Braking, A Habit.

All motorcycles feature an efficient braking unit for both wheels to ensure safety and quick deployment. It is highly critical that the condition of the brakes are checked periodically and regularly to warrant the rider’s safety.

Disc brakes:

There are two important checks that need to be performed to take care of disc brakes:

• It is important to keep a check on the level of braking fluid in the brake-fluid reservoir. The reservoir is located on the handle bar for the front brakes; for the rear disc, it is placed behind the right or left heel plate.
• While topping the brake-fluid reservoir with braking fluid, it is highly recommended to open a brand new container of brake-fluid as it has a penchant for accumulating moisture overtime.
• Take care not to spill the fluid in any of the body panels or metal surfaces of the bike, as the fluid can be extremely corrosive and is capable of severely damaging these components.
• Brake pads need to be checked regularly as they are the components that are exploited the most. It is important not to erode the brake pads until the very edge of the material, as it could severely damage the disc brake rotor which might force you to change the entire brake assembly; this can be quite expensive. 

Drum brakes:

Drum brakes require recurrent attention and can be difficult to work with. The brake shoes require frequent attention as they are prone to damage in a short period of time.

• Worn-out brake shoes cause grinding or squealing noises. Brakes tend to squeak due to accumulation of dust and dirt inside the drum brakes or due to lack of lubrication. Cleaning the brakes using a soft, dry cloth can solve this.
• It is important to know when the brake pads need changing. If the pedal is too hard to push rather than spongy and smooth, then it is an indication that the brake pads need changing. If the pads are too thin, then metal against metal contact could quite possibly ruin the rotors.

Brakes are instrumental to make certain of your safety while driving. Hence, it is imperative that they are maintained in good working condition.

What does your Air Filter do?

A clean air filter guarantees improved mileage, better acceleration, increased engine life and overall improved engine performance. Not only does it provide clean air for the engine, but it also prevents fragments from entering the engine. These fragments are capable of wearing out the engine. If the air filter becomes dirty, it reduces the volume of clean air that enters the engine. Each gallon of fuel that the engine burns requires 10,000 gallons of pure air, making the air filter quite an important component in a car.

• One of the foremost symptoms of a dirty air filter would be an evident decrease in mileage. Reduced passage of pure air makes the engine work harder and in turn, it uses more fuel to run effectively. 
• Ignition problems could occur due to a fouled spark plug. Insufficient pure air affects emissions control systems, reducing the air flow and concentrating the air mixture resulting in tainted spark plugs. This can affect engine performance considerably. 

There is a simple light test that can be performed to determine if the air filters are dirty:
Take the air filter out and hold it up to the sun or a strong light; if the light streams in brightly, then you’re good to go, otherwise your air filters needs replacement.

A clean air filter will improve mileage by as much as 14% and may increase acceleration up to 11% depending on the make and model of car. It is recommended to replace air filters every year, possibly during the yearly car service. The frequency of change can be increased, if the car travels through dusty roads.

Horn And Headlights Care

Whether it is driving at night or trapped in traffic or overtaking vehicles, the most used components are the headlights and horn. Thus, like the other elements of the bike, maintaining the horn and the headlights is also important. It is vital that they be in proper condition before you head out for a ride on the road. Headlights and horn plays a crucial role in road safety.

Headlights include front light, rear lights and indicators and following are the points that need to be considered for headlight-care:

1. As all three headlights are equally important, check working condition of all headlights by turning it on before going out. If any of them do not work or malfunction, get them replaced immediately.
2. If they are in working condition, then check the light intensity. Light intensity can give you clear visibility during night and avoids chances of an accident. If it is not working right, then it can be malfunctioning due to a loose connection or an ineffective bulb. Loose connections can occur while driving on roads with lots of bumps and potholes. Thus, check all wire connections to fix the problem. If the bulb is damaged, then replace it with a new one.
3. Headlights also attract huge amount of dust everyday, which can reduce the light intensity. Hence, for clear visibility, cleaning of lenses is essential. Clean all headlights with a lint-free cloth to make sure the lenses are stain and dust-free.

Along with headlights, give great attention to your motorcycle horn.

1. Accumulation of dust in the horn can affect its sound quality. Use a lint-free cloth to keep the horn clean and dirt-free.
2. Check whether the horn is in working condition. Check all connections of the horn to ensure no loose connections. In case of a damaged fuse, replace the fuse with a new one.
3. Check for its sound quality. If faint noise is coming from horn, then replace it with new one.

Thus the maintenance of both headlight and horn is also required at regular period.

Dashboard Signs: Get Lit Up !

With the electronic system of cars becoming more and more complex, the indicators and warning lights meant for the driver has grown significantly. Some of the common signs are indicators to much bigger issues that could possibly affect your car in the long run.

Some of the common signs are:

In addition to knowing about the warning lights, it is imperative to know that the lights glow in various colors; color variation indicates the imminence of potential problems:

Red dashboard warning light: A red light suggests a potential serious problem to the car or your safety. It could be an indicator of an issue that requires immediate inspection.

Orange or yellow dashboard warning light: An orange or yellow light is used to indicate that a particular component of the car needs repairing or servicing.

 Flashing dashboard warning light: A flashing light is used to inform the state of urgency of the problem at hand.

Green or blue dashboard lights: Green or blue dashboard lights are purely informational. They are commonly used for headlights and directional indicators.

The warning lights and their symbols may vary for each car, depending upon its make and model. It is, however, essential to understand the significance of each symbol to protect yourself and your car from issues that could threaten performance and safety.

Coolants: The Means To Bite The Summer

With the summer scorching up driveways and highways alike, most of us are unaware of the toll it takes on our cars. There are a number of people stranded on the highway due to over-heating engines. This problem can be prevented by checking the level of coolant and monitoring the working of the radiator before starting a long distance journey.

Coolant, also known as antifreeze, fills the radiator. In summer, when the engine gets over-heated, the coolant will absorb the heat and expel it into the radiator; thus, it helps keep the engine cool. It is usually used along with water in a 1:1 proportion.  Some people prefer to use only water instead of a mixture, but this can corrode the engine and particles can clog the cooling system. This will lead to over-heating of engine again and again, which in turn also affects the car’s efficiency.  Thus, the addition of coolant in a half ratio is very important to protect the engine and other components from corrosion. The quality and concentration of coolant becomes very essential to maintain good condition of car engine.

To avoid any kind of expense due to overheating of engine in summers, the coolant level in the radiator should be up to the recommended limit. Check coolant levels and also coolant servicing is recommended. In coolant servicing, the old coolant is replaced with a new one and all the dirt and dust particles clogged up in the radiator gets removed, which in turn also increases car’s performance. Check for leakage in the cooling system because a damaged cooling system can lead to deterioration in the efficiency of the engine. Leakage in the cooling system has to be treated immediately, preferably by an expert.

Thus, while going on a trip, carry coolants for your car, so that you can deal with any problem in very less time. Service the cooling system regularly and ensure that the coolant used in the car is fresh within its date of expiry. Monitoring the coolant and its appropriate level is a must in summers to avoid over-heating of engine. 

A Do-It-Yourself Bike-Cleaning Guide

Along with all the maintenance that goes into extend your bike life, it is equally important to keep your bike clean. Though bike-cleaning is time consuming, it is better to do it yourself rather than giving it to a cleaning service centre, thus saving money in the process. Here are some tips, to keep your bike spotless. It is important to keep your bike fresh and unsoiled by cleaning it regularly.

The following are the steps that describe a do-it-yourself bike-cleaning process:

1. First, spray clean water on the entire bike and if the wheels are soiled, then spray water with more pressure, so that all the mud gets removed and cleaning becomes easier.
2. Opt for a good quality shampoo designed specifically for vehicle cleaning. Prepare a shampoo solution in a bucket and use it to wash and clean your bike. Using a lint-free fabric to wipe the metal surfaces.
3. There are metal parts where the dirt gets collected with a mixture of grease and oil, like in the chains, engine, etc which can become very difficult to clean. Use a de-greaser to loosen and remove the greasy particles.
4. After shampooing and de-greasing, wash your bike thoroughly with clean water and allow the excess water to drain for a few minutes.
5. Wipe your all surfaces and components of your bike carefully using a dry cloth to remove water; leftover water can corrode the bike’s machinery. You can also blow dry it for better results.
6. To maintain the color and shine of the bike, polishing needs to be done. Polishing helps remove scratches or any paint marks. Any good quality normal or wax polish chemical that is best suitable for the bike’s paint can be chosen. Use a lint-free material and apply it in a circular motion on all over metal surface body and leave it undisturbed for at least 20 minutes.
7. After 20 minutes, clean off all the polish with soft cloth.

Repeat the cleaning procedure every 15 days to keep your bike clean and as good as new.