Keeping your bike tuned in rains is one of the preferred ways through which you can have less maintenance issues with the bike.During monsoon your bike needs as much care as you take of yourself. Heavy rains can spoil the engine within seconds. Tires should be in good condition which can grip the bike on wet surface. Always keep the bike protected with appropriate size rain cover. You also need to ride the bike with extreme care and precaution when it̢۪s raining heavily. Headlight and brake lights must be working so that you are visible to others. Servicing plays an important role in keeping the bike safe and ready for any type of climatic change.
Scheduled Checks:
Routine servicing and check-ups of the bike should be done before riding in the monsoon. Life can become very difficult in case your bike stalls in heavy rains. As far as the engine is concerned, there isn’t much you need to check if you have had your timely scheduled servicing.
Tyres:
Keeping your tyres in shape is very important during monsoons. If the rubber is worn off, make sure to replace the tyres before you ride in the rains. The treads of the tyres do the job of dispersing standing water and in the process provide grip. The treads need to be deep not just in the centre portion of the tyre, but also on the sides. To test the depth of the grooves, you can insert a one-rupee coin into the grooves. A minimum of 2-3mm of tread depth is necessary for the tyres to provide a fair amount of grip on wet roads. Anything below that, and it might warrant changing the tyres. Tyre pressure can also make a huge difference in the grip you get. Ideally you should set your tyre pressure a couple of psi below the levels required in the dry. Check for tyre pressure regularly to ensure it is at optimal levels.
Brakes:
The brakes of the bike should be top notch. Since you cannot brake hard or suddenly on wet roads it is all the more important to have your brakes in good condition. For this reason, running your bike on old worn out pads or liners, or a brake that is not very effective can lead to disaster. Make sure to get your liners, discs and the inside of your drum brakes cleaned before monsoon starts. Also verify if the level of the brake oil is as per requirement.
Parking methods
Even when you halt for a break, as far as possible make sure you park the bike under a shed. Avoid parking your bike under the shade of a tree as there is always a risk of a branch falling on your bike. When not on a ride keep your bike covered at all times to protect it from the rain. In fact you should even clean your bike and remove the muck off the engine once you back from the ride, as dry muck can be a huge hindrance for the cooling process of the engine. The rains tend to bring a lot of pebbles and gravel on to the road surface, which are kicked up by the tyres. So it becomes necessary to check the oil chamber and engine casing for damage after the ride.
Scheduled Checks:
Routine servicing and check-ups of the bike should be done before riding in the monsoon. Life can become very difficult in case your bike stalls in heavy rains. As far as the engine is concerned, there isn’t much you need to check if you have had your timely scheduled servicing.
Tyres:
Keeping your tyres in shape is very important during monsoons. If the rubber is worn off, make sure to replace the tyres before you ride in the rains. The treads of the tyres do the job of dispersing standing water and in the process provide grip. The treads need to be deep not just in the centre portion of the tyre, but also on the sides. To test the depth of the grooves, you can insert a one-rupee coin into the grooves. A minimum of 2-3mm of tread depth is necessary for the tyres to provide a fair amount of grip on wet roads. Anything below that, and it might warrant changing the tyres. Tyre pressure can also make a huge difference in the grip you get. Ideally you should set your tyre pressure a couple of psi below the levels required in the dry. Check for tyre pressure regularly to ensure it is at optimal levels.
The brakes of the bike should be top notch. Since you cannot brake hard or suddenly on wet roads it is all the more important to have your brakes in good condition. For this reason, running your bike on old worn out pads or liners, or a brake that is not very effective can lead to disaster. Make sure to get your liners, discs and the inside of your drum brakes cleaned before monsoon starts. Also verify if the level of the brake oil is as per requirement.
Even when you halt for a break, as far as possible make sure you park the bike under a shed. Avoid parking your bike under the shade of a tree as there is always a risk of a branch falling on your bike. When not on a ride keep your bike covered at all times to protect it from the rain. In fact you should even clean your bike and remove the muck off the engine once you back from the ride, as dry muck can be a huge hindrance for the cooling process of the engine. The rains tend to bring a lot of pebbles and gravel on to the road surface, which are kicked up by the tyres. So it becomes necessary to check the oil chamber and engine casing for damage after the ride.
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