You must have read a lot of blogs/Articles till now which talk about taking care of your bike/car during Monsoon.
Most of these blogs/articles talk about checking/changing tyres, maintaining the pressure, tightening the brakes, getting basic fixes done etc. But did you know there are still a few things that we ignore which we shouldn’t?
Let’s go through them.
Engine Oil: While looking at the exteriors, we must not miss out on the heart. Since we don’t ride a bike a lot in rains and mostly take it out for weekend rides, there are high chances of the engine getting dry due to resting in parking for a week. Also, the folks for whom Monsoon is the Off-road season, usually rev the engine a bit too hard in mud and slush and stress the bike.
It is always suggested keeping the bike topped up with oil to avoid any harm to the engine.
Chain cleaning: Most of the monsoon rides involve a lot of mud and dirt. And it majorly gets stuck in your bike’s chain. That is the reason only lubing a chain isn’t enough. You need to clean it thoroughly and make sure all the dirt is removed. And most importantly, front sprocket needs to be cleaned. We mostly clean rear sprocket and forget or procrastinate about the front since it has a cap but it is the one that needs most cleaning.
Switches: Handlebar switches are always most exposed to the rain and they get jammed as the water drips through the gap. Spraying the switches with cleaning and penetrating lubes can protect them from catching the rust and ensure smooth operations.
Brake: The roads and surfaces get slippery during monsoon and brakes need to be very well maintained to avoid any mishaps. Do check the Brake oil and make sure it’s topped up. Get the brake pads (Liners/Brake shoes in drum brake variants) changed, check the disks and if there are no major scratches on it.
Fuel: This might sound a bit off-topic but this is the most important factor. As we all know fuel is transported in oil carrying trucks & the storage tanks on fuel stations are underground. Due to both these factors, there’s a high chance of fuel being diluted with impurities. Also, the fuel tank nose catch rust in monsoon, and while refuelling, there’s a chance of the rust gong straight in the tank. The rubber nozzle of fuel tank’s cap get tightened over a period of time and it may leak water inside the tank.
All these factors will increase the chances of impurities going inside your engine and damage the fuel system and the injectors.
To avoid this, make sure you refuel at a clean and trusted fuel stations. Make sure there’s no water on the tank before opening the cap. Make sure you open the tank under some shade only and not in the pouring rain. Also, to avoid any major damage to the fuel system and clean the impurities, use some fuel additives or fuel cleaners with the fuel.
Monsoon is a tricky season for all the vehicles. But by doing a little bit extra than your regular maintenance, you can actually make the most of it. When your vehicle is fit, you realise how beautiful the monsoon can be.
Take care, ride safe.
Happy Monsoon!
