us take this maintenance problem lightly and experience bigger problems on the way.
Maintenance of your ride’s battery:
Get your motorcycle’s battery fully charged before starting your long exuberant journey. Even before that, ensure that the overall health of the battery is satisfactory. Also, check the electricals (headlight, tail lamps, and side blinkers) prior to hitting the road. And check the water level and acid level of your battery every morning, while you are on a trip. This is so important, especially if you are planning to travel during the night too.
Brakes should be checked regularly:
Braking is a system that works between your safe ride and a horrible crash. When you road trip, you often ride at very high speed which can be a great risk if you are not wearing your motorcycle safety jacket and not examining your brakes after regular intervals. Proper brakes can save you from the discomfort of bumps and from fatal collisions. Furthermore, you should also make sure to have optimum fluid in the brake fluid canister for the efficient working of your brakes.
Check your motorcycle’s wheel alignment and tire pressure:
The wheel alignment and air pressure are amongst the key factors to keep your ride’s balance and save you from accidents. Moreover, the exact alignment of the wheel helps to reduce tire wear and ensures that the wheel travel is straight and true. Along with alignment, good air pressure in tires saves plenty of fuel. When you are going to pass through sandy or slippery roads, you should decrease tire pressure for allowing the tires to get a wider contact patch and brings a better grip. And finally, check the condition of the tire, change it if it’s not suitable for your trip.
Motorcycle suspension/shock absorber maintenance:
Oil is the most critical part of your motorcycle suspension and the working of your suspension mainly depends on the quality of lubricant. And whenever, a bump comes under the tire, the suspension spring adjusts the bike according to the vertical movements of the wheel, so that the passenger floor will remain at a level. But when a bump passes, as a result of springing action, it causes to continue the up and down movement of the wheel. To prevent this shock absorber is used to dampen the springing action. Your suspension spring, shock absorber, and oil must be in good condition before you jump on your ride for a long mesmerizing trip.
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