Buying a used bike

Wouldn’t it be sweet if, every year when the new line of bikes came out, we could just roll down to the local dealer and pick up a new bike right out of the crate.  Then as soon as we get it home, go to MotoSport.com and load up on all the sweet aftermarket parts to trick it out!  And while we’re at it, might as well order up some matching new gear to go with the bike. Then after you’ve ridden it for a year, dump it and get a new one.

Some of you may have jobs or businesses that generate the income to allow you to have the latest and greatest ride every year:  Rock on man!  But the rest of us have to balance other life expenses (like food) with our love for riding, so when it comes time for a new bike, it’s usually a “newer” bike that we are in the market for.

I have found that a good strategy is to buy a bike that’s one or two years old, in good shape, ride it for a year or two, then sell it and get a newer one. This strategy has several advantages

1.  You're able to take advantage of new developments and technologies that come out (suspension, engine, etc), albeit a year or two later, and it also means...
2. You can research on those new features and get feedback as to which new ones work well, and which ones are duds.
3. You get good riding time out of a machine before the major systems wear to the point of needing a total rebuild or replacement (shocks/forks/engine/brakes).

It is a little more risky, because you can get burned buying a bike that looks fine on the surface, but has hidden mechanical issues.  But you can also find that jewel, a bike that’s in great condition that you will be happy with for several years.  Wading through the market to find the bike that is right for you can be a daunting task, so here is how I approach getting a newer bike, and I hope it helps. (click below to read the entire article)

Keeping Your Motocross Parts Budget under control

Keeping Your Motocross Parts Budget under control

If you are a racer with sponsorships, you probably aren’t interested in this article.  If you are like the other 99% of riders that enjoy the sport, but have to balance the never-ending need for parts with other necessary life expenses, like eating, read on.

Riding is expensive.  Just ask my wife. She just doesn’t seem to ‘get it’ that our bikes are always needing some part or repair. But we have an ‘agreement’.  She drives a really nice car and gets a spa treatment whenever she wants.  I get to ride. It works.

Keeping your bike in parts could be as easy as putting the local bike shop on speed dial, and calling them every time something breaks.  But take it from me, as much as I like the guys at my local store, I’ll go broke letting them be my exclusive parts supplier (or at least I’ll ride less). I want the most bang for my buck, without having to resort to fabricating parts in my garage.  So I’ll share a few principles that really work for me.

click below to read the entire article

Basic Dirtbike Maintenance 101 – Suspension Bearings

 How to inspect, maintain, and replace suspension bearings

Suspension Bearings
Ahh, my favorite maintenance item - rear suspension bearings! I once bought a KX-85 for one of my sons, and when I took the linkage apart to inspect the bearings for the first time, every one of them were dry and shot.  I literally had to replace every bearing on that Kawi.  I will cover “costly mistakes when buying a used bike” in a later post. The fact is that these bearings get a lot of abuse, are subject to the elements and power washing, and all together they are expensive to replace.  Keep them clean and lubed and your bike will perform better, and you will have more money to spend on that aftermarket pipe you want. So to keep things in good working order at the back of the bike, I inspect and grease the suspension bearings about four times a season. This article will show you how to inspect, clean, and replace the bearings if necessary.

click below to read the entire article...