SERVICE & MAINTENANCE: Munroe Motors - San Francisco, California

Service Department:

Here are a few tips from Master Technician, Jamie Karrick. Jamie is a senior tech and has been with Munroe Motors since 1993. His mechanical experience ranges from antique to state-of-the-art motorcycles. Jamie is also the leader and chief technician of our Race Team's MV Agusta F4-1000.

Summer 2007: Coolant Overflow Tank Level

Coolant level. The coolant level in the expansion tank should be set at the "low" mark when the bike is cool. As the engine warms up and the coolant expands, it fills the tank, hopefully not past the "full" mark. If you find that your bike spits coolant out of a drain hose, your coolant level is probably too high in the expansion tank, so remove some coolant. If the level is properly set and you still have coolant coming out of the drain hose when the bike gets hot, then there may be a problem with the cooling system in your bike.

Spring 2007: Dead Batteries and White Foamy Oil

Prematurely dead or weak batteries are often due to short and/or infrequent rides. The battery will weaken as it sits idle for weeks at a time. In addition, if you use the bike for mostly short trips, your battery may never reach full charge. The battery takes a hit when you start the bike. The headlights also give the battery a beating. If the battery was weak to begin with after sitting for a long time, the charging system needs to charge the battery for at least a 15 minute ride in order to replenish it. If you do ride the bike often, but only for short trips, the battery may start to weaken prematurely.

Another symptom of infrequent usage or short trips is white foam in the oil level window and inside the filler plug. The white film is condensation mixing with the oil. It gathers on the surface of the oil and in nooks and crannies inside the cases - like inside the filler cap. It happens mostly when the bike is used for short trips and/or in damp and chilly climates. If it's cold outside, then you run the bike and heat builds up in the engine, after is cools off again, condensation appears. If the oil isn't heated up sufficiently during the next ride, the condensation won't dry up and disappear. There is nothing to worry about; it won't hurt anything. If you want to get rid of it, ride the bike for a long time, but it will likely return. If you need to clear the window to see the oil level, you can "burn" away the condensation by blowing hot air at the window with a heat gun or a hair dryer.

Winter 2006/2007: Fork Maintenance

Keep your fork legs clean and clear of debris in order to avoid leaking fork seals. Any rust or pitting spots that already exist can be removed by using chrome polish. Do not use steel wool or other abrasive materials.