Monsoons bring rains. Rains bring respite from the heat but also a ton of problems for your dear bike. Here’s how you can keep your two-wheeler protected during the monsoon.
Monsoons generally don’t bode well for the health of a bike. Even worse for those who do not have a covered parking area. But don’t let the gloom darken your mood. Here are some tips to help you maintain your bike’s fitness this season:
Additional Reading: Traffic Rulebook: For Two Wheelers
Filter!
During the monsoons, the air is heavy with moisture and this might lower the efficiency of your bike’s air filters. As a result, your bike’s air filter can get clogged resulting in your two-wheeler stalling, jerking and/or pulling the accelerator. To avoid this unpleasant experience, service the air filter of your bike regularly in the monsoons. You don’t have to run to your mechanic for this. It can be done at home.
Protection Layer
This is not much of a problem with the newer bikes, which are primarily made of fibre, but if you are riding your classic, then you might want to pay attention to the risk of rusting. Ask the Enfield guys to tell you their painful story. Either ways, you can invest in a low-cost anti-rust protection layer for your bike. Precaution is better than cure.
Screech!
Your safety is the most important thing to consider while riding a two wheeler. Thus, the quality of the breaks cannot be anything but the best. Wet roads are a dangerous thing. Especially since you cannot brake hard or suddenly, it is all the more important to keep your brakes in great condition. Always, and particularly in the monsoons, make it a point to get your disks, inside of your drum brakes and liners cleaned. Further, make sure that the break oil is sufficient. For bikes with drum brakes, make sure it is cleaned from the inside and make sure that the brake shoes/pads are in good condition. If you have disc brakes, check the discs for damage.
Cover It Up
This is a difficult one. It’s not always easy to find covered parking for your bike once it’s out of your garage. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t exercise care and caution when looking for a place to park. You can even park under a tree for some shelter but make sure the tree is sturdy enough to handle a storm, lest it crush your bike in its fall. Also make sure that you never park your bike near big electric equipments like transformers.
The constant barrage of rain can spell ruin for the colour of your bike and fade it with time. By the time monsoons are over, you’ll have a patchy looking bike. Often, people give their bikes Teflon coating before the onset of monsoons. This will give the colour on your bike much-needed protection and have it last longer.
Tyres
It’s very important to keep your tyres in top condition in monsoons. A pair of worn-out tyres are dangerous for you as well as your bike. Your tyre should have deep treads—which provide grip by dispersing standing water—not only in the centre but also on the sides. What is a good way to test the quality of your bike tyres? Follow the coin method. Insert a one-rupee coin into one of the grooves of your tyre and make sure that it goes at least 2-3 mm deep. You should consider getting new tyres for anything less than that.
Other than the grooves, the air pressure in your tyres too play a crucial role in determining the grip your bike will have on the road. Ideally, you should set your tyre pressure a couple of psi below the levels required in dry seasons.
Chain
In case your bike has an uncovered drive chain, then you must make sure that it is oiled well and regularly cleaned to wash away mud deposits. Also, all the hinges and levers should be well-lubricated to have a smooth journey.
Additional Reading: All About Two-Wheeler Insurance
The last and the most important protection you must get for you bike is Two-Wheeler Insurance. Things can go wrong in spite of our best efforts. In case you run into an accident, the cost of repairing your bike can run high. Having Two-Wheeler Insurance will provide a cushion against such unwanted expenses.
Take good care of your bike. For all your other financial needs, click the link below.