Riding a motorcycle in the rain comes with its own set of challenges. To keep your motorcycle safe from feeling like a thousand year old bike these three things are super important to do, don’t worry you don’t need to fight any dragon to achieve this superpower of keeping your motorcycle safe. Just need to learn these 3 things and you’ll already be a responsible rider.
1. Fork Oil Seal
We all know how Indian roads are. Riding a motorcycle here is a challenge on its own but this becomes worse when keeping track of potholes with rain. That is something that actually becomes difficult, but even if you have the bestest motorcycle fork oil seal is something which will easily break if you get into a pothole by mistake. I faced it myself and this was something which many riders often forget to check while riding.
These seals are crucial for keeping the fork oil contained while allowing your bike’s suspension to work correctly. When they break, you can end up with oil leaks and compromised handling. Which can actually be bad for your motorcycle.
Instead of regretting it later, do this instated after every ride or when you hit a pothole.
- Regular Fork Inspection: Always check your fork oil seals for signs of oil leakage, especially after riding in wet conditions. If you see any leakage get it fixed as soon as possible.
- Use fork oil seal: there are multiple options available for all kinds of motorcycles which will help you keep your suspension safe.
- Keep Forks Clean: Wipe down your fork tubes after a rainy ride to remove any debris that could damage the seals. Consider using seal protectors or gaiters for added protection.
2. Cleaning Brake Pads
The biggest problem any biker can face in rains is Mud and slush, they can get stuck in your brake pads during a rainy ride. Let me tell you what exactly happens, Slush stuck in your brake pads not only reduces braking efficiency but can also lead to wear and damage of your disc. Keeping your brake pads clean is essential for maintaining good braking performance.
I’ve shown this in many of my videos what exactly happens when you don’t maintain your motorcycle chain and yet many of us ignore this simple task.
I have heard many riders say that because they use bike covers they don’t need to clean their chain as often which is completely false. Chain becomes rusted overtime mostly because you ride in such riding conditions and it has nothing to do with motorcycle cover. Yes you don’t wash your motorcycle as often or clean but still maintaining your motorcycle chain is still an important task to do during monsoon, if you think motorcycle chain and lube will be expensive then go with gear oil that also works fine.
Along with this, here are some of the best and most easy tips which you can follow to maintain your motorcycle.
Tips for Riding in the Rain
- Clean Brake Pads Frequently: After every wet ride, remove and clean your brake pads and calipers. Use a brush and water to scrub away mud and debris or you can also use sand paper that will be super helpful.
- Inspect Brake Pads: If you hear a “squeaky” noise coming when you break then check your brake pads immediately and if there’s anything in between.Check for uneven wear or damage and replace pads if necessary to ensure optimal braking performance.
- Avoid High-Pressure Washing: When cleaning your bike, avoid using high-pressure water on brake components to prevent forcing dirt into sensitive areas.
- Increase Chain Lubrication: Lubricate your chain more often in wet conditions. Clean the chain with a brush and chain cleaner, then apply a high-quality chain lube to prevent rust.
- Check Chain Tension: Regularly inspect and adjust the chain tension, the most important point of all many people doesn’t even know how to check and adjust their chain they just let the chain to be loose. as wet conditions can cause stretching or uneven wear that will bring extra tension overall.
Simple yet most effective tips I follow personally and I think you should get amazing results if you do the same.
