Blog

In The Know. By: Reine Knobbe

      I love an educated consumer. Those that are in the know are more likely to keep their machine
running in optimal condition. An educated motorcycle rider knows how important maintenance
is: they know their service intervals; when to replace tires; change fork oil; when the clutch
needs adjusting. They know when something is loose that shouldn’t be! An educated rider
knows to listen and to hear subtle differences in the sound of the motorcycle: wheel bearings,
engine, transmission, primary, front forks.

     Under normal riding conditions most riders listen for the hum of the engine; the clatter of rockers
and lifters; the whine of the primary; the clunk of the transmission when shifting. These are all
normal sounds that you hear, but an experienced ear will be able to tell the difference from what
is normal versus abnormal. By tuning in to the “abnormal” they will be able to accurately tell
our technicians what is going on which greatly helps in diagnosing and inevitability cuts down
on cost to the consumer.

    Even if you do not feel that you are as experienced as others, still listen for the sounds coming
from your bike as well as the feel. Educate yourself! Even subtle difference that you can tell
will help our technicians. Many of these noises come over a period of time, so the daily rider
may not notices these small changes. That is why it is so important to have an experienced
technician ride your motorcycle during interval services. They may catch something going bad
that you might have missed. That is one of several reasons why we test ride every bike that gets
serviced at Chariots of Fire Customs LLC.