by Cars carry the body, but motorcycles carry the soul. To ensure your bike serves you well and provides pleasure, treat it with care and keep it in good condition. A responsible owner is not the one who repairs, but the one who regularly maintains!
Do you want your bike to look brand new even after years of service? And to forget about its repairs? A technical specialist from TM ELF, Ukraine’s champion in the SBK 1000 class, Konstantin Denisov, has compiled a series of tips specifically for motorcycle enthusiasts.
1. Look in the Manual and at the Odometer
So, the art of motorcycle maintenance. Most of the work is quite simple: check parts for damage, replace technical fluids and consumables, adjust and tune parts as needed. This accounts for about 80-90% of the attention a motorcycle needs.
The most challenging part of regular technical service is understanding what part to check and when. Manufacturers specify in user manuals for different models a list of technical tasks and the regularity for each. To ensure all points are completed on time, monitor them using the odometer – for example, replace the oil filter every 5000 km. Undoubtedly, the intensity of usage between services means a lot. But simply following the manufacturer’s recommendations is surprisingly effective.
2. Inflate the Tires
Pumps with a pressure gauge are available at every gas station – check the pressure every time you stop for gas. After the second time, you can manage in a minute without removing your gloves and helmet. The tires should cool before checking. Simultaneously, check the tread groove depth.
The sidewalls of under-inflated tires lack the stiffness to withstand loads. Therefore, deflated wheels reduce handling, braking efficiency, and wear out faster. Over-inflated tires reduce the contact patch with the road, thus reducing grip.
When riding with a passenger, increase tire pressure – the manual specifies the recommended parameters.
Step #3. Tighten the Chain
Sit a friend of similar weight to you on the motorcycle and lift the lower part of the chain. Measure how much it has risen and check against the manual. Typically, the chain should move “up and down” within a range of several centimeters – depending on the type of motorcycle.
If the chain slackens more than it should, it will slip off the rear sprocket on one of the upcoming bumps. If excessively tightened, it will wear out the sprockets, transmission gears, and unevenly stretch on a bumpy road.
Regularly lubricate the joints of the links, allowing the lubricant to thicken before the ride.
Step #4. Charge the Battery
This is straightforward. In winter, remove and store it in a warm place. Recharge with a rectifier in spring. Protect terminals with silicone grease to prevent corrosion. When the battery no longer holds charge – buy a new one, and return the old one to a specialized reception point.
Step #5. Refresh the Coolant
Replacing the coolant takes about half an hour. The main secret is that the engine should be cold. Drain the old coolant through the drain hole into a container. 
Mix the new coolant with distilled water in a 1:1 ratio and pour into the expansion tank, ensuring the level is between two marks. Coolant can damage the motorcycle’s paint layer and your skin – exercise caution. After the procedure, circulate the antifreeze through the system by revving the throttle for a minute or two. Check if the radiator heats evenly and whether air has entered the system. If necessary, release the air bubbles by alternately lifting the front and rear wheel and actively working the throttle. For instance, in the ELF lineup, you can find a high-quality product, ELF MOTO COOL ANTORGANIC, recommended for all motorcycles with liquid cooling systems. It is a 100% organic antifreeze with exceptional anti-corrosion properties, providing long-term effective engine protection from freezing or overheating.
Step #6. Change the Oil
Changing the oil is the first thing most Ukrainian motorcyclists do after wintering their vehicle. This is important and simple. The main thing is to have a good tool at hand and quality oil.
– Unlike a car, a motorcycle has one crankcase. Therefore, one oil lubricates the crankshaft, clutch, and gearbox, – says the fastest motorcycle pilot of Ukraine, champion of Ukraine in the SBK 1000 class, Konstantin Denisov, – Therefore, it is necessary to change the oil in the motorcycle before the start of the season. Or even more often – depending on the mileage.
Mineral, hydrocracking, and synthetic oils from ELF comply with strict international standards and the specificities of motorcycle 4T engines. For racing and everyday use, the ELF brand offers a range of oils that meet high Japanese standards HMEOC and JASO and retain properties even under harsh road conditions.
First, warm the engine slightly to reduce the viscosity of the spent oil. Drain the used oil through the drain hole into a container, such as a cut old canister. Then replace the oil filter. Inspect the old one – its pleated surface should not have large debris, which may indicate the need for an overhaul. Pour the recommended amount of new oil, let the engine run for a few minutes, and then rest. Now check that the oil level is between the two marks. Add or remove excess with a syringe as necessary.
Used oil along with other technical liquids can be given, for example, to the guards of your garage cooperative. They often warm up with special stoves where all this burns. Do not contaminate the sewage, soil, and water bodies with technical liquids.
Step #7. Monitor the Air Filter and Brake Fluid
– Remember to change the air filter as it gets dirty, – emphasizes Konstantin Denisov. – It affects engine power and fuel consumption.
The racer recommends changing the brake fluid once a year, as it is hydroscopically, in other words, it absorbs moisture.
– Due to this, its temperature regime is disrupted, and the fluid begins to boil, – says the Ukrainian Moto Racing Champion. – This greatly affects the work of the brakes – they might even fail.
Step #8. Select the Spark Plugs
Replacing spark plugs is the least frequent task. Check the instructions to know when to replace them. Depending on the motorcycle type, this is a few-minute task for nakeds, or a few-hour task for sport bikes. Ensure the new spark plugs are of the correct size. Screw them in carefully to avoid damage.
