Tech series part two: all lubed up

With the first instalment of our tech series focusing on getting our bike clean, we now aim to get it greasy again…

A beautifully clean motorcycle is like a piece of fine art: smooth, dry and eye-catching. But you can’t stick a Picasso between your legs and nip out for a Sunday ride, so you’ll need to make sure your ‘art’ goes the distance. And for that you’ll need to lubricate any areas where two surfaces rub together. As well as making your ride last longer, it’ll keep that just-left-the-showroom-floor feel. Here are our top tips for a smother ride…

If you’re serious about keeping your bike in A1 condition, then a factory service manual is a must. From the correct grade of oils to use to proper tightening torques, the manual will also aid you in tackling any repair that might be specific to your bike.

There’s one action that happens at least twice on any ride – taking the ignition key in and out of the barrel. As you turn the ignition barrel, it moves a contact disc that operates the electrical circuits on the bike. On most bikes, it also locks and releases the steering. So it’s important that the barrel turns freely (just price up having a broken chipped ignition key replaced for another good reason to lube the lock). Either attach the straw than comes with most silicon spray cans or insert the key just enough to push the lock’s dust flap out of the way. Spray till it overflows and then turn the lock back and forth to allow the spray access to its internals.

Brake and clutch levers should glide and not stick. The professional way to lube these is to remove the levers and clean their perches thoroughly. This is also a good time to oil the cables (unless your bike has both hydraulic brake and clutch). Cable oilers start from $10 (buy the tool that has two clamping screws) and it’s a simple and effective operation to have them as free as a bird. On hydraulic systems, this is a great time to check the fluid level in the master cylinders.

While on the braking system, the rear pedal needs greasing on its pivot. Again, it’s a simple task to remove, clean, lube and refit. Take this opportunity to reset the height of the pedal to its ideal position for you. And don’t forget to check the fluid level here, too.

A sticky throttle leads to sticky situations, so open up the housing and oil the cables. Make sure the throttle tube twists smoothly on the bar and also check the condition of the rubber grip while you’re at it. Replace what doesn’t look/feel right.

Steering head bearings involve a slightly longer process to lube (we’ll deal with their replacement later in the series), but it’s easy to get to them if you plan ahead. You’ll need a centrestand or a strap from the ceiling. With a centrestand, you can place a jack under the downpipes to take the weight off the front end (use a length of wood to protect them) or use the strap if you only have a sidestand. The trick is to get the weight off the front end enough to allow access to the bottom bearing – you don’t need to take the front end off the bike. Make sure you don’t under or over preload the bearings on reassembly. Refer to your manual for torque values for the steering stem’s nut.

The rear suspension loves a lube, too. On most bikes, there are mounts at the top and bottom of the shock that have rubber bushes. These bushes have a better life if they have a film of grease applied to them before reassembly, but the real threat of seizure comes from the linkages that connects the shock to the swingarm. These can range from a single pivot to a multi-point arrangement. It’ll take time to remove, clean, grease and reassemble these components but it’s time well spent. Again, read the manual so you know whether this job is within your mechanical limits.

It’s now time to attack anything that moves on the bike! Areas that benefit from regular visits from the lube nurse include rider and pillion footpeg pivots, the gear lever’s folding tip, sidestand and centrestand pivots, swingarm pivot, seat lock barrel and mechanism.

Make sure any access lube is thoroughly cleaned off the bike to avoid contamination of seat, tyres, brakes, ’pegs and grips. Now go and ride that new-feel rocket!

NEXT TIME
We give the engine a lifeblood transfusion with new oil and a new filter.

Tech series part one: the wash-up

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Tech series part two: all lubed up

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