Maintenance · owner's manual first

Two-wheeler maintenance checklists

Most of what keeps a commuter scooter or motorcycle safe takes ten minutes a week and no tools beyond a pressure gauge. These checklists are our own routines for building the habit. Your owner's manual sets the actual figures and the service schedule, so keep it handy; some manufacturers also publish owner's manuals on their websites.

Checklists

Sources: The Highway Code — Annex 6: vehicle maintenance, safety and security (Department for Transport, GOV.UK); Care & Maintenance (Studds Accessories Ltd (helmet manufacturer)); Frequently Asked Questions (Snell Memorial Foundation); FAQ — What should I do if I am stopped by traffic police for a violation? (Delhi Traffic Police), checked 26 October 2026.

Tyre pressure

Use the figures from your owner's manual, or from a tyre-pressure label on the vehicle if it has one, for the load you carry. If the manual gives a different figure for riding with a pillion or luggage, use that one when you do. Check before your journey, when the tyres are cold. A reading at the fuel station after a ride is a warm-tyre reading, not the cold reading the manual's figure is meant for.

Source: The Highway Code — Annex 6: vehicle maintenance, safety and security (Department for Transport, GOV.UK), checked 26 October 2026.

Conversion factors: 1 bar = 100 kPa and 1 kgf/cm² = 98.0665 kPa (both exact), 1 psi = 6.894757 kPa.

Source: NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9 — conversion factors (pressure) (National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA)), checked 26 October 2026.

Chain care (motorcycles)

Many scooters have no exposed chain at all; your manual will say. If yours has one:

• Check slack at the point and in the range your manual gives, with the bike on the stand it specifies. Too tight and too loose are both problems; adjust it yourself only if the manual explains how, otherwise ask the service centre.
• Clean, then lubricate. Brush off the grit first, using a cleaner your manual approves, so you are not sealing dirt in. Lubricate the inside of the chain run, then wipe off the excess.
• Keep lubricant off the brakes and tyres. Cover the disc or wipe any overspray straight away.
• Work with the engine off. Turn the wheel by hand, never under engine power.
• After a wet ride or a wash, let the chain dry, then check whether it needs lubricant before the next ride.

Brakes

Low brake fluid may result in brake failure, so on disc brakes glance at the reservoir window each month. Get the brakes inspected without waiting for the next service if:

• the lever or pedal travels further than it used to, or feels spongy;
• you hear grinding, or a squeal that does not go away after a few stops;
• the vehicle pulls or the wheel judders when braking;
• drum brake adjustment has run out, or the wear indicator on the brake plate is past its mark, if your manual describes one.

Source: The Highway Code — Annex 6: vehicle maintenance, safety and security (Department for Transport, GOV.UK), checked 26 October 2026.

Lights and horn

Once a week, with the ignition on, walk round: headlamp on low and high beam, tail lamp, brake light from each brake control, all four indicators, and the horn. Headlamps must be adjusted so they do not dazzle other road users; if your beam points high after a service or when carrying a pillion, have it aimed.

Source: The Highway Code — Annex 6: vehicle maintenance, safety and security (Department for Transport, GOV.UK), checked 26 October 2026.