Everyone loves their bike more than anything else. Motorcycle lovers are always conscious about the maintenance of their vehicle. One of the most important tasks is bike washing, which is, in fact, more than just shedding the dirt off the vehicle.

Cleaning your motorcycle is an art which has to be done properly in order to get maximum results. The sole objective of bike cleaning is to keep it dust free, rust free, shining and working properly. Sporting a shiny new motorcycle helmet, like the Shark S800 Butterfly, does no good if your actual motorcycle is incredibly dirty. If cleaned properly, the bike not only looks good but it also accompanies you for a long time. Here are some useful tips that can help you in maintaining and cleaning your bike:

• Before you start cleaning the bike make sure that you cover the ignition switch unit, H.T. Coil and silencer with plastic to avoid corrosion.
• Always clean the bike using low pressure water.
• Do not apply kerosene or detergent to the painted surfaces. These substances damage the paint and leave spots on the body.
• Make sure that the electric parts do not get wet.
• To clean the outer body of the engine use kerosene and then wipe it dry using a clean rag.
• After washing let the vehicle dry and then apply high quality polish/lubricant to get the desired shine.
• At times, the water gets into the brake liners and cause brake slippage. In that case you can dry the brake lines by frequently applying the brakes unless it starts working properly.

After cleaning the bike make sure to do the following:

• Change the gear box oil and shocker oil.
• Clean the filter, spark plug and carburetor.
• Adjust the control cable, tighten the nuts and bolts.
• Apply grease to the chain.
• Check the functioning of the horn, lights and indicators.
• Check the battery water and if necessary top up it with distilled water.
• Adjust the chain tension level, brake and accelerator as per your needs.

Tags: cleaning, maintenance, repair