December 2018

Wrench Tip Wednesday: Muddy Gear Winter and spring months can be soupy. The sloppy mud conditions can either be embraced with a smile or sitting at home sad. I choose a smile! So, what does a person do when their gear is no longer vibrant colors but instead is a nasty brown? Here are the options: Throw the gear away and buy a new set – this can get costly pretty quick and is wasteful. Show up to next race with gear already muddy. Psyche everyone else out about the conditions of the track. I strongly DO NOT recommend throwing the gear in the washer machine right away, unless you want to make your mom or wife/significant other mad. It will also not get all of the mud out and the gear will be stained. So, it will be a lose, lose. The best way to get the filthy gear clean. Lay all the gear out and power wash. Try to get all the mud out. Keep spraying until the water is no longer brown. Do not get so close that it ruins the gear. Once clean, put it in the washer machine and wash like normal. Its hard to avoid mud this time of year and increases power washing time by a lot! Playing in the mud is way better than sitting on the couch dreaming of your bike. If you forgot how to wash a dirty bike, refer to my blog post “Dirty bike = NO GOOD”. More Posts Back To Blog Page

Wrench Tip Wednesday: Throttle Sticking One of the scariest “oh sh!t” moments to happen on the bike is the throttle to stick wide open. It is extremely easy to panic in that kind of situation but let’s talk about why it could happen. The throttle cable could be damaged or frayed. So, this needs to be on your list of items to inspect every time maintenance is done. Double check how the cable is routed and what it is next to. Sometimes the cable can get pinched between other things on a bike and it can be caused by a simple wreck. Debris can be caught between the throttle tube and the handlebar. Check the throttle housing for debris. If the cable is applicable, lube it. The throttle slide could be stuck in the carb. The bike could have an air leak: Broken or cracked reeds Loose hose clamps Damaged hoses Loose spark plug Carb insulator Bad gaskets Bad crank seal Crack or damaged head. Some of the things that can go wrong are not preventative but if a person thoroughly inspects their bike often and makes detailed notes in their “diary” a throttle stuck wide open can be prevented majority of the time. Sometimes, sh!t happens…. You might have inspected the cable and everything looks good but you get to experience one of those scary moments. Some riders are so in tuned to how their bike is running and acting and can tell the throttle is sticking before its too late. If you are one of these lucky riders, stop and figure out why it is sticking, fix it. What do you do if you are not so lucky? Stay calm and try not to panic. Riders who do not run a Rekluse, needs to pull in the clutch, apply the brakes and hit the kill button. Get the bike to shut down. If you have a Rekluse, lock up the brakes and try to push the kill button or choke it. If you are not capable of doing either of those, jump off the bike. Do not have yourself on the bike straight towards the tree, cliff, or whatever obstacle it might be. I know, easier said than done but be aware a throttle stuck wide open can happen to anyone. Point is, do not forget to check your cables. Keep dirt out of the carb. Be observant. After every race or ride, inspect the ENTIRE bike. Most manufactures offer a maintenance schedule, it is a good idea to follow their suggestions. Enjoy the ride without a panic attack. More Posts Back To Blog Page

Wrench Tip Wednesday: Fuel Filters Fuel Filters…..an important, cheap item that is often forgotten. The purpose of a fuel filter is to help the bike run cleaner. CHEAP & EASY TO INSTALL!! A good rule of thumb, be cautious where you buy your gas. That gas station right down the road no one goes to, most likely does not have fresh, good quality fuel available. Sometimes, bad fuel may only be a factor, and other issues may still linger. Fuel tanks can get debris in it easily. A fuel tank can already have fine particles in it from getting the holes drilled to make it fit on the bike. Or even putting gas in your bike allows dirt a chance to get in. Where does the gas go after it leaves the lines? It goes to the carb. Dirt in carburetor is not good! It can cause the jets to get clogged or cause the float to stick. Pretty much, your bike will not run or not run very well. EFI bikes, where does the gas go (no carb)? Straight to the injector. Getting dirt in that, can be expensive! Simple preventative tip, install in inline fuel filter. Installing an inline fuel filter is easy, refer to the picture. They generally cost around $4 and work effectively. A fuel filter can get clogged, so add that your list of items to visually inspect. Also, check the fuel lines often, make sure they are still secure and not rubbing on anything, forming holes. Short, sweet, and to the point! Install a fuel filter and save money later. EASY PEASY! More Posts Back To Blog Page

Wrench Tip Wednesday: Winter Riding or Store It It’s pretty evident winter has made it presence here in Missouri. Although, blizzards are rare and extreme negative temperature don’t happen often, some people put there bike up in the winter but a few “crazy” people try to ride. Two questions, how do you prep a bike for winter storing or what is it like to ride. If you don’t plan on riding during winter, follow these steps so hopefully you will have less headaches come the first nice day in the year. First, give the bike a good wash, like really good!! Scrub it!! Love on it!! Gas goes bad in 4-6 weeks so add a fuel stabilizer to help it. Run the bike for a few minutes, that way the fuel can go through the system. Turn the fuel off and then drain the carb. If it is an EFI bike, try really hard to keep fresh gas in it. Change your oil, important because it lubricates. Make sure the coolant is full and double check that is rated for subzero temperatures. Disconnect the battery. This is extremely important for EFI bikes especially. Bad battery, low voltage, and ECU do not mix well together. It would not hurt to go ahead and throw it on a battery tender. To the brave souls who plan to bare the cold temperatures and embrace winter riding, prepare yourself. First off, make sure you have the proper attire for cold weather riding!! I like to layer and use a Fly cold weather jersey. Or in extreme cases bibs and a Carhartt coat! Now what to expect with the dirt bike. It will most likely be hard to start. Don’t freak out about this but also do not continue to crank the electric start. Make sure the gas is on and have it choked. Sometimes it helps to lay it over on its side and let gas run out of it. Obviously, the last few steps are for non fuel injected bikes. Poor quality coolant can freeze. Or what about that one race, water was poured in to get by, did it get forgotten about? Another reason why keeping track in your dirt bike diary is important. The suspension might not act the way it normally does when you start to ride. Fork fluid needs to get warm, so do not go adjusting the clickers or cussing it right away. Ever heard of a cold seized engine? This is very possible in our area. A cold seized engine is similar to running a bike with no oil. The bike needs to be properly warmed up. Start it up but do not go revving the crap out of it immediately. Keep the RPMS low so the oil can heat up. Sometimes the clutch will not be working properly right away. POINT IS a cold bike does not act the same as warm bike, so relax and let everything get warm. More Posts Back To Blog Page