I am keen to offer help and advice from experience gathered over 45 years of building, modifying & using a variety of bikes. I have seen youngsters & newcomers be taken advantage of by dealers and just a few words of advice can save a lot of heartache. Fitting auxilliery items needs careful consideration, l have learnt a lot thro the years and have a few choice tips..a good one; your spare ignition key is not much use on the hook in the kitchen not if the original goes missing and you are 250 miles away..mine is tucked away in the lining of my jacket..oh and one from the eighties; if you are riding in jeans, take the coins out of your pocket, keys too..ride safe x
When we go away to Europe we tend to give our spare keys to another rider to carry, along with a meds list (for some freinds), and contact details for the other half. And if you have a BMW, then you also get a spare plastic 'wallet key', which has the transponder and works all the locks and ignition. Handy.
Final drive chain maintenance; A trolly jack located under the rear shock mount, pumped up just enough will elevate the back of the bike whilst it rests on the sidestand allowing the rear wheel to rotate freely. I do this when washing the bike too it makes things much easier. A dish of white spirit with a paint brush liberally applied washes the rear chain clean of accumulated grime & then an aerosol lubricant sprayed on the inside of the chain to both runs of links..all this may seem desperately obvious to the initiated but may help people new to bikes. Whilst you have the chain clean it is a good moment to consider it's tension- don't forget to find the tight spot and set the tension there- lf you are a showman, black shoe polish on the tyre walls makes them look like new...Take care when jacking the bike, with a little practice it becomes easy- you may want to enlist the help of a buddy on the first few occasions to catch it if you get it wrong. I regularly use this method without any assistance and have not had a problem. Centre stands ? Ha ! Who needs them ?
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