Get there early, have a look, know exactly what you’re buying and don’t go over your pre-set limit. Some of the best stuff I’ve got at auctions is when I didn’t know much about a lot, but seen it wasn’t going for as much as I thought and had a nibble. I bought a lovely RD250DX li...

Stoppies, while being as easy as wheelies, are much harder to save if it all starts to go wrong. Consequently, even after you know the theory of how to do one, you need more bottle and confidence to practice than you do to pop the odd wheelie.Make sure you’re front tyre is warm a...

If you’re bike’s over three years old, then you’ll be subjected to the annual ordeal of the MOT test. It’s always a pretty worrying time of year, but it needn’t be if you look after your bike and know what to expect. By following these simple steps, not only can you make sure you...

Changing your oil and filter is one of the cheapest forms of maintenance. For the sake of spending just a few quid, you can’t beat having good, clean oil.Even if your bike hasn’t done that many miles, if it’s been stood over winter or if it’s been sat in a shed, then there’s a fa...

Working on the brakes is something that a lot of people are scared of doing. And understandably so – they are pretty important after all. My golden rule when I do anything safety related is to allow plenty of time to do the job so that I do it right. If you think it’s going to ta...

as the caliper, cover up any paintwork. Once you’re happy it’s virtually impossible to spill any fluid on your paint, put the kettle on.Step 2Remove the hoses from any guides, leaving the banjo joints as the last thing to be undone. Undo the banjo joints one

Wheel bearings have to put up with a quite a lot of stick. Other than whizzing around at speeds of up to 2,000rpm, they have to support the weight of you and your bike, survive fast acceleration and deceleration and endure the British climate. All of which means they ain’t going ...

’s nowhere near as hard as it looks, either. Specialist tools will make the task easier, but even with a basic tool kit it’s not a difficult job. Just take your time and follow our step-by-step guide – it’s a doddle!Step 1Make sure that you have either a

Suspension changes as a bike ages, so it’s well worth checking your sag, especially if you’ve bought the bike second-hand as it may have once been owned by a track day looney or a 15 stone bloke carrying a 20 stone missus on the back.It’s a simple adjustment to make and while you...

One of the most overlooked fluids in any bike is the coolant. Most of us are dead fussy when it comes to regular oil changes and keeping our bikes tip-top, but all too often leave mucky coolant in our engines. Over time this can cause corrosion inside the motor, making the coolin...