What Is Motorcycle Tune-Up Process? (Explained!)

A guy tuning and repairing a motorcycle

Motorcycle maintenance is not only something you take your bike to the dealer or mechanic every 6 months. You also need to regularly check up on its health and do some fine adjustments yourself.

So ,what is motorcycle tune-up? Motorcycle tuning is the adjustments you need to make to your motorcycle every now and then. These are common problems not meeting your eye while driving. It is a collection of jobs that you will usually overlook due to your busy schedule.

Hence, to understand what is motorcycle tune-up routine you need to know the how’s and when’s!

Just like any necessary machine in your daily life, motorcycles deal with a fair share of the load. May it be your college classes or your shopping trips, your two-wheeler friends are always ready!

Different surrounding conditions and regular usage also affect their efficiency. Yet, their importance in our daily life means you cannot make do without them. However, reality surely catches up as their performance starts going down.

Finding time for a simple home routine or a garage repair becomes crucial under such conditions. In this article, I include the details you need to get a healthy tune-up for your motorcycle. 

Motorcycle Tune Up Task List

Many tasks are important while your motorcycle undergoes the tune-up process. Most expert systems have their ready-made plan for you to choose from. Meanwhile, if you have the right skills, you can independently do these too.

A few items from the tune-up list will need you to have some spares ready in advance. Hence, a definite list of repair jobs will explain to you what is motorcycle tune-up is for professional results. 

#1: Engine Oil Replacement

The most necessary item in the tuning list is changing your engine oil for better performance. The engine oil works continuously for all the time that you spend on a motorcycle. It lubricates the engine and keeps the cylinder and crankcase clear too.

Hence, over time, you will notice your engine oil getting thicker. It shows the oil is about to lose the qualities you need for healthy lubrication.

Modern engine oils have a longer life due to the synthetic production method. It allows the experts to suggest a relatively long period between the oil changes. Getting the job done during the main tune-up routine removes a big headache from the maintenance list.

I suggest a complete drain out of old oil while renewing the engine oil. Flushing a bit of fresh oil is helpful to make sure everything is thoroughly fresh and clean. After that, fill up the oil and check the main level mark with your dipstick setup. 

#2: Hydraulic Oil

Hydraulic oil is crucial for your bike’s braking performance and your safety. These oils generally have to seal to protect them from consumption. However, the more you use these brakes, the higher the load on the oil.

After a while, some of the oil goes as a loss due to friction. A bit of it also seeps through the loose covers on the top-up reservoir.

You will see the level from the visible glass on the small tank for the refilling process. Try to keep your hydraulic oil level at the “max” mark on glass for efficient braking.

#3: Chain Drive

Chain maintenance is another reason need to understand what is motorcycle tune-up importance level. The chain transfers the drive from your engine to the wheels to make you move. 

Modern motorcycles also have an open chain design where you can see them working. A lot of dirt, waste grease, and other things collect on this chain over its running life. Moreover, the changing clearances and wear down also increase your chain’s length to make it lose.

A good tuning routine has the perfect cleaning and tightening for your motorcycle’s chain. Following this, covering it with the correct grade of grease for a smooth drive is crucial too. It makes sure the chain does not generate heat due to friction or does not slip out.

#4: Filter Cleaning/Changing

The heart of your engine is how the combustion takes place to give you power. Air is a necessary part of this process, and it is available through the open atmosphere. General air intake will also carry moisture, dirt, and other particles that should not go into the engine.

The filter handles this for you and keeps your engine healthy. Hence, with the passing time, this filter keeps going dirtier and thinner. The experts will always suggest changing these filters completely.

Keeping a spare filter comes to save you under such conditions. Hence, make sure the tune-up routine handles the air filter routine to keep your motorcycle young!

#5: Wheel Alignment and Shock Absorbers

Alignment turns out as something that you fail to see with open eyes until problems arise. Hence, while figuring what is motorcycle tune-up alignment, you face some confusion.

A healthy tuning system focuses highly on the wheel frame alignment. It involves the ability to balance the wheel frame axis in line with the main body. By doing this, all the force and shocks on your frame end up with proper grounding.

It also includes the check-up routines for your shock up and springs. A good round of alignment needs a professional setup for professional guidance.

Hence, I will suggest the intake of proper information while tuning up your motorcycle’s alignment. The long-term life of your motorcycle also has its fair share of effect on the tires. It means your tires give an unsafe condition in case an emergency faces you at critical times. 

Inspection of the tire health helps you to know when to change it for a safe ride. By doing so, you avoid regular damages and also safeguard yourself and your family while driving.

#6: Brake lining and Brake Pads

Just like the hydraulic braking, the back tires need brake inspections too. If you have a mid-section motorcycle, the rear brakes depend on the brake pad design for working. With the passing time, these pads lose the brake lining and start metal-to-metal contact.

Not only does it lower your braking ability but also wears down the brake drum. A good tune-up routine helps you to keep your brake in tune with the entire motorcycle’s performance. This will help you to equal brake force and save yourself from going off-track or slipping off!

#7: General Routines

In addition to these major tasks, there are a few general routines for you to carry out. These routines look simple at the first sight but have a lasting impact.

  • General Washing with a thorough cleaner helps you to remove the dirt and mud. This gives better heat removal from the hot parts. It also allows your lubricating oil to reach all the joints for good lubrication
  • Oiling the small areas such as the stand and pivots will help for smooth movement. This helps you with common actions like using a brake lever or changing the gears. In the absence of oil, these joints can get stuck and also start experiencing corrosion. 
  • Battery routines are important to figure what is motorcycle tune-up important in overall efficiency. If you let your motorcycle’s battery drain too low, recharging becomes impossible. This will weaken the starting motor and give you problems with the self-start.
  • Tightening all the nuts and bolts becomes very important if you are a tough rider. A difficult road gives a lot of shocks to your motorcycle’s body. Hence, the vibration makes these nuts go loose without you knowing it.

Time Duration for Motorcycle Tune-Up

The tuning-up routine also depends on the age of your motorcycle. I prefer to decide the age of a motorcycle from the time it comes out of the showroom. 

A new motorcycle needs fine-tuning because the linkages and design do not have enough running-in. The tuning gives the service engineer enough chance to see the changes and adjust them. 

Meanwhile, once the initial setup is done, the interval increases drastically. The graph again goes down for frequent maintenance as the age grows older.

Usage TimeTuneUp Frequency
New Motorcycles2 months
Motorcycle age 1-3 yrs.6-8 months
Motorcycle age 3-5 yrs.6 months
Motorcycle age 5+ yrs.4-6 months

Advantages of Motorcycle Tune-Up

Busy routines and laziness are the biggest enemies between you and your motorcycle. However, you end up gaining a lot by sticking to a standard tune-up routine. All you need is an awareness of the good it does to you and your vehicle in the long haul!

  • Saves the accidental breakdown and unfortunate surprises you get while driving
  • Prevents a possibility of an accident that will otherwise result in injuries
  • Saves the unnecessary expenses you face because of a major breakdown
  • Preventive maintenance process increases the overall performance of every part

Tuning Your Motorcycle’s Heath

A simple tune-up does not include anything fancy unless you want to. As a frequent traveler, your safety and punctuality benefit a lot from these routines. These also become important when you are about to take adventure trips or travel to distant places.

Different terrain and difficult roads do not create any danger for a healthy motorcycle. Through this, you can also predict the next maintenance and stop the uncertainty around it. 

As a professional or daily rider, this acts as your safety net. After all, nobody prefers getting stuck because they forgot to tune up their motorcycle. Once you take care of this aspect, the motorcycle gives back all the love by not letting you down!