As the name suggests, dirt bikes can get really dirty. After a whole day of tearing through mud, water, and every other thing found on tracks or trails your bike will be quite messy by the time you get home. This is why you need to maintain your machine on a regular basis to ensure that it stays in good condition. For your complete routine maintenance, be sure to get your service parts from Tokyomods. They have everything you need to make sure that your bike is always ready to race.
If you are new to dirt bike riding, learning the specifics of your bike and adding a little knowledge on maintenance will help you prevent catastrophic accidents, mechanical failures in the middle of the road, not to mention costly repairs.
Here is a time-tested beginner’s guide to maintaining your dirt bike.
Wash Your Bike Every Day or After Every Ride
A useful rule of thumb is that you should always wash your bike after you are through with riding. Mud and dirt can trap moisture and this can seriously interfere with the dirt bike’s paint. Ensure that you wash off the mud gently using a bucket of water and a selection of brushes.
You can also use a pressure washer but avoid forcing water and mud into areas where it can cause damage to electrical components or the engine. You can purchase an airbox cover to protect the carburetor from water during the cleaning process. Once the dirt bike is all clean, dry it before you start inspecting it for mechanical issues.
Clean The Air Filter
Check your air filter before every ride. Remember, by maintaining and cleaning your air filter, your bike’s performance can improve significantly and protect your engine from costly damage. Ideally, you should replace parts such as the air filter and the chain oil after every 100 hours of riding or more often if you race in very difficult conditions.
Purchase a high-quality air filter cleaner such as the muc-off air filter cleaner from TokyoMods or you can simply use a good household cleaner to get your air filter cleaned. Ensure that the air filter is completely dry before you coat it with good air filter oil.
Check Your Wheels
Hopefully, it is only your wheels that will make contact with the ground while you are riding. Your tires go through a significant amount of strain and this is why wheel inspection should be a part of your regular maintenance routine. Invest in a good Muc-off wheel brush from TokyoMods and use it to clean your wheels, rims, and spokes. Doing so will do wonders for your wheels and tires.
It is also very important to check the rims to ensure that they are not dented or cracked. Check the air pressure before you leave for your next ride and remember wheels don’t last forever.
If you are on a budget, you may be tempted to run your tires past their prime but this is not recommended. Cracked tires with a poor grip can send you crashing and leave you with a few broken bones. If your tires are more than a year old, or if you notice discoloration on rubber or missing knobs, it’s time to replace your tires. Ideally, it is best practice to replace your tires together regardless of whether the front tire looks better than the rear one.
Published on Holr Magazine