When rains arrive, it is time of frenzy among the biker community. After all our babies are not the ones which are completely protected like cars which are covered from absolutely all corners to shield you from the outside, bad-bad world. This is why every biker has to go that extra mile to take care of his/her machine like it would dissolve in the rain. Now do not take me literally here, but still a bike does need some extra care, especially for those unlucky ones like us who are not blesses with a covered parking spot. Also not to mention that you will have to park your bike in the open when you go out.
So with the monsoon approaching fast, it is high time we get to the maintenance of the bike and also make sure our beauties are in pristine condition to fight the monsoon head on.
1. Cover your Bike properly:
One of the biggest menaces in the monsoon season is wetting of the vehicle, so it is an added advantage, or rather a blessing if you have a covered parking. But if you don’t have a covered parking, then make sure to get a proper rain proof cover for your bike. Because you would not like to sit on a wet bike and get your hinds wet, is it?
2. Get Anti-Rust protection layer applied:
This is a problem that Enfield owners must know first-hand. Luckily most of the bikes today are made of fiber bodies making them resistant to rusting, but every bike has a main metal frame and that needs protection. So a cheap anti-rust protection layer is always a good thing to have on hand.
3. Get a Teflon Coating if possible:
Many of us would actually not recommend this in the first place, but then Teflon helps make sure the water never touches your bike paint. So it is good to know that your paint won’t get washed away in the rains.
4. Get the tyres checked/replaced:
Monsoon biking is one of the toughest out there, after all the wet roads are pretty hard to get a grip on. Now one could either get specialized monsoon tyres for their bikes, else the regular ones could also do. Just make sure your tyres are in good shape and have optimum tread levels for a good grip. If not, it is better to simply get them replaced altogether.
5. Clean up the bike chain more frequently:
Rains mean mud, and that means dirt and muck everywhere. Now, regular chain maintenance means cleaning up your bike chain after every 500 kms or so. It is always better to not follow this system in the monsoons since the chain gets dirtier quicker and also the rain water washes off the grease or lubricant away. Hence make it a practice to lube the chain frequently and clean it up as per your feel and convenience.
6. Look for covered parking spots:
When going out, parking in the open by the side of the road is something we hate the most. So always check out for nearby covered parking. Even something under the tree might do the trick in this case. And if all else fails then it’s all at the mercy of the rain gods.
7. Clean up the Air Filter:
Monsoon air is a lot heavy with loads of moisture in it. So there are chances that the air filter might hold a lot of moisture and eventually might end up tearing as well or get clogged not allowing proper air to pass through. This results in the bike stalling, or giving jerks on pulling the accelerator a bit. So a clean, dry and fresh air filter is always better.
8. Get Tyre pressure optimized:
Summer tyre pressures are always on the lower side since the heat expands the air. So in the monsoon when the air contracts as it is a bit cold, the tyre pressure falls. So it is then time to top up the tyre pressure to optimum levels. Just make sure to never overfill.
9. Invest in Proper Rain Gear:
Protection from rains is as important for the rider as for the bike. So get some proper rain gear to make sure you don’t get wet in the rains. Lesser wetter the better is the motto to live by. You do not want to come down with a viral and lay in bed for a week after all.
10. Make sure the brakes are in Proper shape:
This is the last and maybe the most important point of them all. Whatever your bike might be equipped with, either disks or drum brakes, make sure they are working properly. The rain water when enters the braking mechanism reduces the braking efficiency and bite by quite a lot. Hence it is advisable to always ride slow and keep proper distance between the vehicles up front. Try never to get into panic braking situations as even if you have all the bells and whistles of ABS, rain is literally above them all. So make sure your brake shoe and brake pads are in optimum shape and serviced. And never brake very hard or your bike might skid like never before.
These are some very basic care you need to do for your bike in the monsoon. They are not at all labor, time or monetary intensive. So you can care about your bike in the best possible way to see off the monsoon happily and without worries.
By: Pratik Patole
So with the monsoon approaching fast, it is high time we get to the maintenance of the bike and also make sure our beauties are in pristine condition to fight the monsoon head on.1. Cover your Bike properly:
One of the biggest menaces in the monsoon season is wetting of the vehicle, so it is an added advantage, or rather a blessing if you have a covered parking. But if you don’t have a covered parking, then make sure to get a proper rain proof cover for your bike. Because you would not like to sit on a wet bike and get your hinds wet, is it?
2. Get Anti-Rust protection layer applied:
This is a problem that Enfield owners must know first-hand. Luckily most of the bikes today are made of fiber bodies making them resistant to rusting, but every bike has a main metal frame and that needs protection. So a cheap anti-rust protection layer is always a good thing to have on hand.
3. Get a Teflon Coating if possible:
Many of us would actually not recommend this in the first place, but then Teflon helps make sure the water never touches your bike paint. So it is good to know that your paint won’t get washed away in the rains.
4. Get the tyres checked/replaced:Monsoon biking is one of the toughest out there, after all the wet roads are pretty hard to get a grip on. Now one could either get specialized monsoon tyres for their bikes, else the regular ones could also do. Just make sure your tyres are in good shape and have optimum tread levels for a good grip. If not, it is better to simply get them replaced altogether.
5. Clean up the bike chain more frequently:Rains mean mud, and that means dirt and muck everywhere. Now, regular chain maintenance means cleaning up your bike chain after every 500 kms or so. It is always better to not follow this system in the monsoons since the chain gets dirtier quicker and also the rain water washes off the grease or lubricant away. Hence make it a practice to lube the chain frequently and clean it up as per your feel and convenience.
6. Look for covered parking spots:
When going out, parking in the open by the side of the road is something we hate the most. So always check out for nearby covered parking. Even something under the tree might do the trick in this case. And if all else fails then it’s all at the mercy of the rain gods.
7. Clean up the Air Filter:Monsoon air is a lot heavy with loads of moisture in it. So there are chances that the air filter might hold a lot of moisture and eventually might end up tearing as well or get clogged not allowing proper air to pass through. This results in the bike stalling, or giving jerks on pulling the accelerator a bit. So a clean, dry and fresh air filter is always better.
8. Get Tyre pressure optimized:
Summer tyre pressures are always on the lower side since the heat expands the air. So in the monsoon when the air contracts as it is a bit cold, the tyre pressure falls. So it is then time to top up the tyre pressure to optimum levels. Just make sure to never overfill.
9. Invest in Proper Rain Gear:Protection from rains is as important for the rider as for the bike. So get some proper rain gear to make sure you don’t get wet in the rains. Lesser wetter the better is the motto to live by. You do not want to come down with a viral and lay in bed for a week after all.
10. Make sure the brakes are in Proper shape:
This is the last and maybe the most important point of them all. Whatever your bike might be equipped with, either disks or drum brakes, make sure they are working properly. The rain water when enters the braking mechanism reduces the braking efficiency and bite by quite a lot. Hence it is advisable to always ride slow and keep proper distance between the vehicles up front. Try never to get into panic braking situations as even if you have all the bells and whistles of ABS, rain is literally above them all. So make sure your brake shoe and brake pads are in optimum shape and serviced. And never brake very hard or your bike might skid like never before.
These are some very basic care you need to do for your bike in the monsoon. They are not at all labor, time or monetary intensive. So you can care about your bike in the best possible way to see off the monsoon happily and without worries.
By: Pratik Patole
