Author: Bike Coach

The main problem is if your motorcycle has a wet clutch which is lubricated by engine oil, as modern low friction oils will probably make it slip.

Motorcycle oils are different and more expensive than car oils, so many riders use car oil in their bikes. I’ve never had any issues using car oil in road bikes, but I would suggest using proper competition motorcycle oil in racing and trackday bikes.

Semi synthetic oils won’t affect the clutch, nor will normal fully synthetic oils.

It’s important to use the correct viscosity, and change regularly it to the manufacturers instructions.

You can sometimes hear the tappets rattling at the top of the engine due to excessive clearance caused by wear, but some particularly old design engines rattle anyway when the clearances are correct.

However, the real danger is the valve clearance closing due to valve seat wear, which you cannot hear, and only becomes noticable when performance drops off and the engine can be dificult to start.

By then its too late and the sealing faces on the valves will be burnt and no longer sealing properly, requiring a major strip down and rebuild.

So it’s important to check valve clearances regularly according to your workshop manual, which involves removing the top engine cover and checking with a feeler gauge. It’s an expensive job to have done due to the skill and time it takes, as many engines require re-shimming rather than adjustment, but you can do it yourself with care.

Plug fouling was a common problem with two strokes. They always needed to be changed more often.

Old racing two stroke engines fouled very easily at low revs, as they were set rich to enable them to start and run at low revs, below the designed power band at high revs where they ran efficiently.

It depends on the design, reed valve engines tended to have less problems than piston ported or rotary valve engines.

Modern synthetic oils at a higher mix ratio often helps to reduce soot and fouling. Please note you can’t mix vegetable oil (Castrol R etc) with synthetic oil.

The other problem is worn or badly setup carburettors, particularly worn slide needles and jets which produce a richer mixture.

FI/DI was tried in the past without mainstream success, and development largely stopped due to the difficulty of meeting emission regulations.

However, KTM make fuel injected off road two stroke bikes, so it can be done.

It’s quick – about half the time of an average car nowadays.

Motorcycles can get down close to 3 seconds, which on road or race bikes is limited as the bike will flip over backwards.

Drag bikes have extended swing arms which allows them to accelerate even faster.

It’s a square law, you need 4 times the power to reduce the time by a half.

It’s usually a rattling from the top of the engine at tickover.

It’s a common problem on some models due to a worn chain, tensioner or guides.

You’ll need to look online for the likely solution on your model.

Sometimes a new or manual tentioner can be fitted, occasionally it’s a new chain of guides that is required.

It depends if it smokes all the time, or just on the overrun – when you close the throttle.

If all the time, it is burning a significant amount of oil, so if this isn’t topped up every few hundred miles, it will run out of oil and be wrecked.

If just on the overrun, it will need topping up less frequently.

Also, you are producing a high level of pollutants.

It is also unlikely to pass your yearly MOT test.

The piston, rings and probably cylinder bores are worn and need replacing

Difficult question to answer.

I assume you are looking at returning to motorcycling after a break, which many do later in life when the family has grown.

Firstly you have to be aware of the risks.

You are 66 times more likely to have a fatal collision than driving a car, and you will take a while to get used to riding again, so you need to be very careful.

The DVSA launched ERS a special training scheme aimed at ‘born again bikers’ some years ago, due to the extent of the problem.

But, there is nothing quite like riding a motorcycle, the experience is life affirming and intense, and for many well worth the risk. There is an overwhelming sense of freedom for many, for some strange reason, which is addictive.

Be prepared for it initially to be quite scary and not as you remembered, until your competence returns with a little practise. Then remember to always be alert.

Consider taking some advanced training, or using a local bike school for a refresher.

Take care.

Patricia Stiemke, one of our customers writes:-

I still remember deciding to get back into motorcycles after a near to 30 year absence. Being completely ignorant about what kind of bike I should have, I went and bought a Deauville, one of those 240 kg beasts. The dealer was a very kind man and he explained everything and then went away as he realised I was super nervous. I sat in that parking lot for nearly 20 minutes before I actually felt able to ride the bike off it and into general traffic. I was a bit on the wobbly side for quite a while and yes, I did realise I would need help so I started with our local BikeSafe, which in Essex, is called FireBike and is, as the name implies, run by the Fire Department. I joined an advanced motorcycle group and started training for the ROSPA test and I signed up for a coaching track day. That last experience sealed my fate because I had found exactly my style. Challenging bends and being comfortable at speed. I have not looked back and the Deauville got traded it pretty quick for a ’99 ZX-6R. 🙂

Because the current battery technology means that batteries are very heavy and the range very limited.

Also, at the low capacity end of the market, they are far too expensive.

Electric vehicles are probably just a partial short term help, the future is probably hydrogen powered vehicles, which produce water vapour as exhaust gas.

Current internal combustion engines could be converted relatively easily to run on hydrogen – many cars have been converted to run on both petrol and LPG.

The smaller the bore size, the less effort is required for the same braking force, so you can apply more fluid pressure and brake harder.

However, a certain amount of fluid has to be displaced to bring the brake pads back into contact with the discs, which depends on how many ‘pots’ there are in the brake calipers, and their diameter.

The amount of travel of the lever is key, as you need a good safety margin between the lever and the bar, which reduces with a smaller master cylinder piston size. More lever movement is needed to displace the required amount of fluid.

A smaller master cylinder tends to give more feel as well, a larger cylinder makes the brakes seem ‘wooden’ and solid.

If you’re going to fit a smaller master cylinder, again make sure there is a good safety margin between the lever and the bars. Also make sure that the master cylinder piston retracts enough to allow fluid back into the reservoir, otherwise the brakes will lock on.

Modern motorcycle brakes are very powerful anyway, and capable of easily locking the front wheel on braking (although ABS will stop this happening), so it is probably only some old bikes or racers who would benefit from a smaller master cylinder.

Fitting a larger diameter master cylinder will likely adversely affect the braking.

Always check with a mechanic, if you have any concerns, as a front brake failure can be fatal.