Dirt bikes receive constant abuse, placing stress on all elements of the bike from the tires to the radiator and everything between. In an effort to keep your bike running at peak condition and to avoid untimely breakdowns, follow a proper maintenance service schedule — whether you’re a weekend warrior at the local race track or king of the trails. You’ll need to perform some maintenance tasks after each outing and others only once each season.
Instructions
Service After Each Outing
1) Position your bike over a bike stand, and jack the bike off the ground. Check to ensure that the bike is secure and that it doesn’t teeter on the stand. Spray the bike from all angles with a pressure washer, removing the large pieces of dirt, mud, rocks and debris. Avoid direct spray down the exhaust pipe or radiator fins. Wipe the bike with a wash rag to remove finer debris.
2) Inspect the bike for loose bolts and faulty parts. Replace them as necessary.
3) Spin the rear wheel while spraying the chain with chain lube. Spray a water dispersant around the spark plug mount and onto the swing arm joints and wheel hubs: Remove sitting water from any joints or moving parts where the water may penetrate and cause premature corrosion.
4) Start the bike, and allow it to idle for a minute to ensure you have removed all water from the engine components. Shut off the engine.
5) Close the fuel petcock valve to prevent unnecessary flow of fuel from the tank to the carburetor between outings.
Seasonal Maintenance
6) Place an oil drain pan under the bike, unscrew the oil drain bolt and remove the old engine oil if your bike requires oil separate from the fuel premix — usually the case on four-strokes. Locate the gear box drain plug, found at the base of the gear box window. Unscrew the bolt with a socket wrench, and allow the gear box oil to drain. Reinstall the drain plug bolts, and locate the oil fill hole(s). Remove the fill bolt, and pour in the manual-specified amount of engine and/or gear oil. Complete this process before each riding season.
7) Unscrew the radiator cap, and verify that the coolant level is full. Check to ensure the coolant is debris free. If not, locate the lowest rubber hose at the base of the radiator. Loosen the hose clamp with a screwdriver and pull the hose away, allowing the coolant to drain into a bucket. Reconnect the hose, and tighten the hose clamp. Fill the coolant through the radiator cap until the level reaches the base of the fill hole.
8) Unbolt the four seat bolts using a socket wrench, and pull the seat off the bike. Unhook the rubber lid bands that keep the lid in place, then lift the air box lid away from the air box. Unscrew the air filter wing nut by hand, and pull the filter out of the box. Spray the filter clean with a filter cleaner, then rinse it with water. Spray the filter with compressed air to remove the water and fine debris. Rub filter oil over the inside and outside of the clean filter by hand. Insert the filter into the box, and secure the filter with the wing nut. Place the filter lid and seat back on the bike to complete the air intake servicing.
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Adrenaline Powersports Magazine 