A beginner's guide to maintaining your bikes

Over the decade, motorcycles have been increasing in numbers, owing to being an easy way to commute in the busy Dhaka city. Most people just take their bikes to a garage not knowing what they are in for. This results in people getting scammed by mechanics or receiving insufficient maintenance. Be it a Pathao rider, a student or an official, anyone who uses a bike to travel daily is often too busy to notice if their bike needs proper care. For all you busy commuters, here is a three-step breakdown of how you can maintain your bike initially, regularly and in the long run.

Initial maintenance

If you just bought your bike right off the showroom, the first thing you have to do is 'break-in' the engine. For every 2,000 kilometres you ride your bike under 4,000 rpm, the oil change interval should be after every 500 km till you hit the 2,000-kilometer mark. This phase is called the break-in period, and during this time you should remember to always use mineral-based engine oil. If you wish to shift to synthetic oil, you can do so after your break-in is completed. 

It is very important that you break-in your bike so that the engine can be free, and the clutch and other components can be set up accordingly. If you don't break-in your bike properly, you may face reliability issues with the bike as the life span of the engine and clutch would be less significant than a bike that has a properly maintained break-in period. 

Every time you do an oil change, change the oil filter as well. Check the tension of the chain whenever you service it and adjust it depending on if it's too loose or too tight and lube it once every 100 km. Generally, the recommended grade of engine oil for almost all Bangladeshi bikes is either 10w-40 mineral or 10w-30 mineral. Check with your dealer to find out what grade is suitable for your bike.

Regular maintenance

Now that you are done with your break-in period, you can relax a bit. Your oil and oil filter change interval should be within 1000-1500 kilometres if you wish to stick to mineral compound oils, and 3000 kilometres if you're thinking of shifting to synthetic. Afterwards, you just have to clean your air filter, spark plug, and brake pads/shoes every time you change the oil. Remember to lube the clutch cable as often as you can and adjust the clutch so that it can have a little bit of free play. 

Make sure to adjust the idle of the bike and always refuel octane from a reputable pump. You can also use octane boosters to make the fuel even better but frequent usage might wear down the engine faster.

Long-term maintenance

You've put in some kilometres and now wondering if there is more to maintain your bike. The answer is yes. After 4000-5000 kilometres, adjust the tappet, which should reduce the fuel consumption and make the bike should feel smoother. Replace the brake pads/ brake shoes after 4000 km is completed. 

Take note of the list of components you should replace at 10000 kilometres if these parts were not changed earlier: the air filter, sprocket-chain set, clutch cable, throttle cable, ball racer bearings and spark plug. If you follow these important steps properly and with caution, you should be on your way to maintaining a two-wheeler that will serve you for a long time. However, keep in mind that accidents and incidents can happen anytime, so always keep caution in mind whenever attempting serious repairs.