Servicing, repairs and keeping a motorcycle running.
Your motorcycle’s air filter is the only barrier between the outside world and your engine’s internals. Every grain of dust, every bug, every particle of road grit that gets past a dirty or damaged filter ends up grinding against pistons, rings, and valve seats. A clogged filter chokes airflow, killing power and increasing fuel consumption. … Read more
Every motorcycle tire is either tubed (TT) or tubeless (TL) — and the type you have isn’t usually a matter of preference. It’s determined by your wheel type. Spoked wheels generally require tubes because the spoke nipple holes in the rim can’t hold air. Cast alloy wheels use tubeless tires because the solid rim creates … Read more
The string of numbers and letters on your motorcycle tire sidewall — something like 180/55ZR17 73W — looks like a secret code, but every character has a specific meaning. Understanding motorcycle tire size isn’t just trivia — it directly affects your bike’s handling, safety, speedometer accuracy, and whether the tire even fits your rim. Get … Read more
Air bubbles in hydraulic brake lines are invisible and dangerous. Unlike brake fluid — which is incompressible and transmits 100% of your lever force to the caliper pistons — air compresses. That means a spongy lever feel at best, and complete brake failure at worst: the lever pulls all the way to the bar with … Read more
Learning to clean and oil a motorcycle chain is the single easiest maintenance task with the biggest payoff for chain lifespan and your wallet. A clean, well-lubricated chain can last 20,000–40,000 km; a neglected one may not survive past 10,000 km. That’s the difference between one chain replacement or three over the life of the … Read more
⚠️ Note: This guide covers steel gas tanks. Many modern dirt bikes, enduros, and some street bikes (certain KTM, BMW, Husqvarna models) use polymer/plastic tanks that don’t rust. If your bike has a plastic tank, rust isn’t your problem — but ethanol-related fuel degradation and phase separation can still cause issues. Everything below applies to … Read more
Your motorcycle’s final drive system — chain, belt, or shaft — affects maintenance costs, riding feel, reliability, and even resale value. Yet most riders never think about it until they’re comparing bikes at a dealership and wondering why one needs chain lube every weekend while the other just… doesn’t. The chain vs belt vs shaft … Read more
Your motorcycle won’t idle. It bogs down when you crack the throttle. Maybe it won’t start at all after sitting through winter. Nine times out of ten, the culprit is a dirty carburetor. Fuel left sitting in carbs for more than 30 days starts forming varnish deposits. After 3–6 months, those deposits harden into a … Read more
A proper motorcycle chain adjustment is one of those jobs that takes 15 minutes but can save you from a genuinely dangerous situation. A loose chain doesn’t just rattle and make noise — it can jump off the sprocket mid-ride, chew into your swingarm, or lock the rear wheel at speed. A chain that’s too … Read more
