Five-minute bike checks and what fuel actually does

• Daily walk-around: Work from front to back checking tyres (minimum 1.6 mm tread in Singapore), brake feel and fluid, controls, oil/coolant levels, chain slack (if fitted), and lights.
• Fuel octane (RON): the two NMAX manuals on this page require different grades, RON 90 and RON 95. Singapore sells 92, 95 and 98, so a RON 90 bike runs fine on 92, and a RON 95 bike needs 95. RON 98 adds cost, not power.
• Servicing & LTA inspections: Log your mileage- or time-based servicing, verify JASO MA/MB oil specs before topping up, and complete annual LTA inspections once your bike turns 3 years old.

Walk the bike before each ride

Every owner's manual, like the 2024 Yamaha NMAX Turbo manual and the 2018 MT-15 manual, starts with the same rule: inspect your motorcycle before every ride. Follow a fixed route from front to back so you never skip a check. Write your bike's cold tyre pressures, chain slack and tread minimum on a card in the underseat box, because the two bikes on this page do not share numbers.

• Wheels and tyres: check damage, condition, tread depth and air pressure.
• Both brakes: check operation, pad wear, reservoir fluid level and hydraulic leaks. Lever feel is only part of the check.
• Controls: the throttle grip and control cables should operate smoothly. Check throttle free play using your model's instructions. Also check the brake levers, the centre stand and side stand, and chassis fasteners.
• Fuel: check the level and refuel if necessary. Check the fuel line for leakage and the tank overflow hose for obstruction, cracks or damage.
• Oil and cooling: check engine oil level using your model's method, add oil if necessary and check for oil leaks, final transmission oil leaks, coolant reservoir level and cooling-system leaks.
• Instruments and electrics: check that instruments, lights, signals and switches operate. The drive-chain check, where fitted, has its own instructions below.

Record scheduled work in a service log

A daily walk-around catches immediate hazards, but it doesn't replace periodic servicing. Keep a service log with the date, odometer reading, and work completed. Follow your manual's distance or time intervals (whichever comes first), such as this schedule from the Yamaha NMAX Turbo:

Singapore's tread minimum is the one that counts

Many regional owner's manuals (such as the Indonesian NMAX Turbo and MT-15 manuals) list a 1.0 mm wear limit, while European manuals (like the 2016 NMAX manual) state 1.6 mm. Under Singapore's Traffic Police Booklet rules, riding with tread depth below 1.6 mm is an offence, so on Singapore roads, 1.6 mm is your hard minimum.

Always check tyre pressure when the tyres are cold (at ambient temperature before riding) using a proper gauge. Eyeballing a tyre won't tell you if it's underinflated. Set them cold, before the ride warms the tyre. The two bikes above run different front pressures, 150 kPa on the NMAX Turbo against 225 kPa on the MT-15, so another rider's numbers are not a shortcut.

A drive chain needs checking before each ride

If your motorcycle uses a chain drive, check the slack before riding and keep it within your manual's target window (for example, 30.0–40.0 mm on the Yamaha MT-15). If you ride a belt-driven scooter like the Yamaha NMAX 155, skip the chain check and follow your V-belt service intervals instead.

• After water: the MT-15 instructions require chain lubrication after washing the motorcycle, riding in rain or riding in wet areas.
• At scheduled intervals: clean and lubricate the chain according to its periodic maintenance chart to prevent rapid wear, especially in dusty or wet areas.
• Protect the O-rings: use a special O-ring chain lubricant. Do not use steam cleaners, high-pressure washers or inappropriate solvents, which can damage the O-rings.

When deep-cleaning your chain, wash off grime with mild soapy water or an O-ring-safe chain cleaner, wipe it dry, and apply chain lube evenly across the links.

Octane measures resistance to knock

Octane (measured as RON in Singapore) rates a fuel's ability to resist knocking, not how "powerful" the petrol is. As U.S. FuelEconomy.gov and the U.S. Energy Information Administration explain, knock happens when rising heat and cylinder pressure cause unburned fuel mixture to auto-ignite before the spark plug's flame front finishes its burn.

Higher-compression engines (for instance, the NMAX 155 jumped from 10.5:1 in 2016 to 11.6:1 on current models) generate higher cylinder pressures and often require higher RON fuel to prevent knock. There is no formula from compression ratio to RON, so the manual is the only spec that counts. For the two bikes below, it gives 90 and 95.

What each NMAX needs

Required RON can vary across model years and regional markets even for the same bike name. Both NMAX manuals below allow up to E10 unleaded petrol, but specify different minimum octane grades:

Singapore stations sell RON 92, 95, and 98 (as outlined in MTI's 2011 Economic Survey feature and 2025 written reply). Pumping a lower RON than your manual requires can cause engine knock, reduced power, poor fuel economy, and long-term engine damage. Pumping a higher grade than required offers little to no benefit in normal riding.

Despite this, Singapore's Retail Petrol Market Inquiry found that 63% of motorists buy a higher petrol grade than their vehicle actually needs. Save your money and pump the RON rating printed in your manual.

Inspection starts when the bike reaches 3 years

In Singapore, motorcycles and scooters require an annual LTA inspection from year 3 onwards. While a brand-new bike is exempt for its first three years, you are still legally responsible for keeping it roadworthy every day.

The official LTA inspection covers your frame, wheels, tyres, brakes, steering, lights, horn, and exhaust emissions/noise compliance at an Authorised Inspection Centre. You must pass your due inspection (along with having valid insurance and zero outstanding fines) before road tax renewal. LTA sends the inspection notice within 3 months of the due date.

Check the label before buying oil or chain lube

When buying engine oil, matching viscosity (like 10W-40) isn't enough. You also need the right clutch friction rating. Wet-clutch motorcycles (like the MT-15) require JASO MA. 

• Visbella Chain Lube$10.00Check the label against your chain's lubricant requirement.View the listing
• Motul 7100 15W-50 Engine Oil$22.90View the listing
• Yamaha Full Synthetic 10W-40$16.00View the listing

Read the back label before you pay. A wet-clutch bike like the MT-15 needs JASO MA, and a bottle that lists only a viscosity grade has not told you the part that matters.