A Few Minutes Every Week Can Save You Hours on the Roadside.

Owning old school motorcycles with a gleaming metallic paint and shining chrome all over van be glorious beyond belief. All the attention and adulation from people around and passersby can make you really beef up your chest like no other possession. Until the motorcycle refuses to start on a traffic signal despite all your efforts and you become an embarrassed laughing stock in the middle of nowhere. It can really put you down.

While people often grudge about old school motorcycles being unreliable, a part of the problem infact has to be blamed on the owner of the vehicle as equally as the technology being outdated in these motorcycles. Low maintenance or in some cases complete lack of attention to small trivial issues can prove to be detrimental in the long form and can give you major trouble. These small issues can spiral into bigger and complicated problems and dig a big hole in your pocket.

So here are some basic checks that we recommend to all our customers and friends who own these old beauties and would want to take them along to their grave.

1. Engine Oil Check

While its engine is the heart of any motorcycle, we have to take utmost care of it for maximum performance and life of the machine. Timely replacement of engine oil is one major step that helps you keep your engine healthy and running smooth. If ignored the performance of the motorcycle goes down slowly and eventually might even give issues like clutch failure and complete engine seizure. You have to be mindful of any signs of leakages and smoke emissions from your exhaust.

2. Electrical Check

Electricals of a motorcycle are like a human body nervous system which connects the major parts of the machine and carries signals to ensure smooth functioning of the overall bike. A non functional electrical component or for that matter even a single broken wire can make you lose a lot of hair and sleep. Timely checks on all the insulations of wires and cleaning of corroded terminals of all electrical components has to be top priority while maintaining old motorcycles. Slightest of indications like dimming of horn or signal lights are early indications and have to be addressed at its bud.

3. Chain and Sprocket Check

Chain and Sprocket are important part of the transmission system which transfer the power generated by the engine to the wheels. Inspect chain slack every 500-700 kms as it can contribute to power loss in these bikes. Water and dust can eat up these components very quickly. Timely clean the chain and lubricate it with suitable lubricant for maximum life. Also check for any broken, sharp or bent teeth on your sprocket and replace immediately if found. A broken chain can make you feel the weight of your bike which you proudly boast of.

4. Tyres and Spokes

While the engine is the heart of any motorcycle, wheels are the real carriers. Timely tyre check is utmost important for any bike as the rubber tends to harden and develop cracks, cuts or flat spots with time. You need not necessarily wait for a series of punctures to bring this to your notice. Air pressure is also an important aspect in tyres. Underinflation can reduce mileage and maneuvering ability of the bike while overinflation can make the ride bumpy and can also cause tyre bursting on a hot day. Also check the tension of your spokes if its a spoked wheel with a minor sound check.

5. Brakes and Cables

Smooth running of the bike is very important and so is smooth stopping. Hence a timely check on the brakes are utmost important. Check for bite on the brakes and ensure a smooth return as well. At any time if you feel the brakes are spongy then bleed the brake oil or clean the drum as required. Check all cables for any snags so that you get to change them before they snap in midst of a beautiful ride. This comes from a bitter experience as I personally had to ride almost 70-80 kms with a snapped clutch cable. Thankfully it was an open highway and I didn’t have to change gears.