Tech Tips
While riding in the slippery red
clay goo of Hawaii I learned a valuable lesson "the hard way". As mud
collects on your bike the increased weight is sensed throughout the entire
machine. The engine and drive train has to work harder to maintain your desired
power requirements. This can sometimes lead to stresses that exceed the tensil
strengh of any chain. I always place an extra master link or two) either in my
fanny pack or around one of my cables. If you throw a chain out in the middle of
no where this small and inexpensive precaution will allow you to complete your
journey.
ADCS (AW/NAC) Jim O'Dell
United States Navy
Naval Air Station Keflavik Iceland
These Tech Tips are from:
ROD OVERSTREET
RAD Offroad Sports
1001 Chestnut Grove Road
Campbellsville, KY 42718
270-465-8582
1) When changing the
tires on your dirt bike, sprinkle some baby powder inside the tire before
installing the tube. This will keep the tube from chafing inside the tire,
caused by heat. See you on the trail!
2) With summer time
here, you must be ready for dust and muddy conditions at any given time. If you
use "roll offs" on your goggles, put one cottonball in the supply side
canister. This will wipe off dust (that gets blowed in) before it can run across
your lens. See you on the trail.
3) Mud races require
some special preparation for your bike, aside from the usual hand guards, and
lower tire psi. buy a block or two of skid plate foam and stuff it anyplace that
will collect mud. Also spraying "Pam" cooking spray under the fenders
and frame rails works well. With heavy mud, I like to run a couple of strips of
duct tape under each fender. Leaving a "pull tab" so that after the
fenders are totally packed with mud, my pit crew (wife & daughter), can pull
the "tab", which rips the tape off the fender, taking pounds of mud
with it. See you on the trail.
4) Ah, the wonders
of "WD40." What won't it do? One thing it won't do is lubricate! WD is
a penatrant, not a lubricant so never use it on control cables. Why not you ask?
The WD acts as a glue. Tell you what, the next time your applying numbers to
your bike or a new sticker, use WD on the sticker. This will allow you to
position the decal and after it drys, the decal is car wash proof. We use it
when putting on new grips! If it bonds stickers to plastic and rubber to metal,
you sure don't want it in your cables! See you on the trail!
5) New boots can
wreak havoc on your feet so before you slide your dogs into those new "Tech
6"s", sprinkle a little baby powder into the boot. You'll notice the
difference, and so will your buddies when the boots come off after the ride! See
you on the trail.
6) Want some extra
gripping power over your bike for more control? Put a strip of grip tape on each
side of your frame. (Where your boots rub). If it works for Carmichael...see you
on the trail!
7) So you've got
your "roll offs" loaded with fresh film an your ready for that sure to
be muddy hare scramble next Sunday. But what about the top of your helmet? Run
some strips of clear packing tape from the peak of your visor to the to of your
helmet. Presto... no more cone head look! See you on the trail.
8) Drink system
bladders can be a pain to dry out after washing and will mildew internally if
they don't dry completely. Two tricks I've used is one, stuff paper towels
inside the bladder or you can simply put the bladder in the freezer (empty of
course) until your ready to fill it again. See you on the trail!
9)What have you done
for your ignition lately? Get a habit of pulling off the magneto cover from time
to time, allowing a couple of days for it to dry out. Condensation can occur
inside the mag, and will short out the stator if not allowed to dry out. See you
on the trail!
10) Hopefully you
keep your engine oil changed frequently, but what about your antifreeze and
brake fluids? Only use distilled water with fresh antifreeze and only Dot 3 or 4
brake fluid (Maxima 550 or Motul brake fluid's are excellent) never, ever use
Dot 5 as damage will occur to your brake system. See you on the trail!
11) Proper hydration
is essential for a successful racing season. Gatorade seems to be the
"energy" drink of choice for most of us, but it sure can gum up your
mouth at about the 70 mile marker at a 150 mile enduro. I like to mix gatorade
half and half with water in my drink system. Your body will absorb it faster and
doesn't taste like syrup. See you on the trail!
12) Vented jerseys
are a wonderful thing to have in any gear bag, but can vent too well. The hot
setup is to wear a light cotton T-shirt under your vented jersey. Your sweat
soaks the T-shirt, then the vented jersey with air hitting it...well, vents of
course, keeping you cool. Cool! See you on the trail!
13) For cold weather
riding, nothing beats a cheap cotton turtleneck shirt under your jersey. These
keep the cold air out, and can be purchased for $8.00 to $10.00. See you at the
trail!
14) Trail riding a
new area always ends up with you getting lost, back tracking and looking for
your own tire tracks in the dirt. You can't drop bread crumbs to help you find
you way back, but you can bring along a roll of Hunter's Orange tape and when
you come to a fork, mark a branch. See you on the trail.
15) Remember that
"Still waters run deep?", So the next time you have to cross a stream
or river, look for a line across over the ripples in the water. This will be the
shallowest crossing. Also, if it's a race and there are spectators in the water,
cross where they are standing, they'll move! They simply found the shallow line
before you did! See you on the trail.
16)You've come up on
a huge mud hole, ruts going into the water, ruts leading out of the water, which
line will you take? You have no idea how deep the hole is, the wrong move could
bury you. Go left. Why left? Because most people are right handed, which means
when faced when a decision of direction, most of us will go right. (Look at the
floor plan of your grocery store!) More times than any, taking a far left line
will prove to be the best and easiest way through the muck! See you on the
trail.
17)When was the last
time you replaced the left-hand crank seal when you done your topend? This $5.00
part causes more top end failures than any other problem you'll ever encounter.
Most manufacturers recommend replacement after every seven hours of use,
(motocross bikes), so when in doubt, replace it! See you on the trail.
18)Goggle lens, with
so many to pick from, which ones do I need? Light smoke works when you in and
out of sunlight while riding in the summer months. Clear is o.k., unless your
racing moto, then try a darker lens since most race tracks offer little shaded
areas. Through the Fall and Winter, I like a gold lens because they highlight
things hidden under the fallen leaves, such as rocks, roots, etc. See you on the
trail!
19) We all get sore
after a hard ride, so Extra Strength Tylenol is a must. Beat the pain by taking
a couple before you ride. You'll be surprised how much better you feel later in
the ride, and the next day! See you on the trail!
20) It's amazing how
many riders carry tools that don't fit anything on their bike and don't find out
until they breakdown in the middle of nowhere. Get out the fanny pack and see
how far you can take your bike down with what you carry before the unthinkable
happens to you! By the way, you can never have enough zip ties and black tape!
See you on the trail!
21) Keep at least a
$10.00 bill in your fanny pack. You can't believe how many country stores are
out there, selling gas and drinks to lost riders, or offering a tow back to
where you parked, for a price! See you on the trail!
22) Crashing sucks,
especially when you get your bell rung, and your at a place where no one knows
you, so be prepared. Keep an ID in your fanny pack along with any important
medical info. Remember, it's not "if it happens", but rather
"when it happens". Knock on wood! See you on the trail.
23) Always carry an
extra bit valve in your fanny pack. There's nothing worse than losing your
valve, having fluid spraying all over you, at the 5 mile marker of a 100 mile
ride! See you on the trail.
24) If you only keep
one spare tube in your tool box, make sure it's a 21 inch. You can stuff a 21
inch into any size tire, but you can't stretch an 18 or 19 over a 21 inch rim!
See you on the trail!
25) When installing
upside forks back in the clamps, always torque them according to spec.
Tightening them as far as you can, will crush the thin outer tube, causing
extensive damage that requires replacement. Price these babies sometime! See you
on the trail.
26) Those numbers
issued to you at a hare scramble or an enduro will do one of two things. They
will either fall off before you get to the line or they'll stick so bad you
can't remove them, even at the car wash. Next time, tape 'em on with clear
packing tape, (leave the backing on the number) and to remove the tape with no
mess, heat it with a blow dryer and peel. See ya on the trail!
27) At your next
enduro, use a yellow highlighter to mark the resets on your rollchart. I like to
use a red pen for trouble spots, a blue for possibles, and a green (for go!) for
those sections you know are going to be tough, and you need to stay on the gas.
See you on the trail!
28)At the end of a
July harescramble, what would you give for a cool shower before that long drive
home? What would your buddies or family give before they had to ride home with
you? Pack up your soap and towel, along with a 1 gallon pump garden sprayer.
(Fill with water before you leave, duh!) Now you have a high pressure shower
right there after the race. For extremely hot races, have your crew spray you
down with water from the pump while you pit between laps. See you on the trail.
29) It's the middle
of the offseason and you're looking for something to do? Go down to your local
hospital and sign up for a C.P.R. and Emergency First Aid class. Not that you'll
ever need to use it, but it's just like the tools in your fanny pack, it's nice
to know you're prepared if there's a problem out on the trail. These classes are
usually free to the public so why not bring along your riding partners too! If
you're the only one with training in your group, who will help you if you're the
one hurt? See you on the trail
If you have a Tech
Tip then send it into Webmaster #2
