Motorcycle Maintenance Checklist

There are many reasons to keep your motorcycle well-maintained. It will save you money on repairs in the long run, it will extend the longevity of your bike, and it will give you a better chance of staying safe. So what does it mean to keep your motorcycle maintained? Motorcycle maintenance can be anything from small, simple tasks you can do even if you have no experience, to large, complex processes that are best left to veteran technicians. In most circumstances, the better you are about doing the former, the less frequently you’ll have to do the latter.

Here at Illinois Harley-Davidson®, we designed this short guide to introduce you to the basic principles of motorcycle maintenance. If you’d prefer to leave maintenance to the professionals, stop by our service center and dealership. We’re located in Countryside, Illinois and we proudly serve cities like Orland Park and Naperville.

TCLOCS: The Key to Motorcycle Maintenances

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation came up with a helpful acronym to help riders remember the basics of motorcycle maintenance: TCLOCS. This stands for: 

• Tires
• Control  
• Lights & Electronics 
• Oil & Other Fluids 
• Chassis 
• Stands

Tires are one of the most important components on your bike because a popped tire can bring you down. Always make sure your tires have the correct air pressure and that the tread is wearing down correctly. When it comes to controls, you’ll want to make sure your brakes work correctly and that there’s no grinding or screeching when you stop. The throttle should open up with ease and snap closed when you let off. Lights will provide a good sense for how the rest of your electronics are faring, so make sure to check your turn signals, headlight, and brake lights. Oil is crucial to keeping your engine running smooth, so make sure you have enough and that the oil you have is of a high quality. Your chassis should be totally solid and without any cracks or bending. Pay special attention to all welds and joints as these areas often undergo the most pressure.

Do it Right the First Time

When you’re getting into maintenance, it’s important to learn how to correctly perform each task from the beginning. The best way to do this for any given bike is to spend some serious time with the owner’s manual. Too many riders ignore this valuable resource and end up taking generic advice that can lead to problems for their specific bike. The methods outlined in owner’s manuals often take a little more time and effort than the patchwork of quick advice that you can find elsewhere, but you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing you did everything right from the beginning. You should always take your time, too, and don’t skip steps or take shortcuts. When it comes to maintenance, cutting corners never actually saves you time or effort because these decisions come back to you eventually.

The Value of Professional Service

At the end of the day, there will always be some job or task you can’t handle it yourself. We can’t all be specialists, and even the specialists have other specialists to whom they defer on topics they’re not well versed in. When you want to get the most out of your bike, seeking out the help of pros is always a good investment. From computer testing to frame scans to alignment checks, pros have more tools and more ability to solve problems than the average bike owner.

If your bike needs service, bring it by Illinois Harley-Davidson®. Our team of expert Harley-Davidson® technicians will get it back in shape in no time. Located in Countryside, Illinois, we proudly serve Orland Park, Naperville, and many surrounding areas. Stop by today!