Your motorcycle. It’s a faithful friend. It guarantees you will never be bored, or stuck by the side of the road waiting for a bus that will normally drop you a considerable distance from where you actually want to go.
Like all good friends, your motorbike needs love in return. A little TLC (sounds so much better than
motorcycle maintenance), to help you keep your bike safe and ready to ride. In short, happy bike = happy you. Here are Direct Asia’s expert tips to get you started.
Wash, Lube. Repeat
Everyday rain and dirt, bird poo (which seems to have the corrosive abilities of battery acid), the sap from various tropical trees, the insides of dead bugs. Oh and some kind of tiny red fruit that’s coming from trees near our offices lately.
This is the ghastly stuff that gets splattered all over your precious motorcycle. Wash with a soft cloth before it eats your shiny new paintwork. Check your chain regularly to see that it is properly lubed. Singapore rain is notorious for its ability to cause rust. If you leave it too long then its goodbye to your sockets. A little time and effort now leads to far less pain later, plus a better resale price.
We Need To Talk About Cats
That wild HDB loving stray that all the Aunties love. But if you have a motorcycle, you’ll know what the little darling is capable of. Worst smell ever. One cat marks your bike as its territory, then you have an evil smelling turf war on your hands. Or more precisely, all over your bike.
Washing won’t remove the smell, you need a proper deterrent. Some bikers try something organic like vinegar or orange peel. Take it from us, the cats will be laughing. Go big or go home with anti-cat spikes, sold at Daiso, very cheap at $2 a pack. Lay them around your bike with no cat friendly gaps. Don’t ride off before you put them somewhere safe, or the cats will be laughing again and you’ll be going nowhere fast.
Small Investment, Big Pay Off
If you have been in Singapore for longer than a day, you’ll know the weather can be unrelenting. Humid, salty air, rain that buckets down with the force of a horde of tiny hammers. And the haze, a short name for a lot of noxious smoke. If you park outside, it can all make your bike’s life miserable and short.
A bike cover is a $20-$50 investment towards keeping your motorcycle protected, and out of sight of potential thieves or vandals. Get one with buckles so it won’t blow off, and don’t cover the bike while it’s still hot!
And Please… Check Before You Modify
Singapore has rules. Do not assume anything. Before you shell out your hard earned cash for that exhaust or think about replacing anything with something cooler, read the
LTA’s guidelines. It could save you a staggering fine. More detailed information can be found on Facebook
here. Local motorcycle dealers or forums will help if you have specific questions.
Direct Asia. Here To Help You
Want a fair price for great motorcycle insurance, with dedicated support? DirectAsia’s customers are actually happier than average. That’s because you get great
motorcycle insurance delivered by local people who go the extra mile.
