Greasing at the Beginning is Effective If You Want to Keep Driving a New Motorcycle in Perfect Condition

The paint is clean, the engine is performing great, and there's nothing to complain about when you get your motorcycle new. That's what most new motorcycle owners think. However, even if the motorcycle is unique to the user, it is only one out of tens of thousands for the manufacturer. If there is a possibility to make it even better than it is now, don't you think it would be better to do it? That's what greasing up the body parts is all about.

New motorcycles are the best, but mass-produced motorcycles have their limitations.

In the case of a trail vehicle with a large amount of wheel travel, the operating range of the links is also wider due to the larger suspension stroke. In addition, when driving on forest roads or uneven terrain, the speed of suspension operation is faster and the load change may be greater. Therefore, lubrication of links and bushes is important.

While some people love to tinker with their motorcycles and always buy used, most riders prefer to buy a new model if they can. Even if you're going to customize a motorcycle to your liking, you'll want to start with a stock motorcycle rather than one that's been tinkered with by someone else, and some used motorcycles have too much of the previous owner's personality on them. Of course, there's also the peace of mind that comes with knowing that a new motorcycle is unbreakable.

As a user, it is natural to think that there is nothing that can break in a new motorcycle. However, this is not 100% true. The new motorcycle we can buy is the only one for us, but for the manufacturer, it is one of thousands or tens of thousands. Of course, manufacturers ship products that fall within the necessary and sufficient range of performance and quality. Now that the importance of traceability is thoroughly understood, the production process can be traced back to the smallest detail in case something goes wrong. When a defective part or mistake in the manufacturing process is discovered, a recall is immediately issued, thanks to the correct control of the process.

On the other hand, mass-produced industrial products are subject to a certain range of variation. It may sound bad to say "blurring," but there are tolerances and differences. One example is the piston in an engine. The pistons used in mass-produced motorcycles may have slight differences in weight and dimensions. Normally, this would not be a problem (if there is enough of a difference to cause a problem, it will be removed during the inspection process), but if you are concerned about a small difference, you may want to select a piston with a small difference from a large number of pistons.

Although there is a certain range of differences in parts, the same kind of blurring may occur in the assembly process. In the production line of the manufacturer, the tightening torque of the bolt and nut is controlled while assembling, but even there, strictly speaking, the increase or decrease of the torque may occur depending on the vehicle and the bolt and nut to be tightened. Of course, there is no such thing as a bolt that should be tightened with 10Nm being tightened with 20Nm. But as I posted before, the actual tightening torque can vary slightly even with a torque wrench.

Grease up when the motorcycle is new and it can prevent wear for years to come.

Lack of grease in the moving parts of the linkage causes the suspension to move badly, and if the collar and bush (or bearing) are seized, the movement will be even worse. If the grease lubrication is sufficient, the suspension will operate softly even with small load changes, making the ride feel softer. There are some motorcycles where the suspension is not moving well due to lack of maintenance, and as soon as the grease is applied, the suspension extends and the seat height feels higher.

The rear suspension linkage area is almost empty even though the motorcycle has only been driven a few hundred kilometers since new. This is not the fault of the manufacturer, but the necessary grease was applied at the time of manufacture, and oil can certainly be felt on the collar and bushings. However, the grease is minimal and there is no moisture.

The gap between the bushing or needle roller bearing pressed into the link and the collar is so small that even if you apply a generous amount of grease to the inside surface of the bushing, most of it may be pushed out the other side when the collar is inserted. Still, it's safer than applying a thin layer of grease. Wipe off the grease that protrudes from the oil seal with a rag.

Although the tightening torque of the bolts and nuts can be large or small, it might be a good idea to pay attention to the grease required for moving parts even on a new motorcycle. Grease is applied to the moving parts of each part of the motorcycle body, such as wheels, steering stems, swing arm pivots, and rear suspension links. There is no doubt that the type and amount of grease used are determined by the manufacturer at the time of development. However, when actually checking a new motorcycle, it is true that there are times when the grease is somewhat insufficient.

The motorcycle shown here is a like new one with only a few hundred km on it since new, everything performs smoothly, no squeaks or noises. However, as I removed the rear tire and rear suspension linkage, I noticed that there was very little grease on the pivot shaft and collar, and it was almost dry.

Of course, this is not an assembly error, but a specification when the motorcycle was shipped new, and the clearance between the collar and the bushing is very small, so it is understandable that over-application would be useless. However, if the lip of the oil seal continues to move against the non-oily collar, the rubber lip may be damaged. And even if it's not obviously damaged, its life may be shortened. The same is true for the swingarm pivot. The minimum amount of grease required may keep it lubricated, but it is only the parts that rub against each other with a high force that may cause premature deterioration of the grease which is the cause of the seizure.

Regular maintenance is effective and important to prevent such problems. If you grease up at the ideal time, the amount of grease that was applied when the motorcycle was new will probably be fine. However, if you are aware of the importance of greasing, you would not want to miss out on the last-minute minimum amount of grease. The disassembled rear suspension parts were re-greased and restored.

Applying too much grease to the undercarriage parts will only attract grit and grime from the tires and cause new wear. But at the very least, moistening the shaft and collar with grease, when they seem almost dry, will have a positive effect on wear in the short term, as well as in a few year's time.

The most effective parts are the pivot shaft of the swingarm and the axle shaft of the wheel, and the grease film on the part where the collar and the bearing are not in contact can be expected to prevent rust. There are many old motorcycle owners who have experienced the problem that the shaft is so fat due to rust that they cannot pull it out even if they hit it with a hammer.

When purchasing a used motorcycle, it is essential to check the lubrication condition of each part.

The bolts that go through the inside of the collar only connect the link to the arm, so the collar does not rotate or slide on the surface of the bolts. However, greasing these bolts is effective in preventing rust. Greasing for rust prevention is also effective on wheel axle shafts and swingarm pivots.

It is not enough to grease all the bolts and nuts. However, the bolts around the feet are prone to getting water and grit on them while riding, so it is best to grease them as a precaution. This is the drive chain adjusting bolt, more than half of which is threaded into the swingarm and the head of the bolt holds the adjuster.

Whereas the additional greasing of a new motorcycle is a tipping point. Greasing is an essential task when you get a used motorcycle. It is safe to say that. If you buy a motorcycle from a motorcycle shop, you can rest assured that the maintenance has been done properly. However, even if the tires, brake pads, and engine oil have been changed, it is not clear if the bodywork has been greased. Of course, there may be shops that do that much work for you without you having to ask. however don't just assume that because there is no noise, it's okay.

The age of the vehicle does not mean that it is safe if the mileage is low. If the mileage is small, it is not exposed to a strong load, and the lubrication performance itself may not have decreased. However, if the grease has not been used for 5 or 10 years, the viscosity itself will decrease and become viscous, and there is a risk that the grease will not protect the moving parts that need lubrication when they are moved. Although it is different from the vehicle in the image, I once found that the stem bearing of a motorcycle with 3000km of riding that had been stored in a garage for almost 10 years had deteriorated to the point where it was as ragged as eraser dust.

There were no dents in the bearing race, so the handlebars were able to turn smoothly from side to side, but if I had started riding again in such a condition, it would have been damaged in a short time and would have required more troublesome maintenance such as race replacement. It was lucky that I could find the grease deterioration and replace it before it happened.

Thus, if you get a used motorcycle, you need to grease the moving parts, but it is important to know that even if it is a new motorcycle, you can keep it in good condition for a longer period of time by checking its condition and applying grease as needed.