Preventive Maintenance, Lubrication, and Tune-Up
This domain covers the service schedule, correct fluids, and the checks that prevent roadside failures.
Core rules
- Use the manufacturer's intervals as the baseline and match oil to spec: JASO MA/MA2 for wet clutches and the viscosity for ambient temperature. Car oils containing friction modifiers cause clutch slip.
- Change oil and filter together; pre-fill the filter where possible and check level by the specified procedure - many engines need the bike upright, run, then rested.
- Brake and clutch fluid by time, not mileage; coolant by time and freeze point.
- Chain: clean, lubricate, check slack and wear at every service; check tyre pressures and the DOT date code.
- Valve clearance at the scheduled interval, plugs at the specified gap and heat range, air filter inspected and replaced.
- Storage: fuel stabiliser or drained float bowls, fogged cylinders, battery on a tender, tyres off the ground where possible.
Worked example
A commuter arrives with a slipping clutch that started immediately after a garage service. Reasoning: the slip appeared right after an oil change, so suspect the fluid first. The invoice shows a car 5W-30 with friction modifiers used in a wet-clutch engine. Drain it, fit a JASO MA2 oil and filter, then re-test - if slip persists, measure the clutch stack, but the fluid was the cause.
Traps that cost marks
- Over-torquing the drain plug or oil filter.
- Mixing coolant types or using tap water.
- Pressure-washing bearings and seals directly.