If you recently bought a motorbike or have owned a bike for some time, you should have it serviced. By servicing your bike, you can ensure that it is in excellent condition and safe to ride. Servicing your motorbike regularly will not only prolong its lifetime, but it’ll also allow you to get the best performance from it. So, are you wondering about how often should you service a motorbike?
The truth is, it varies from bike to bike since there are many models of motorcycles in the market. Therefore, pinpointing one exact time for servicing motorbikes isn’t particularly helpful.
So, keep reading this article to learn about everything related to motorcycle maintenance and how often should you service a motorbike.
Table of Contents
What Is Service Maintenance Of A Motorbike?
A motorbike service is provided to keep your motorbike or vehicle in good operating condition. Such motorcycle servicing involves checking the health of different parts of the bike. After reviewing all the components, the next step is to recondition the parts by replacing and repairing them.
How Often Should You Service A Motorbike?
Well, ‘how often should you service is a motorbike?’ is a fairly tricky question to answer. And that’s because it is different for every bike. For example, some bikes are built for long-term performance and efficiency. But, on the other hand, some bikes are made for speed. Therefore, the answer to how often you should service a motorbike depends on the purpose of your bike.
So, several points might factor into in deciding how often you should service a motorbike. And some of these points are as follows:
- How often you use your bike
- Riding speed
- Weather conditions. For instance, you will need a pair of tires with better grips in winter.
- CC of your bike
- Previous history and current health of the bike
- Motorbike condition (is it used or new?)
In general, you should take your bike to a service centre every six months or so. On average, a running bike covers 2,500-4,000 miles on the roads every six months. However, most service centres recommend that you service and maintain your bike at least once a year.
We recommend that you check your motorbike manual to learn the exact desirable frequency for your bike. It’s the best source for all the necessary information about your bike.
What Are The Benefits Of Servicing A Motorbike?
There are many benefits of servicing your bike. For example, a properly maintained bike gives you peace of mind on your bike’s reliability. In addition, it ensures that your bike will serve you well throughout its life.
And that’s not all. Here are some other benefits of regularly servicing a motorbike:
- Get better fuel efficiency since your bike condition is tremendous and engines are working efficiently.
- You will get a better resale price when you sell your bike.
- The chances of sudden breakdowns and part failures are significantly reduced.
- There are minimal complications while claiming a warranty.
- The wear & tear rate of your motorbike parts or components such as tyre and chain are significantly lowered.
- You can make informed decisions about upcoming expenses and which parts you need to change from the service centre.
Moreover, you can do essential maintenance by yourself. But for the full service of your bike, it’s best to let professionals handle the job.
What Motorbike Service Maintenance Can You Do On Your Own?
Going a little DIY when it comes to bike maintenance can really help your pocket. Also, it will empower you and help in keeping you safe on the road. For example, you can do service maintenance like:
- Check tyres and tyre pressure.
- Check or change engine oil.
- Clean or change the air filter.
- Check the drive chain.
- Check or change the spark plug.
That’s not much, but doing these maintenances will prolong your bike life and its overall performance. Also, the chances of your motorbike breaking down in the middle of the road will be significantly lower.
Do You Need A Professional Serviceman To Service Your Bike?
Not necessarily, but safety is paramount when it comes to motorcycling. Service mechanics are trained to have an eagle eye when it comes to servicing bikes. They can easily find out just by looking and hearing if the bike has any problems. For example, from a glance, they will be able to tell you if your clutch cable is showing signs of wear.
Also, you will need an MOT certificate in the UK if your bike is three years old or more. So, you should take your bike to the service centre at least once a year for the MOT inspection. However, there are some simple maintenance steps that you can do on your own to minimise service costs.
What Does A Motorbike Service Package Include?
There are different levels of service your bike may need. The service centres offer various types of maintenance packages. These packages are usually as follows:
- Interim maintenance service package
- Annual maintenance service package
- Major maintenance service package
- Full maintenance service package.
Every service centre will include vital and standard maintenance services in its package.
1. Interim Maintenance Service Package
Interim is the most basic kind of inspection and repair service. It does not cover much, and it only covers minor points. If you take this package, you will get:
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Therefore, you can see that the interim package doesn’t cover a lot of the internal issues. Mostly the surface issues are all that it covers.
2. Annual Maintenance Service Package
If you feel that your bike needs some attention, then you should go for annual service. It covers everything in the interim service package. In addition, it only adds spark plug inspection and change.
3. Major Maintenance Service Package
The primary service will take care of almost all potential issues on your bike. Also, it looks back into the bike’s history to ensure that nothing is in danger of wire re-faulting if it went wrong before. The effective service also covers the interim package along with a few additional inspections and repairs. For instance, in major services, you will also get:
- Spark plug inspection and replacement
- Carburettor or throttle body balance adjustment
- Valve clearance check
- Detailed fault history check, clear and reset.
4. Full Maintenance Service Package
A full-service includes replacements of almost every oil or fluid to fresh and new ones, along with the significant service package. In summary, you will get a detailed examination of your bike from top to bottom.
Moreover, these package prices vary from garage to garage and can cost you a hefty sum of money if you’re not market-aware. And whatever the case is, keeping your motorbike in good condition will also help your budget any day.
Here is the complete list of what you will get in those packages:
Service Name | Package | |||
Interim | Annual | Major | Full | |
Road test | ||||
Bulb inspection | ||||
Tyre inspection | ||||
Clutch inspection | ||||
Chain and sprockets inspection | ||||
Throttle inspection | ||||
Brake and clutch fluid replacement | ||||
Battery inspection | ||||
Air filter replacement | ||||
Suspension inspection | ||||
Exhaust inspection | ||||
Control cable inspection | ||||
Steering head bearings strip, clean and grease | ||||
Rear suspension linkage strip, clean and grease | ||||
Oil and filter change | ||||
Coolant replacement | ||||
Wheel bearings inspection | ||||
Brake pads/callipers/discs inspection | ||||
Spark plug replacement | ||||
Carburettor or throttle body balance adjustment | ||||
Valve clearance check | ||||
Detailed fault history check, clear and reset | ||||
Fork oil replacement |
How Long Does A Motorbike Servicing Take?
How often should you service a motorbike certainly does not have an answer that’s too straightforward. But how long it takes to do has a relatively simple one.
Generally, all your bike essential service maintenance work can be completed in one day. Many garages offer weekend servicing. However, they will charge you extra. So, if you use your bike as a primary vehicle, then during the weekdays, you won’t be left without it for too long.
Also, some service centres offer a courtesy bike. So, if your bike repair needs more than one or two days, take your bike to them. However, checking their reputation and reviews is always a fundamental step towards caution.
And full-service maintenance of your bike can take more than one day. Also, if your bike needs the repairing of a rare part, it might take longer than usual.
How Much Does A Motorbike Servicing Cost?
Just like how often should you service a motorbike depends on your bike, this also largely depends on your bike model and the service package you choose. The service packages price vary from a service centre to another. So, be sure to call them and ask if they have a package system or if they charge by the hour.
On average, every garage or service shop charges 50 – 70 pounds per hour for their services. Also, if your bike needs extra parts for your bike, you will have to pay for it.
Below is a list of service costs if you want to change, adjust or fix parts for your bike.
Service name | Cost | Service name | Cost |
For changing parts | |||
Engine oil | £17 | Battery | £7 |
Clutch | £70 | Oil filter | £12 |
Rear-wheel bearings | £35 | Fuel filter | £12 |
Front-wheel bearings | £35 | Pistons | £65 |
Fork seal | £70 | Bulbs | £5 |
Fork oil | £70 | Tyre (loose wheel) | £10 |
Chain – | £18 | Sprockets – | £35 |
Chain kit | £60 | Spark plugs | £18 |
Water pump | £70 | Seat cover | £35 |
Front brake pads | £18 | Drive belt, rollers | £55 |
Rear brake pads | £18 | ||
For adjusting parts | |||
Valve clearance | £70 | Timing, valve | £70 |
Chain | £7 | Ignition | £70 |
Carburettor | £32.5 | Fueling | £35 |
Front suspension | £35 | Tyre pressure | Free |
Rear suspension | £35 | ||
For fixing | |||
Engine | £1299 | Tubed puncture | £38 |
Gearbox | £90 | Tubeless puncture | £35 |
Ignition, lock | £70 | Fork | £70 |
Tyre puncture | £35 | ||
For cleaning | |||
Carburettor | £70 | Bike | £10 |
Injection system | £70 | ||
Other services | |||
Make number plate | £25 | Recovery, collection | £40-50 |
Lube chain | £10 | Electric component | £35 |
Source: Southern Cross
As you can see, service maintenance can cost you a lot of money. Therefore, taking the best possible care of your bike is always worth your time and effort.
What Can You Do To Keep Your Bike In Good Condition?
well, who doesn’t want to keep their motorbike shiny and in good condition? In addition, you should take care of your bike as it ensures your safety on the road. You can do some simple things to make sure your bike is safe to ride and not break down suddenly.
Here are a few tips that can help you to keep your bike in good condition. And besides figuring how often should you service a motorbike, knowing how often to go through these steps will also be helpful. So keep scrolling to learn more.
1. Check your bike tyres every day.
2. Check engine oil and its level before taking your bike out.
3. Check the drive chain.
4. Check engines for the dust and then clean the parts.
5. Clean your bike outside.
6. Check and clean the air filter.
7. Ride your bike within the acceptable speed range.
8. Take classes or join the webinar on motorbike maintenance service.
1. Regularly Check Tyres
Here comes the first part of figuring out how often should you service a motorbike. That is – how often should you check your bikes tiers? The answer is – every day before taking it out for a ride. For example, you can check your motorbike tyres for possible cuts and scrapes. If your bike tyre has cuts and scrapes, that could lead to a sudden tyre blowout. If there is one, take your bike to a garage to repair it before the condition worsens.
Also, you should make sure that the tyre air pressure is at the right level. Read the manual or visit the company website to find the correct air pressure level. However, you can use a digital air pressure gauge to check the tyre pressure in your home.
2. Check Engine Oil Level Regularly.
Now comes the second part of your question- ‘how often should you service a motorbike’. That is – how often to check your bike’s engine oil level?
To start with, engine oil plays an essential role in the smooth operation and maintenance of your bike. So, you should regularly check the engine oil level of your bike. Inspect if the oil is dirty or thickened. If so, then you have to change the engine oil. Otherwise, your motorbike fuel efficiency will decrease significantly.
After that, make sure the engine oil is at an accurate level. Also, check for any oil leakage in your bike.
3. Check the Drive Chain.
Check the chain if it is loose or has dirt on it. Use a small piece of cloth and brush to clean the chain. Don’t use water to clean the chain because it can contribute to wearing and rusting your bike chain. After that, use engine oil to lubricate your bike chain. Good lubrication is important for your bike chain for smooth performance.
However, tightening the chain can be tricky and time-consuming. Therefore, go to a repair shop to tighten the bike drive chain when feasible.
4. Check Engines for the Dust and Then Clean the Parts.
The engine is the heart of your bike. And doing service maintenance of your bike’s engine on your own can get pretty complicated. So, here comes the most crucial part of the question- ‘how often should you service a motorbike?’. That is – how often should you get its engine checked and serviced.
Generally speaking, taking your bike to a service centre at least once a year is a good approach. However, there are a few simple and easy things that you can do to maintain your bike. For example, you can clean the carburettor float chamber, spark plug and other parts on a regular basis.
5. Clean The Exterior Of Your Bike.
Two-wheelers need extra care when it comes to cleaning the exterior of your bike. So, you certainly have some liberty while deciding how often should you service a motorbike. But not so much when it comes to maintaining your bike’s exterior.
It would be best if you use microfibre cloths to clean your bike surface. However, when washing the bike with water, cover the areas such as the ignition switch unit, H.T. Coil and silencer. You can use plastics to protect them.
Also, try to park the bike near a shade to avoid direct sunlight because sunlight can dull your bike’s appearance.
6. Clean the Air Filter.
The dust in the air could clog the air filter so, make sure the filter is clean. Then, you can clean it in your home or take it to a service shop.
7. Ride your Bike Within the Acceptable Speed Range
When riding a bike, try to drive within the legally acceptable range of speed (30 to 60 mph). This way, the fuel consumption of your bike will also stay within an optimum range.
To conclude, always follow the speed limit instruction. Otherwise, you might have to pay a fine.
8. Take Classes on Motorbike Maintenance Service.
Knowing how to check, clean and repair your motorbike is always helpful. You will be able to take better care of your bike and keep it in good condition. As a result, you can minimise your bike’s overall service maintenance cost.
So, take online classes, read blogs and webinars related to motorcycle servicing. You may even find a career opportunity in this field. And a complete understanding of motorbike maintenance will give you better insights into how often you service a motorbike in general.
Therefore, if Motorbike Maintenance interests you, getting a quick online course is always the easiest and safest way to start. You can check the outline of this course by One Education on Motorbike Maintenance. This module has covered the key topics extensively. The course material was prepared by adept trainers who are long-experienced in this field.
Also, you will have access to the material for one year. And you can learn through any internet supported device. And apart from new learners, experienced bike service members are also likely to benefit from the comprehensive course materials.
Closing Note
Servicing your motorbike is very important for your bike’s longevity. Getting your bike scanned by a professional set of eyes once or twice a year will always contribute to good bike health. So, the answer to how often should you service a motorbike can certainly vary. But for a simplified answer, consistently doing extensive maintenance every year, combined with the easy daily maintenance steps, is always a good idea. So, even if it’s just for an interim service, taking a step will likely pay off in the long term.
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