The country is going through a tough phase right now due to covid second wave, and we are left with no other option other than just staying home, and self-quarantining ourselves. Well, this has become a new normal if we look back at the past one year with strict lockdowns happening in the country in the months of March-April. But with time, we have become used to it, and this time can be used beneficially if we invest it in the right direction and on the right things and, also staying safe. And we hope the situation gets back to normal as soon as possible.
Welcome to MOTORBHAI, a one-stop place for selling and buying trusted second-hand two-wheelers at the best prices. We hope you and your family would be doing absolutely fine in situations like these and maintaining great health. As we are locked down at our homes and have a lot of free time at hand, one of the ways by which we can invest time beneficially is by knowing about our bikes in out and know what best can be done for their longevity and a better riding experience. And, also practice some methods for other components so that they do not break down or suffer from any major issue this lockdown. We have already published an article on how we can maintain our bikes for their longer longevity, and you can check it out here.
But today we would be discussing solely about what you can do, to take care of our bikes during this lockdown period so that the bike or any of its components do not get damaged, and without wasting any more time let us get started.
- Paint Protection.
Avoid parking your bike in a sunny area as it is going to stay there for a long period of time, and this could damage the paint in the long run. Parking in direct sunlight can also result in loss of fuel to some extent. To avoid these damages, you can park your bike under a shade and cover it with a cotton bedsheet or a proper cover for that matter.
- Cleaning the bike.
You might not be traveling anywhere in the lockdown, but there are high chances of dust accumulating on your bike if it remains stationary at the same place for a long period of time even if it is covered. There are high chances of insects like spiders attacking your bike and damage the sensitive parts of the motor if you are ignorant for too long.
- Taking care of the battery of your motorcycle.
Always remember to start your bike and check all the electricals by switching them on at least once a week, (prefer starting from the choke) so that the battery gets warmed up, does not drain, and also helps inflow of the oil throughout the engine and prevents the formation chunks of oil particles inside. Prefer kick-starting the bike rather than using an engine start-stop switch.
- Parking on the main stand for some period.
Try to park the bike on the main stand, and let it remain stationary so that at least one of the tyres is at least in the air. This would help in reducing the flat spots. Also, maintain the tyre pressure of your bike as specified in the user manual even in lockdown days, so that there is enough grip in between the tyre and the road and the contact patch is sufficient for the tyre when you go out. Moreover, if your bike is standing stationary for days, make sure you move it back and forth to avoid flat spots on the tyre which may occur at a particular section which could make the tyre vulnerable for punctures.
- Checking the oil pressure levels.
Checking and changing the engine oil at the correct time is one of the utmost important things to ensure the longevity of your bike and sustain its good condition and what better time than the lockdown period to check these essentials about your bike.
Check the oil level is by unplugging the dipstick and see the condition of the oil as it shouldn’t be black, too thick or too thin, or smell burnt. Refer to the owner’s manual carefully before pouring in the correct oil and within the correct time period. The engine oil is as important to a bike as blood is to our body hence low engine oil should always be avoided and refueling of engine oil should be done timely.
- Checking the air filters.
When the air filter is clogged with the dust particles after a long duration, the air cannot pass through and hence combustion does not take place as effectively, due to which overheating can take place which can later cause the engine to seize. Hence changing the air filter is very important within the given time-period (mostly it is after 10,000-12,000 km range).
- Chain cleaning and lubrication
Cleaning and lubricating the chain periodically is very important, for the better functioning and longevity of the chain. This should be done after every certain Kms as specified in the owner’s manual so that the chain does not get rusted but as this is the lockdown period, it is a good time to know about lubrication of the chain and even practicing it yourselves if you haven’t done it before as it is quite an easy process.
With this, we hope we would have helped you in some way or the other with this article, we understand how difficult it is, to stay locked down at our homes, and not go out for riding. But we urge you to please stay at home so that the spread of the virus could be minimized, and we overcome this disaster as soon as possible. We end this article here and we hope to see you super soon, till then.
Stay safe, Stay home.
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