Check motorcycle

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Check motorcycle
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Check motorcycle

Basic motorcycle check
Brief routine before the trip

You never have time for some annoyances – unless you take them away. For example, for a quick check of the basic functions of your motorcycle before every long trip.

Manuel Fuchs

03/08/2017

You can do a lot in five minutes: cook ready-made soup, smoke a cigarette, write your heir aunt a postcard – or check before a tour that everything is okay with your motorcycle. The small moment of attention can save a lot of anger.

Chain control: slack and fat


Check motorcycle


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If the chain feels dry, you should help with a load of chain spray.

A drive chain is a simple structure, frugal on top of that: it needs to be lubricated so that the links run smoothly.

And it needs slack: during compression, the distance between the pinion and the gear increases. If the chain is too tight, a tensile force acts on the links, on the transmission output bearing and the rear wheel bearing during compression. The chain elongates, the bearings can be damaged.

This can be prevented with one move: the bare hand can easily feel whether the chain still has enough fat and whether the slack is correct. The exact value can be found in the operating instructions for the vehicle. Two to two and a half centimeters sag is a good guideline for athletes and naked bikes; Enduros need something more.

If you want to check particularly thoroughly, you can check the slack in several places. It’s good if the motorcycle has a center stand. If the chain is unevenly elongated, it should be replaced soon. If the sag is significantly too much, this must be adjusted – again see the manual.

If the chain feels dry, it will now be given a load of chain spray. And immediately after the tour, because if it hasn’t been able to ventilate long enough, the fat will not stick properly to the chain and will centrifuge itself off.

Owners of motorcycles with cardan drive should not feel left out at this point: Are all bearings, sleeves and joints clean and tight, or is oil leaking somewhere??

Toothed belt drivers take a look at the belt themselves: frayed, cracked or otherwise damaged copies must be replaced as soon as possible.

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Bilski

Brake check: A grip on the lever and a step on the pedal provide certainty.

Pressure point, lever width everything as always, do the rubbers grip? Good. Of course, nothing changes by itself, but a grip on the lever and a step on the pedal dispel any last doubts.

On motorcycles with ABS, it is best to check this point with the engine running.

In addition: Are the lever bearings running cleanly, or would a drop of oil do them any good? If you don’t want to do it right away, you will have one more resolution on your list after the tour.

Do the levers and pedals return to their original position without any problems? If not: Check the brake lines – are they free of kinks and tight? It is possible that a piston has jammed slightly in the brake caliper. It is essential to keep an eye on the symptom, drive accordingly carefully and take a closer look soon.


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Bilski

Does the brake light still work??

Checking the brakes includes looking at the brake light: place the motorcycle on the stand, switch the ignition on, and stand on the right of the motorcycle yourself. The right hand grabs the brake lever, the right foot steps on the pedal. If the brake light cannot be seen from this position, the left hand can serve as a reflector.

Do lever and pedal each activate the brake light separately? Will it go out again when the brake is released? Always replace a defective pear; If necessary, you can get a replacement at the nearest gas station.

If you drive without a brake light, you risk being cleared from behind. The question of guilt is then secondary.


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A slight depression in the expansion tank can be an indication of worn brake pads.

You always have the expansion tank for the front brake in front of your nose, but when was the last time you checked the brake fluid level? Now is a good time to do so – even in the back.

A slight depression in the expansion tank can be an indication of worn brake pads. In such a case: get your flashlight, get down on your knees and look.

Perhaps the tour will spontaneously take you past the next Gericke / Louis / Polo branch? Or, if you are more comfortable, at your favorite workshop to make an appointment for the brake service? In any case, simply adding more liquid is not a sustainable repair.


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The play in the throttle cable is quickly determined with the tip of your fingers.

It should be possible to turn the throttle grip by one to two millimeters without any resistance being felt. Too little play can lead to the gas no longer closing completely under special circumstances.

Too much play makes it difficult to dispense properly and is often a cause of severe load change reactions. Usually the play in the throttle cable can be adjusted in next to no time with two lock nuts. Where the

Eyes are already in place: is the train moving easily? Are the end pieces of the covers correctly positioned? Don’t just spray in oil; if the cable is coated with Teflon on the inside, a special lubricant is required. Oil would clump and do the opposite of what it is supposed to.

The same applies to the clutch cable: There must be one to two millimeters of play – measured at the end facing away from the handlebar between the lever and the bracket. If there is too little play, there is a risk that the clutch will always slip a little and wear out so quickly. Too much play can mean that the clutch no longer opens completely and it is difficult to change gears.

If no reasonable play can be set with the adjusting screws, the clutch friction disks are probably worn and must be replaced. And while we’re on it: Is the lever width correct?


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A pressure gauge for home use is available from 10 euros.

Manometer! This is not only an emotionally disguised exclamation, but also the name for a pressure measuring device. This is available in accessories shops from 10 euros, so that you can check the inflation pressure on the cold tire at home. Often even lighter than at the gas station, because the home testing devices are much easier to handle. For just as little money, often this side of the 20 euros, there are also foot pumps that completely save you the trip to the gas station when you have questions about air.

Some gas stations are now even charging money to use their pressure gauges and compressors. Take a quick look: The year has 52 weekends, on average 28 of them are good for motorcycling. If the inspection at the gas station costs 50 cents a week, the pressure gauge and foot pump will soon pay for themselves. Not to mention the gain in convenience – and you check a lot more often if you have the appropriate tool at hand.


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Bilski

How do you check your fuel level? Open the lid and look inside.

No fight without munching. All testing is for the bin when the fuel barrel reports low tide. Now some motorcycles have a real fuel gauge in the cockpit, others are satisfied with a warning lamp or even rely on the good old fuel tap.

Some drivers consistently zero the trip meter when refueling in order to be able to estimate how far they can still get with the current filling. To estimate does not mean to know, so open the lid and take a look. You feel fooled by the technology when the fuel warning light comes on after a three-kilometer drive.


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If the oil level is too low, a motor with increased wear will acknowledge it.

If the oil level is too low, a motor with increased wear will acknowledge it. That is why every scrutiny is welcome here too. How this works can be found in the operating instructions for your vehicle.

Whether the motorcycle is on the side stand to check the oil level, whether the handlebars are turned to the left, to the right or not at all, whether the engine should be warm or cold, whether the dipstick is screwed in or just put on – the manufacturers handle all of this very well different.

One thing is common across all brands and models: The motorcycle must stand on a horizontal, level surface. If the motorcycle is equipped with a dipstick, unscrew it from its usual housing, wipe it with a paper towel, put it back into position according to the instructions, remove it again and read it.

If the oil level is close to the minimum, top up lubricant in 100 ml increments and check the level again until it is well in the middle between “Min” and “Max” stands. Under no circumstances fill in too much oil! This is expressed out of the warm engine in all possible and inappropriate places: Airbox and valve cover gasket are the more harmless ones.

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