Do Bike Service Yourself - Basic Self-Service & Maintenance Tips

Most of us uses motorbikes in a daily basis for different purposes like office travel, short trips and utility purposes, also 10% of us prefer motorbikes for long trips. In all these cases, we need to maintain the bike well for better performance, mileage and safety. There are many things that we can do ourselves without the help of a mechanic. Let us see what are they, 

On-time service makes a big difference in the ride quality of your bike and long life. If you are unable to do on-time service at authorized service center, keep below checklists that you can do by yourself at home. 

Change Engine Oil at every 2500-3500 Kms using genuine engine oil as preferred by your bike's brand. You can do this by opening the oil screw in under the engine.

Change the Oil Filter - This can be done along with your oil change process, as the oil filter of most of the basic bikes are easily to open with correct tool. 

Change Air Filter - This can be changed by ourselves which is normally kept under the seat in the bikes like Yamaha. 

Chain Lubrication - Clean chain is must required for a good performing bike, this helps in smother ride and improved mileage too. Chain-lube spray is available at every auto-spares shop, you can spray it directly in the chain and leave it as such for the whole night. 

Do periodic water service to remove the dirt and dust in the engine area. You may try doing diesel/petrol service to remove rust and hard dirt in the engine.

Check your Tyre Pressure at every 200-300 Kms drive. Deflate the air in the tyres and re-fill at every 3000Kms. Fill Nitrogen air for better pressure maintenance and longer tyre life. 

Use choke during cold climate start. Its good to check your choke periodically to make sure its working. If the choke is not working, it will affect the mileage and performance. 

Clean Carburetor - If its a carburetor type vehicle, its good to clean it periodically with the help of a mechanic as it requires little expertise. 

Additional Tips,

1. Never turn off the vehicle immediately during a long trip, you should let the engine cool down for 15-20 mins without turning off the ignition.

2. Turn off the lights before you turn-off the engine (if its not a BS IV vehicle).

3. Fill petrol from same brand to keep the same petrol density and quality.

4. Never fill full tank petrol, keep it half the tank to maintain weight that gives better mileage too. 

5. Never park your bike in hot sun and rain for long time. 

6. Always use kick-start when you start the vehicle for the first time in the day. It helps in longer battery life. 

7. Park your bike always in center stand, this helps in maintaining tyre pressure and life. 

If you have more tips for our fellow travelers, start writing with us - Join Us