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Motorcycle Maintenance Tips

Jul. 26 2022 Ownership Tips By Horsepower Harley-Davidson®

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Unless you want to be at the mechanic’s shop every other week, you’ll have to perform regular home maintenance to keep your motorcycle in optimal working order. Thankfully, some of the most critical motorcycle maintenance is also some of the easiest! We’ve compiled a few different tips for taking care of your bike and keeping it in working order, starting with the simplest tasks. 

If you’re interested in more difficult maintenance tasks, or are having trouble with your motorcycle, feel free to come into our dealership Horsepower Harley-Davidson®. We have one of the best service departments in the Williamsport-Bloomsburg area and our experienced technicians can fix any problem and answer any question you may have!

Motorcycle Brakes

Brake Fluid

Checking your brake fluid is a pretty simple task! At the front and rear of your bike you’ll find your brake reservoirs. On each reservoir will be a line, indicating the minimum amount of brake fluid you can have. Make sure your brake fluid never goes under this line! To refill the reservoirs, simply remove the cap and pour your fluid in.

Brake Pads

Brake pads are another important but easy maintenance task to perform. If you notice grinding or shaking when you come to a stop, it’s time to replace your brake pads. These pads are located at the front and back tires on your motorcycle and will begin to wear down over time. Even if your bike stops fine, if the pads are exceptionally rough, it’s wise to replace them. 

Motorcycle Wheels

Tire Pressure

Your recommended tire pressure is listed in your owner's manual. All you’ll need is a tire gauge and perhaps the self service air pump at your nearby gas station.

  • Unscrew the valve on each tire and place the circular part of your tire gauge on the valve. 
  • Confirm that the tool and valve are aligned and push in to release your tire’s air into the gauge. 
  • Listen carefully to ensure that air is escaping the tire, but not the valve. Only allow a small amount of air to escape your tire.
  • The gauge should produce an accurate measurement of your tire’s pressure. Repeat on the other tire

Feel free to take this measurement multiple times on each wheel to ensure an accurate reading. If you find your tire is underfilled, use the self service air pump at your local gas station to refill it! 

Tire Tread

Checking your tire tread is one of the easiest forms of motorcycle maintenance you can perform. Simply confirm that the tread on your tire is still present evenly across your wheels. If you find that the tread has been worn down in different places on your tires, your wheels likely need to be realigned by a mechanic. 

Oil

Much like a car, when you should change your oil can depend on how often you drive and the type of oil you use.

  • Mineral based oil: oil changes every 2,000-3,000 miles.
  • Semi-synthetic oil: oil changes every 7,000-6,000 miles. 
  • Full synthetic oil: oil changes every 7,000-10,000 miles.

You can change your oil at home or have it done at a mechanic’s shop. If you are doing it at home, remember to buy an oil filter as well as 3-4 quarts of your preferred oil type. Remember to dispose of your oil responsibly and keep an eye out for traces of metal shavings or powder. This is often caused by engine parts grinding together, and you will need to see a mechanic immediately. 

This guide has covered some of the most basic but necessary maintenance tasks to do regularly at home. We hope that this has been helpful, but encourage you to come into our dealership if you’re located in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Our trained staff will be able to answer any of your questions with accurate information and amazing customer service!