Harley-Davidson University: Oil Change 101

The Classroom

Just like in school, before the practicals, a theory session was conducted to understand the need for a service, the steps required to carry out one and lastly the dos and don’ts that one needs to take note of. Our teacher for the day was Pankaj Paul, who is the Lead Trainer at the Harley-Davidson University.

To make the session interesting, the batch of 16 journos was split into four teams. Like the other teams who selected a name to represent themselves, our team decided to go with the name ‘Grease Monkeys’. Now, after the theory session, which comprised of a detailed video supported by discussions on the different procedures, the guys at HD-U had organised a quiz based on which, points would be awarded to the winning team. While we managed to give it our best shot, team Avengers won the quiz by a narrow margin.

Unboxing Time

Now, we all like to unbox things, right? Before we could get our hands dirty servicing a Harley, we had a task at hand. Unboxing a Harley! You see, Harley-Davidson imports a majority of its motorcycle models that are offered in the country via the CKD route. These bikes are assembled at the plant, packed into a big box and shipped to the respective dealerships. But before a motorcycle can be handed over to its owner, a Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) is carried out to set-up the motorcycle. Comprising of more than 20 check points, our task was to unbox the motorcycle and perform a PDI procedure. Since there were two boxed motorcycles, two teams were clubbed into one for this task.

After unboxing the Street 750 underneath, we unstrapped the motorcycle from the ratchet straps that had been used to prevent the bike from moving inside the box. Next task was thoroughly inspecting the motorcycle for any flaws or defects that are visible. This was followed up with setting up the positioning of the handlebar, side mirrors, levers and also the preload on the rear shocks depending on the weight of the rider and pillion combined. After that, the checklist comprised of many more procedures like checking the level of fluids including engine oil, brake oil and coolant. We also checked the battery for its condition in different conditions like ignition off, ignition on, engine cranking and engine running. Lastly, we also performed the procedure to set up the alignment of the headlamp as per the required specifications.

The Service

Having prior experience in servicing my own motorcycle whenever it was due for one, I was appointed to lead the team by allocating tasks and helping them out. However, to ensure that we didn’t make any mistakes that would damage the bike, we were accompanied by a master technician to supervise and guide us through the different tasks.

The type of service to be carried out on the Street 750 was a 24,000km one, which is considered to be a major service. After taking the inventory of the bike and noting down its odometer reading for record, the first task was to replace the engine oil. In order to do that, the engine had to be warmed up by running it for about two minutes. This allows the engine oil to warm up, thus making it easier to be drained effectively. The oil change was a two man job where one took care of draining the oil while I carried out the replacement of the oil filter. At the same time, one member of the team was appointed to open the air-filter box, check the condition of the filtering element and re-install it. The fourth member was tasked with disassembling the front brake system for a proper overhaul. It included removing the brake caliper, brake pads and the caliper pins. The respective parts including the brake disc were inspected and checked for their wear limits. The caliper pins were then cleaned and lubricated with special purpose grease to ensure proper functioning of the braking system.

With the oil change and a part of the brake service done, the other tasks that were conducted were lubricating the throttle cable and clutch cable for smooth operation. While carrying out this task, attention has to be given to the condition of the cables to prevent them from snapping while out on the road. Next up was checking the condition of the battery in different load conditions for proper functionality.

The remaining part of the brake service included replacing the existing brake fluid in the lines. This task was a three man procedure that required one person to maintain the brake fluid level in the reservoir, one to open and close the bleeding nipple and one to ensure that the entire procedure is carried out properly. While it took sometime to figure out in the beginning, we managed to successfully bleed the front brake system with fresh brake fluid.

The last task on the list was adjusting the tension on the final belt drive that drives the rear wheel. Jacking up the bike to lift the rear wheel off the ground and checking for slackness in the belt using a special measuring tool was quite a task. After several attempts and a few miscalculations at the beginning, we finally got the belt tension within the required values for proper operation.

Lastly, no service is complete without a proper clean up. So, as we returned the tools to the tool rack, two members took the responsibility of cleaning the bike with a waterless foam cleaner and microfibre cloth. Black plastic components were given a dash of shine by using a black trim polish while the painted parts were given a final wipe with a spray-on wax polish.

While we didn’t get to test ride our serviced Street 750, we did start it up and it seemed to run fine.

The Hindsight

Even though I’ve serviced a motorcycle before, carrying out the same procedure on a Harley might be similar but quite different too. Besides putting together some good motorcycles, Harley- Davidson, has also ensured that the same level of dedication and attention is given when it comes to servicing them. Right from using the right technique to carry out a task to following an exhaustive checklist that covers all the crucial parts of the motorcycle, it was a great experience.

While team Grease Monkey did bag most points for a proper service, following the right procedure and keeping the working bay clean at all times, our total score worked up to be just a little less than the Avengers team who won the competition.

But, if you’d ask me, the takeaway in the end is understanding all that goes into servicing a Harley-Davidson. And undoubtedly, it is definitely a lot more than an oil change!