Motorcycle maintenance doesn't have to mean a trip to the dealership and you don't need a fully equipped workshop to start turning wrenches on your own adventure or dual-sport motorcycle. In this episode of Moto Adventurer Unscripted, Drew and Mark work their way through the basics of ADV motorcycle maintenance, from the simple jobs most riders can handle in the garage to the repairs that start getting a little more involved.
We talk about why the owner's manual and maintenance schedule should be your starting point, setting up motorcycle ergonomics, building a useful toolkit, chain cleaning and chain adjustment, checking battery voltage, changing motorcycle oil and filters, inspecting and replacing brake pads, and knowing when a maintenance job is simple enough to tackle yourself and when it's probably time to let somebody else do it.
If you've ever thought, "I'd like to work on my own motorcycle, but I don't know where to start," this one's for you.
Topics include:
DIY ADV motorcycle maintenance
Reading your motorcycle owner's manual
Motorcycle maintenance schedules
Motorcycle tools and torque wrenches
Chain cleaning and chain adjustment
Motorcycle battery maintenance
AGM vs. lithium motorcycle batteries
Motorcycle oil changes
Oil filter replacement
Air filter maintenance
Brake pad inspection and replacement
Motorcycle ergonomics and setup
Knowing when a repair is beyond your skill level
Building confidence working on your own motorcycle
The rabbit hole gets deeper in the subscriber hour.
Drew and Mark get into chain maintenance, including the good advice they follow, the advice they sometimes ignore, and what happens when maintenance gets neglected. Then they go considerably deeper into the jobs they're willing to tackle themselves — including valve checks, valve adjustments, top-end work, and engine disassembly — and the motorcycle repairs that even experienced riders would rather pay someone else to do.
The ride doesn't end when the episode does. Subscribers get ad-free listening and access to the Bonus Loop, our exclusive extended discussion recorded after the main show wraps up. If you enjoy the podcast, come along for a few extra miles.
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