Bike Maintenance

Bike Maintenance is a very important part of owning a dirt bike. If you don't take care of your bike it won't run right, and it can lead to damage which can be costly.

The first obvious thing you want to do is wash it. If you don't wash your dirt bike it’s like wasting your money because it won't look as good, but the main reason is that dirt can get in the motor. When dirt gets in the motor it can destroy your dirt bike. Make sure that you don't get water in the pipe so when you're washing because that will also mess up your motor.

You also want to clean the air filter. People buy bikes and think that you just put gas in them and go, but you often need to clean the air filter or the motor won't get any air. To do this you can use air filter cleaner and it gets all the dirt and mud out of it. Then you need to spray air filter oil on the air filter so that it will catch all the dirt.

Next you want to change the oil in your dirt bike. If you don't do this it cannot act as a lube and help the motor run. You should change this often or it can also destroy your motor. I change the oil in my bike every 2 weeks, which isn't necessary unless you ride a lot.  

If you do these three major things it will extend the life of your dirt bike. It will also save you money. so follow the tips it will help you!

Two stroke vs Four stroke

Comparison between a four stroke 250 and a 2 stroke 250

Ever since four stroke dirt bikes have become competitive with the two strokes people have been arguing which one is faster and just all around better so lets compare them.

what is the horsepower difference?
The first difference between the Yamaha four stroke dirt bike and the two stroke is that the 4 stroke 250 produces 8500 rpm and 36 horsepower. The 2 stroke 250 makes about 46 horsepower at 11,300rpms. That’s a 10 horsepower advantage.
The difference between the KTM 250sx two stroke produces around 49.77 horsepower.

The KTM 250 four strokes make about 35.5 horsepower. So the 2 stroke has 13.22 more horsepower.
So no matter what brand of bike you get the 2 stroke is going to have more horsepower.

Horsepower doesn't matter if you don't have good torque so the torque comparison is:
The KTM 250 four stroke has 19.42 foot pounds of torque at 8600 rpm. While that is good torque the KTM 250 two strokes crushes it with 31.93 foot pounds of torque at 8000 rpm.

The KTM two strokes has way more than the four stroke. But its not the only brand were the 2 stroke has more horsepower the Yamaha 2 stroke has 30.6 foot pounds of torque. The YZ 250 four strokes has about 20.1 foot pounds of torque.

Is there a price difference?
Both the Yamaha 2 stroke and four stroke have the same retail of $7150
The 2012 KTM 250 two stroke is $800 cheaper than the 2012 KTM 250 four stroke. It retails for around $6899 (MSRP). The 2012 KTM 250 four stroke’s price is $7699

The author of dirt bike magazine said "Privateers could compete at a higher level for a lower cost. Even at the National level, engine mods on a two-stroke top out at around $1000—you can't buy the top-end parts for a four-stroke for that amount. "
Conclusion
My conclusion based on my research is that the 2 stroke is a faster bike. It is also cheaper bike. So why would you choose something that is more expensive and slower?

 Motocross action magazine said  "Without pulling any punches, every MXA tester thought that the 250SX two-stroke was a better race bike—lighter, faster, cheaper, better handling and easier to maintain. "

Derek E. Goode Jr. #75

Derek E. Goode Jr. (DJ) is a dirt bike rider with a goal of becoming a professional dirt bike rider. He is a student at Bessemer High School.  His dream is to become #1 in Supercross. He has had many falls and a few trips to the hospital. He practices throughout the week to ride on race day as hard as he can. One bad experience was when his two dirt bikes (125 cc) were stolen.  DJ had a positive attitude despite the situation. So I interviewed him to get a better grasp of this young man's interesting life.

When did you start racing? how?

• I got started racing when my dad bought me a dirt bike when I was 7

What is your favorite brand of bike and what kind do you ride?

• My favorite brand is kawasaki and i ride a 2012 kx250f

Why do you like racing dirt bikes?

• It a self reliant sport except for your mechanic but when you're on the bike its all up to you. Racing is also a disciplined sport that takes a lot of practice that's why I like it.

What is the most important part of a race in your opinion?

• Preparation, because if you're not mentally and physically prepared you can't win.

What do you do to prepare for races?

• I run atleast 2 miles a day, I do 200 push ups, 200 sit ups, and I jump rope with a 5 pound jump rope

Have you had any success recently?

• Yes, I got second in the South Carolina state championship.

How often do you ride?

• I ride two to three times a week

Do you plan on quitting racing soon?

• No, I love to race.

Who has helped you with your success in racing?

• My dad has helped me a lot he is the one that motivates me to do better. My Grandma’s cooking and my friends also helps motivate me to do better.

Do you plan on making a career out of racing?

• Yes, I plan on going pro in three years.

The whip

The most prestigious trick in racing is the whip. I'm going to tell you the way I do the whip and hopefully it will help you.
Picture of Justin Barcia whipping available at http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/Justin-Barcia-unadilla.jpg

When going up the jump your body should be slightly forward on the bike. Being forward on the bike helps in bringing the back of the bike up and around. When approaching the jump let off on the gas. And begin to preload the suspension.


Next, start angling your bike towards the left side of the lip. If you are going to do a right turn your bike is already leaning towards your right foot. When you are at the base of the lip, you’ll want to twist the throttle throttle quick and then let go. This will give you more pop off the lip instead of powering through the lip like you think you would need to do. It is also important to let off the throttle right before the lip and preload the suspension to give you more lift.

Just after you leave the lip of the jump your head and shoulders will choose where your bike is going to go. As with any trick your body and bike will follow where your head and shoulders are aimed.

You should already be starting to look at your landing. There is no throttling here at all.
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Your bike should start to lay over easy now. You should not have to muscle a whip. It is more of a flow kind of thing rather than a muscle thing. Only your hands should be controlling the whip; it should flow the whole way through. Holding onto the bike with your right foot will help ensure you don’t lose the bike. Still, there is no throttle in this section of the jump.

Now you should be focused on your landing. Right when you get ready to land the whip, give it gas which will help straighten the bike up

Ricky Carmichael Riding Tips: Starts

Ricky Carmichael Riding Tips: Starts
Great tips for the starts