Your Bike

Look after your bike – and it’ll look after you

Carrying out simple checks on a regular basis can help you spot problems early – and avoid potentially lethal accidents

Unlike a car, a mechanical problem on your bike can lead directly to a crash, with you on the floor. Simply keeping your bike clean and means you’re looking at it regularly, making it easier to spot potential problems. So Make these simple technical checks part of your routine…

Check tyre pressure and wear

Tyres need careful attention to ensure optimum handling and braking performance.

Maintain the correct tyre pressures and adjust accordingly for a pillion or heavy luggage.
Check your tyres on a regular basis for wear and damage. Remember that the tyres of some modern bikes can wear very quickly.

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Oil and maintain your chain

- Adjust the chain tension in accordance with your bike’s handbook
- Keep your chain lubricated with an appropriate chain oil
- Check sprockets for uneven wear – a badly adjusted chain can damage the sprockets, and they will need to be replaced

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Keep an eye on brake pad wear

Clean your wheels often and you’ll soon see how much wear you have left on your brake pads, front and rear. If you do not maintain and monitor your brake pads, your discs will become scored and damaged which is dangerous as well as expensive to repair.
Never let brake pads wear down to the minimum – the friction layer of the pad frequently provides a coloured marker indicating the wear limit (generally 2mm in depth).
Always follow the maintenance schedule recommended by the manufacturer, and pay special attention to the brake fluid change intervals.

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Set your suspension correctly

Many motorcycles now have multiple suspension settings for both the front and rear suspension. To get the best performance from your bike, make sure that the settings are balanced to each fork leg and throughout the bike, and are set to a level that’s right for the kind of riding you’re doing.

The three suspension settings are:
Compression: compression damping controls the rate at which the suspension compresses over bumpy road surfaces.
Rebound: rebound damping controls the rate at which the suspension returns once it has been compressed. If wrongly set, it can affect handling during cornering and on uneven road surfaces.
Pre-load: forks and shock absorbers settle into a natural position when a bike is in a static position. When you brake or accelerate or corner they slide on their damper rods or stanchions. By setting the pre-load, you control how much of the suspension’s maximum travel you want to use.

Your bike can also be set up for different weights of rider/pillion and style of riding and these settings can be very complex. If you are unsure about the suspension on your bike, refer to the manufacturer’s settings in your handbook.

Consider installing a steering damper
A steering damper is an ideal way to calm the handling of your bike, but only if it’s on the right setting. Some motorcycle manufacturers now fit steering dampers as standard equipment on to their sports bikes, but if yours doesn’t have one, ask a suspension expert from a dealership for advice on installing one.

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Keeping your bike safe from thieves

Taking a few straightforward precautions can help keep your bike safe and secure:

Don’t just rely on the manufacturer’s own immobiliser system – invest in a separate alarm system. Many manufacturers and after-market companies offer compact and reliable systems – ask your dealer for advice.
Use a good-quality chain and anchor.
Always lock your bike to something solid and immovable.
Garage your bike if you can.
If you have to park your bike outside in a town or city then try and park in a safe area that’s well lit and covered by CCTV cameras.

Insurance discounts for approved products 
 Some insurers offer discounts if you secure your bike using particular makes of locks and alarms, so consider choosing ones which are Thatcham Approved or Sold Secure.

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