Maintenance Tips For Your Pocket Bike

Perform the following tasks on your pocket bike regularly to ensure long life and safe riding.

Inspect the Spark Plug

You should remove and visually inspect your spark plug regularly. You will find it at the top of your engine beneath a protective boot. It should not be black or white but a golden brown or light brown color. A white spark plug would indicate that your engine temperature is too high. Your fuel mixture may be too lean and may need adjusting.or you may need to adjust your fuel/oil mixture. Too rich a fuel mixture will cover your spark plug in unburned fuel which will look black. A black color also occurs from carbon or oil and is an indication that the plug needs changing. Cleaning the plug will keep you going temporarily but ensure you change it as soon as possible. Ideally always keep spare plugs in your tool kit so that they can be changed when needed.

Clean the Air Filter

The air filter collects dust and other materials and prevents them from entering the engine where they can cause damage to the piston and bore. It must be regularly cleaned and a small amount of oil added to trap the debris. A dirty filter will adversely affect performance shorten your bikes life. Remove the filter, check for any damage and clean with an approved cleaning solution. In an emergency soapy water can be used instead but be very careful to thoroughly rinse of all the soap. Add a few drops of filter oil. Do not overdue the oil, if it drips from the filter you have added too much!

Idling Adjustment Screw

next to the choke is a small screw that adjusts the idling speed. To increase idling speed turn clockwise, to decrease turn anti-clockwise until the speed is adjusted correctly. Be careful not to set it too high as that could be dangerous and will only burn up more fuel.

Oil the Chain

Regularly oil the chain, both outside and inside with an approved chain oil. Oil at least every time you ride your bike. Check that the chain is not too tight or too loose. a too tight chain will lead to excessive wear and tear, a loose chain could come off and cause an accident. To check the tightness of the chain hold it midway between the rear and front sprockets and move it in an up/down motion. If there is more than 20mm of movement the chain is too loose. Less than 20mm of movement indicates a too tight chain. tighten or loosen the chain until the movement is correct.

Inspect and Adjust the Brakes

A few bikes have hydraulic brakes but most are fitted with disc brakes which are easy to maintain. take apart the brake assembly on a regular schedule and visually inspect for wear and scratches. Change the pads before they become too thin. Check the cable and the cable housing the levers and adjustment barrels too and replace any worn parts. You can adjust the brakes if necessary by loosening the locking nut and tightening or loosening the locking nut. Leave some play in the cable as too tight cable will result in friction and excessive wear. make sure that the wheels lock properly after you have finished your adjustment then re-tighten the locking nut.

Lubricate

We cannot emphasize enough that regular lubrication with a good quality oil is essential to keep your bike in tip-top shape. Your manual should show you the lubrication point. Over lubricating is not likely to be a problem but under lubricating will cause all types of damage to your bike which will, of course affect the performance and life.

Check the Tires

Check your tires regularly for damage, bulging and wear and replace before they cause a problem while riding.

A good pocket bike should give you years of fun and and be easy to maintain if you stick to a regular schedule of maintenance. Never ride your bike unless you are sure you have carried out all the above often enough and your bike is in the best condition you can make it. Skipping essential maintenance leads to unnecessary accidents and damage to your bike.