Motorbike maintenance advice: everything from lubing your chain to rebuilding an engine in your garage
MCN's guide to keeping your motorcycle running, including advice on roadside repairs, lubricating your chain, cleaning your motorbike, and the bigger jobs you can do at home.
Essential motorcycle maintenance checklist to keep your machine running smoothly
08 July 2024 by
![Essential motorcycle maintenance checklist to keep your machine running smoothly](/wp-images/263277/480x320/best_motorcycle_wheel_and_tyre_accessories_and_tools.jpg)
Part of learning to ride, is learning how to look after your bike: keeping it in good shape is important for its lifespan, performance, and your safety. Regular checks can stop unexpected breakdowns...
How to give your bike a proper clean | MCN's expert guide to getting a motorbike gleaming
14 June 2024 by
![How to give your bike a proper clean | MCN's expert guide to getting a motorbike gleaming](/wp-images/59485/480x320/cleaning-bike-full.jpg)
Whether you love or loathe the task of cleaning your motorbike, if you want it to shine all summer or survive the grime and salt of winter unscathed, then you need to give it more than just a quick...
Ready to Ride: Fix a roadside flat
13 September 2023 by
![Ready to Ride: Fix a roadside flat](/wp-images/214152/480x320/step2a.jpg)
READY TO RIDE WITH AMAZON In this week’s how-to, we show you how to get going again after a puncture while on the move. These types of repairs can really get you out of a spot. The Gryp kit that we deployed here is really...
Ready to Ride: Fit soft luggage safely
30 August 2023 by
![Ready to Ride: Fit soft luggage safely](/wp-images/208510/480x320/acix8055.jpg)
READY TO RIDE WITH AMAZON Don’t take for granted that when you have fitted soft luggage to your bike that it will stay secure. You should check that it is still safely fitted when you stop for fuel or park up. A pal of...
Ready to Ride: How to fit heated grips
09 August 2023 by
![Ready to Ride: How to fit heated grips](/wp-images/204841/480x320/pack_shot_d_preview_maxwidth_3000_maxheight_2000_ppi_72_quality_100.jpg)
READY TO RIDE WITH AMAZON When it comes to choosing a set of heated grips, having the ability to vary the amount of heat with a controller is top of my agenda, but more importantly than that, is some sort of battery-saving...
Ready to Ride: Service your brakes and change pads
02 August 2023 by
![Ready to Ride: Service your brakes and change pads](/wp-images/203161/480x320/step_2a.jpg)
READY TO RIDE WITH AMAZON When it comes to changing the brake pads on your bike it’s worth checking out what type of brake pad is available, as there will be a dizzying array on offer, each one claiming different benefits.
Fixing Up: How to refresh your oil
25 July 2023 by
![Fixing Up: How to refresh your oil](/wp-images/201277/480x320/cw5d0569.jpg)
Ready to Ride with Amazon In part two of our Amazon Fixing Up: Ready to Ride series we get the 2019 Kawasaki Z1000SX back in the workshop. This week’s job is to replace the engine oil and fit a new filter. An oil and...
Fixing up: Your 10-point checklist for looking after your bike
11 July 2023 by
![Fixing up: Your 10-point checklist for looking after your bike](/wp-images/199840/480x320/cw4d4095.jpg)
Ready to Ride with Amazon One of the joys of motorcycle ownership for me is being in the workshop and getting the tools out. It’s a way of unwinding and learning the detail of maintaining and looking after your bike. This...
How to protect your bike from damage in a crash
01 June 2023 by
![How to protect your bike from damage in a crash](/wp-images/198242/480x320/how-to-fit-crash-protection-01.jpg)
The thought of ever damaging your bike can be enough to turn your stomach, which is why plenty of us choose to lavish them with crash protection. Made from tough nylon, crash protection is designed to...
Stay connected: Wire in a motorcycle USB port and phone cradle for navigation and more
09 May 2023 by
![Stay connected: Wire in a motorcycle USB port and phone cradle for navigation and more](/wp-images/197263/480x320/how-to-fit-usb-cradle-lead.jpg)
Plenty of bikers enjoy time on two wheels precisely because it’s time that we can’t be reached, distracted or hassled by our phones. The time spent ‘off-grid’ in the saddle can be a sacred break from...
How to get your bike track ready: Some easy prep will make your trackday a total success
24 June 2022 by
![How to get your bike track ready: Some easy prep will make your trackday a total success](/wp-images/187675/480x320/how-to-lead.jpg)
If you’ve booked a place on a trackday it can be easy to focus on preparing yourself as a rider and forget to get your bike ready. In the best case scenario, this may mean having to borrow a pressure...
How to fit clip-on bars for that tucked-in race-style ride
25 February 2022 by
![How to fit clip-on bars for that tucked-in race-style ride](/wp-images/60620/480x320/clip-ons.jpg)
If your bike has standard fitment one-piece handlebars and you want a tucked-in race-style riding position, then lower clip-on bars, which bolt directly to the fork legs, are the answer to your...
Discography: How to change your brake discs
07 February 2022 by
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Changing your brake discs yourself can save you a good chunk of cash and give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside as you complete a job well done. In this article we’re going to take you through the...
Stop motion: How to service your brake calipers
17 January 2022 by
![Stop motion: How to service your brake calipers](/wp-images/60542/480x320/header.jpg)
Cleaning and servicing your brake calipers is a crucial job if you’ve ridden through winter or had the bike laid up for a while, but it only takes an afternoon. So what are you waiting for? Related:...
Shaft-drive bikes vs chain-driven bikes
13 January 2022 by
![Shaft-drive bikes vs chain-driven bikes](/wp-images/60533/480x320/vfr1200f_shaftdrive.jpg)
What are the advantages and disadvantages of shaft drive motorcycles and chain-driven bikes? The major benefits of shaft-drive are lower maintenance and running costs, and cleanliness. The...
What’s the deal with E10 fuel? We enlist an expert to answer your 'green petrol' questions
15 March 2021 by
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From September 2021 ‘E10’ will become the new standard unleaded petrol in UK filling stations and the changeover has sparked concerns that it could cause poor running or even damage on some...
How to get your motorbike back on the road after a long time
12 March 2021 by
![How to get your motorbike back on the road after a long time](/wp-images/59522/480x320/main.jpg)
If you’ve had to lay your bike up for a long period of time, be it due to the seasons, an illness, a trip away with work or any other reason, your bike may need some attention before it’s ready to hit...
Get your stoppers gleaming: how to clean your motorbike's brakes
02 January 2021 by
![Get your stoppers gleaming: how to clean your motorbike's brakes](/wp-images/59893/480x320/8reattach_caliper.jpg)
Cleaning your brakes is an important step in motorcycle maintenance and a fairly easy one to do. The tools required are basic (allen keys, a socket set and a torque wrench) and the payoff is instant.
How to prepare your motorbike for winter
20 November 2020 by
![How to prepare your motorbike for winter](/wp-images/59831/480x320/1.rubber.jpg)
Preparing your motorbike for the colder weather, salt on the roads and slippery conditions is an important task if you don’t want to watch it rot away in front of your eyes. As well as the tips in...
Put a spring in your step: Why you should get a pro suspension set up
30 October 2020 by
![Put a spring in your step: Why you should get a pro suspension set up](/wp-images/59788/480x320/triumph-sprint-1050.jpg)
Feel like making a dramatic change to your bike’s performance, something that’ll affect every aspect of your riding? Forget fancy carbon-clad exhausts – pound for pound suspension upgrades make the...
Testing times: How to pass your motorbike MoT first time
09 June 2020 by
![Testing times: How to pass your motorbike MoT first time](/wp-images/59586/480x320/how-to-pass-mot-01.jpg)
All motorcycles over three-years-old (and under 40) require a valid MoT test certificate in order to be ridden legally on the road in the UK. And even if your vehicle is exempt, it is a legal...
Charge! Keep your motorbike battery healthy while it's laid up
07 April 2020 by
![Charge! Keep your motorbike battery healthy while it's laid up](/wp-images/59511/480x320/battery-charging-04.jpg)
When a bike’s being used regularly, the battery should stay fit and healthy for several years. But when a bike is laid up – as many are over the winter months, and many more were during 2020’s...
Neevesy's bike-hacks: How to set up your motorbike like a road test pro
01 April 2020 by
![Neevesy's bike-hacks: How to set up your motorbike like a road test pro](/wp-images/59507/480x320/yamaha-tracer-900.jpg)
So your bike is sitting patiently in your garage, waiting to blink back out into the sun again when this is all over, but what can you do to it to make it work better for you, without spending any...
Motorbike tyre advice: know your bike’s boots
03 March 2020 by
![Motorbike tyre advice: know your bike’s boots](/wp-images/59144/480x320/dunlop-tyre-test-171.jpg)
Tyres are the most important part on your bike – your sole connection with the road for the overwhelming majority of the time. Related: Best tyre pressure gauges There’s a lot to know about your...
Can do attitude? It's MCN's guide to replacing your motorbike exhaust silencer
02 March 2020 by
![Can do attitude? It's MCN's guide to replacing your motorbike exhaust silencer](/wp-images/59436/480x320/8.jpg)
Fitting a new motorcycle exhaust is usually a luxury rather than a necessity. It’s nice to slip off a clumpy, heavy OE silencer and slip on something altogether lighter and sexier. But sometimes you...
Braking bad? How to change your motorbike's brake fluid
18 February 2020 by
![Braking bad? How to change your motorbike's brake fluid](/wp-images/59417/480x320/3.jpg)
Changing your motorbike’s brake fluid is a relatively easy DIY job. It may be hidden from view, but the liquid inside your bike’s braking system should never be taken for granted. Related: Top...
Slick operation! How to change your motorbike oil and filters
08 August 2019 by
![Slick operation! How to change your motorbike oil and filters](/wp-images/59178/480x320/_change-oil.jpg)
The oil in your motorbike’s engine plays an incredibly important role. It acts as a cushion between moving parts, such as between camshaft and head, reducing friction and wear. Related: Best socket...
Shock therapy: How to set up your motorbike’s suspension
31 July 2019 by
![Shock therapy: How to set up your motorbike’s suspension](/wp-images/59160/480x320/suspension_01.jpg)
Your motorbike’s suspension can seem a daunting thing to take some spanners to, but do it right and you’ll almost certainly transform your bike’s ride and handling. Related: Guide to top motorbike...
The missing link? How to look after your motorbike chain
12 July 2019 by
![The missing link? How to look after your motorbike chain](/wp-images/59140/480x320/important.jpg)
A motorbike chain is a vitally important bit of kit. It’s essentially the part that connects your motor to your back wheel in most cases, so careful maintenance is key to keeping your bike...
What's that noise? Motorbike troubleshooting by sound
14 May 2019 by
![What's that noise? Motorbike troubleshooting by sound](/wp-images/59014/480x320/ramps.jpg)
Bike engines will make a variety of noises; hardly surprising with several hundred metal parts whizzing round thousands of time a minute. Related: Best basic motorbike tools If you are worried about...
Repairing your motorcycle on the move
13 May 2019 by
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Learning to fix your motorcycle at the roadside is a skill all bikers need. It can happen to the best of us – you thumb the starter after stopping for a rest break and nothing; your bike doesn’t want...