UMI is a full service dealer and it is our aim to help you keep your motorcycle in the best working condition possible.

Our philosophy is to find out what is wrong with your motorcycle: tell you what we have to do ,what you should do,and what we recommend you do to remedy the problem.  Giving you the option of how to spend your money.

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Is your bike ready for the up coming season?

Here are a few things to consider :

Brake Fluid

Brake systems rely on an incompressible fluid to transmit force.  Liquids are generally incompressible while gases are compressible. If the brake fluid boils (becomes a gas), it will lose most of its ability to transmit force.  This may partially or completely disable the brakes.  Braking applications produce a lot of heat so brake fluid must have a high boiling point to remain effective.

DOT3 or DOT4 brake fluid absorbs water and as it does then its boiling point decreases. It can absorb water from the air, DOT5 fluid does not absorb water.  This means the boiling point will remain relatively stable, but it also means that any water that does get into your brake system will tend to form pure water pockets, water in any brake system could cause brake parts to corrode.  Changing fluid on a regular basis will greatly increase the performance of the brake system.  Changing fluid at least every two years will preserve the life of brake system components; by removing accumulated water and other contaminants and increase the overall reliability of the brake system. I personally recommend changing brake fluid yearly for off road motorcycles due to the fact they live in water some weekends through out the season.

Do not mix DOT rated brake fluids as they will not mix; in fact they can turn into a gel and a gel is not a good hydraulic fluid.

CAUTION: brake fluid ingredients may be corrosive to paint and finished surfaces such as chrome so care should be taken when working with brake fluid.

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Coolant

You can’t judge the condition of the coolant by appearances alone.  It may look like new, but if the chemistry isn’t right the coolant can be a potential time bomb just waiting to cause problems.

Most antifreeze is about 95% ethylene glycol with the remainder being corrosion inhibitors and other additives.  Time and heat eventually deplete the protective additives, leaving the system vulnerable to internal corrosion.  Ethylene glycol never wears out, but the additives do so that’s why the coolant needs to be changed every two years. Keeping the coolant up to snuff is especially important for motorcycles since they have bimetal engines (iron,magnesium and aluminum parts) and the aluminum radiators because aluminum corrodes more quickly than iron when the coolant chemistry turns sour.

The time tested  rule of changing the coolant every two years will keep your bike in good working order.

Clean Carburetors

Clogged up carburetors is a common ailment for any motorcycle, caused by short and long-term storage without draining or treating the fuel.  After one to four months, untreated fuel can go bad, gum things up, and make starting nearly impossible.  In hot climates fuel can evaporate and varnish carburetor guts in as little as a month or so.  It's possible on occasion to start an unprepared vehicle that has been sitting for over six months, but don't count on it.

It is very important to keep the carburetor clean for it to run properly.  If the carburetor is not periodically cleaned and maintained, its ability to regulate the combustion can seriously be compromised, resulting in the motor to not run properly or damage your motor due to a partially clogged jets.

(Damage from partially clogged Carburator jets)

The first step in keeping your carburetor running properly is to remove it from your motor.  After you have done so you will be able to disassemble it and clean it. You must then make sure that all parts and jets are cleared.  You can accomplish this by flushing out these parts with a cleaning solvent. This would be the first thing you should do. It is very important that you use proper care when cleaning out the carburetor. If you intend to do this, make sure that you use the proper equipment necessary to perform this function.  Do not use wires, or other machine-powered products to clean the carburetor. This is because the carburetor is carefully calibrated to a specific setting.  Using those products might damage the product.

UMI Service 

UMI can perform all of these services listed above and more to help you prepare for the up coming season. Contact us for details and a quote.      Contact Us