In this month’s tech talk, Carl discusses the care and maintenance of some components on your motorcycle that you might not think to lubricate.
Let’s start with some of the most overlooked items: zippers and snap fasteners on your riding gear. When you go out riding in foul weather, your jacket gives your good protection, but the zippers and snaps get exposed to the elements, and over time they become difficult to operate. We offer a lubricant designed for plastic and metal zippers and snaps that is water resistant and will not stain. You can apply a small amount to your snaps or along the length of your zipper and work it into the teeth using the slider. This product also works well on soft luggage.
Next, we want to talk about cables. Your bike has a clutch cable, a throttle cable, and maybe a choke cable. Some older bikes may have a drum rear brake operated with a cable. Keeping these cables well-lubricated helps them function much more smoothly and extends their service life. We carry tools that makes applying lubrication to cables much easier than in the past with no mess. We also have specially formulated lubes designed for this application.
The last item we’ll talk about are fork seals. When fork seals are clean and well-lubricated, your forks will slide up and down with ease. Over time, dust and grime builds up and causes the seals to bind. This might be particularly noticeable when fork action is very busy (up and down) and you start to experience a “chatter” with the forks, like they are sticking mid-stroke. Not only does this degrade performance, the buildup will also wear down your seals. Using a fork seal grease when assembling the forks is the easiest solution. Fork seal grease is water-resistant and designed to allow your forks to freely glide without sticking. If your forks have already been assembled, you can use a fork seal cleaning tool to clean the seals before carefully applying fork seal grease. If you do a lot of riding in dusty conditions, you may also consider replacing your fork boots with fork skins, which do a better job of keeping dirt from getting into the seals.
Don’t forget to care for these often overlooked components on your motorcycle! If you have any questions, please send us an e-mail or call or text us, and we’d be happy to help.