Going green is the need of the hour. With the Air Quality Index of Indian cities getting poorer day by day, decreasing our over-reliance on conventional vehicles and adopting electric mobility is a step in the right direction. In fact, the Government of India has also undertaken several measures to boost electric mobility in India under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan of 2013.
Electric bikes or e-bikes are one of the best alternatives for urban transportation. Apart from helping curb air pollution, one of the most significant advantages of an e-bike is that it requires minor maintenance. Unlike petrol motorcycles, there are no air filters and engine oil that need to be replaced in the case of e-bikes.
However, that does not mean that an electric bike does not require basic maintenance. On the contrary, regular maintenance of your e-bike is necessary to keep it in running condition and minimise the risk of incurring high expenses on its repairs in the future. Below are a few essential maintenance tips that can help you keep your electric bike in a tip-top condition:
Regular cleaning of your e-bike is necessary
You need to wash or clean your e-bike regularly. It will help keep off the dirt, dust, and debris and protect the engine from foreign particles.
It would help if you cleaned or wash your e-bike at least once or twice every week. It's not advisable to use a pressurised hose or direct stream of water to wash your electric bike as its electrical parts can get wet and malfunction. Instead, you should use a low-pressure water stream. You can also use a damp rag to clean your e-bike and wipe it with a dry cloth.
Lubrication of moving parts is essential
Proper lubrication of all moving parts of your electric bike is necessary. It will prevent the blocking of the chain and enable all mechanical parts of your e-bike to move correctly without grinding against each other.
You can either take your e-bike to a service station or apply lubricant yourself. If you're doing it yourself, remember to use a lubricant to all major moving parts of your bike to ensure that they keep working in the proper manner.
Keep checking the tyre pressure
Another important thing you need to do to maintain your electric bike is keeping checking the pressure on its tyres frequently. The tyres separate a vehicle from the road or, in other words, a vehicle stand on its tyres. Hence, properly inflated tyres are essential for your bike to run correctly on the road.
Under-inflated tyres can become a reason behind the poor performance of your e-bike. Worse, it can cause road accidents. Soft tyres increase the amount of drag and hence, affect the balance and stability of a two-wheeler. Also, running your e-bike on soft tyres will consume more power, and therefore, the battery may drain out more quickly.
Take care of the battery
The battery is the most critical component of an electric vehicle. It is the battery that provides power to an e-bike so that it can run. Therefore, you need to take good care of your e-bike's battery.
You should properly charge your battery, and as a responsible bike owner, make sure that it's used correctly. Before attempting to charge your e-bike's battery for the first time, carefully read the manufacturer's instructions. You can find them in the instruction manual of your e-bike.
It would be best if you tried to keep your bike's battery at least above 30 per cent all the time. Try not to use any random bike battery charger for charging your bike's battery. Instead, use the one provided by the bike manufacturer only. Also, remember cool temperatures can quickly drain your e-bike's battery. Hence, park your bike at a heated place if the weather in your area turns frosty.
Replace brake pads if required
Check the brake pads of your electric bike every time before starting a ride. Take a good look at how they are holding up. It's very crucial to ensure that the brake pads of your e-bike are effective, or else you run the risk of a serious road accident.
If you find any problem with your e-bike's brake pads, replace them without any delay. Brake pads can be quickly and cheaply replaced when necessary. If you want, you can also check with your insurance company if it covers replacing the brake pads.
Go for the shut-down mode if you're not using your bike
These days, many electric bikes come with a shut-down switch that switches off the e-bike completely. In a situation when you know that you won't be using your e-bike for several days, like the lockdown due to COVID-19, you should go for the shut-down mode.
This will help in conserving the battery of your e-bike. Keeping your bike in switch off mode will also increase its life cycle and efficiency.
The final word
These tips can help you maintain your e-bike and keep it in excellent condition. But remember, even after maintaining your e-bike well, you can't rule out chances of mishaps and damage completely. For such issues, it's advisable to keep your e-bike financially secured with a comprehensive bike insurance policy.
You can browse our two-wheeler insurance plans and have a look at their features and benefits. Then, if you're satisfied with our motor insurance policy features, you can purchase it by paying the premium amount online.