Maintenance 17
Step by step chain clean and lube with products and order of work; no model-specific values.
On Moto Zero: Clean and lubricate the chain · Chain is dry, rusty or has stiff links · Chain is noisy, clattering or slapping · Chain needs adjusting very often · Drive chain
Four jobs: wheel balance, plug gap, joining a chain and wheel alignment. Check specs for your bike.
On Moto Zero: Balance a wheel · Join a chain with a clip, press-fit or rivet link · Remove, check, gap and fit a spark plug · Align the front wheel, forks and handlebar · Chain has snapped · Bike pulls to one side
Check and adjust chain slack with the bike on the stand; use your own bike spec for the slack figure.
On Moto Zero: Check and adjust chain slack · Chain is noisy, clattering or slapping · Chain needs adjusting very often · Chain is tight in some places and slack in others · Chain rubs on the guard, slider or swingarm · Chain jumps teeth or comes off the sprockets · Sprocket teeth are hooked, sharp or broken · Chain adjuster has run out of travel · Drive chain
Neglected maintenance items that can fail dangerously (brakes, chain, fork seals, bearings); motivation, not a procedure.
On Moto Zero: Brakes are firm but do not stop the bike well · Brakes grind or scrape · Rumbling or grinding from a wheel · Oil leaking from a fork leg · Chain has snapped
Short sealed chain lube, with the reason before the steps; applies to O-ring and X-ring chains.
On Moto Zero: Clean and lubricate the chain · Chain is dry, rusty or has stiff links · Chain is noisy, clattering or slapping · Drive chain
Corrects a storage myth; points to fuel and battery care. Climate differs, so check your own case.
On Moto Zero: Will not start after standing for weeks or months · Old or stale fuel in the tank
How to wash a bike without forcing water into bearings and electrics; good time to inspect.
On Moto Zero: Electrical faults after rain or washing · Will not start after rain or washing · Course: m4-maintenance
Replace and bleed brake fluid so the lever feels firm; check the fluid type on your master cylinder.
On Moto Zero: Replace brake fluid and bleed the brakes · Brake lever or pedal feels spongy · Brake fluid is dark or low · Brake lever slowly sinks when held · Brake lever pulls back to the handlebar · Brakes get weaker when hot · Brake fluid · Course: m4-brakes
Adjust clutch lever free play and why it matters; follow your manual for the free play figure.
On Moto Zero: Adjust clutch lever free play · Clutch drags: the bike creeps or lurches when in gear with the lever pulled · Clutch slips: revs rise but the bike does not pull · Clutch lever is very heavy to pull · Clutch grabs or judders when pulling away · Clutch lever has no resistance or the cable has snapped · Hard to find neutral · Gears are hard to select · Loud clunk when selecting first gear · Clutch cable
Replace chain and sprockets: identify chain type, sprocket sizes and joining method; check your manual.
On Moto Zero: Replace the chain and sprockets · Join a chain with a clip, press-fit or rivet link · Identify the size of a drive chain · Sprocket teeth are hooked, sharp or broken · Chain needs adjusting very often · Chain is tight in some places and slack in others · Chain jumps teeth or comes off the sprockets · Chain has snapped · Chain adjuster has run out of travel · Front sprocket · Rear sprocket
Beginner checks: tyres, chain, oil level, lights and battery, all in one list.
On Moto Zero: Pre-ride check · Check the engine oil level · Check tyre pressure · Course: m4-maintenance
Clean and lube a chain the right way; a newer take on the standard procedure.
On Moto Zero: Clean and lubricate the chain · Chain is dry, rusty or has stiff links
Prepare a bike for winter storage: fuel, battery, tyres and cover.
On Moto Zero: Bring a bike back into use after storage · Will not start after standing for weeks or months · Battery goes flat after the bike is parked · Course: m4-maintenance
Flush and refill the cooling system; bleeding and coolant type differ per bike.
On Moto Zero: Replace the coolant · Liquid-cooled engine overheats · Coolant is leaking · Temperature gauge reads high or the warning light is on · Radiator is damaged, bent or blocked · Coolant · Radiator · Course: m2-lubrication-cooling
Oil and filter change step by step; check oil grade, amount and torque in your manual.
On Moto Zero: Change the engine oil and clean the strainer · Replace the drain plug sealing washer · Oil turns black very soon after a change · Too much oil in the engine · Oil leaking from the drain plug · Oil level drops but there is no visible leak · Oil pressure or oil level light is on · Engine oil · Oil filter and strainer · Drain plug and washer