|
 Welcome To HYR's Monthly Tech Tips
Feel free to contact us anytime with any questions you may have.
Service Hours: Mon.-Sat. 9:00am-6:00pm
Call (909) 793-2833 or email repair@hyredlands.com
February Why do my street bike tire's wear more on the left side than on the right?
March Proper air filter maintenance
April Why should I worry about chain maintenance?
May Battery Care
June How to set up your Dirt Bike Suspension
July Motorcycle Cooling Systems
August Toys and power equipment running bad?
September "Ride It"
| February
Question:
Why do my street bike tire's wear more on the left side than on the right?
Answer:
Do to the crowning of the streets for weather purposes you will see that the left side of your tire's will wear more than the right, also keep in mind that tire pressure should be checked once a week or before any long ride. Make sure you check your manual for correct tire pressure. |
March
Question:
Proper air filter maintenance
Answer:
Keeping your air filter properly oiled and maintained can protect and save your engine. Dirt ingestion can cause premature wear to bearings, rings, and valves.
Come down to HYR Service Dept. for a demonstration on how to properly oil and maintain your air filter. |
|
April
Question:
Why should I worry about chain maintenance?
Answer:
Motorcycle chain maintenance is a crucial part of safety to your motorcycle. The chain transfers power from the engine to the rear wheel, without proper inspection and maintenance it can fail or cripple the motorcycle. If a chain were to break it can become a dangerous object for other rider's or driver's. The chain should be inspected about every 500 miles.
Bring your motorcycle into HYR for a FREE chain inspection and adjustment. |
|
May
Battery Care
Did you know that you can prevent premature battery failure with an inexpensive battery tender.
Batteries can loose up to 10% of their charge everyday they are not in use.
Batteries tend to last anywhere from 2-4 years if properly cared for.
Using the pigtail method is the best way to go, just plug it in and forget about it... |
June
How to set up your Dirt Bike Suspension
Taking some time to learn about and set up your dirt bike suspension costs nothing, and can really improve your lap times.
The first thing to do when setting up your dirt bike suspension is to put the rebound and compression clickers for both the forks and rear shock in their standard position (check owners manual for how many clicks out is standard), if you don't have manual just set them halfway between hard and soft.
To set the static sag on the rear shock you first need to set the preload. Back off the locking ring and then you either tighten or loosen the main ring to increase or decrease the preload on the shock. Put the bike on a stand with the rear wheel off the ground and measure from the axle nut to a point roughly above it on the bike (say, a mounting bolt for the muffler or a part on the rear subframe), now take the bike off the stand and let it stand upright. With the bike off the stand now measure the distance between the axle bolt and the point on the bike itself. Subtract that measurement from the distance measured when the bike was on the stand, there should be about 25mm of sag, if there's more than that wind up the preload or if there's less then back it off. this measurement is called static sag.
Now to set the laden sag (race sag). Take note of the measurement with the bike standing upright. Now with all your riding gear on sit on the bike in the attack position (head roughly over the crossbrace, elbows up and out and feet on the pegs), have someone hang onto the bike for you and take a measurement again. The amount of sag should be between 90mm and 110mm, again if its more or less then adjust the preload ect.
Your should be able to get it set up approximately to those figures, if it's way out on either then that can indicate that it either has different springs than standard (if you bought the bike secondhand) or that your're heavier or lighter than the model used by the bike manufacturers. They base their settings on a theoretical rider who is about 5'10" tall and about 180 lbs.
|
July
Motorcycle Cooling Systems
Motorcycles are not like cars and while someone can drive a car without knowing much about the engine it is recommended that anyone who owns or rides a motorcycle should have a basic understanding of the engine and how to perform minor and temporary repairs. The simple point behind this is that motorcycle engines will fail and being stuck on the side of the road is never much fun.
Motorcycles tend to break down more often than cars and most bikers will tinker with their engine anyway to make custom adjustments and install performance parts. Knowing the basics of your motorcycle engine can lead to a quick or temporary fix to get you moving ,Because of the job an exhaust does, there are a number of problems that can occur with the part and the entire exhaust system. Remember, the exhaust is basically the trash chute for your bike’s reaction exhaust gasses and the insides and outsides of an exhaust can get extremely hot when riding. Your exhaust and drag pipes can experience a number of common problems including overheating which will cause a "bluing" effect on the tips of the pipes. Even with polished chrome finishes over time the heat will cause a bluish or black color on the pipes. Though this may appear to be only a cosmetic issue over time the excessive heat can cause parts to deteriorate which can lead to harmful gasses being released in every direction.
Since heat is your major concern consider the different ways you can maintain the temperature in the exhaust so it doesn't overheat and what you can do should the system suffer deterioration or even punctures from excessive heat. exterior.
Another tip for preserving the exhaust on your motorcycle is to periodically rotate the pipes if you have twin pipes. Gas doesn't always distribute evenly and if you did a custom install with an aftermarket exhaust it is recommended that you rotate the exhaust pipes so if there is an excess of heat to one side you can moderate the effect it has on your pipes. You should check all motorcycle engine parts on a regular basis to achieve optimum performance but regulating the heat in the engine is your primary concern.
|
August
So I decided to write about this fuel issue we seem to be having with all our toys and power equipment. Life is busy and no time to be out draining fuel tanks and carb bowls, but I'm sorry to say you just have to do it. So I will give you just a couple tips that can save you time and money.
1. If you use a 5 gallon gas can, try using just a 1 gallon can so that the fuel is replenished more often. Premium fuel wouldn't hurt either
2. Add stabile or a gas treatment to the fuel tank or even the gas can. This will keep the gas fresh a little longer.
3. If you know you are not going to be using the unit for a long time, drain all fuel from carb area, most dirt and street bikes that have carbs are easy to drain with either a flat head screw driver or an allen wrench. Power equipment can be done most of the time with a 10mm socket or wrench to drain the float bowl. (make sure the fuel valve is off).
4. The best way to keep up on our off road toys and power equipment is to keep them running. Every couple of weeks pull them out, start them up and charge batteries as needed. This will hopfully prevent running problems and save a little money. |
|
September
"Ride It"
I like to use the term "Ride It" letting your bike sit for a period of time can cause seals and gaskets to dry up, which then cause oil leaks. Fork seals will then start to crack causing oil to seep on the fork tube and front brake pads. It's not cheap these days to have fork seals replaced. The drive chain is very important to keep up on, dry and weather damaged chains can be a safety hazard to other vehicles on the road if the chain were to break or fly off. Your fuel system is also something to be aware of; a lot of people think that just because they have a fuel injected bike that it's ok just to let it sit "wrong". I have seen many fuel injectors clogged up and it tends to be more expensive than just having the carb rebuilt. The more you just "Ride It" the more you will think about the importance of maintaining your motorcycle. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
