After 40 years of building engines and keeping bikes on the road, I can tell you that the only dumb questions are the ones you don’t ask. That’s how you get in trouble and make expensive mistakes. This page is built with that idea: real, everyday questions that riders ask, and we lay it out straight. No fluff. No sales. Just straight from the wrench. Need an answer for your machine? Shoot us a question and click the button below.
Answer: If you aren’t a technician and you don’t have a buddy who is, bring it to a shop. You need a professional opinion, so you know exactly what you’re buying. If you can’t a technician’s eye on it, check out our post “If a buyer is looking at a used bike on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist…” for other helpful information.
At Pacific Power Sportz, we don’t charge for pre-purchase inspections. I do it from one bike guy to another because I want to make sure, you’re getting a square deal. I’d rather help you find a good bike now, so you’ll keep coming back to us for the life of that machine. It’s just good business.
Answer: Read the owner’s manual cover to cover.
There are things required of a motorcyclist that aren’t required of a car driver—like checking tire pressure before every ride, lubing & adjusting your chain. That’s not the shop’s job, that’s your job. Read the book, learn how to operate your machine, and how to get the most from your purchase.
Answer: In 40 years, I’ve seen maybe three people actually benefit from one. So personally, I consider it a waste of money. If a bike has a factory defect, it’s going to happen right away while the standard warranty still covers it. After that, warranty companies spend all their time finding reasons not to pay your claim. It’s a legal battle you don’t want. Take that same money, put it in a savings account, and find a good local technician you trust. You’ll be much better off.
Answer: Honestly? I wouldn’t ask the dealer much. It’s the salesman’s job to sell you the most expensive bike you will buy.
Do your research online before you walk in. Talk to real owners at meetups or the track, check reviews, and forums. Ask them what breaks and if they’d buy it again. When you get to the dealer, keep the conversation to the price & finances, not the advice.
Answer: Well, my answer is biased here since I am a racer; I’m not a fan, it stops you from actually learning the limits of your machine. You need to know where the tire locks up and how to control it when it does. If you rely on a computer to save you, you’ll end up riding faster than your actual ability can handle. Take a riding school, or better yet, go ride in the dirt. Learn the skills, don’t rely on the computer.
Answer: If you’re doing 30 miles of freeway to work every day, those small single-cylinder motors won’t last. Like a car, a small engine won’t take that kind of abuse for long. For distance and high-speed commuting, you need a multi-cylinder bike designed to put on the miles. Don’t buy bigger than your britches but buy the right tool for the job.
Answer: When a clutch cable has zero free play, it’s no different than riding with the clutch lever slightly pulled in, causing clutch slippage, overheating and premature wear of clutch plates. If a clutch cable is too loose, when you pull in the clutch to find neutral or shift gears, the clutch is not disengaging as much as it should causing hard shifting and difficulty finding neutral. Set the clutch cable free play at 5mm and if this does not “fit your hand” size buy adjustable levers.
Answer: Factory street tires are generally designed for a wide range of operating conditions on the street. The track will generate higher loads and more heat. There are street legal “track day” type tires or one can opt for some sticky track only rubber. For the rider that rides street plus occasional track days, I recommend finding a good set of used wheels, keep a set of track tires mounted up and simply swap wheels when headed to the track.
Answer: Beside the obvious cost of the bike, a new rider should also factor in the cost of racing modifications, maintenance & upkeep of his or her new bike. In most cases a rider will need a selection of gearing for different tracks, fuel jugs, air compressor, bike stand(s), easy up and tools. Don’t forget good quality protective gear, entry fees and some tracks require AMA membership. If you are not racing locally fuel, lodging & food are also a factor. It pays to plan things out!
Answer: Most brake fluid starts life clear in color and turns brown with age and contamination, so if your brake fluid looks dirty have it flushed. Best practice is to flush brake fluid at regular intervals, say every 6 months or so for street bikes and more frequently for track riding. Be careful to always select the correct type of brake fluid for your bike.
Answer: Motorcycles differ from cars by the fact that most bikes have a transmission & clutch that share the same oil! Add in the fact that today’s sport bikes rev twice as high as a car and you can start to see why they require vastly different oils. If someone was to put car oil in their motorcycle it would still start and run but shifting would become notchy, clutch may slip and over time, the engine would see greater wear.
Answer: “Get a torque wrench & a service manual. Don’t guess. It will save you money in the long run. Most of these guys think ‘tighter’ is better, but these engine cases are aluminum. You keep cranking on that drain plug until it ‘feels’ tight, and you’re going to pull the threads right out of the block. Now your $30 oil change just became a $500 repair in my shop. Look up the spec, click the wrench, and walk away. Don’t second guess torque spec’s that a team of engineers who designed your bike came up with – they are almost always right.
Answer: Both clutch and throttle cables should have the correct amount of “free play”, meaning the amount of play before beginning to disengage the clutch or open the throttle. Too little free play and the throttle will stick, especially when turning the handlebars. Free play for both clutch and throttle are usually around 5mm.
Answer: Forks, just like a motor, have oil inside that gets dirty and changes the damping/action of the fork. Regular maintenance would involve changing the fluid every year on a street application and more frequently for track use. If you see a ring of oil around your inner fork tube, then this would indicate that it’s time to rebuild the forks with new oil seals and sometimes new bushings (they control the play between inner & outer tubes).
Answer: We recommend flushing your brake fluid every 6 months to keep a braking system working its best. This can vary slightly based on the vehicle you ride or the riding style and conditions. Race bikes are more frequent intervals. If in doubt, give us a call. When brake pads are replaced, it’s a good idea to “service” the brake calipers. Clean the pistons, sliders and pins.
Answer: A level surface and the ability to hold the motorcycle at its balance point while you eye the sight window or check the dipstick is essential. Also, a clean rag handy if you have a dipstick.
Warm up the bike, shut it off and let sit for a couple of minutes before taking a reading. Use a helper, center or bike stand to keep the bike level.
Important for bikes with a dipstick. After removing and cleaning the dipstick, place it back in the hole – do not screw it in. When you lift it out, check oil level with the dipstick sideways. This stops the oil from flowing one way or the other on the stick. Always be sure bike is at the balance point straight up and down and never check oil level on the side stand.
Answer: Tire pressure should be checked daily before each ride. Look up what is recommended for the tires that are actually on your bike, not the ones that came on it from the factory! You want to use a pressure that reflects what type of riding you’re going to be doing; remember the side of the tire usually only tells you the max pressure! If you’re a track rider then you can usually get pressure recommendations for the particular track & conditions from the tire vendor on site. Note: track tires and pressures can be vastly different than street tires. Knowing your pressures both cold and hot can help with reading tread wear patterns.
Answer: Well, sadly pump fuel contains Ethanol and does not have a very good shelf life. There are a few things you can do to help like keeping the tank full, (less air space equals less oxidization), add fuel stabilizers or in cases of longer storage periods, or use Ethanol free fuel.
Answer: Regular maintenance is the key here. Ideally at the end of a ride, you would lube the chain (to allow the chain lube ample time to thicken and not fly off) and check to see if the slack is within spec.
By performing regular maintenance on the drive chain, you will notice things start to change over time. Does the chain still fit the rear sprocket tight, or can you pull the chain away from it? Have you reached the end of its adjustment range? Does the chain now have tight and loose spots? All these things indicate it’s time for a new chain. Do yourself a favor when it’s time to replace your chain, spend the extra money and get a high quality one. It’s one of the few items where you get what you pay for and sitting there adjusting your chain is no fun.
What is the proper way to maintain a motorcycle battery to ensure the bike is always ready to start?
Answer: First, always make sure the terminals are tight! Don’t laugh, probably at least 50% of the bikes we service have loose battery terminals, tighten yours with a wrench or socket! Purchase a “Battery Tender” battery charger or trickle charger, plug in the pig tail whenever you’re not riding and forget about it.
Answer: Ideally one should have already lubed the chain at the end of the previous ride while it was warm with time to set up so as not to make a mess, but the reality is not many of us actually do that, so here is the list…
Lube & Adjust your Drive Chain: always check/adjust chain slack at the tightest point in the chain! One of my favorite lubes is Maxima Chain Wax
Tire Pressures: Don’t guess here, if you don’t know, look it up. A good quality pressure gauge is a must as the cheapies can give false readings. Remember tire pressures can have a huge effect on your bike and its the one thing you can totally do for FREE!
Answer: Parents should ask the coach or mentor how they plan to instruct the rider, both on and off the bike. Are they teaching body position and control before they ever talk about speed? Teaching how to be smooth and how to respect the machine? Look for Coaches with morals and ethics, winning is when you beat everyone fair and square with dedication and heart. They should be flexible because not everyone wants to be world champion, and honest with both rider and parents. In other words, they should have some background in competition, they should have a plan (this may also involve nutrition and fitness training) and a clear safety protocol.
Answer: The first big red flag is aftermarket body work or repainted fairings, the majority of the time this points to a bike that has been crashed. Don’t get me wrong, a properly repaired bike is perfectly fine, but you will want to dig further to be sure the repairs were indeed done properly. Check list: brake pads, brake fluid condition, tires, fork seals (check for leaks), chain & sprocket condition, steering head bearings, lights, signals, horn, engine oil condition, does bike start right up and does it idle smooth? General condition: (bars, foot pegs, body, paint) does this match the odometer reading? Also, look at the bolts. If the bolt heads are all rounded off and chewed up? If the seller is willing, have the bike inspected by Pacific Power Sportz, we don’t charge for this service, just our way of looking out for our customers.
The number one consideration when buying a first bike is buying the right bike for learning! Look, this won’t be your last bike so get a bike that is light, physically fits you, is not intimidating and is designed to do the type of riding that you want to do.
If you can’t comfortably walk the bike in a driveway, it’s too big for you. If you’re a beginner, that bike is just going to scare you and you will never learn how to actually ride if you’re terrified of the throttle. Start on something you can handle, learn the fundamentals, then move up when you feel you’ve earned it. “Make sure this decision is yours! Don’t be swayed! Don’t start off on a 200hp 1000cc machine, you will be a better, safer rider for it.”
Answer: Because your tires get hot. Factory street tires are generally designed for a wide range of operating conditions on the street, 36 to 42 psi keeps the tire cool and lasting a long time. But when you start pushing hard in the canyons or on a track, you generate higher loads, more heat and that air expands. If you start high, you end up with a rock-hard tire that has zero contact patch. You’ll slide right off the road. You have to drop that pressure so the tire can actually grow into the grip. If you don’t know the difference, you shouldn’t be pushing that hard.
There are street legal “track day” type tires or one can opt for some sticky track only rubber. For the rider that rides street plus occasional track days I recommend finding a good set of used wheels, keep a set of track tires mounted up and simply swap wheels when headed to the track.
Answer: Because preload isn’t stiffness. It’s ride height. People think they’re making the bike ‘harder’ for the track, but all they’re doing is messing up the geometry and the sag. If the bike is mushy, your spring rate is wrong for your weight or your valving is shot. Cranking a knob isn’t a magic fix for a bike that needs a real setup.
Sport bikes come with a multitude of suspension adjusters, and most riders don’t take advantage of this adjustability. Everything needs to work together here, spring preload, compression & rebound damping front and rear. For the most part the adjustability from the factory will allow some basic set up but for the track you need to take things up a notch.
Start with getting the correct Race sag front & rear, approximately 30-35mm front and 25-30mm rear. You may or may not be able to achieve these sag numbers with the stock spring rates and may need to replace springs. You have the correct spring rate when you hit your sag numbers, and the spring is at the recommended preload. Spring free length minus its installed (compressed) height is the preload. Once the bike has the correct springs and sag then it’s time to dial in the compression & rebound damping, you want the suspension to absorb bumps and pavement irregularities and return in a controlled manner. Too stiff on compression and the tire will deflect when it hits a bump, too soft, and the fork will blow thru the stroke too easily. Too much rebound and the fork will not return in time for the next bump, too little rebound and the fork extends too quickly causing the bike to run wide at the apex when you begin to open the throttle.
Answer: A pressure washer is a tool, not a toy. If you blast water directly into your wheel bearings, your swingarm pivots, or your electrical connectors, you’re just forcing water past the seals. It’s going to sit in there and rot the bike from the inside out. We recommend using Simple Green and a toothbrush for wheels, calipers, frame and suspension. Use car wash soap for body work/paint then rinse with a hose sprayer. If you must use a pressure washer, stay back 4 or 5 feet and never aim at anything that moves or has wires coming out of it. Simple as that.