ITS ALL ABOUT MAINTENANCE!

Hello! I am a biker and I love motorcycles. I love motorcycles because am a non-confirmist adrenaline junkie. This article is about maintenance of a motorcycle. Before I start, I want to say I am not an expert in this area. I am only going to write from my experience maintaining my own bike. Therefore, not all information may be accurate. I am only giving a few tips that I know and I can only hope what I write is useful to you. Let us get on with it anyway.

The first thing you need to know is that motorcycle maintenance is very very expensive. However, just like your wife or girlfriend, if you treat your motorcycle right, she will not disappoint you. You literally have to treat your bike like it is your main chick, while your wife or girlfriend is your side-chick. Get her groomed often (car wash) and ensure she eats right (fuel). You get the point! Just keep her happy and she will make you happy too. If maintenance is done properly, the cost of owning the bike will be less. I will just run through different parts of motorcycles that require frequent maintenance, as well as symptoms that show those parts have to be replaced. I will also talk a little about some tips to keep your bike in top shape. I ride a 2011 Yamaha R6 which is a 600CC capacity bike and thus most of what I write may not entirely apply to all bikes. I will try to generalize as much as possible.

First area we will look at is the fuel pump. The fuel pump of a motorcycle as the name implies, pumps fuel into the engine from the fuel tank of the motorcycle. The fuel pump has a filter through which the fuel flows to hold dirt in the petrol from getting into the engine. The fuel pump is linked to the throttle system of the motorcycle electronically, and this controls the rate flow of fuel through the pump and thus the power output of the engine. The fuel pump on my bike is located inside the fuel tank of the bike, fixed to the base. This is the case for many sport bikes, but I am not very sure if the same applies to other types of bikes. Since the fuel pump of the bike controls the fuel system, when it is faulty, it affects the performance of the bike. One sign that shows the fuel pump is faulty is the refusal of the bike to start or the inability of the bike to hit high rpms. If your bike cranks but refuses to start, switch off the ignition using the key. Put your ears close to the fuel tank and turn the ignition to the “on” position again. If you do not hear a subtle whistling sound, then your fuel pump is probably faulty. However, before trying to replace that fuel pump, get an electrician to check the fuse sending electric current to the fuel pump. I had an experience with my bike recently when the fuse sending current to the fuel pump pulled out slightly because of the potholes I had gone through on the road earlier. So that is a good place to check first before replacing the fuel pump. You know these our mechanics can be deceitful. They might not tell you but collect big money from you instead.

Anyway, back to the matter! Fuel pumps are usually made to last long. Therefore, sometimes when you suspect your fuel pump is faulty, it might actually be the filter in it that is clogged up. Since both parts are loosely connected, the filter can be replaced without changing the whole pump. To get to the fuel pump system, the fuel tank has to be loosened from the bike. The most common cause of a faulty fuel pump is bad fuel and water finding its way into your tank. Many filling stations in Nigeria buy mixed fuel, or maybe mix it themselves. They might mix petrol with water or cheaper fuel like kerosene to increase its volume for increased profits. The petrol might have a lot of foreign particles in it also. The tank opening is directly on top of the tank on the bike. Therefore, if it is not fully sealed and water proof, rain water or water from other sources can seep through it and get into the fuel tank. Therefore, to avoid fuel pump “wahala”, buy fuel from more established filling stations. If you can, buy from NNPC megastations. Often, open the fuel tank and look at the walls on the inside. If it has rust, then ensure all holes in the tank are sealed and wash the interior of the tank using an iron sponge and petrol. This prevents the rust from getting into the fuel and finally to the fuel pump. Did you know that the fuel pumps on most motorcycles are the same found in Honda and Toyota cars? You probably did not know. I found out recently too. Getting a fuel pump replacement on a motorcycle in Nigeria will cost around Ten thousand naira. Those ones that fit Honda cars cost around Three thousand naira. However, the designers of these ones probably did not make them to handle the kind of workload put on them. Therefore, it is advisable the Honda and Toyota fuel pumps are not made a permanent solution.

Bikes are fast, thus good brakes are important. This is a no-brainer. I do not think I need to explain what brakes are for. There are front brakes connected to the front wheel of the bike, and back brakes connected to the rear wheel of the bike. I do not need to stress the importance of having fully functional brakes. So I will spare you all that talk. The brake system is composed of the master cylinder (or at least that is what my mechanic calls it), hydraulic fluid, hydraulic lines, brake calipers, brake pads and brake disk. When you hold the brake lever and it depresses fully, but the bike is not slowing down, then you probably have low or no hydraulic fluid or your hydraulic lines which carry the fluid to the brakes has been damaged. I will tell you about an experience I had with this. I was speeding at 250 km/h and there was an army checkpoint ahead. I hit the brakes but nothing happened. I had two things to worry about. One is me falling off my bikes, but the more worrisome was being used as target practice by our always enthusiastic soldiers. I had a split second to think of a solution. I decided to slow my bike down by quickly shifting down my gear and using my engine to slow it down.

The symptoms of a faulty brake disk or caliper is an abnormal vibration or jerk felt when the brakes are engaged. Brake pads on motorcycles probably do not get worn as fast as those on cars. However, when it gets worn, a hissing sound is heard where braking and braking performance is reduced. It is easier to inspect brake pads on a motorcycle than in a car. So it is good to check on them often. I am not very familiar with faulty master cylinders, so I will not say what I am not sure of. Brake pads usually cost anywhere around N15,000 and above. Hydraulic fluid costs around N500.

Another area to consider in maintenance is the spark plugs. They are involved in the air/fuel mixture process in the engine. The system comprises of the spark plugs and the lead-wires or “plug caps”. When any of these are faulty, it leads to loss of power in the engine. Symptoms of bad plugs are poor acceleration and jerking while riding. Riding with bad plugs is not fun. Replacing the spark plugs is a delicate process and should be done by a proper bike mechanic. Most bikes I know use four spark plugs, same as cars, though some use two or three. It will be interesting to ride a bike with six or eight spark plugs. Replacing all four spark plugs should cost around N10,000. Might be less anyway.

Replacing the engine oil and oil filter on a motorcycle when due is important to the life of the motorcycle. The engine oil lubricates all the internal parts of the engine to ensure they run smoothly. 

It might be difficult to point out any symptoms a biker can use to know when to change the engine oil. Any signs a bike shows caused by poor engine oil quality might be irreversible. Using the same engine oil for too long on a motorcycle can damage the engine. Therefore, it is important to change the engine oil every 1,000km or every two months, whichever comes first. I have noticed people making the mistake of changing just the oil but not the oil filter. Doing this is like changing a baby’s diapers without wiping the poop off his/her bum. The new diaper will only get dirty. The oil filter costs around N7000, while the oil costs around N3000. Do not use just any oil for your bike. I advise getting good brand names like Mobil or Total. If you have the funds, get Mobil 1 engine oil. It is N9000 naira. It is supposedly the Louis Vuitton of engine oils. If you do not have that kind of money to waste like me, get the regular Mobil or Total engine oil. My bike’s engine has not blown using them.

The chain and sprockets of the bike are parts to remember in your maintenance schedule. These parts are part of the drivetrain system of the bike. There are two sprockets and one chain. The inner or front sprocket sends power through the chain to the rear or outer sprocket, in order to turn the rear wheel. The rear wheel drives a motorcycle, not the front. Therefore, if they are defective the bike might not be able to move. The chain rarely gets bad, but the sprockets might require being changed occasionally. Trying to manage bad sprockets will damage the chain and vice versa. The sign of a bad chain and sprockets are skipping or jumping of the chain when you try to accelerate. Also, the chain on a bike can get loose. This is caused by a faulty adjuster. Let me not write plenty grammar. Ensure your chain and sprockets are in top shape. Period! Use the DID brand chain and JT brand sprockets. They are a little more expensive, but are more durable. Full chain and sprocket sets can cost around N60,000.

The clutch fibers or clutch plates are part of the gearing and clutch system of the bike. I am not very technical on motorcycles but I believe they act as a link between the gear system and engine. It makes it possible to disengage or engage the gear using the clutch levers. Symptoms of worn out clutch fibers is a disaccord between the throttle and actual acceleration of the bike. When the fibers are worn and the rider open the throttle full while riding, the engine revs high but the acceleration on the bike will be poor. It is similar to a situation where you are riding with the clutch slightly engaged. One thing I know that damages the clutch fibers are wheelies. Frequently clutching up wheelies can reduce the life of your fibers. Replacing the clutch fibers will cost anywhere around N40,000.

The battery, rectifier and coil of the bike are crucial electrical components of the bike. The battery supplies power to the starter when starting the bike and powers other equipment. The coil and rectifier serve a similar purpose as an alternator in a car. They charge the battery when the bike is in motion and ensure proper voltage is distributed to electrical components. When the coil or rectifier is bad, the battery would not charge or overcharge. Initially, pushing to start the bike might work, but at some point you wouldn’t be able to cheat the bike anymore. It will simply refuse to start. I know because I had a similar experience and I was trying to be cheap. The bike got me stranded far away from home. So, be sure these parts are in top condition.

Asides making motion possible, tires provide traction to keep a bike from crashing at high speeds. Riding a bike with worn out or bad tires is a suicide mission. It is important to have both tires replaced when worn, but the front tires are even more crucial. This is because most bikers brake using the front brakes. Therefore, if there isn’t enough traction on the front tire, you risk skidding and falling. Consequences of using a bad back tire are more forgiving than the front tire. However, I advise changing both when they get worn. The back tire wears faster than the front tire does. Front tires cost anywhere between N20,000 to N35,000 while back tires cost anywhere between N40,000 and N60,000.

There are a few upgrades worth spending a little extra money on. One upgrades most bikers carry out is replacing the muffler of the exhaust of the bike. Most bikes come with noise-suppressed mufflers, but you know we bikers are very loud showy individuals. So most bikers change the mufflers to louder ones. There are different brands I have come across, e.g Yoshimura, M4, Voodoo, etc. There is the GP shorty exhaust which is the loudest in my opinion, because it makes no attempt to suppress the raw sound coming from the engine. I had this type, but riding with it for a long time has taught me that the “oyibo” people that put the noise-suppressing mufflers knew what they were doing. Loud exhausts can cause headaches on long ride, and maybe deafness on the long-run. These exhaust mufflers are very expensive. They run anywhere between N100,000 to N200,000.

HID lights, if you find original (not “china”) ones in Nigeria are a good addition to the bike. The stock headlights on a motorcycle are powerful, but the HID lights are even more powerful. The system comes with a mini power generator called a ballast which increases the power going into the white bulbs and make them much brighter. At night, it improves visibility. Some bikers even go further by putting sirens on the bike. It is cool riding in a group and the road captain has sirens to clear the way.

A power commander is a small chip added to the bike electrical systems to increase the power of the bike. It achieves this by re-programming the ECU to alter the fuel and air mixture ratio to achieve maximum power when riding. It can significantly increase the acceleration and top speed of the bike.

Crash guards or frame sliders are fixed on the sides of the bike and help protect the bike’s plastics and frame when the bike crashes. It can reduce the cost of repairing your bike if you crash, and maybe you can channel some of the money towards your hospital bills.

To some bikers, applying stickers on the bike makes it look better. I do not subscribe to that train of thought anyway. Usually, each sticker applied on a bike has its own meaning. Putting a “Mobil 1” sticker means you use the oil for your engine. Applying a DID sticker means you use DID chains and sprockets. However, these days, sheets of these stickers can be bought online and used to decorate bikes.

Mentally exhausted! So, for a conclusion, I am going to leave you a funny picture below. Goodbye!

Click images to enlarge...