Buying a used motorcycle?
1) Check the engine number and frame number against the registration documentation / title 2) Check the tyres for wear and damage 3) Check the steering head bearings for wear 4) Check condition of chain & sprockets 5) Check operation of rear suspension and forks 6) Check frame, swingarm, engine, suspension, wheels for corrosion 7) Check that there are no oil leaks 8) Check frame, footpegs, engine casings, exhaust, mirrors for scrapes/signs of crash damage 9) Check radiator coolant if the bike is water cooled. Make sure there is no oil in coolant 10) Start engine. Listen for excessive valve and bearing noise. Make sure there is no black/blue smoke coming from engine. Make sure the exhaust is not blowing 11) Test ride bike. Make sure that it goes up and down through the gears smoothly with no hesitation, flat spots or gearbox clonking. Make sure the bike tracks straight and does not pull to one side. Let bike warm up. If fitted, radiator fan should kick in when bike is hot 12) Check that brakes work. Should be able to lock both back and front brakes when moving (do this carefully obviously) 13) Check that all lights work There is a lot to check; probably better to take someone who knows as it is easy for novices to get caught out and buy a heap of junk which will be expensive to fix.
How do I know whether there is a problem in the crank of a motorcycle?
Well crank shaft of motorcycles is a safe fail design i.e,it doesn't fail all of a sudden and it gives certain symptoms before failure . If you are able to trace them you are safe. Else it may leads to engine seizure,you end up spending hefty amount of money on your bike1.ENGINE STATRTING PROBLEM-IF there is small misalignment between crank and connecting rod, engine refuses to start even after repeated attempts.this starting problem is different from cold start and air lock. In case of crank problem every time it repeats2.intermediate stalling-All of a sudden bike will lose its momentum and will come to halt. It may restart instantly or after some minutes depends on severity3.not so happy engineIf you are a very good rider and if you have immense love towards your bike you can easily find change in exhaust note and occasional misfiring and reduced pickup4.engine check lightIf you are bike is sophisticated and fitted with crankcase sensors, if there is any small mis alignment the light will glowThese are common symptoms of crank problem,if you know exact reasons are correct reasons please comment belowIf i am wrong please feel free to correct me :)
How long does it take to be a good motorcycle rider?
The truth is, it depends.To go deeper into your question, it really isn't a matter of time. It's a matter of commitment. I've met people who have been riding a relatively short time, and yet, I envy their skills. I've also met people who, in spite of the fact that their old enough to know better, act like children trying to impress others with the fact that they ride a motorcycle.I've heard that there are those who badmouth my riding. Because I obey the speed limit, never "popped a wheelie", and I don't cut lanes, they say I ride "like an old lady." You know what; I can live with that! In fact, I've got a real good chance I will get to live with that.So, am I a good rider? I hope so. Try to be! However, I know that no matter how long I'll ride, I'll always have room for improvement.What about you? How do you become a good rider? There are plenty of ways.Take a course approved by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Not only will you learn the basics from qualified instructors, it will go along way in preventing bad habit from beginning in the first place.There's really no other way to say this; Don't ride like a jackass. Do the speed limit. Forget about wheelies and stoppies. Don't cut lanes. Yeah, there will be those who put you down for it. "F" them!Ride sober. Enough said!Make sure you machine is in good working order.Wear the proper safety equipment.Consider additional classes and workshops. For some reason I can't fathom, too many people are resistant to this. For God's sake, why? There is no disgrace in instruction! World class athletes, in any sport, and in every sport, have one thing in common; coaches and trainers. They aren't resistant to learning, and you shouldn't be either.Always ride defensively. Understand your vulnerability, and operate you machine accordingly. A cavalier attitude is often your first step toward disaster. Mostly remember, No matter how long you ride, no matter how good you are, you'll always have room for improvement. Otherwise, get out there and ride. There's no substitute for experience. If you use good sense, though, you'll be surprised how quickly you skills develop.Hope to see you on the road!
Small engine repair and motorcycles?
You don't "need" to be certified to work on bikes, you just need to be good at it. If you are new, but want to get in the trade, there are not a lot of choices for schools. The factory training is only available if you already work at a dealership (catch 22), and MMI is the most expensive referral to the motorcycle equivalent of jiffy lube you can buy. A degree or certification from them is nothing but outhouse wallpaper. If there are shops in your area, you can probably intern there as entry level. The pay, if any, will suck, but it won't cost anything like going to school. They will probably start you off with tire changes and oil/filter changes... simple stuff like that. There will be a lot of sitting and watching, until the mechanic(s) get overloaded, then they will stick you with the shitty jobs they don't want like fork seals and such. take it slow, be easy, double check everything, and don't scratch the chrome... buy the Clymer manual for every bike you work on. Even after you get good enough to rebuild an engine without the manual, you are still going to want it for wear limits and fluid specs and such. When you are comfortable about not breaking something, then you can figure out the correct balance of finesse and violence required to effectively work on motorcycles.
How long can a repair shop keep my motorcycle in PA?
As long as you let them - and it's been way to long that you have. A new clutch to tune the carbs? Wow. You fell for that? Pay whatever bill is left. Get your bike back. Buy a manual and READ it. Even if you never work on your own, you will have a clue. After I started writing this, I looked back at your previous questions. Seems like you got little help then. 16mpg - when you should be getting over 30. Black plugs - are you certain it isn't oil? Black usually is, and at that high fuel consumption there may be fuel in the oil.... Get your bike back and let's start fresh. It's been a long time since I dealt with a 'zuki of that vintage and my book only dealt with the twins of that era (had a 425).
What kind of damages can there be on a motorcycle for riding on low engine oil?
Engine Oil maintains your Engine Clutch Gear and keeps them running smooth and Lubed. The problems faced with low engine oil may be→Piston wear! The worst problem of them all, since your bije will start shooting black fumes once it wears out too much and that in turn increases the rate at which engine oil burns out.Harder Gear. You’ll find that running on low engine oil results in harder gear shifts, they dont feel smooth anymore.Increased Engine Vibration. Yes, engine vibrations and engine noise increase noticeably when running on low Engine Oil.Low Mileage. Your bike is going to return lesser mileage than it would.Clutch Plate Wear. Your clutch plate needs to be properly lubricated to function. There is a lot of friction at work here. Wet clutches need engine oil so that they dont make the rattling noise like that of a Dry Clutch and run smooth. With low engine oil you’re at the risk of wearing away your clutch plates.These are all the problems that i have faced multiple times on my Pulsar 220! There may be some other issues which i may not know of, but thats only because i havent faced them yet. Maintaining your bike is utmost important. Riding is an emotion and bikes need to be loved and respected in order to get loved back! Safe riding!