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Another one for Austrian owners: when greasing your linkage & swingarm with non caged needle bearings. Unless you like removing all those little needles and reinstalling them, leave the spacer tube the bearings ride on in place during cleaning & greasing, only slide the spacer far enough to to either side to first clean and then to grease the needles, only slide the spacer far enough over so that the needles are still held in place …
For the shining and mud repellent, sure this stuff is probably the same as WD40. I feel it more so helps with detailing the remaining dirt in tight places post wash: behind the frame, electronics, under gas tank, bars and levers etc.
Not claiming its better than the rest, just been a nice switch up lately 👍
Just like go-fast running shoes. lol
Here's a dumb little trick that took me way too long to learn about. It's going to sound stupid but here it is lol. When you're moving a bike around with a dinner bell side stand, rather than hanging it on the bars or carrying it, slide it over the back fender leaning forward. I know it sounds simple and dumb and is probably common knowledge for a lot of guys, but for a long time I'd hang it on the bars and have it wobbling around on the grips. Expecting downvotes for this one 😆
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I like to have a dedicated track box. Figure out the tools you need on your bike and only have those tools in the box. No need to have a complete wrench set if your bike only has 3 sizes. Keeps the box light and you can buy better tools in a quantity of one or if you want you can buy specific sizes off eBay.
Once you get your box it's a good idea to use just those tools next time you frame your bike.
Use lower unit marine grease on your linkage, swingarm and steering head.
I do the same thing with a storage box with all of the spares I might need at the track. Levers, oil/lube, extra air filter etc. That way I just toss that in the truck before I ride and I have everything I need if I have a tip over or something.
This reminded me of the Super Hunky article where he said how come they can't make bikes with only 2 different sized fasteners, big and little lol
This is a good topic. Topics like this are always interesting.
I learned this from a boat dealership where I bought a bass boat from back in the 90’s. Every boat inside or outside looked like a million dollars. I asked what they used. They used pledge furniture polish. I have to admit it works. I used cheap Walmart furniture polish on my 24 KX450 the other night and it shined just as good as the high dollar plastic restore stuff, if not better. Furniture polish doesn’t smell as good as Lucas Mist or Plastic Restore!
Use a plastic tote with lid to store your gear, then if the grass is wet you can use the lid to stand on so your feet and socks don't get wet.
A 3/8" T-Handle and small socket set is a lot lighter than a T-Handle set. The Motion Pro has 2, 3/8" drives so you can keep a 8mm and 10mm on a single wrench.
Yamaha is getting better now, but even just a few years ago I would go through and change all of the body fasteners to 8mm hex bolts. Used to drive me nuts to have 10mm and 8mm mixed through them.
Car mats are great to stand on as well. Just take them out and put them on the ground
Choosing Walmart over Maxima....Remind me again, what teams and what events does Walmart sponsor?
My simple bike and gear hack is to support companies that support the sport. Otherwise we'll have no sport left.
Same goes for Temu shoppers undercutting brands that pump money into the sport and work to make better products.
https://www.procircuit.com/kowa-3-8th-t-handle-drive.html
I get the sentiment here but the sport would be just fine if every "specialized" oil brand went away. You're overpaying for that shit so that they can afford those marketing dollars to sponsor teams and run ads, the teams would be just fine without the oil companies. Lots of them take the money they get from oil companies and go buy their own Rotella anyway 🤣
Buying knock off shit that Tusk makes is gonna hurt the sport more than buying your oils and chemicals at Walmart.
Edit to add: That's my hack, run Rotella. Been using it in every bike I've owned for the last 30+ years and never had an oil related failure. Or pay 4x more for some name brand stuff and complain about how expensive this sport is, your call.
A 1/16" cable attached to the end of the rear brake/shifter levers then over to the frame keeps grass and sticks from wedging behind the levers for when you are taking "Creative Lines" off-road.
Rain-X is a label of ITW Global who has sponsored (among other things) ISDE as an event sponsor, Mitchell Falk on BWR Engines Honda, and Andy Grider Baja/Dakar.
Just sharing a small little alternative. Should every single person then be scolded for using a plastic tub instead of an Ogio gear bag? Or Tide laundry detergent instead of Muc Off soap? Or painters tape instead of an air filter cover? Or a sock to plug my exhaust instead of an FMF wash plug? Or a harbor freight bike stand instead of a Polisport foldable stand?
I can spend my money how I want, relax.
Pit Row
I disagree. Core brands like Maxima (happens to be in the oil space) help progress the sport and put riders and teams on the track. They're a made in USA product that invests heavily into the categories that they sell in. I'm using them as an example but there are plenty of others - Works Connection, Renthal, Pro Circuit and FMF....etc. They all put their money back into the sport via sponsorship dollars.
Not trying to come down on anyone just offering a perspective on product from Walmart vs. product from a moto brand.
Also, Tusk is a RMATV house brand, at least your dollars are staying in the space.
Oh, here's one that has helped me immensely: learn to push your bike backward. It takes some getting used to, but being able to push your bike backward using two hands on the handlebar can really save you time and frustration. (Especially if you don't have room to turn it around!) Bonus points if you learn to use the front brake lever while doing so.
Here's another one: run your lever perches inboard as far as you can. For people like myself with long fingers, it helps me grab the lever out near the bar end. I get more leverage and easier lever pull, plus the lever is more protected in a fall.
On super muddy days with a quick turnaround time between motos, cover the underside of your front and rear fenders with some strips of duct tape with a 1/2 inch tab hanging off. Come in from your moto and just pull the tape off and your bike is immediately a few pounds lighter without having to scrape anything off.
I can understand that viewpoint for sure, and I agree. Singling out oil companies is too much nuance I suppose.
Keeping your money in the sport is never a bad stance.
For anyone that is running Gaerne SG12s, take the stupid metal toe caps off and throw them in the bin, you can thank me later
Why?
Because it would require some sort of time machine to thank him earlier.
Because they slip when your own your toes on the pegs and they slip on the shifter and brake pedal, they also destroy the shift and brake pedal and clutch and magneto covers.
Fair enough…definitely scar up engine covers, especially when they get bent & stick out some….figured they offered some kind of protection for toes but maybe not…I have noticed on my 250/300 2 strokes, my left foot/boot must hit the lower exhaust pipe, right in front of the shifter, it has a bunch of tiny dings….probably from the steel toe…
Yeah they're awesome for trail riding with lots of rocks, or if you have to kick in foot holds in dirt or building trails but for just moto they're annoying.
Easy and practical moto ideas: Air up tires before bike washing; You’re prepped for the next ride and helps keep tubes cleaner in the long run. A foamy bottle of Dawn and water sprayed on air filters before removal keeps dust/crumbs to a minimum and from infiltrating the airbox (especially useful on current YZF’s). PSA: Everyone should invest in a wash cover - They simply work. While on the subject of bike washing, I always use an old sprocket bolt to plug the crankcase vent breather on my KX450: More peace of mind when leaned over and really detailing the underside. Also, foam spray cannons and Scotch-Brite 7447 or 7448 pads for the bike washing win…
When installing glue-on grips, do the clutch side first. That way you can use the throttle grip to measure proper spacing; some grips spread farther inboard when installing and get stretched out. Throttle side is fixed so it’s much more difficult to mess up!
Maxima or Honda chain clean up applied with ample time before washing is a huge time saver. Any heavy duty degreaser should have the same effect, just give them a few minutes to soak in and do their thing. I start the bike washing process with this, throw in an exhaust plug, remove seat, move to airbox prep, air up tires, etcetera before going to town.
Installing appropriate length 3/4” or 1” wide strips of loop-side from velcro on frame rails helps keep glide plate rub to a minimum. Less noticeable with plastic protection, carbon fiber accessories can rub wear spots and this keeps roost noise/hot spots on aluminum frames to a minimum.
Drilling a small hole near the ball-end of your control levers ensures they break off with room to finish the moto.
Check tire air pressure and bleed forks before every ride. Good habit and leaves no doubt that the two most important contact points between you and terra firma are sitting pretty.
With brand new bikes, it’s imperative to properly clean the brake rotors before operation. Kawasaki’s seem to have the most Cosmoline residue, and it takes a couple cleanings with brake cleaner or acetone before they pass the paper towel test…
Motul 600 or Maxima RBF brake fluids are much better quality than a majority of stock fluids. Makes an immediate improvement on KX450’s and can be used in both brakes as well as the hydraulic clutch.
Installing an hour meter and 1.8 radiator cap, along with doing a basic grease/prep job on new bikes is good practice: It’ll never be cleaner or more efficient to lube than right off the showroom.
Rider gear wise, I wear Mobius knee sleeves under my Pod knee braces. Once tight, I throw another pair of cheapie eBay or Amazon compression knee sleeves over the braces as an in-between to keep leathers lasting longer. I’d shred most modern pants in just a couple rides before adding this extra layer. As a bonus, I replace knee brace straps less frequently and the velcro stays cleaner, longer.
Speaking of riding gear, the more protection the better. Worst case scenario, it’s always better to know you did everything you could to stay in one piece. Firm believer in quality helmets, and my personal preference is 6D.
Besides basics like staying hydrated, nutritionally fueled, maintaining proper sleep, etc., it’s always good to warm up even before getting dressed to go shred. Some movement not only warms you up, but most of us spend an hour plus in the car sitting stationary even before arriving at the track. #GetLoose!
One for all the MotoMoms and homeschool/compound kids who need some arts and craft time: Home made pit boards. Head to your local supply store, grab a 3/16” 2’x4’ piece of chalk board/white board (currently $10 or less in most markets), cut into three 16”x2’ sections, and go to town with hand-holes, stickers, rider to rider customization, etc.
Also a savings speaking to the kiddos - Start wearing ear plugs and mouth guards early. Teeth are expensive to fix and hearing loss is rarely discussed in racing circles.
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