How to Care for Your Motorcycle Suspension

You have all kinds of high-performance bikes such as the Yamaha YZF-R1, KTM 450SXF, and the Husqvarna Svartpilen 701. These are just a few of the many motorcycles you can get a glimpse of, on the road nowadays. However, they are only going to look good and perform great whenever the owners properly maintain it every day.

One area of motorcycles you need to pay close attention to is the suspension. Some pretty good suspension manufacturers deliver quality products. But, if you are planning on buying a good one like KYB or Kayaba motorcycle suspension for your motorcycle, you should definitely take care of it as early as you can. If you have just begun your motorcycle adventure, no worries, read on to find out tips and tricks on how to care for the suspension:

Regular Cleaning

This is the most basic form of maintaining any part of your motorcycle, especially with the suspensions. When you are driving on the road daily, you’ll never know what dirt or dust will get inside the suspensions. These are silent killers as it will gradually cause issues for the suspensions. Even something as simple as spraying water on the suspension is already enough to ensure it gets cleaned.

Inspect the Oil

Most of the time, your newly bought motorcycle will come with a manual that will tell you when you need to change the oil. However, when you get a new suspension, you may have to make changes to your regular oil change schedule. Usually, any type of suspension should have its oil changed at least once every year. For those who use their bikes daily, you may need to change the oil more often than usual. You should also consider the terrain you drive on. Dusty roads can potentially deteriorate the suspension oil faster. And if you plan on doing long-distance rides, always check the oil if it is full. If not, you should add more.

Inspect the Seals

The seals keep the oil inside and prevent dirt from entering the internals of the suspension. Over time, bits of rock may come flying and hit the seals, causing the oil to leak out slowly. It is critical for any type of oil leak to be dealt with as soon as possible. A good tip to check if the seal is broken is to wash it, ride the bike a few times, and check whether there’s oil coming out.

Inspect Inner Tubes

The inner sliding tube will get damaged at some point, so you need to inspect it every time you ride. These tubes are usually slick when you feel them. But when it stops feeling slick, there is a big chance it may be damaged, thus creating oil leaks. Some expert mechanics usually do not replace the entire inner tubes if they can be fixed, for instance, dents and nicks.

Inspect Shock Springs

Normally, you would think it is almost impossible to damage the shock springs because they’re entirely protected. But you must agree that there’s still a chance the springs will break, so you should inspect it. Disassembling it is difficult, so you have the option to take it to a motorcycle shop so that mechanics can inspect the springs.

If you need to replace broken parts of your suspension, you can contact any one of the several companies selling branded parts like Kayaba motorcycle suspension. If you get your parts from a reliable supplier, you can expect your suspensions to last longer than usual.