Being somewhat long of tooth and gray of beard, I sometimes forget that a portion of our readership is relatively new to motorcycling and by extension, unfamiliar with some of the more basic maintenance tasks. While becoming an ace mechanic is certainly no prerequisite to becoming a good rider, being able to perform some routine maintenance as well as make minor adjustments and repairs to your bike will always come in handy, and in my opinion, enhance your enjoyment of motorcycling.
What follows, then, is the first of a two part series that will walk you through some basic mechanical tasks that every rider, new or old, should feel comfortable performing.
Cruztools Roadtech M3 set,...
Cruztools Roadtech M3 set, a universal pliers-style filter wrench, an oil filter socket and an old fashioned strap wrench. The drain pan cost $2.00 back in 1970.
If you’re a dedicated do-it-yourself type, you’ve probably already got all the tools required, but if you’re new to this, it’s time to go shopping.
Initially, all you’ll need is enough iron to turn some nuts, bolts, and screws. I’d recommend starting out with a basic mechanics set, similar to those sold by Sears and other big box stores. These range in price from around $29 for a simple homeowner’s set up to maybe $1200 for a professional mechanics kit. Make sure you get the set that’s dimensionally compatible with your bike—fractional for Harley-Davidson, and metric for everything else.
Cruztools Roadtech M3 set,...
Cruztools Roadtech M3 set, a universal pliers-style filter wrench, an oil filter socket and an old fashioned strap wrench. The drain pan cost $2.00 back in 1970.
Another option would be to purchase a motorcycle-specific tool kit, like the Roadtech M3 ($84.95) by CruzTools, which has the added advantage of being compact enough to stow on your motorcycle when it’s not in use, and comes with some handy extras, like a small flashlight and a tire gauge.
In general, something in the under $100 price range should do just fine as a starter, with the caveat that you may need to flesh out a particular kit with an extra tool here and there. For example, oil drain plug bolts and axle nuts can sometimes be difficult to loosen. A nice long breaker bar with the appropriate heavy-duty socket will make it a lot easier, but it’s unlikely you’ll find either in a tool kit retailing for $49.95.
Additionally, you’ll need a plastic funnel, an oil drain pan of some sort and a bag of rags. I’d also recommend buying a decent 3⁄8 drive torque wrench before you undertake any of these procedures, especially when you have little or no experience tightening bolts. I’ve seen serviceable ones go for under 20 bucks, which is money well spent. Lastly, a shop manual, either from the OEM or aftermarket company, is the single best investment you can make.
Far too many riders, new or old, ignore their bike’s ergonomic adjustments. Consequently, rather than riding a bike that fits them, they try to adapt to one that doesn’t, which compromises their comfort and control. In other words, they let the bike ride them, rather than the other way around, when all it takes to fix it is an hour’s worth of work and a few tools.
Offset clamps should have...
Offset clamps should have slight gap at the rear.
Before starting, determine which type of handlebar clamps your bike uses. The two most popular are offset and straight-cut. Offset clamps will have a step in them that seats against the bottom half of the lower clamp. The step is always positioned toward the front, and there’s usually an arrow or punch mark to indicate which way it should face. When offset clamps are properly tightened, the front half of the clamps will mate flat against its lower half, leaving a slight gap at the rear side of the clamp. Straight-cut clamps have equal gaps on both sides of the clamp, and are non-directional.
Place a towel over the top of the tank to protect it, and loosen the clamp bolts, front to rear by ¼ to ½ of a turn. A word of caution here; the idea is to reduce the clamping tension on the bars so you can move them with moderate pressure. You don’t want to loosen the clamps to the point where they fall under their own weight and ding the tank, so go lightly, loosening the bolts only a small amount at a time.