Bike Maintenance
Dirt bike maintenance is one of those things that we know we should do but it doesn't always get done. I mean, we'd all rather be riding right? Maybe so but it's never much fun when your bike expires halfway through a moto or out on the trail as your riding buddies disappear around the next bend.
A good dirt bike maintenance schedule will include tasks that should be done every time you ride, in between outings and periodically through the race season.
Every ride.
- Check your chain tension and lube it if necessary.
- Check your air filter is clean, change it or clean it if required.
- Give the bike a general going over to check for loose bolts, spokes and that everything is where it should be.
Dirt bike maintenance checks between outings.
- Your bike should have been washed from your last outing.
- Check your brake pads for wear.
- Check your controls for smooth operation, inspect cables for fraying etc.
- Check your chain and sprockets for wear, they have to absorb a lot of abuse.
- Check your gearbox oil level and also engine oil level if you ride a four stroke.
- Check your radiators for damage and leaks, also check your coolant level.
- Check tyre pressures.
Periodically throughout the season.
- Inspect wheel bearings for wear and replace if required.
- Inspect your swingarm and headstem bearings for wear, clean and repack with grease or if they're too worn replace as required.
- If you ride a two stroke check your power valve! You wouldn't believe how often power valves are neglected and once they stop working properly they can make a big difference to your bikes performance.
- Control cables should be cleaned and relubed.
- Change your brake fluid periodically, brake fluid is hygroscopic and will absorb moisture over time as well as becoming contaminated.
- Repack two stroke mufflers. This is one noisy aspect of dirt bike maintenance that is often overlooked and a poorly packed muffler can actually decrease the performance of your bike
A good dirt bike maintenance schedule will include tasks that should be done every time you ride, in between outings and periodically through the race season.
Every ride.
- Check your chain tension and lube it if necessary.
- Check your air filter is clean, change it or clean it if required.
- Give the bike a general going over to check for loose bolts, spokes and that everything is where it should be.
Dirt bike maintenance checks between outings.
- Your bike should have been washed from your last outing.
- Check your brake pads for wear.
- Check your controls for smooth operation, inspect cables for fraying etc.
- Check your chain and sprockets for wear, they have to absorb a lot of abuse.
- Check your gearbox oil level and also engine oil level if you ride a four stroke.
- Check your radiators for damage and leaks, also check your coolant level.
- Check tyre pressures.
Periodically throughout the season.
- Inspect wheel bearings for wear and replace if required.
- Inspect your swingarm and headstem bearings for wear, clean and repack with grease or if they're too worn replace as required.
- If you ride a two stroke check your power valve! You wouldn't believe how often power valves are neglected and once they stop working properly they can make a big difference to your bikes performance.
- Control cables should be cleaned and relubed.
- Change your brake fluid periodically, brake fluid is hygroscopic and will absorb moisture over time as well as becoming contaminated.
- Repack two stroke mufflers. This is one noisy aspect of dirt bike maintenance that is often overlooked and a poorly packed muffler can actually decrease the performance of your bike
