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Wrench Tip Wednesday: Drowning a bike in water

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Wrench Tip Wednesday: Drowning a bike in water If you raced Ironman GNCC, then you know what this is about! Rule #1: CHOOSE A BETTER LINE! Yep, it is that easy! Hahah, just kidding! Sometimes it’s hard to tell how deep the hole really is when everything else prior was 2 inches deep and then one wrong line sent you 3 foot deep. Or even with creek crossings and rolling water, the current could push you over. I’ve seen that happen before. What should you do if you go for a swim on your dirt bike? If it is a quick submerge there is a chance the bike might still start. But a hot engine and cool water never mix. First, I would try to start it. If it does not start, pull the spark plug and flip the bike upside down. Kick the engine over. This helps push any water out of the top end. Flip it back over and install a sparkplug. If you do not have a spare with you, dry off the one you pulled out. Keep your fingers crossed that it starts otherwise you will be pushing the bike back. Be sure to change the air filter and oil once you get back. Also, pull your pipe off and dump the water out of it. What if the bike does not start and needs to be pushed or towed back? Load up and head home. The process is similar as above. Clean the bike! Take off the plastics and everything and get rid of the mud and dirt so it does not end up in places it shouldn’t! Take the spark plug out, flip upside down, and turn the engine over. Drain the oil and replace it a few times. Change the air filter. The float bowl could also be filled with water so check that. In extreme cases, it would not hurt to go ahead and replace the exhaust packing. With fresh oil, spark plug, and air filter installed go ahead and start the bike. Oh no! It still does not start; this could mean a complete engine rebuild may be needed. It all really depends how much water got in it. It is also not a bad idea to dielectric grease all connectors so they do not get corroded. While you’re at that, keep in mind all the grease on your bearings probably washed away too. Check your wheel, swingarm, and linkage bearings and make sure they are not rusty or loose. If still good, put more grease on them! Don’t fret if your mechanic skills are not up to par, take it to a local shop and let them dig into it. A good rule of thumb, always be honest about what has happened to the bike even if it is embarrassing, not just referring to the bike going swimming any instant something mechanical fails, tell the story. It helps the mechanic understand what has happened and why it happened. More Posts Back To Blog Page

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IRONMAN GNCC 2021 – I FINALLY RIPPED THE BAND AID OFF

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IRONMAN GNCC 2021 – I FINALLY RIPPED THE BAND AID OFF I FINALLY RIPPED THE BAND AID OFF! I found out my van was going to be ready for its for trip so I felt like I HAD to go to Ironman GNCC and not to spectate. I’ve had the largest itch to race! The last time I raced was November 2020. MORE THAN READY FOR THIS. This was my first GNCC ever racing/attending. It was for sure a different atmosphere and pretty chaotic but very RAD. I’ve never watched an ATV race before and that was neat. Looking at the trails after they had been on them was completely different than anything I have ever seen. Like it was wild. It rained Sunday morning and never stopped. Lots of down pours. The 10AM race got delayed and I ended up sitting on the line for a hour. It rained basically the entire time leading up to the actual start. The field was turning into a pond. 10 secondssssssss!! FINALLY, IT WAS GO TIME! My bike didn’t want to start for some odd reason and by the time I finally got it to start, I was practically taking off with the row behind me. I brushed it off and rolled with it. Crap happens. By the end of the field, I passed two girls. I passed a few more in the first 100 feet of the woods. Shortly after, I came up to the first pile up. Someone pointed me into a line and I passed like 50 people! It was nuts! It seemed like every half mile there was some kind of “technical” area that was loaded with people wrecked, stopped, or laying there. I focused on choosing good lines and not waiting around. I felt like I excelled on the hill climbs and navigating most ruts. Don’t get me wrong, I had my fair share of fall overs, wrecks, and getting stuck in ruts, face plants, rolling down a hill because I couldn’t stand without falling. One wreck left me stuck under my bike and another rider rode up and told me to grab on to his arm and so I did and as he rode off, he pulled me out from under my bike. That was pretty dang funny. The most memorable moment of the day is what ended my race early. I was 7.5 – 8ish miles in and was in a field section. So far, the ruts in the fields weren’t super bad and the standing water wasn’t super deep. I was trying to get around a rider and got stopped dead in my tracks. The rut was so deep and full of water, it literally brought me to a dead stop and almost threw me off the bike. IT WAS DEEP! Like up to my gas tank deep. Bike sucked some water in and wouldn’t run. I didn’t think leaving it sit in a water hole was a great idea so I got off my bike and tried to get it out. I mentally prepared myself by saying “I can deadlift this out of here, no big deal!!” I shoved my arms down in the water and wrapped them around my front wheel. I was able to lift the front wheel up and almost out but couldn’t get it high enough. After talking to another rider, it is best to focus on the rear wheel and getting it out and then proceed on dragging the bike out after the rear is out. I realized; I was going to need help so I decided to just chill sitting Indian style on my bike. I was out there for at least 40 minutes. I got super cold because it was still raining and I was drenched. Finally, the neighbors found me. They rolled up and was like “Holy shit! We heard you were stuck but didn’t think it was THAT BAD!!” They helped me get my bike out and I tried to get it started again with no luck. I got off to push my bike into a position to where it could be hooked up to be towed and I ended up face planting into that deep rut. I guess it was my time to go for a swim lol. We finally got it to where we could tow it out. It was a super cold ride back. I got lots of cheers and laughs from fellow racer’s as we arrived back to the pits. I really did not know what to expect with my physical capabilities coming back from a shoulder injury especially in the gnarly conditions but I am more than pleased with how it handled it. Everything felt easy. It was very odd to me. I have kept myself conditioned throughout the entire injury (since January) and have a very solid base following my own training programs. But now it is time to build and get to work for 2022 prep! I want to thank everyone in my corner throughout this injury and constantly pushing me to level up. I also want to thank my sponsors who are still helping and supporting after a full season off. I appreciate everything! Lastly, I just want to say I had an absolute blast and cheesing the entire time! I AM STOKED TO BE BACK TO RACING! More Posts Back To Blog Page

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What are your goals?

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What are your goals? “Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.” – Albert Einstein What are your goals? What fuels you? What lights you up? I wanted to take a moment about goals and setting goals. We all always hear about SMART Goals: S- Specific M – Measurable A – Attainable R – Relevant T – Time Bound But really what does that mean?! To me, your goal should be specific to YOU and what YOU want. No one else. It should be your driving force, what gets you fired up, what pushes you out of bed a 4:30 AM. It’s your purpose. It’s what dictates your actions. Your goals should scare you but not because you are afraid of what others think. But because it is so huge. Don’t sell yourself short because someone else doesn’t believe in you. Believe in yourself. Quit thinking small. If everyone thought small the world and technology wouldn’t have advanced like it has. Don’t be afraid to fail. You can choose to fail forward and learn. You should have a clear picture of your goals and what it looks and feels like to achieve it. It shouldn’t be this fuzzy picture of “I think” this is what I want or “if I am able to”. It should be a strong vision of “I WILL”. Most importantly, you do not need a new year, new month, new week, or new day to set your goals. You can do it NOW! You can start working NOW! When this if figured out, your actions will follow your vision. You will do things with intent and a purpose. More Posts Back To Blog Page

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BLEED YOUR BRAKES – USE GOOD BRAKE FLUID

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BLEED YOUR BRAKES – USE GOOD BRAKE FLUID Alright guys, if y’all watched my Wrench Tip video on Facebook or Instagram yesterday, you know one of my biggest pet peeves is when people complain about losing their brakes but did nothing to prevent the problem. Even better, if you know you are hard on brakes, prepare for it. I went through a phase where I was losing my brakes in a 35-minute race! LIKE WHAT?!?!! There are not many things that are scarier than the first moment you realize you have no brakes. It was 5 years ago when I was having this issue, so back in my ultra-beginner days, I had no idea what to do! As a result, I ran into a dirt pile, forgot how to use what little skill I had, and lost the race. That’s enough to make a little girl angry! I had a problem and it needed fixed! Fluid, brake pads, and rotors all contribute to this but for now we are going to hit on the fluid. The first thing we did was bleeding my brakes after every single race. During a MORE race weekend, I would even do it again Saturday night after racing so I was set up for Sunday! That alone made my problem better. When I started traveling further to races, it got a bit more serious. I switched to what I like to call liquid gold, Castrol React SRF Racing brake fluid, it comes in a 1L jug and is around $90. I look at it as the bigger picture, if I am going to travel 10+ hours to race, I am going to do what I can to prevent as many problems as possible. This brake fluid is cheaper than not finishing or struggling to finish. When you look into purchasing brake fluid, do your homework! Each bottle of brake fluid has the wet boiling point listed on it. Some even state the dry boiling point. All that we care about is the wet, because as soon as you open the bottle, moisture gets in it and therefore it is now “wet”. So, do not be fooled by the dry boiling points. We keep these brake fluids on the shelf: Castrol React SRF Racing: 518 *F wet boiling point Motul RBF 660: 399*F wet boiling point Maxima Racing: 399*F wet boiling point Lucas Synthetic: 116*F wet boiling point All of these vary in price. Remember, focus on what works and not what is the cheapest. Remember, riding your brakes in “overtime” is not worth it. How to know they need to be bled: If you are a serious racer, do it after every race. Braking power has reduced Inconsistent braking The lever feels spongy Pro tip: If it is hot outside, everything on your bike is that much hotter, including your brakes, which means they will boil faster! If you boil your brakes, the boiling temperature is reduced so that is why it is important to bleed them! More Posts Back To Blog Page

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Overlooked Dirt Bike Riding Tips #3: PRACTICE

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Overlooked Dirt Bike Riding Tips #3: PRACTICE PRACTICE! Every time you ride, you should have a specific goal with what you want out of this practice session. Dedicated practice. I work on things I need to and when I feel like I earned it, I treat myself to something I want to ride for fun. It helps to have another experienced rider to ride with so you can learn from them. Sometimes, it is hard to know what you are doing wrong. Having videos helps too. Fundamentals will make you faster and better on the bike. Pro athletes in different sports are not “too good” for fundamentals and either are you! Study the elite and you will see a trend. A few examples are Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Chasing the small details, gets you to the next level. What are some ways I practice? Corners – There are A LOT of details that go into the perfect corner. Speed, throttle control, braking, body position, standing to sitting, weighting the outside peg, getting over the bars, etc.. So many things going on! I like to choose a couple corners and start out slow and work my way back to full speed. If I mess up, I go back to slowing it down. I do this until every corner is good. Then I finish with a moto. It takes more than one practice session to develop habits though so I do this multiple times a week. Figure 8’s – I alternate between only standing, sitting, tight as possible, and more open. This also helps develop corner skills and helps with ruts. Logs – I ride around and find logs to try to go over them. Then I work on hitting them correctly. Like getting the front end up, hopping/jumping them, or what it would be like to hit it in a race. Logs have been a major weakness for me and over the years it has gotten better by doing this. But it is also important to not over think it. Standing only – Literally ride for X amount of time without sitting. If you are not comfortable with standing up, this will be a huge help! Static Balance – helps you learn balance and have better control of your bike! You can do this with your bike running or off and you stay in one place and hold it without dabbing a foot as long as possible. Embrace the burn! Creeks – If creeks intimidate you, spend more time in them. Lots of time can be made up in a creek if you are carrying speed. I literally ride up and down the creek trying to perfect it and choose different lines and increase my speed. Braking – Practice using BOTH brakes not just rear or just front. The fastest way to slow the bike down is using both. If you only use your rear, it will cause you to slide out. Hills – I find random hills and try to make it up them. You never know what you will see in a reason and it is best to be ready no matter what. Down hills, I practice not just coasting down them but actually using the throttle down it. Lots of time can be made up on downhills. Line choice / looking ahead – If you catch yourself looking at your front fender a lot or straight at the ground in front of you, practice looking up and as far ahead as you can see. Your mind processes what you see and it does not require you to look directly in front of you. Starts – If you do not practice starts, do not complain about bad starts! You have to know your bike and what it requires to start quickly in a dead engine start, only way to know is to practice. It also will help speed up your reaction time to the flag drop. If you get nervous starting with others, find someone faster and more aggressive to practice starts with. It will get you more comfortable and make you more confident. Sand – There’s not a lot of sand in Missouri but sometimes you go to those random places that have sand sections. Because of that a lot of people do not know how to ride it. Sand is intense, hard to predict, and always changing. But the fact is, if you can go fast in sand, you will go faster in dirt. I hated sand 3-4 years ago but I made myself practice it.. A LOT! Now, it is a strong point for me. I crave it and when it’s in that random MORE race in New Florence, MO, I MAKE UP A LOT OF TIME IN ALL THE SAND SECTIONS. There are many other ways to dedicated practice but this will get you started! Practicing the details and fundamentals will give you the confidence on race day. You will know that you prepared for the race and you can rely on your instincts and not think. It will also take you to the next level in your riding abilities. It’s not always about going all out, sometimes you gotta slow it down to perfect. Do what makes you better, not just what is fun. More Posts Back To Blog Page

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6th Annual Girls Ride Weekend

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6th Annual Girls Ride Weekend Girls weekend – to learn, gain confidence, and ride dirt bikes  How did girls weekend start? A group of girls got together for a full weekend of riding and working on our weaknesses. We came up with practice drills and worked hour after hour. That weekend Meg and I put 13 hours on our bikes. It was EPIC. We developed more skills during the weekend and also all became a lot closer to each other. Friendships that will forever. The goal of this weekend is to encourage and help fellow women riders. I want to show them if the work is done, anything is possible, set huge goals, and work your butt off to get where you want to be! Teaching is an empowering feeling. Brings me joy to show them through hard work and practice anything is obtainable. This is why I started my personal training business. I want to help others learn and maximize their protentional with anything. It’s not just about dirt bikes but being better in general. This RAD weekend dedicated to the girls takes place every single year on Labor Day Weekend at Hardwood Hills Ranch in Mansfield, MO. ALL FEMALE RIDER’S ARE WELCOME! Since the first weekend, we have gotten 30+ girls for the last few years. We offer guided trail rides (for all skill levels), night rides, games, races, and skills clinics. We also have a ton of rad giveaways denoted by our sponsors. Whether you are starting out or a seasoned rider, everyone is welcome and we promise good times will be had! Thanks to everyone who came out this year. I also wanna thank the people who help make this happen. Hardwood Hills Ranch for giving us a place to ride and camp every single year! Fly Racing for supporting the event with a bunch of rad giveaways and making sure everyone goes home with something. Fasst Company for supporting the event with a cool box of goodies and gift certificates for the best products on the planet! Megan Kennon for always being the host and bringing us together. Bonecutter Off Road for donating giveaways. Girl Power  More Posts Back To Blog Page

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MY FIRST RACE IN 10 MONTHS

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MY FIRST RACE IN 10 MONTHS I FINALLY GOT TO RACE! I haven’t raced since mid-November 2020, or even ridden since January 2021. I am stoked! The doctor has said I am healed and released to start riding again but supposed to “take it easy”. My first ride back was like I hadn’t been off the bike for 8 months. It was freaking great!! Each time, I am making less mistakes, my speed is faster than before and I feel great. With all of that in mind, I felt like I could handle the 35-minute Ladies A race. So, I lined up. Saturday morning, I was a big ball of excitement. To burn off some energy, I pedaled for 30 minutes. I really needed to chill out lol. I was not nervous just so ready! Practice rolled around and I did two laps. This was the first time I had ridden in the woods; I have only been practicing on our moto track. I did not have any meltdowns and wasn’t scared of trees or anything. The track was freaking sick! It had fast field blasts, fast wood sections, and handlebar tight turny sections. It was great and I was ready to rip!! During the 65 race, the rain started to come down. I was pretty bummed because I didn’t know if it was smart for me to race with conditions being sketchy when the doctor said to “take it easy”. I wanted to race so bad, so I said screw it. The rain finished up 10 minutes before the ladies race and did not rain at all. Mother Nature knew I needed to ride! I grabbed the holeshot and took it easy for the first few laps, trying to judge the slickness. By mid-race, conditions were EPIC! Ruts were forming and the dirt was tacky. My pace significantly increased. On my second to last lap, I had a really close call. In one of the wood sections, it was open, fast, and allowed for 4th gear pinned. It was sick. My shoulder was getting sore at this point in the race and I couldn’t maneuver the bike as well. There was a very slight turn in this section and if you continue going straight, it would be smash city into a huge tree. I literally thought I was going to hit it, my brakes did not slow me enough and my body could barely get the bike to miss it. BUT I did! That incident was enough for me to chill out on the last lap and just finish. I ended up 1st. I had an absolute blast. It is hard to find the right words with how it felt to be back out there again. I have the racing bug like I did when I first started racing. I am ready to get fully back and race AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN! More Posts Back To Blog Page

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Overlooked Dirt Bike Riding Tips #2: It’s not a fashion show

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Overlooked Dirt Bike Riding Tips #2: It’s not a fashion show If you are like me, you probably have been told “it’s not a fashion show”. To me, it absolutely is. I keep my bikes clean, looking good, and ready to ride. I also show up in good looking Fly Racing gear. It is important to me. But why? If you trust your dirt bike, you will be more confident. That means showing up to a race with maintenance performed, a clean bike, non-bald tire, decent brakes, basically, a ready to go bike! If your dirt bike looks good, you will be confident riding it. I may be a bit of a weirdo on this but I keep my bike cosmetically looking good. If the plastics and graphics start to look rough, I replace it. Having a bike that looks good, makes me feel ready to race. If you look good, you will feel good. Get yourself a set of gear that you can look in the mirror and think “dang, I look good and I am going to go kick some a$$!” Self-confidence leads to better performance and most importantly FUN. Self-confidence is the attitude about yourself and skills. Never overlook the minor details. They all add up. If you’re not confident on the bike, are you giving yourself your best shot or just hoping for the best? More Posts Back To Blog Page

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Overlooked Riding Tips #1

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Overlooked Riding Tips #1 Take the time to work on form. It may make you feel awkward, slower, or just out of the comfort zone but if you practice it, it will become second nature. When I first started, I constantly got told “you sit too much” and that annoyed the crap out of me. So, I worked on it until I started getting told, “wow you must have a core of steel to stand as much as you do.” Over the more recent years, I focused more of the smaller details in riding form. What is good form? STAND UP, be on your toes, hinge at the hips, grip tightly with your legs, and be over the front of the bike. If you are over the front, you and the bike are moving forward together. If you have you arms stretched all the way out and your butt is on the rear fender, the bike wants to go forward but you are not ready to which results in losing time. Stay in attack position. Stay loose and not like a board, move with the bike. Why does this concern you? It will make you safer on the bike. It will improve your skill/speed over time. It saves more energy. What if keeping good form is hard from lack of strength? Ride more and work on it every time you ride. Or do off the bike training. I lacked a lot of muscle and it was difficult to stand and keep position riding up hills. Off the bike training, fixed that. How do I work on form when practicing? Take the time to stand up only. I like to finish my session off with 10 minutes straight of standing only. While doing this, I make sure I am standing on my toes and gripping the bike as tight as I can with my legs. I practice hip hinging on and off the bike. If you are comfortable enough to do it on the bike, work on it off the bike a few times a day More Posts Back To Blog Page

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Common questions I get asked about Beta and Sherco:

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Common questions I get asked about Beta and Sherco: Q: Are parts hard to get? A: No! OEM parts are super easy to get. I can have parts from Beta in 5 days and Sherco in 3 days. Added bonus – as a family of avid racer’s we stock everything we have ever needed. There are also plenty accessories available. The key is to go to the dealer and not shop online with other retailers. Q: Beta is made by KTM, right? A: NO, absolutely not! Beta is their own engine, air filter, plastics, etc… Here is the fun fact of the day: In 1994, Beta was interested in purchasing the design of a 50cc engine with six gears. At the time, Beta already had a 50cc engine with an automatic transmission, KTM took interest in this. Thus, the start of working together. Beta helped develop and assemble over 6,000 engines for 85cc and 105cc for KTM and Husqvarna. At the Betamotor factory, an assembly line was dedicated to the Austrian’s. The agreement with KTM gave Beta great training for the future. In 2004, another agreement was signed. The Austrian company would supply the Italian company exclusively with enduro engines of various displacements. KTM has never granted this with anyone else. It was a key factor for Beta to get their enduro models on the market. By 2009, Beta started making their own engine for 350CC and up. Beta has designed and developed THEIR OWN ENGINE after 2009. Q: I have never heard of Sherco, did they just start making bikes? A: Sherco is an independent brand that was founded in 1998. Sherco is not owned by any other bike manufacture. Q: I don’t want to drive to my dealer to get parts, what should I do? A: Ask your dealer if they will ship. If not, we ship anywhere in the United States. We are located in the mid-west and can get parts (if in stock, we have 2,500+ items) to most customers in 2-6 days. Q: I do not want a non-kickstart bike. A: Most new bikes of all brands are electric start only. Beta has a solid electric start and we have never had a failure. On a Beta, you have the option of adding a kickstart. We have never personally had a problem with a Sherco either. Most fails, are self-inflected. Check your batteries. Q: I do not want to be on a brand this going to just disappear. A: Beta has been around for over a century, since 1904 to be exact and is still family owned. Sherco is family owned too. We feel confident neither of them are going anywhere. Q: Do these bikes have a lot of issues? A: No. Take care of the bike and the bike will take care of you. It is that simple. More Posts Back To Blog Page

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