Deep down, you love her.
But lately devotion to the love of your life has diminished quite a bit. It's not her, it actually is you. You readily admit the problem but make little headway towards reversing course. Maybe it's laziness. A cash flow problem. Or perhaps a friend's new steady even a trip downtown caused a wandering eye and thoughts about upgrading to the latest model no one has ever ridden.
Eventually, your heart always goes back to the only faithful companion you have ever thrown a leg over. She's always waiting, ready to roll so maybe if you spend a little time with her, offer a little on upkeep and finish with some tenderness you might rediscover what's lost.
The effort put in to caring for your dirt bike (what did you think we were talking about?) goes a long ways towards your overall happiness and your ride's youthful longevity. Forget the high maintenance jobs, work on the small things - those often prevent bigger issues from coming to fruition and slow down the aging process. Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner we thought, why not point Cupid's arrow at what you possibly, even likely, have more fun on, so we offer 5 Tips to show your dirt bike love.
1. Oil and Filter
When was the last time you changed the oil and filter? Regular oil changes prevent so many issues and following the manufacturer's recommendations on intervals keeps the engine working for years. It's tempting to change the oil and save money by switching out the filter next time around. How is that working for your buddy's romance? Throw that advice out. Change both together. It's hardly a budget breaker and doing so proves dividends later.
2. Intake
Admit it, you probably suffocate her sometimes. Take off the seat and check the air filter. Can she even breathe with that clogged mess? Clean it or grab a new one. A dirt air filter some chokes the life of the engine and sometimes lets dirt and debris inside the engine. Two-stroke owners need to double check the reeds too.
3. Bearings
We all get old and a bit creaky including your dirt bike but machines spring back to life pretty easy with newly lubricated bearings or replacing the warn out ones. Check all the bearings on your dirt bike which include steering stem bearings, swingarm bearings and wheel bearings (click on the link to read about each one!).
4. Brake pads and fluid
Dirt bikes just want to have fun and other times prefer to slow down a bit. Bad brakes risk disaster for you and your riding companion so give the brake system a though check that includes pads, rotors, cable system, and levers. The pads usually go first so replace those if necessary and check the fluid for dirt or change it if you exceeded the recommended hours. Lastly, ensure the master cylinder and caliper work correctly. Read more about how to slow your girl down: What a Drag - Brakes Grabbing Your Dirt Bike?
- Grab everything you need to fix your brakes here
5. Spa day
Who doesn't enjoy a day at the spa? Granted a thorough makeover of your dirt bike pleases you more than your dirt bike but what better way to fall back in love with your ride and the sport. A general makeover includes the best cleaning ever, polishing the plastic and tightening all nuts and bolts. It's a job especially when including torque settings and double checking all the spokes but once you get the showroom shine back and discover a better handling ride all that honeymoon love comes flowing back.
- Grab the essentials to bring your ride back to a showroom shine here
Stop looking for love in all the wrong places and renew your vows to whatever make and model waits patiently all week for you. Dirt bike relationships create high maintenance drama sometimes but in the end nothing else proves more satisfying.
