If you are just a newbie to the dirt bike world and recently bought a dirt bike, you may be overwhelmed with the amount of regular maintenance that your bike would need. Maintaining a dirt bike can be a costly undertaking, especially if you ride it regularly. Remember that it was your choice to ride your bike on different types of terrain, and thus your motorcycle will be susceptible to the different kinds of gunk and grime that can ruin your dirt bike parts.
If you can afford it, you can always hire somebody to regularly clean and maintain your bike and all your other dirt bike parts. However, if you want to save up on maintenance costs, you can at least learn how to change your motorcycle oil regularly and to maintain your bike’s chain. Here is a guide on how to properly clean, lube, and manage your dirt bikes chain.
Clean According to Chain Type
There are two types of bike chains, namely, the plain bike chain consisting of metal-on-metal links, and the sealed motorcycle chains that have rubber seals between the inner and outer links. When you have a plain chain, then you can aggressively use a pressure washer to clean the chain. However, when you have the sealed chains, the force of the pressure washer may dislodge some of the seals. Sealed chains require a gentler approach in cleaning off the dirt and grime.
Position Your Bike
Having the correct positioning for your bike will make cleaning your bike’s chain or any other dirt bike parts easier. Position your bike so that you can spin the rear wheel freely so that you can work on one area of a chain at a time. One alternative is to remove the chain off the bike for cleaning. Removing the chain is a better option since you can dip the entire chain in a cleaning solution. Removing the whole chain will also allow you to check for links weakened by continuous wear and tear.
Clean and Dry Your Chain
If your chain is still attached to your bike, spray the chain with a right cleaning solution specially designed for cleaning chains such as the MUC-OFF Chain Cleaner. You can also use this for cleaning other dirt bike parts. If you decided to take the chain off, you could mix a portion of cleaning concentrates with water and allow your chain to dip in it for a while. Do not use your bare hands when cleaning the chain. You can use a Grunge chain brush to remove dust and grime from your chain more efficiently.
Make sure to dry your chain completely before proceeding to the next step. You may use a dry air blower to hasten the drying process.
Examine for Damages
Make use of the cleanliness and dryness of your chain to check for damages. Check each link for side-to-side and back-and-forth movements. A chain that is in excellent condition will have minimum actions between links. It is also a great time to check to see if the master link of your chain is still tightly secured.
While you are at it, check to see the wear and tear done to your chain sprockets. Your sprockets should still have flat teeth; if the teeth begin to resemble a shark’s fin shape, then you may start thinking of replacing your gears with a new one.
Lubricate the Chain
If you have a plain motorbike chain, apply lubricant or grease generously to all sides of the chain. However, if you are using sealed chains, only apply a small amount of lubricant on the outer portion of the chain to protect it from developing rust.
Remember that the overall condition of your motorcycle chain and other dirt bike parts is a crucial factor for having a safe and smooth ride.
