SERVICE

Tech Tip - "Why You Should Warm Up Your Bike."

Working at a custom shop gives one insight on a lot of self-inflicted problems. The one thing that happens over and over is the customer comes to pick up their bike and are immediately out of the parking lot 10 seconds after they have started the bike. This is bad… really bad.

The engine in an air cooled V-Twin motorcycle is made up of aluminum and steel parts. Aluminum heats up twice as fast as steel and expands at a different rate.

When a bike owner does not allow the engine to warm up, this leads to leaking gaskets, scored cylinder walls, excessive carbon buildup on the pistons and valves, etc. Base gaskets at the junction between the cylinders and crankcase are the most affected.

You have steel cylinder studs, aluminum cylinders and heads, steel valves and rings, aluminum pistons, steel cylinder jackets, etc. You get the picture. There are lot's of different materials, all expanding at different rates.

Oiling in a V-Twin is ok at best and it takes a while to get it circulated through the engine, let alone up to temperature and doing its job.

Rule to live by: if you put your finger on the rocker box of your bike and can leave it there, you are not ready to go. It should be hot enough to be uncomfortable to the touch. This process could take anywhere from 2 to 7 minutes depending upon ambient temperature.

So save yourself engine life and gaskets by warming up your bike properly. It is the cheapest thing you will ever do for your bike. As they say, "you can pay me now or pay me later."