Bajaj Boxer maintenance schedule: keeping your boda earning

The Bajaj Boxer is the most common boda boda in Kenya. It's simple and tough, but a working boda can cover 100 km or more a day, so it needs servicing far more often than a private bike. A few hundred shillings of maintenance prevents days off the road.

Every day

• Check the engine oil level on the sight glass or dipstick, with the bike upright.
• Check tyre pressures and look for nails and cuts.
• Check the brakes, horn, lights and indicators.
• Look at the chain: it should be lubricated and not hanging loose.

Every 500 km (about every week)

• Clean, lubricate and adjust the chain. Set the slack to the figure in the manual. See our chain guide.

Every 1,500 km

• Engine oil change with a four-stroke motorcycle oil (marked JASO MA) in the grade in your manual. Car oil can make the clutch slip.
• Clean the oil strainer if your mechanic recommends it.

Every 3,000 km

• Air filter: clean it, more often in dust. A dirty filter wastes fuel and wears the engine.
• Brakes: check the shoes and adjust the brake play.
• Clutch and throttle cables: lubricate and adjust.

Every 6,000 km

• Spark plug: clean, check the gap, replace if worn.
• Valve clearance adjustment. A ticking engine often needs this.
• Check the wheel bearings and steering head bearings.

Record every service in CarLog with the odometer reading. You'll get reminders before the next one is due, and a full history helps when you sell the bike.