How To Look After One’s Motorcycle To Keep In Tip-Top Condition (Part 3 of 4)

In the first and second part of this article on “How to look after one’s motorcycle to keep in tip-top condition”, we stopped at the item entitled the “The Headlights“. In reality, the headlights should go hand in hand with the next item which is:
11) The rear or hind lights of the motorcycle – The “hind” or “rear” lights of the motorcycle is equally as important as the frontal lights. Due attention should be placed also upon this important item as well.

Rear lights light up the rear of the motor. Without it, riding a motorcycle becomes “dangerous”. People or motorist cannot spot you.

Rear lights also “light” up when you apply your brakes. Then and only then can motorists behind you realise you’re slowing down. If the brakes lights fail to “light up”, they might knock into you. So brake lights mechanism should be continually inspected to ensure that they are in good working condition.

Again, your “safety” may very well depend on it. Anyway, please remember “brake” lights not functioning is an Offense!

12) Horn – The horn is intended to “warn” people. It’s meant to prevent accidents. Without it, riding motorcycles would be extremely dangerous. Unfortunately in motorcycles especially, horns do get spoilt rather easily. So riders should take steps to see it works perfectly. So kindly do your duty in ensuring the horn of your motorcycle function well.

13) Signals or indicators as some people know them as are important items of a motorcycle. There are the left and right signals. A condenser controls these two items. Bulbs in the signal unit can “burn out”. Replace them periodically.

14) Then there is the locking mechanism underneath the handle bars. Your motorcycle’s safety depends on it. Ensure the “lock” mechanism is not spoilt. Test it out from time to time. Do repair it instantly, if necessary. It can prevent “theft”.

15) Many are not aware than chain covers on a motorcycle is not only an important item of a motorcycle but that it is a compulsory item of a motorcycle too. Therefore, anyone who purposely removes the chain cover of his motorcycle is infact committing an Offense.

Let me explain why. In times of accidents, when one falls and goes “sprawling” onto the ground, it is possible your legs might get “entangled” in the chains of the motorcycle itself. Can you imagine what a gory accident it’s going to be?

Except for motors which “originally” has no chain covers like “Scrambler” models. When they first come out of the factory, any one willfully removing his motorcycle “chain cover” is in fact committing a serous offense.

16) The front absorber of a motorcycle should also be checked by an owner from time to time. It’s capacity to act as a good shock absorber, the handle bar “struts” on the left and right of the wheel has to be maintained well also.

While we mention the frontal absorber, let’s also mention the rear absorber too. Modern bikes nowadays use the “hydraulic” types. Do check out all four absorbers of your bikes.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

How To Look After One’s Motorcycle To Keep In Tip-Top Condition (Part 2 of 4)

6) The chain, which pulls the motor along can become elongated or “kendur”. It needs to be tightened from time to time. A too long elongated drive chain of a motorcycle is Dangerous. Have the chain shorten. You have also to “oil” the chain. Thus proper servicing of the motorcycle chain is of utmost importance. Your safety depends on it.

7) Modern motorcycles have 12 Volt battery system. Like car batteries, they need service. Fill up the batteries with “battery” water or “distilled” water. You can also use “rain” water. Battery water is available from “spare parts” shop, if you don’t know.

8) Motors have handle bar mirror on both the right and the left. “Right” side handle bar mirrors are “compulsory”. The left side is optional. You can get fined for not having the right handle bar mirror.

9) Like cars, your motorcycle also has 2 tyres (the front and the rear tyres) to be taken care of. Like cars, it also has Balancing, Alignment and Pressure problems to be dealt with. Learn up how to deal with these problems. Learn from friends and colleagues how to deal with them.

Tyre “threads” determine your safety. Remember, a tyre should have a 60% tyre thread to be considered as a good, safe tyre!

10) The headlights of the motorcycle also requires maintenance. There are “bulbs” for both the low beam and the high beam.

Periodically these bulbs can “fuse” or “burn” out. They have to be changed from time to time. Ensure these important items of your motor is in good working condition. Your safety is in “their” hands, so to say.

As this article is getting longer and longer each and every minute, and there are still many more items left. I contemplate not to proceed any longer, but to stop here and to continue writing about “How to look after one’s motorcycle to keep it in tip-top condition” some other time.

Do keep in touch with this blog as the continuation of this important topic will be done in a later article in this blog.

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Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4

How To Look After One’s Motorcycle To Keep In Tip-Top Condition (Part 1 of 4)

Many people opt to use the motorcycle compared to cars nowadays due to its low fuel consumption, handy to operate, no parking problem, no problem with facing traffic jams and of course maintenance is much lower than cars.

But in reality, when you continue to read this article, you’ll be surprised, maintaining the motorcycle in good tip-top condition isn’t as simple and cheap as you think. Well, you are welcome to make your own conclusion after you have completed reading this article.

At first, it was not my intention to do a write-up on motorcycles. But after weighing the amount of articles my blog has concentrated on “cars”, I feel slightly uneasy some readers might think I am biased towards them, especially those who ride the 2 wheelers.

So then here goes.
1) Road Tax and Insurance Problem – There is no problem regarding this issue. Road tax is free. Pay only for the Insurance. Whether its 1st Party insurance or 3rd Party All Riders’ Insurance. I beg being unable to furnish you details. If you are using a runner’s service or the Post Office, you obviously, have to pay a small sum of fee.

2) Wear ideal clothes for motorcycle riding – Unlike cars, for motorcycles, ideally one is expected to wear jackets and gears for protection purposes. Wear leather gloves, high leather boots (up to knees ideally) and “goggles” for protection against dust, sand and insects. And no slippers, please.

3) Then there is the question of Safety Helmets – Here I mean Approved “Sirim“ safety helmets. Ideally, use the best available in the market. If you have ever heard of “Bell“, that would be good. Hope the sound of the helmet doesn’t ring any bells in your head.

With the latest decision by the Transport Minister, Y.B. Ong Tee Keat regarding the banning of the “half coconut” looking so called “helmet” recently, you had better “chuck” the stupid looking thing into the nearest river.

For those who do not know the cost of a “Bell” helmet is, it is anything between RM500 to RM1000. Can you even imagine you and your girlfriend wearing this brand of helmets?

Another thing regarding helmets. The “shell”, after lapse of time, can become brittle, thus becomes unable to protect your “shell” (head) instead. So periodic inspection and purchasing of new helmets is necessary.

The “straps” of the helmet also undergo “wear and tear”. Therefore, they have to be changed.

A final word of advice. Choose bring coloured helmets like white, yellow and anything “bright”. Safer, so say the “experts”.

4) Checking of both the front and rear brakes – This is utmost importance. The “front” brakes and its cable can sometimes be jammed. It becomes difficult to “pull” or “apply” so to say. Do spray some “W.D. 40″ on it. Don’t be lazy! It might save you some day from some nasty accident.

The foot brake has also to be adjusted periodically. Ensure the “free play“ of the rear brake mechanism has no more than 1 – 1 1/2 inch of free play. Too much free play is “dangerous”.

If you yourself is capable of adjusting the rear brakes, well and good. If not, its time to visit “Wah Motor”. Hope you understand what my message is.

Some newer motorcycles nowadays have “hydraulic” brake system. You not only have to check the hydraulic fluid level in the plastic reservoir on the right hand side handle bar of your motorcycle but you also have to check the condition of the “disc brake” in the front wheel and also the condition of the “drum brakes” in the rear wheel as well.

5) Even small bikes, like bigger C.C. bikes nowadays have clutch cables to change gears. Cables means the possibility of getting jammed up. Make sure periodic “oiling” (use W.D. 40) to the cables is thus maintained.

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Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4