Basic motorcycle maintenance: chain, tyres, oil, brakes and winter storage

Quick checks before you ride

• Tyres look properly inflated and undamaged.
• Lights, indicators, horn and brake light work.
• Brakes feel firm.
• Chain looks lubricated and is not sagging.
• No fresh oil or fluid under the bike.

Chain cleaning and tension

• Clean the chain every few hundred miles or after wet rides, with a chain cleaner or a product suitable for your chain's seals, and a soft brush. Avoid high-pressure washers aimed at the chain.
• Lubricate after cleaning, ideally when the chain is warm, applying lube to the inside of the chain so it spreads onto the rollers. Wipe off the excess so it does not fling onto the tyre.
• Check tension with the bike on its stand as the manual describes, measuring the up-and-down slack at the midpoint of the lower run. Too tight wears the gearbox output and wheel bearings; too loose can jump the sprockets.
• Adjust by loosening the rear axle and turning the adjusters equally on both sides, using the alignment marks. Re-tighten the axle to the specified torque.
• Replace the chain and both sprockets together when the chain has stiff links, cannot be adjusted any more, or the sprocket teeth look hooked.

Tyres

• Pressure: check cold, at least weekly, against the figure in your manual or on the swingarm sticker, not the maximum on the sidewall. Low pressure makes handling vague and wears tyres fast.
• Tread: most tyres have wear indicators in the grooves. Know your country's legal minimum, and replace well before you reach it, especially if you ride in the rain.
• Condition: look for cuts, bulges, embedded objects and cracking. Old tyres harden even with plenty of tread; the date code on the sidewall tells you when they were made.

Oil

• Check the level on level ground as your manual describes: some bikes are checked upright, some on the side stand, some warm, some cold.
• Use the specified grade and type. Many motorcycles share oil between engine, gearbox and clutch, so the wrong car oil can make the clutch slip. Look for the specification your manual names.
• Change oil and filter at the recommended interval or at least once a year if you ride little.

Brakes

• Pads: look through the caliper at the pad material. Replace when it is near the wear groove or minimum thickness.
• Fluid: check the level in the reservoirs. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time and should be changed at the interval in your manual, often every couple of years.
• Discs: look for deep scoring or a raised lip at the edge.
• Feel: a spongy lever or pedal needs attention before you ride.

Winter storage

1. Wash and dry it thoroughly, then protect bare metal.
2. Change the oil, so old acidic oil does not sit in the engine.
3. Fill the tank and consider a fuel stabiliser, or follow the manual's advice for your fuel system.
4. Keep the battery on a smart charger or maintainer, or remove it and store it somewhere cool and dry.
5. Lubricate the chain.
6. Get the tyres off the ground with paddock stands, or move the bike occasionally to avoid flat spots.
7. Cover it with a breathable cover, and lock it up.

Know your limits