Keeping Dirt Biking Fun: How to Maintain Your Motorbike

A dirt bike is not just a skill, it’s a lifestyle for a rider. Whether you are a novice or an experienced one, there is no surprise that dirt bikes get pretty dirty. A trail or track may be littered with mud, dirt, water, or foliage, and you may have to traverse them. Due to this, you must maintain your machines to make sure they stay in top shape.

Here’s how you can maintain your motorbike without burning a hole in your pocket.  

When to service your dirt bike?

How often your bike needs servicing is totally upon your usage. You are required to do a complete routine checkup before every single ride. We only need to replace parts and service extensively every 100 hours of use or more in rugged conditions.

The most fundamental aspects of regular service include: 

  1. Wash your bike after every ride.
  2. Lube bike chain and check tension.
  3. Change or clean the air filter after every ride.
  4. Check tire pressure.
  5. Change or refill engine oil every other ride.
  6. Visually inspect parts while cleaning to be prepared when replacements are necessary.

How to maintain your dirt bike? 

Regular service of the bike is the key to make your motorbike perform well and last long. The above-mentioned checklist provides an excellent starting point, but the below-mentioned process of maintenance can come in handy anytime. The parts that you need to check are as follows:

1. Air Filter

Bike air filters are just like your nose. They filter out all the unwanted particles in the air before it enters the engine.  This allows only clean and pure air inside for better combustion, which results in better efficiency and smooth power delivery. So, you should clean the air filter after every ride.

Tips:

  • Ensure that your air filter is correctly covered in oil. Too much oil will bleed into the engine; too little oil means the intake will not properly strain contaminants.
  • Have multiple filters handy, so that you can just swap out the used filter after each ride. 

2. Brake Pads

Brake pads use friction to slow either the rim of your wheel or a disc attached to it (as in a disc brake). Ensure that your bike’s brakes are working fine. 

Tip: 

  • Replace the pads when there is around 1mm (0.04 inches) of material remaining. Some brake pads have indications to indicate when they need replacement, but if yours do not, have a micrometer on hand to measure them.

3. Engine Oil

Engine oil is the lubricant for the motor in your bike. Refill and replacement of engine oil should be done timely, as per the make and model of your motor bike. 

Tip:

  • Most dirt bikes will have a sight glass on the bottom of the engine case, and the engine oil level should be about halfway up the glass.

4. Chain Tension & Sprockets

Chain tension and Sprockets are (in combination with the drivetrain)the devices that transfer the engine’s energy to make the rear wheel spin, so it needs to be in perfect working condition. Too tight sprockets can cause the chain to break, and too loose may cause your chain to slip off a sprocket and damage your bike. 

Tips:

  • Lubricate the chain and rotate the wheel several times to find the tightest point.
  • Measure the distance between the top of the chain slider and the bottom of the chain to know if you have the correct amount of slack (as recommended in your bike manual). 
  • When you see an uneven wear pattern in between the teeth, your sprockets are wearing out. That degradation is due to the rotating force of the drive chain and is a strong indication that it’s time for a replacement!

5. Wheels

Motorbike’s wheels are parts that make real contact with the ground. So, inspecting the wheel’s air pressure and rims damage should be a regular part of your maintenance routine. 

Tip:

  • Invest in a spoke torque wrench to ensure that you have the tools necessary to tighten your wheel spokes correctly.

Conclusion 

There is a myth that a dirt bike is high-maintenance. However, the reality is that it just requires a daily habit of washing, lubricating, and inspecting to get the best out of your bike. Regular maintenance of your bike may alert you to the need for replacement components or substantial specialist servicing in advance.

It is also important to invest in high-quality spare parts whenever you are replacing something in your dirt bike. You can order these parts online at online stores like the MXstore

As long as you follow these rules, you will get to spend more time riding and less time worrying if your bike is falling apart while you are on the track.