Basic motorcycle maintenance is important for all riders to know. If you take good care of your bike, you’ll be able to enjoy it longer. Here are some basic ways to regularly maintain your bike: Change oil. Changing the oil on your motorcycle is critical to keeping your engine running properly. You’ll have to consult your owner’s manual to see how often you should be changing the oil. It’s best if you can warm your bike up for about 5 minutes or so before changing the oil. Then turn off the engine and stand the bike up, remove the drain plug and let the oil drain into a pan. After that, you can replace the filter and replace the oil using a funnel. Check tire pressure. Your bike’s tires will last longer if you maintain the right tire pressure. More importantly, tire pressure can become a safety issue if not regularly checked. On the side of your tires, you’ll see what the pressure should be. To check tire pressure, first, find the valve stem. Then, after removing the cap, press an air pressure gauge on it. You can use an air compressor to get your tire to where it should be. Replace the air filter. Replacing or cleaning your bike’s air filter is important because this filter protects the engine from debris. You can use compressed air to clean your bike’s air filter. Sometimes it’s easier just to replace the filter. How you access the filter will vary by motorcycle. Some are easy to access and others are trickier because they’ll require you to remove parts of the body to access them. Battery The best way to maintain your bike’s battery is to keep it charged. You can use a trickle charger to do this. Just be careful not to overcharge it. A good rule to use it to “never charge a battery at more than one-tenth of its rating in amp hours.” If you don’t follow this rule, you may end up overheating it and ruining your battery altogether. Replace the coolant. Replacing your bike’s coolant is another important part of maintenance because it will protect the engine from heat, cold, and corrosion. To replace the coolant, you’ll remove the coolant drain bolt. After draining, you can use a funnel to add the new coolant. You’ll have to check your owner’s manual again to see how much coolant your particular bike needs. Keep the chain clean. Lastly, it’s important to keep your bike’s chain clean because the chain transfers power from your back wheel to your engine. The best way to keep the chain clean is to apply lube after every ride. If you do this when the chain is still warm, the oil will be able to get into the chain better. This article was originally published at GrahamZahoruiko.net