A quick guide to some common service parts:

Brake pads - Generally for road use brake pads are available in two types: GG and HH, related to the friction coefficient of the braking material. HH offers more stopping power for a given force on the brake lever than the GG. But that doesn’t make HH pads better - it’s more a matter of balance, taste and riding style.

Some people find HH pads too ‘grabby’, especially on lightweight machines. Don’t fit HH pads to the rear of bike and GG to the front, this will make the overall braking balance too rear biased, which isn’t good. However many people find the reverse: HH on the front and GG on the rear very comfortable and effective.

Many newer sports bikes should only use HH pads, so check the manufacturer’s specifications. A noticeable downside to using HH pads is that they tend to wear the brake rotor more quickly.

Chains and Sprockets - there’s a lot of misleading information given about chains and sprockets (sometimes even by manufacturers promoting their own products), whether X-ring lasts longer than O-ring, or whether one manufacturer is better than another.

It’s actually a question of your riding style, how much use your machine gets, your weight, if you lubricate and adjust the chain correctly, the weather and road conditions. Suffice to say, if you pull wheelies, weigh 35 stone, don’t oil or adjust your chain and only ride on wet salted roads your chain won’t last very long! That said, if you don’t do many miles in a year, you may find that an X-ring will last you longer than an O-ring - or if you ride like Barry Sheene, why bother buying an expensive heavy chain that will cause extra drag?

On a modern sports bike fitting a new chain and sprockets could give you 8bhp over the old ones, sometimes more, possibly about the same as an expensive ‘go faster’ ignition system, and it’ll make the bike feel like new.

Engine maintenance is very bike specific so oil pumps, valve clearances, ignition timings etc. are not mentioned here; refer to manufacturers’ guides, and if in doubt don’t trust the geezer down the pub who used to have moped in the 70s, seek expert advice.

What type motorcycle should you like?

There are at least eight different motorcycle types (styles) of motorcycles: touring, sport-touring, standard, sport-bike, scooter, dual-sport, dirt-bike, and cruiser.

Many new riders begin their search by looking at Harley Davidson motorcycles. Don’t make this mistake. While cruisers are extremely popular they don’t necessarily make the best beginner motorcycle. They’re heavy, loud, expensive, and unforgiving (loaded with chrome) of minor spills.

Touring motorcycles are generally built for long distance riding. Examples include the popular Honda Gold Wing and the BMW K1200. These motorbikes are heavy, powerful, expensive, and require significant skills to operate properly… making them a poor choice for new riders.

Sport-bikes (also referred to as crotch-rockets) are built for speed, agility, and performance. They’re light weight, brightly colored, and quick. Engine sizes for sport-bikes usually range from 600cc to 1000cc.

Do sport-bikes make good beginner bikes? Probably not, unless you have the maturity to handle the temptations of power, speed, and agility.

The next style of motorcycle is pretty easy to describe. Dirt-bikes are made to ride off-road. Tread patterns and suspension components on dirt-bikes are very different than their street-bike cousins.

While many models have headlights and turn signals, most won’t easily accommodate interstate travels. If you have convenient access to dirt roads or other off-road areas, a dirt-bike is a good beginner motorcycle.

Don’t have easy access to off-road areas? Consider a dual-sport motorcycle. These bikes are made to accommodate moderate off-road conditions, and handle highway speeds. A compromise of sorts, they don’t perform on-road as well as street bikes, nor off-road as well as dirt-bikes.

But, most dual-sport models can easily travel at interstate speeds and handle moderate off-road conditions. When you take that motorcycle tour (you’ve been dreaming about) to the Northern tip of Alaska, you’ll most likely be riding a dual-sport motorcycle, like the popular Kawasaki KLR650.

A standard motorcycle is an older style that once described the majority of bikes available… hence the term ’standard’. Standard motorcycles are generally upright and moderately priced. Picture that 1970s bike your dad owned. It was most likely a standard motorcycle. While not the fanciest or flashiest bike, standard bikes can be good starter motorcycles.

Scooters? Before you form an opinion here, visit your local motorcycle dealership. Gone are the 50cc mopeds of the 1970s. Instead, several new scooters fancy large 650cc engines and automatic transmissions. With a top speed of over 100 mph, and a 0 to 60 acceleration time below 5 seconds, scooters can keep up with most anything. Want to embarrass a Harley rider or Mustang owner… no problems? A Honda Silver Wing 650 scooter can do both.

Do scooters handle like motorcycles? Sure. Do they operate easily on interstates? Yes. Do they make good beginner bikes? Why not?

A sport-touring motorcycle is the last style of motorcycle addressed here. Sport-touring models are sporty versions of touring bikes. Or conversely, relaxed versions of sport-bikes. This class of motorcycle falls between a touring bike and sport-bike.

The sport-touring class was designed as a balance between ergonomics, engine performance, and long range touring capabilities. It’s a popular class of motorcycle that combines the best of both worlds. The Honda VFR Interceptor 800, Triumph Sprint ST, and Yamaha FJR 1300 are examples of popular sport-touring motorcycles. Most models utilize 650cc to 1300cc engines.

Do sport-touring motorcycles make good first bikes? They can. Most, however, are relatively heavy… utilizing high performance engines and creature comforts like hard rear storage bags. Before you select a sport-touring model, make sure you have the discipline to use only the power that matches your skill level.

Saving Money Maintaining Your Motorbike

While the old adage ‘if it aren’t broke, don’t fix it’ holds, it’s the thorough checking that ‘it aren’t broke’ that counts. Many modern bikes have very long service intervals, and are vastly more reliable than machines of the past.But don’t let this make you complacent, regular checks are essential to the well being of your bike and yourself.

Easy scheduled maintenance

Doing the simple work yourself not only keeps your bike running well and safely, it saves you money - especially if you choose pattern service parts as an alternative to their hard to get and expensive ‘Genuine’ counterparts. Often made in same factory as the originals, pattern service parts are generally as good as or better than original equipment.

While these recommendations are applicable to most motorcycles, always check manufacturer’s recommendations for correct service intervals for your machine.

Daily checks

* Lights, indicators and horn
* Speedometer
* Tyres and tyre pressures - valve caps that indicate correct pressures are available
* Fluid levels - oil and coolant if applicable. Quality synthetic oil should be used for newer performance bikes, semi-synthetic for older bikes. A specific quality motorcycle oil like ‘Rock Oil’ should always be used
* Chain - if you’re doing 100 or more miles per day this should be lubricated and adjusted as necessary
* Steering Does it operate freely without notches and uneven feel? Does it interfere with the operation of any cables at full lock?
* Kill switch functionality
* Side and centre stands - do they return to their correct position for riding?
* Brake hoses - can you see any chafing or banjo bolts causing weeping?

 

Weekly or 200 miles (whichever is sooner)

The entire above, plus:

* Check oil level - does it require topping-up?
* Check tyre pressure - check with an accurate gauge
* Check battery - if not maintenance-free, then check electrolyte level and top up with distilled water if necessary. If you have an alarm or immobiliser fitted it may be worth giving it a charge (this is especially true if the bike is not being used regularly). The best solution is getting an intelligent charger, and having it plugged in permanently whilst the bike is garaged for any period of time. A battery left uncharged will have a shorter life
* Check control cables - lubricate as necessary
* Check brakes - pads and disks should be checked for wear and replaced if necessary; check and top-up fluid. Adjust drum brakes as necessary
* Make a full visual inspection - check for loose nuts & bolts and spokes if applicable. Fork seal leaks and any other oil leaks.

 

Monthly or 1,000 miles (whichever is sooner)

The entire above, plus:

* Check spark plugs - clean and adjust or replace, anything other than a light/medium brown deposit may indicate problems
* Check control cables - adjust free play
* Check Idle speed - adjust as necessary
* Lubricate control lever pivots

Every 3 months or 2,500 miles (whichever is sooner)

The entire above, plus:

* Change oil & filter
* Change air filter
* Check wheel and steering head bearings - grease and replace if necessary
* Check exhaust system for leakage

Every 6 months or 5,000 miles

 

The entire above, plus:

* Adjust carburettor synchronization - if applicable
* Check overflow pipes - replace any that are blocked or missing

 

Every 12 months or 10,000 miles

The entire above, plus:

* Replace spark plugs
* Check suspension linkages - for play, replace linkage, bearings, bushes as necessary

 

Laying up a bike over the winter:

* Regularly charge the battery - better still, invest in an intelligent charger
* Leave on the main stand - if your bike doesn’t have one, kits are available for most bikes. Or invest in at least a rear paddock stand to get the weight of the bike off of the tyres, which should be kept correctly inflated
* Consider draining the petrol as this can deteriorate over time and can, in extreme cases, evaporate leaving a nasty deposit which can block the carburettors. At least turn off the fuel tap and run the engine until the float bowls are empty. Fuel stabilisers are available that can help with this
* Wax well and lubricate - all parts that generally need lubricating. Make sure the bike is completely dry, then cover with a dust sheet and keep somewhere dry, preferably not in the same room as a tumble drier or other condensation causing machinery. If you have to keep it outside, then invest in a good quality, breathable waterproof cover and cover the exhaust outlets with plastic bags

It’s actually a question of your riding style, how much use your machine gets, your weight, if you lubricate and adjust the chain correctly, the weather and road conditions. Suffice to say, if you pull wheelies, weigh 35 stone, don’t oil or adjust your chain and only ride on wet salted roads your chain won’t last very long! That said, if you don’t do many miles in a year, you may find that an X-ring will last you longer than an O-ring - or if you ride like Barry Sheene, why bother buying an expensive heavy chain that will cause extra drag?

 

On a modern sports bike fitting a new chain and sprockets could give you 8bhp over the old ones, sometimes more, possibly about the same as an expensive ‘go faster’ ignition system, and it’ll make the bike feel like new.

 

Engine maintenance is very bike specific so oil pumps, valve clearances, ignition timings etc. are not mentioned here; refer to manufacturers’ guides, and if in doubt don’t trust the geezer down the pub who used to have moped in the 70s, seek expert advice.

Bikez….motorcycle or motorbike

A motorcycle or motorbike is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle powered by an engine. Styles of motorcycles vary depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions. Motorcycles are among the least expensive and most widespread forms of motorised transport in many parts of the world.

Motorcycle history begins in the second half of the 1800s. Motorcycles are descended from the “safety bicycle,” a bicycle with front and rear wheels of the same size and a pedal crank mechanism to drive the rear wheel.

Despite some early landmarks in its development, motorcycles lack a rigid pedigree that can be traced back to a single idea or machine. Instead, the idea seems to have occurred to numerous engineers and inventors around Europe more-or-less simultaneously.