Maintenance of Harley-Davidson Street Bikes

Modern Harley-Davidson street bikes require less maintenance than they did in the 60's and 70's but they still need a lot more maintained than a car. Street bike owners should be able to do at least basic maintenance on their bikes.

Keep a low-pressure tire gauge (0psi - 80psi) in your bike tool bag at all times. Try to remember to check your tire pressure every time you fill up for gas.

Motorcycles have up to two brake fluid reservoirs, one for the front, usually found on the handlebars and one for the back. Both should be checked regularly. Topping up should only be done from a new, sealed bottle as brake fluid tends to absorb moisture over time.

Chains: Lubricate them often with a commercial chain spray every time you fill up for gas. (or at the end of each ride). Spray liberally on the side of the chain that comes into contact with the sprockets.

Even though shaft drives on motorcycles require little maintenance we would suggest replacing the shaft drive oil every time you change the oil on your motorcycle. This will lead to a very long and happy life for the shaft drive.

Fuel is quite an often overlooked as a form of preventative maintenance on a motorcycle.

Check the fuel filter (if you have one) to make sure it is not clogged and looks clean and clear. Replace fuel filters every 2 years.

Resources:

WWW.HARLEY-DAVIDSON.COM
WWW.POPULARMECHANICS.COM
WWW.ASCYCLES.COM
WWW.CCM-MOTORCYCLES.COM
WWW.SIMPLY-MOTORCYCLES.COM
WWW.MOTORCYCLES.ORG
WWW.MOTORCYCLISTONLINE.COM
WWW.WESTERNPOWERSPORTS.COM