Chain maintenance A loose, dry or dirty chain will sap power. On top of that, it will wear out the chain set much faster so you will have to shell out money at shorter intervals to replace it. Chain maintenance can be done at home or at your mechanic’s shop….

Helmet After every ride, wide down the surface of the helmet with a damp cloth. If you do this after every ride, you won’t need to use any kind of chemicals to remove bugs or dust that have solidified on your helmet over time. And using any kind of chemical…

Covering controls Many riders choose to leave their controls (clutch, brake lever, and brake pedal) uncovered when riding. This is a lot more dangerous in the city where the amount of stopping space available is less. Covering the controls while riding gives one that extra half a second to react…

Khardung La We are getting this one out of the way first. Khardung La is considered a pilgrimage among the rider community, and every year when the region opens, you will see hordes of riders headed that way. It is, after all, the highest motorable road in the world. Apart…

Waterproof Riding Gear Well, this one goes without saying. A wet rider is a miserable rider, and being damp and cold on a motorcycle will undermine one’s focus. Thus, when riding in the rainy season, you must use motorcycle gear that is waterproof or can be made waterproof by adding…

Riding solo As much as riding solo rids you of taking responsibility for the lazy and irresponsible ones (!), it puts on you alone all the tasks that come with the joy of a tour. Here are a few things to keep in mind-1. Always inform a close friend/family member…

Battery management systems Battery maintenance is perhaps the most neglected of all tasks, but quite important nevertheless. There are a few very useful products out there that can help with this.For example, the Oxford 900 essential battery management system that is a switch mode charger designed to automatically maintain, optimize…

All-season riding gear As you ride to locations way above sea level, the mercury drops progressively, making it essential to acclimatize your body to the dropping temperature. It’s not advisable to wear hot-weather gear as it’s meant for the exact opposite of protecting from the cold. Similarly, cold-weather gear tends…

Tyre pressure gauge and tire inflator With most motorcycles now coming with tubeless tires, just having the basic tools for tire care can save one a lot of trouble when the inevitable puncture happens.The Oxford Digi Gauge is very handy to check the tire pressure and the Slime Power Sport…

Be On-Time Being five minutes late when you are going a ride by yourself is a whole different scenario compared to being five minutes late for a group ride. On your own, you will be able to make up that time at the next rest stop or fuel station. However,…