Your top 5 bits on a bike you should regularly maintain.

Soldato
Joined
24 Jul 2004
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5,565
There isn't a right answer, it's more of a thread for tips and advice or to inspire people to clean different areas of their bike they might not have remembered about.

What are the top 5 areas you feel that other bikers neglect or forget about that should be looked after or just cleaned now and again?

1) Lubed / greased clutch cables and lever - nothing worse than stiff clutch
2) Downpipes and connectors - bit of ACF-50 now and again
3) Brake callipers - I usually use a bit of Wurth brake cleaner to spray out any build up dirt / dust
4) Radiator grill - the dirt built up in here is ridiculous but looks so much better with it cleaned out - works better as well amazingly...
5) Front sprocket - After taking off the sprocket cover I was amazed at how much gunk from the roads and chain had built up in there
 
Caporegime
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BenefitStreetBirmingham
#1 oil & filter change regular,once a year and level check/top up if needs be (also check coolant level while your at it,never changed the coolant in 17 years of ownership so id say that's not essential)
#2 chain lubrication/adjustment (I do tend to lag/neglect on this though sometimes)
#3 brake pad wear,keep an eye on it and clean calipers/pistons now and again
#4 general wash fairing/bodywork/wheels,i tend to leave the oily parts oily tbh like under the front sprocket cover and the chain itself
#5 would be tyres and pressures/condition

but if anything feels out of the norm or odd any of the above would take #1 priority
 
Last edited:
Soldato
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Hertfordshire
#1 oil & filter change regular,once a year and level check/top up if needs be
#2 chain lubrication/adjustment
#3 brake pad wear, keep an eye on it and clean callipers/pistons now and again
#4 general wash fairing/bodywork/wheels
#5 tyres and pressures/condition

But if anything feels out of the norm or odd any of the above would take #1 priority

This.
I frequently check lights as well. You can easily forget them and you're really in for it if your brake or indicator bulbs/switches have gone.
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Nov 2003
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Location
Harrogate
The joys of a GS!

1) Lubed / greased clutch cables and lever - nothing worse than stiff clutch - Don't have (hydraulic)
2) Downpipes and connectors - bit of ACF-50 now and again
3) Brake callipers - I usually use a bit of Wurth brake cleaner to spray out any build up dirt / dust
4) Radiator grill - the dirt built up in here is ridiculous but looks so much better with it cleaned out - works better as well amazingly... - Don't have - air cooled
5) Front sprocket - After taking off the sprocket cover I was amazed at how much gunk from the roads and chain had built up in there - Don't have - shaft drive

Having said that, now the bike is 3 years old I think I need to pay attention to it a bit more, especially the shaft drive which, whilst low maintenance, can let go in a big (expensive) way
 
Soldato
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13 Nov 2003
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Harrogate
Oil is the biggest thing to check on the GS, as it does use a bit and the sight glass can vary massively depending on if you put it on the side stand first or straight onto the main stand.

Tyre pressure come up on the dashboard
 
Associate
Joined
19 Mar 2013
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411
This thread has made me think!

Are there things you should be doing weekly/often?

I literally don't do anything to my bike... I check tire pressure and that's it. Took it to the garage recently when it was squeaking...

I really should learn how to use a spanner :D

What's easy to do/should be done often?
 
Soldato
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Not where I'd like to be
Clean and lube your chain. The amount of people who don't maintain them and then moan when they are faced with a £100+ bill for a new chain and sprockets makes me smile. I use paraffin and a good chain brush to clean mine. Find out what your chain slack should be and l;earn how to adjust your chain should you need to. All it requires is to loosen off the rear wheel axle nut and then use the 2 adjuster bolts on each side of the swing arm to set the slack correctly. I'd recommend a good high range torque wrench for retightening the axle nut to the correct torque when done. Also a good low range torque wrench is a good thing to have for other jobs.
 
Associate
Joined
19 Mar 2013
Posts
411
Clean and lube your chain. The amount of people who don't maintain them and then moan when they are faced with a £100+ bill for a new chain and sprockets makes me smile. I use paraffin and a good chain brush to clean mine. Find out what your chain slack should be and l;earn how to adjust your chain should you need to. All it requires is to loosen off the rear wheel axle nut and then use the 2 adjuster bolts on each side of the swing arm to set the slack correctly. I'd recommend a good high range torque wrench for retightening the axle nut to the correct torque when done. Also a good low range torque wrench is a good thing to have for other jobs.

Going to youtube cleaning and relubing later and do it this weekend perhaps. Might do it while I'm away in Spain since I know I've got some of the right lube stuff (previous owner gave me his). Just run the risk of cocking it up and being stuck! :D

Edit: Out of interest how often should you do this?
 
Soldato
Joined
2 May 2004
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19,943
The most important part is to clean it first!

Lubing a gunked up chain does nothing.

Overcleaning can be even worse and cause problems such as kinks, especially if done with a hard brush which can damage the O/X rings.

I've found barely cleaning is best for the chains I've had. Whenever I've cleaned my chains often they either end up looking terrible (as in rust etc.) or stretching really fast.

Of course cleaning every so often is fine and probably good for it, but it's easy to overclean.
 
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