Routine maintenance

Routine maintenance consists first of all of the usual checks (tires, chain, oil and brake fluid levels) but also of washing.

Washing and cleaning

Everyone (or almost) agrees to avoid the kaercher or to use it (very) far away. Pressurized water is particularly unappreciated by the engine, the exhaust (always provide a plastic cover to prevent water from entering) and the paint.
Personally, I am satisfied with a water jet or even a basin of water with a car shampoo (Auchan brand: about 3 euros) and a sponge. It foams quite a bit but it’s quite effective on grease. Then I rinse and wipe.
For the final touch, you can use two products: a Fluopolymer treatment for the bodywork like (GS27 – in 250ml) and the Turtle Wax for the chromes . These two products protect the paint and chrome and contribute to make the next wash much faster and more efficient.

PS: don’t forget to grease the chain after each wash (and to wait a bit so that the grease doesn’t smear everything: one night is good).

You can also read the cleaning section of the owner’s manual.

The paint

The worst thing about maintenance is undoubtedly the paint chips. At most manufacturers, you can find touch-up pens costing about 15 dollars. It’s expensive in absolute terms, but at least you can cover up the mess right away before it gets any worse and especially with the same color. Before, it was rather random. This is what you need to remedy the wear and tear of time and shocks.

Overhauls revisions

Overhauls revisions are a guarantee of the life of the motorcycle. They are carried out by the dealer and are a guarantee for an easier sale later on, but nothing prevents you from doing some of them yourself in order to reduce the final bill. In any case, an unused motorcycle also wears out and a long downtime can be very damaging for the engine. This explains the two figures used for the service intervals: kilometers and months.

A revision not to be missed under any circumstances: the first one, at the beginning of the break-in period, at the first 1000 kilometers.

Overhauls details

• The first overhaul up to 18.000 km.

• At 24.000 km, the overhaul is a bit more important (valve clearance + big carburetor synchro adjustment + chain kit (for the most careful!) and prices are not the same.
• After that, we come back to revisions until 42.000 km. In fact, the biggest overhaul takes place at 50.000 km: everything has to be checked: timing, valve clearances, cycle part controls (seals, bearings, etc…). And there, the price will turn up.
• Be careful ! The above-mentioned revisions do not include consumables such as tires and brake pads, which are extra.

Between two revisions, plan

• grease the chain every 500 kilometers
• Check the tire pressure
• Check the tension of the chain
• Check the screws everywhere (they unscrew with the vibrations, so it is necessary to prevent).

Please note! It is essential to have your bike serviced by a dealer during the entire warranty period (2 years). Otherwise, the motorcycle loses its warranty and in case of a problem, the loss of this warranty can cost you a lot. Afterwards, you can always do it yourself to save all these expensive operations.

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