For some people there is no better experience than to hit the open road on a motorcycle. Tooling down the highway with the wind flowing past you, unobstructed by a cocoon of metal and glass, is downright exhilarating. In order to maximize that feeling of freedom you get on a bike, you need to make sure it’s operating efficiently--and that means doing routing maintenance to keep it running smoothly. Following are a few motorcycle maintenance tips.

Today’s Bikes are Reliable

Even though modern motorcycles are generally considered more reliable than they were a few decades ago, they still require a bit more maintenance than a car or truck. To make sure your bike continues to perform the way it’s supposed to, there are some things you should do on a regular basis. Because today’s motorcycles are more dependable than they used to be, a lot of riders nowadays don’t have a clue what maintenance needs to be done, or how to do it. They simply start the bike and ride away day after day, without a thought toward doing any sort of maintenance. That’s really not a good idea, because the more you take care of your ride, the longer and more enjoyable your motorcycling experience will be.

General Maintenance

Due to the fact that a motorcycle, like a car, is comprised of hundreds, if not thousands, of moving parts, you could spend every waking hour doing maintenance if you wanted to. But in order to set aside a little time to actually ride your bike you may want to limit your maintenance to a few routine things. Some of the items that require regular inspection to make sure they’re doing what they were intended to do are the battery, oil, tires, wheels, drive system (chain, belt, or shaft,) brakes, and fuel supply.

Battery

If the battery isn’t working properly, you probably won’t be going anywhere, no matter how much time and effort you putting into maintenance on other parts of the bike. A dead battery means you’ll either have to recharge it, or jumpstart the machine. In order make the sure the battery is operating correctly, you should check the fluid levels regularly. A battery has a number of compartments, each containing fluid. If the fluid level drops in any of the compartments, you should top it off with distilled water. Never use tap water. There are minerals in tap water that will harm the battery. You should also check the terminals and wires for wear from time to time.

Oil

Maintaining the proper oil level is intricate to your motorcycle operating efficiently. You should check the oil level periodically--before each ride, wouldn’t hurt--to make sure it isn’t low. Check the oil when the engine is cold in order to get an accurate reading. If it’s low, add oil until the dipstick reads full. You should also change the oil regularly, every 2,000 miles, or so, in order to ensure the engine runs smoothly--and be sure and put in a new oil filter at least every other oil change.

Tires

Maintaining the correct amount of tire pressure is important on a motorcycle. If you have the proper tire pressure, you will not only get better fuel consumption but the tires will also last a lot longer. Keep a close eye on the treads. Even though motorcycle tires are not cheap, it would be better to spend the money to replace tires before the tread gets too low than to try and get the last possible mile of usage out of it. Not having enough tread on your tires can cause handling problems, and could also lead to a blow-out.

Wheels

Hand-in-hand with tire maintenance is taking care of your wheels. Every time you check the pressure in your tires it would be a good idea to inspect the spokes on your wheels. Broken or loose spokes can cause handling problems.

Drive System

Keeping your drive train in good running condition is extremely important. There are three basic types of drive systems on motorcycles; chains, shafts, and belts. Chains require more routine maintenance than shafts or belts. If you have chain drive you should make sure it is adequately and routinely lubricated. A motorcycle chain should never be too tight, or too loose. Check your owner’s manual for proper tightening instructions. Shafts and belts don’t need as much care, but some routine maintenance is called for. If you have a shaft-drive motorcycle, it would be a good idea to replace the oil in the shaft every time you change your engine oil. If your bike is belt-driven, that would also be a good time to check the belt and adjust it if necessary.

Brakes

A carefully cared for braking system is just as vital to your motorcycling experience as a properly tuned and maintained engine. Without good brakes you probably wouldn’t be able to avoid objects in the roadway that shouldn’t be there. There are usually brake fluid reservoirs for the front and back brakes. It’s necessary to check the fluid level frequently, and replace the fluid periodically. You should also check the brake pads from time to time, and replace them before they become too thin.

Fuel Supply

Gas, like oil, should be clean in order to operate at peak efficiency. Your gas filter should be cleaned regularly, and replaced every year or two. Check the fuel lines periodically to make sure they haven’t been damaged by weather conditions.

Guest post from Sydney Sommers. Sydney writes about motorcycle insurance for MotorcycleInsurance.com.