Easy Maintenance Tips to Improve Your Bike’s Mileage

Do you want to get maximum mileage from your bike? Regular bike maintenance can help improve the bike's mileage to a certain extent. A bike with properly inflated tyres, a clean air filter, and a well-lubricated chain and engine is more capable of using petrol efficiently.

If you are looking for ways to improve your bike mileage, you may not have to look for expensive modifications. Some easy maintenance and good riding practices can help your bike perform efficiently. Here are some easy bike maintenance tips to follow.

1. Maintain the Correct Tyre Pressure

Does tyre pressure have an impact on mileage? Technically, yes, because under-inflated tyres need to burn more petrol to move forward because they have more rolling resistance.

Here are some tips to maintain correct tyre pressure

The recommended pressure is vital for good mileage and safe handling.

2. Service Your Bike on Time

Regular servicing is important to maintain the bike's fuel efficiency and engine performance. Important bike parts like the engine oil, air filter, spark plug, brakes, etc., should be checked and maintained regularly.

It is important to follow the service schedule mentioned in the owner's manual and service your bike on time. Don’t wait for a problem to occur before you decide to service the motorcycle. A timely service can help detect a problem early and keep your motorcycle running smoothly.

3. Keep the Air Filter Clean

Can a dirty air filter reduce mileage? A dirty air filter can impact the performance of your motorcycle engine. The engine requires a constant and sufficient supply of clean air to function properly.

Check and clean your air filter during the regular servicing schedule as per the manufacturer's recommendation. Keeping the motorcycle’s air filter clean is one of the easiest ways of maintaining your bike engine.

A rider in a highly polluted area or a dusty area must look after the air filter with more care.

4. Clean and Lubricate the Chain

A dirty chain can add to the load of the motorcycle engine and negatively impact the mileage. Proper maintenance of the chain will help in reducing friction and unnecessary power loss.

Clean and lubricate the bike chain at recommended intervals. Also, make sure to keep a watch on the slack of the chain. A chain that is too tight, too loose or caked with dirt will put extra load on the engine.

Also Read: Top 10 Best Mileage Bikes in India

5. Use the Recommended Engine Oil

Does engine oil affect mileage? The engine requires appropriate engine oil with the recommended grade to function optimally. Using the correct grade of oil will help the engine perform well and reduce internal friction.

Change the oil of your motorcycle as per the recommended service schedule and don’t prolong the service interval unnecessarily.

Using the recommended engine oil and maintaining the oil level is an essential part of bike maintenance and can help improve mileage.

6. Avoid Sudden Acceleration and Hard Braking

Can smooth acceleration and controlled braking help improve mileage? A motorcycle that accelerates inconsistently and has abrupt braking will consume more fuel.

Smooth riding is not only beneficial for your mileage but also reduces the stress on the motorcycle tyres and other components.

7. Use the Right Gear

Using the right gear can help you keep a good balance between the engine speed and the road speed.

There is no fixed gear or fixed speed for every motorcycle that can provide good mileage. It varies from bike to bike and depends on various factors like engine specifications, road conditions, and traffic.

8. Avoid Unnecessary Idling

Does idling the bike consume a lot of fuel? Yes, idling consumes more fuel than necessary for no reason.

If you know you will be waiting for a long time or are stopped for a long time, it is good practice to switch off the engine to prevent the unnecessary consumption of fuel.

This doesn't mean you should switch it off every time for a short stop, but you must avoid idling the motorcycle for long durations.

9. Avoid Unnecessary Weight

Unnecessary weight can considerably impact your mileage. Putting unnecessary weight on the motorcycle, especially uphill, can stress the engine and increase fuel consumption.

Avoid putting too much weight and carry only the necessary items on your motorcycle wherever possible.

You don't have to remove all the useful accessories from your motorcycle, but it is good to avoid unnecessary weight if you are looking to improve your bike mileage.

10. Check for Brake Drag

Does dragging brakes reduce mileage? Yes, a dragging brake results in higher fuel consumption. Dragging brakes add unnecessary resistance to the motion of the motorcycle.

If you notice that your motorcycle is dragging brakes, you must get it inspected by a professional mechanic. It is better not to ignore unusual heating of the brake disc or a sudden drop in mileage without any reason.

11. Track Your Bike's Mileage

The best way to measure your bike mileage is to do it manually for several fuel refills.

After you fill the fuel tank, note down the odometer reading and the quantity of fuel you added. At your next Fill-up, note the odometer reading again and the amount of fuel you just added to the tank.

Your mileage can be derived using a simple formula as below:

Bike mileage = Distance travelled ÷ Fuel consumed

If you have travelled 300 km by consuming 5 litres of fuel, then your mileage is 60 km/l.

Keep track of your mileage in this way for a few refills and get an average value of it. In case you find that your mileage suddenly drops and continues to be low, it is a good idea to have your bike checked by a mechanic for any problems.

Conclusion

Improved mileage on the bike is not something that you can achieve overnight. However, some simple and regular bike maintenance tips can go a long way in helping you get more mileage out of your motorcycle.

Maintain the correct tyre pressure, service your bike on time, keep the chain and engine lubricated, and maintain the engine oil and air filter. At the same time, avoid unnecessary idling and avoid carrying extra weight on the motorcycle.

By following these easy bike maintenance tips, you can get better mileage and keep your bike in good working condition.

Frequently Asked Questions