Maintenance Do's and Donts

[Dakar Gal]

Hi All,

Im looking for some advice on what regular maintence I should be doing on my Pogo. Specifically mine is a KTM250 EXC, but is there a general list of the stuff you should be doing after each rideout? The type of things required to keep the bike in good working order, and keep it that way for as long as possible. Im relatively new to tinkering with bikes, so dont hold back on even the most obvious stuff.
Eg:
Filter changes
oil changes
checking for wear and tear on specific areas
adjustments (eg chain? valves?)
fluid checks
tips for storage between rideouts
where to grease/WD40/oil/wash/notwash?

Any nuggets of information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Timpo]

Wait a minute DG.
First things first......
Have you got yourself a tool kit that will enable you to carry out the tasks?
And make sure you have a torque wrench in it that will start from, say, 5nm up to 25nm.
Teng Tools, Draper or Sykes Pickavant make complete tool kits suitable for bike maintenance.

After every ride I personally would look at :-
Brake pads
Oil level
Tyres
Chain (clean, lube and tension)
Replenish fuel level

Other checks will include:-
Bearings (wheel and suspension)
Wheel spokes
Fork seals
Air filter

A routine motorcycle maintenance manual is a good reference book, Clymer or Haynes. And, the internet is a superb tool as there is always somebody on here that will help with a query.

As you become more familiar with the bike, a natural understanding of what to check and when to check it will develop.

Timpo.

 

[snoopy]

Don't forget the oil change every 50m.

(and that's metres )

 

[AndyT]

Orla, Timpo has covered most things but a few more tips I would add/add to are:

If you pressure wash your bike don't aim the jet at the wheel bearings or suspension pivot points as it can flush the grease out and they will wear very quickly. Also careful blasting near the electrics.

Clean and tension the chain as per the manual and then lubricate. A loose chain will wear alot quicker than a correctly tensioned one and also it will wear your sprockets quicker too. Worn sprockets tend to get "sharp" teeth on them and badly worn sprockets the sharp point actually curls over, if they are like that they need replacing.

To check the spokes just run a screw driver over then whilst turning the wheel and any loose or broken ones will sound "dull" compared to the normal bright ring of a good tight spoke. That will also show if you have a buckled wheel.

Check any cables for signs of fraying or being pulled out of location by brambles or branches etc...

Check for loose nuts and bolts and fluid levels including coolant if it has it.

Also check all lights and indicators if fitted work as they take a bashing (well they do if you drop them as much as I do).

Your owners manual should have a section in it for suggested maitenance however this can sometimes be over kill and you will soon find out what needs checking and when.

imho you can spray WD40 just about anywhere and it will do some good.

I personally wouldn't dream of checking valves outside of the manufacturers recomendations unless something doesn't sound right.

I store mine in a garage along with its friends just on its side stand but I suppose it best if you have a bike stand. I also noticed on my Husky that all the breather tubes collect under the bike just behind the engine and were full of mud so must be blocked so this is a job for the weekend to clean and check they are clear.

It sounds alot but will become second nature when cleaning it after a ride out.

You could get Eoin to do his at the same time and see what are the most common things you find and pay more attention to these and less of the other bits.

Have Fun

Andy

PS. don't for one minute think I do all of the above