I will admit that I used to be negligent with my motorcycle service for a long ass time in the past.
Part of my excuse is that I didn’t know anything about motorcycle maintenance. I was also scared of a hefty bike shop bill as I was tight on money.
That is not a valid excuse. The answers are clearly written in your owner manual.
And money-wise, yes, paying hundreds of dollars of mechanical maintenance is annoying.
But paying thousands on a repair for negligence is downright painful. (ask me how I know).
How often should I service my motorcycle?
It varies from a motorcycle model to another.
Yet, a motorcycle will usually need regular service every 4000 miles or less. Some motorcycle components like a drive chain may require more frequent attention.
Your motorcycle owner and service manuals will have more precise answers.
Inside will be an easy-to-follow periodic maintenance chart and checklist. It will tell you when your bike is due for service and why.
As an example, this is the maintenance chart inside my service manual for my Honda rebel 2008.
Motorcycle Service Checklist and Schedule
Your motorcycle owner manuals will often use the odometer reading as a reference for when to service your bike.
For example, your owner manual might recommend inspecting your valves clearance every time your bike traveled 4000 miles.
But distance is not the only reason your motorcycle might need service.
Time is also an important factor.
A motorcycle’s fluids will degrade over time.
Especially if your motorcycle has been sitting for a while.
If you haven’t taken your motorcycle for a ride in the past 4 months, your engine oil needs to be replaced.
If you want to know more on why your motorcycle oil can hurt your engine after 4 months, you can find the answer in this article by clicking here.
Otherwise, if you ride regularly but with low mileage, don’t wait for more than a year for an oil change.
The rest of the different fluids in your bike like fork oil, coolant, brake fluid need to be replaced every 1 to 2 years.
Your riding style and location also affect how often you should service your motorcycle.
This will be a determining factor if you often ride off-road and aggressively with hard braking and acceleration.
Your bike will need service and maintenance more often in these conditions.
How much does it cost to service a motorbike?
Depending on your motorcycle and what job needs to be done, there will be a different answer.
But a good average for regular motorcycle maintenance is to expect 100$ to 300$ per visit. Expect to bring your bike to a garage 2 to 3 times a year, so have around a 1000$ in the bank reserved for your bike services.
To know what it will cost you for specific maintenance in a more precise manner, call your preferred bike shop.
Ask for an estimate of what bike service you need to be taken care of on your motorcycle model.
Pro tips request that the estimate is in a written format. It will protect you in case of a misunderstanding when you are handed the final bill.
Motorcycle Owners Manuals Importance
I know what you are thinking.
I could type in Google what I am looking for and find the answer about my motorcycle for free.
I still recommend you get your owner’s manual and read it.
You may easily find the mechanical information you are seeking on the web; that is true. But be aware that misinformation is something common on the internet.
For example, I repaired a flat on my Honda rebel 250 and put the wheel back on the bike. I needed to know the required torque needed to tighten the wheel nut.
I decided to find my answer online, and ho, boy, was it chaos.
There was a lot of different answer by a lot of different websites and people on forums. Finding the right number in this mess was too much of a gamble.
I instead bought the honda rebel 250 service manual in a kindle version and found the proper numbers right away.
65lb of torque.
9.99$ well invested for not worrying about losing a wheel in the middle of my ride.
Final word About your motorcycle Service
Don’t neglect it, or you will eventually regret it and follow your owner’s manual recommendation.
Keep a logbook with the receipts of what type of maintenance was done on your bike and on what date.
This will save you many headaches if you forget important details and don’t know if you skipped service somewhere.
It is a great asset when negotiating the price on the day you decide to sell your bike. It proves your motorcycle was properly taken care of.
Ride safe. And a big part of riding safe is not to neglect your maintenance.
