5 Tips to Change the Engine Oil of Your Bike

Why Do You Need to Change the Oil of Your Bike?

A bike is machinery that requires regular maintenance to run smoothly. Apart from getting the right bike insurance, another crucial tip is to change the bike's engine oil regularly. If you do not change it on time, the engine might overheat, and the friction between moving components increases. Hence, it affects the overall performance of the vehicle.

With that saying, here is a list of indications that your bike shows and you need to change the engine oil:

1. If the oil color is black and gritty

   With excessive use, the oil's color becomes darker and thicker in texture. You must check the oil using a dipstick and rub it between your fingers. This will help you easily recognize if the oil is contaminated. It must be changed if it is gritty and has a darker shade.

2. If the engine is making noise

   As a bike owner, you must know the usual sound of your bike's engine. If you find that the noise of your bike's engine has suddenly changed or recognize some unusual sound, it is time to change the engine oil. With time, the engine oil fails to act as a protective layer, and its rubbing metallic parts generate loud noise.

3. If the oil is leaking

   You can check your oil level with a dipstick or oil window. Check for a leak if the tank cannot maintain a minimum oil level. Firstly, fix the leakage, clean the tank, and refill the engine oil.

4. If you constantly get dashboard warning

   In new models, the bike has a sensor that warns about oil leakage. The light on the dashboard indicates this. You must check for the leak, fix it, and add fresh oil.

5. If it's been a while since you changed the oil

   Other than the signs discussed above, it is better to do so if you have not changed the bike oil in a while. Generally, your bike's manual book mentions a certain number of kilometers, after which you must change the oil. To change the oil, you can either take your vehicle to the mechanic or do it on your own.

You may also read Best Engine Oil for Bikes in India

5 Tips to Change the Bike's Engine Oil

After understanding the signs that your bike's engine needs to be changed, you must know the quick tips for changing the bike's engine oil.

The following are the tips that you can adopt to perform this:

1. Keep all the things ready

   Before changing the bike's engine oil, you must keep everything handy. Read the bike manual carefully to check the oil changing process, such as the quantity to be refilled. Also, get a new bottle of engine oil, oil screen, drain pan, oil funnel, measuring cup, nut bolts, etc., with yourself.

2. Do it at regular intervals

   It is essential to know when exactly you should change it. Some mechanics recommend changing it after 6 months or 1 year from the purchase day of your bike. While others suggest doing it after completing every 2,000 km or mentioned in the service manual book. Therefore, checking the manual book or connecting with the mechanic is advised to know when to change the oil.

3. Always refill with fresh oil

   Never refill the tank with stored engine oil to save some pennies. Even some mechanics might suggest non-branded or affordable oils to cut costs, but this will hamper the bike's performance. Instead, you must look for the service manual book of your vehicle and choose the one mentioned there. This is one of the crucial safety tips to keep your bike maintained and free from adulterated oils.

4. Clean the oil filter

   Another significant tip is to change the oil filter. The oil filter works smartly by removing contaminants like dust, dirt, oxidized oil, metallic parts, etc. Therefore, you must change the oil filter before changing the oil for better machinery performance.

5. Buy engine protection cover

   You must buy an engine protection add-on with your comprehensive bike insurance to cover your bike's engine. It is an additional cover purchased with an extra premium to protect the engine from several risks. Such risks include damages caused to the engine due to water ingression, leaking of lubricants, or damages to the hydrostatic lock. Moreover, it covers the damages caused to engine parts, such as the gearbox, cylinder, piston, crankshaft, etc.

Conclusion

To maintain your bike, it is crucial to change your bike's engine oil on time. You can follow the tips mentioned above to change it. Also, buying an engine protection add-on cover with your comprehensive bike insurance policy is recommended for extra protection against several unpredicted risks.