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You Can Run But You Can’t Hide From Maintenance!Aug 17 '06 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Pay the lower price early on as an investment in proper maintenance, or pay the higher price of major overhauls and repairs later Maintenance Is Your Friend Anything that moves, bends (or does not bend), rubs, heats or cools requires maintenance. When things do things energy is consumed and parts are worn smaller or larger as a result. It is based on some of that physics stuff most of us slept through in school. So you have to expect every part on a motorcycle to require some degree of maintenance. For someone who depends on all those parts to continue working in harmony propelling you onward through the fog, it might be a good idea to invest a little quality time in maintenance in the comfort of their garage. Not making that investment in comfort could easily cause paying the price in many uncomfortable ways. Standing, or sliding, on the side of rain drenched mountain road is not my idea of comfort. Information Is Power Knowing what needs to be done, how to do it, and if you are even capable of doing it is the first step. Personally, I believe there are some simple steps in acquiring that basic knowledge. Owner’s Manuals Manufacturer’s owner’s manuals should be the first step toward the goal of maintenance knowledge. Just like new car buyers, motorcycle buyers are prone to leaving that little book “for others” to read. While it could be an ego thing, my bet is that the owner’s manual is ignored purely out of the initial excitement of the new ride. Alone and forgotten, that pamphlet could provide you with a workable plan for many years and miles of two-wheeled enjoyment. Two key chapters are normally contained in that booklet. Key number one is usually called “Before You Ride” or “Daily” inspection, and I have always found it near the front of the manual. Some items on that checklist are shared with most all motorcycles, and some will be peculiar to your specific ride, so be sure to catch all those important details. Similar to the “walk around” inspection performed by airplane pilots, it is a visual check of the roadworthiness of the motorcycle’s critical components and systems. Read that chapter, do what it says and you can ride down the road with confidence. Elementary school text books seemed to have the answers to the most important test questions in the back. Your owner’s manual will be no different. The number two key is the “Maintenance Schedule” toward the back of the book. Normally broken down by either mileage ridden or calendar time, the critical maintenance tasks necessary for trouble free operations are listed in easy to understand tables. While some may appear to be either a waist of time or money, you really need to be sure they are performed. The engineers who designed your motorcycle have already figured out exactly which things would wear out (and when) before your ride was built. Like it or not, it makes sense to trust their learned judgment. Reading those two chapters in your owner’s manual will not only give you a foundation for a viable maintenance program but it will give you some valuable insight into what your long term costs will be. Initially, you should be able to estimate exactly which tasks you are capable of performing (doing a critical analysis of your own skills, knowledge and tools), and what tasks you will pass on to the service department of your local dealer. For about $65 an hour (plus the retail cost of parts and supplies), your local dealer will safely complete all your required maintenance tasks. Pay close attention to any task only recommended for professional or “authorized” service technicians. Figure out exactly what you are comfortable with and write a check for the rest. Into the Great Unknown The next source of information is either a “factory shop manual” or an aftermarket manual. “Factory” manuals can run as high as $700 in price, while aftermarket manuals normally cost between $15 and $50. The “factory” manuals are written for use by technicians, who already have access to all the special tools deemed necessary by the design engineers, and have completed manufacturers’ training / experience certification requirements. Aftermarket manuals are written for those individuals with less intensive training and experience in motorcycle maintenance. Aftermarket manuals are most often found in the hands of mechanics in independent shops and the “shade tree mechanic” down the street. Both have their strengths and both have their weaknesses. Those strengths and weaknesses are tied directly to the skill levels of each group of mechanics. My own advice is for any motorcycle owner to go ahead and purchase an aftermarket manual. Even if you do not have any plan to ever go past the walk around inspection in the owner’s manual, having the real repair information readily at hand can better prepare you for estimating the costs for long term motorcycle health. Added to that, should an unforeseen breakdown occur miles from an authorized dealer’s service department, being able to pull a manual out of your saddle bag will go far in speeding the work by an independent shop. Remember, not every independent shop will be familiar with your particular brand and model of motorcycle. Special Times for Special Maintenance There are times when an extra level of interest should be paid to your mount. Should you not be blessed with a climate that encourages year-round riding, early spring and late fall are two of those special times. Early spring can be an awakening for not only the tulips but also for your motorcycle. It has likely been resting all winter under a cover or in your garage. While it has been sleeping all the lubricants have been drying out and the air has been slowly leaking from the tires. This is a time to complete the annual or semiannual (sometimes listed as 6,000 miles) service tasks in your owner’s manual. That service will be the same as that good breakfast that your mother scolded you about. Heading out for that first ride with the confidence that your motorcycle will do everything possible to bring you home is valuable. Winter’s return means trading your motorcycle for more conventional transportation. That trade usually leaves your bike sitting in a corner of your garage or parked next to the wood pile. Either way, make sure to drag out your owner’s manual. Usually, there will be a special check list of things to do when storing your motorcycle. My advice is that you should do everything on that list. It is never fun having to replace a bunch of rotted rubber and rusted parts before that first spring ride. Parts The long pole is maintenance can sometimes be the availability or cost of parts. It is only on the rarest of occasions that I would recommend using anything other than original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts. Yes, they can be more expensive that those found at the discount auto parts stores, but maybe there is a reason. OEM parts have been designed and built to work together in harmony with all the other parts on your motorcycle. Those parts were engineered to be friends, so it is a good idea to let friends work together. I would hate to save $4 on an oil filter and later have to pay $1000 for an engine overhaul. That has happened, and I do not wish that on anyone. Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later Like the oil commercials once said, you can pay the lower price early on as an investment in proper maintenance, or you can pay the higher price of major overhauls and repairs later. You can run, but you can’t hide from maintenance!  |
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