Biker Education

Maintenance and Repairs

Summary: Learn how to properly maintain your motorcycle to keep it running at its best performance. Consult your motorcycle owners manual and motorcycle repair manual before you perform any work on your bike. If you need a top quality owners or repair manual, click here at

Repair Manuals for Most Cars/Bikes
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Oil Change

Maintaining your motorcycle is critical to it's long lasting performance and safety on the road. Just as with a car, the oil is the lifeblood for your motorcycle. If you do anything yourself, the oil change is something that can be done even by the novice person. It is quite simple and inexpensive if you have the right tools and patience. Do It Yourself and SAVE BIG at JC Whitney!

Consult your owners and maintenance manual for your motorcycle, but typically your oil should be changed every 3-5k miles, or at a minimum of every 6 months.

Before you rush to do this oil change, take your motorcycle for about a 10 minute ride. This will enable the oil to heat up and flow out much more easily. Once you're back from your quick ride, set up an area that you can move around and that is clean. If you have a center or rear stand for you bike, use it as it helps keep the bike in an upright position. If not, use the side stand for now and I'll tell you what to do later.

Tools and items needed:
- Owner's or service manual
- Oil
- Oil filter
- Drain Plug Washer (you'll replace the old one)
- Open end wrench (or ratchet)
- Drain pan
- Tool to remove the filter (leather or rubber belt will do)
- Shop Rags
- Funnel
- Torque wrench (recommended)

Now that you have your clean area and all the tools and items around you, go ahead and place the drain pan under the drain plug/bolt on your bike. Use the correct tool to remove the bolt, as you do not want to strip it. Once you pull it out, the oil will drain fast so make sure you have your oil pan set right under the drain.

While the oil is draining, you can go onto the oil filter. Use your manual to locate the oil filter. Carefully unscrew the oil filter. You can either use a filter wrench to unscrew it, or you can even use an old leather belt or even a rubber belt. As you do this, just be careful not to dent the filter. When pulling out the filter, you may have a little oil still left in there that could splash out. Use your clean shop rags and wipe everything down.

By now the oil should have completely drained from the plug and into the pan. Go ahead and remove the old and replace with a new drain plug washer.

Clean off the drain bolt and put it back in. Don't overtighten the drain bolt. Check your owners manual for how much torque you should use. If you're not checking torque to spec, simply install it snug and do not overtighten.

Back to the filter. Add some fresh oil to the new filter (about a 1/4 full) and swirl it around to make contact with the filter. Then, take your finger and spread oil around the rubber seal to wet it with oil (helps create good contact with the engine). Clean off your motorcycle around the area where the filter is to ensure all parts are clean. Now go ahead and install your new filter. Carefully screw in the new filter, but again be careful not to overtighten it. Simply use your hands and no tools required.

Slide the oil pan out of your way so as not to spill it, and grab your fresh oil and funnel. Consult your owners manual to figure out what your oil capacity (# of quarts) is for your motorcycle. You do not want to overfill your oil on your bike. So, fill it up to where you're between 'full' and 'add'. You'll need to stand your motorcycle upright when checking your oil as you do not want it to be leaned over (it will change your readings of the oil).

Clean your bike off and make sure all bolts and caps have been put back on. Take a 5 minute ride around the block to make sure everything is fine and that there are no leaks. Check the oil level again to ensure the right capacity, and you should be good to go.

Pat yourself on the back that you've now prolonged the life of your motorcycle and go enjoy your next ride!!

If you want to see a video of an oil change, click here on Youtube. This is a video of just a sport bike, but the concept is the same for all motorcycles.

Used motorcycle oil - take your oil from the pan and try to pour it back into the original oil containers, or an empty laundry detergent bottle. Most likely your town dump or municipal building will take your used oil. Just be environmentally safe, and do not dump the oil. It's dangerous, and illegal.

Brakes

Motorcycles have two brake fluid reservoirs, one for the front typically found on the handlebars and one for the back usually found somewhere under the seat. Both of these reservoirs should be checked regularly. Topping off of the fluids should only be done from a new and sealed bottle as brake fluid tends to absorb moisture over time. If your brake pads are thin and due for replacement, do not top up the reservoir - first replace the brake pads, and the level in the reservoir will rise automatically. Check to make sure its topped off and add if necessary. Just be WARNED - brake fluid, if spilt on your motorcycle paid, eats right through to the bare metal. Wear gloves, and keep towels over the bike as best you can to avoid any issues.

Check the thickness of the brake pads. If you allow them to go right down to the metal your brake disc will be damaged resulting in an expensive replacement and one which you may not have had to do. Consult your owners and repair manuals to order the proper brake pads.

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