Good advice. Here's a tip that works on some bikes. When you have your bearings out of the linkage and swingarm, drill a hole and tap it to put a zert fitting in. Grease everything up, put it all back together like normal. If you ride a lot, give them a squirt every few months, casual riding do it once or twice a year. Your bearings will last a lot longer. You have to make sure that the placement of the zert will not interfere with anything. Ride safe my 2 wheel friends.
From Wikipedia: “A grease fitting, grease nipple, Zerk fitting, grease zerk, or Alemite fitting is a metal fitting used in mechanical systems to feed lubricants, usually lubricating grease, into a bearing under moderate to high pressure using a grease gun.”
I wish I did that when racing XC in wet conditions. I did proper service or course, but pumping out the water from the linkage would have save me lots of time.
One thing about the chains, remember that a chain derailment is what broke Malcolm Stewart’s femur a few years ago in Supercross. He was in the whoops, and the chain came off, and he went over the bars. Keeping your chain and sprockets in good shape is super important. And especially if it’s just tightening or loosening the chain, it’s one of the easiest parts of the bike to maintain.
All great advice. Chain maintenance is super important and it’s the first thing I do after every race. I never wash the bike with the chain on. Never. For non-prong chains, Pull the chain off and drop it into a pan of kerosene. Leave it in as long as you want. Next wire brush the entire chain. Next, wipe of with a lint free rag. Then use compressed air to blow off all residual kerosene from between the links until no more kerosene can be blown off. Now spray between links with WD40 to ensure no residual moisture remains. Put the chain back on and apply your favorite chain lube and adjust per manufacturers recommendation. Your chain and sprockets will last and last. More importantly, there will be much less performance robbing chain rotating resistance. Especially important on 150’s or smaller.
Long time road rider, newbie dirt bike rider: wow, packed with information. Bought a 1999 Kawasaki KLX 300R for some easy dirt bike riding on local trails (no crazy speeds or jumps). All the same, much food for thought!
WOW, thank you so much for this amazing information. This is one of the best and most informative video I’ve seen so far. I just bought a new 2023 CRF300L and I’m looking forward to performing the maintenance you describe.
Little tip my fellow riders When packing needle bearings in your swing arm and linkage use a collar and put it in just enough so that you can pack the bearings without ever having to worry about the needles dropping out as really tacky grease will pull them out of an open bearing cage.
Another point to add on, ignoring his advice and only replacing the chain or sprocket one at a time will wear them down quickly. Old chains wear out new sprockets, old sprockets wear out new chains.
bearing maintenance: If you race check them often, esp rear suspension. When my son raced I took the bike apart every 3 weeks or so and was Surpised at how water can get into everything. And I use a lotta grease
I have been riding dirt bikes for decades and only recently learned this little trick for air filters. It's a nasty process to clean them, unless, you use Wesson Oil! It works great and can be easily cleaned using dish soap and of course is safe to throw out on the ground.
Not been riding as long as that but have you tried no toil because I normally use the cleaner in a bucket quickly get a lot of the bits off then put the filters in washing machine with the cleaner and detergent and they come out like brand new but as far as I know you gotta use the no toil air filter oil but it’s all biodegradable
Thank you for a good video. My concern with blowing the bearings with air after a wash, is that I’ll be blowing the water into the bearing? I like the idea of blowing air into components like the engine kill switch but I have concerned with blowing air onto bearing area…. Is it not better just to let the bearing outside dry by itself?
Hey Rado, thanks for the great advices! One question, I've got a PAPER air filter on my 4-stroke, is it really maintenance-free and when does it need to be replaced?
I was told many years ago in my mx racing days to never "squish" your air filter when oiling/cleaning it due to damaging the fibers? Any logic to it in your opinion?
Rubbish, you have to squeeze the filter to work the oil into the fibres and also to remove excess oil. The thing you shouldn't do is twist the filter as that will likely tear it, always squeeze.
i have recently brought a 2015 250exc, my first 2 stroke and i love it, im just wondering about the top end, the guy i brought the bike off said he done the top end 20 hours ago and i’ve almost done 40 hours on it. Do you think i should do the top end or how many hours do you recommend to do the top
250-300cc can last up to 200 hours plus if you are not riding them super hard. Being your first two stroke and it's size. I wouldn't worry about it for some time to come. Look up how to tell when your top end needs a rebuild. I'm sure there are some very informative videos on the subject. Being raced they can go about 50 hours even less with some riders and other get more. Depends on how they are ridden. And there are ways to check so you are not wasting money on things that don't need work. Comprehension test is part of the testing and removing the expansion chamber so you can look in the exhaust port to see if there is any wear on the piston and bore that you can see. Sticking your finger in and rubbing your nail in the bore to see if your nail catches any grooves. Also if the cross hatching from the hone stone is missing. That's a good sign that it was or wasn't done 20 hours ago. Look up boring and honing a bore and you will see the cross hatching I'm talking about so you know what to look for. Use a torch to see it. Proper maintanence cleaning air filter will help your top end last a lot longer and propped checks during servicing will save you a lot of money and help you learn what to look for when you buy second hand bikes. More you learn the more you will save and enjoy riding them not spending on them. I wouldn't buy anything under a 250 two stroke because they don't have the same long life span.
This video says: "Spend as much time working on a bike as you you do riding". If bikes required this, there would be a lot of manufacturers out of business.
I’m running about 25 hours on my 2024 tc125 and I do the air filter every ride and change the oil every 10 hours. How long do you think until I need to rebuild my top end?
I have 25h on 22 YZ125 and will be doing the top end soon. what does Husqvarna say for your bike? I would not go more than 30-40.. depends how you ride
Thank u for the great advice just got a 91 125 2 stroke I'm happy to be able to restore and do maintenance to make it last forever thanks for the heads up on everything I need to make sure it runs great!
Rado got 2005 Ktm 300 mxc. Haven't u said before I can use that shellrotella oil in my gear box. What weight should I use exactly what is your preference?
Nope I replace my bearings about every 120 hours. About the same time I do my bottom end and crank bearings I do a complete bearing change on whole bike.
I mean if yamaha quotes in the service manual to change the oil every 7.5 hours. Im sure the engineers have looked at those oils and they arent that dirty or broken down until 7 plus hours. Is four hours really necessary?
Depends on type of engine. The primary issue isn’t so much wearing out the oil by a process referred to as “shearing” or degradation. The oil stock will likely be good for far longer than even 10 hours or more. Most of the time the oil goes bad due to fuel dilution before it is completely sheared or broken down. Fuel dilution time really depends on the engine type. A higher strung motocross engine is going to let more fuel by the rings on the piston than an air cooled trail bike engine. The reason is that motocross engines tend to use one compression ring and one oil ring. Trail engines use multiple rings, sometimes even as many as 3 and one oil ring. Less piston rings, smaller piston skirts, higher rev’ing, higher compression all mean it will tend to shorten oil life. But again, oil life often doesn’t only mean are the base stock oil good. Fuel dilution, shearing action, contamination, efi vs carb, riding style, even air filter condition will impact the serviceability of the oil. Instead of discussing engine oil changing life, I’d prefer to discuss fuel/oil ratios and best way to tune a power valve, 2 stroke life!
i got an sx 150 wth aprox 50-60 hours on it and i haven't noticed a change in performance. I don't race, but it's at high rpm a lot of it's life and it takes it well. Although it is a two ring and you could probably push one of those to 80 then do the top end.
Along with removing the swingarm and greasing bearings, also remove and lube the axle blocks and adjuster nuts and bolts going into the swingarm. Don’t wait. You’ll thank me later.
Tom: Forgive me Fr. Rado, for I have sinned. Fr. Rado: May the Dirt Bike Gods forgive you of your sins. Please tell me what you have done and how many times. When we are finished, I, thru the grace of the dirt bike Gods, will give you an appropriate penance. Tom: Well, Fr. Rado - I've been riding for 55+ years and during that time I suppose that I've committed every sin against dirt bikes that there is. Fr. Rado: Please, Tom, try to be more specific as to the sin and the list the number of times you have strayed from the beautiful path of heavenly riding. Tom: OK, Father, but it has been so long that many of my wicked mistreatment sins I may have forgotten. Fr. Rado: The Dirt Bike Gods know that with as many times as you have hit your head on tree limbs, overhanging rocks, the ground, and many other objects, they realize that the a lot of damage has been done to your brain. Since you were made on a Friday you got a rather small, left-over brain, anyway. But just do the best that you can....... Tom: Well, Fr. Rado.....I will give you my most serious sins as I remember them. 1) Definitely, I've allowed the head bearings and linkage to be deficient in grease have and done all my tightening of fasteners WITHOUT a torque wrench. I have trusted my beautifully calibrated arm(both ft-lbs and in-lbs) in ALL my tightening. 2) I NEVER checked my forks for correct parallel at all. Surely that has damaged EVERYTHING in the legs that can be hurt. 3) I've used HI-PRESSURE car wash water to clean everything on my bike, thus washing away the HOLY grease. 4) I have allowed complete idiots and beginners to ride my bike without giving them even a basic idea of proper bike care.......I feel SO BAD for my bikes and so guilty that I fear it has given me ED due to my sins. My poor wife........ 5) I have not only used gasoline with cheap two-stroke oil but several times when I wanted to ride and didn't have two stroke juice and resorted to motor oil. I think I read somewhere on the can that doing so would be the fastest way for a rider to go to HELL that there is. 6) Fr. Rado, I can't even remember the last time I checked my tired pressure.....is that important? 7) Lubing the chain......I lube the chain when it begins to assume a kinked position or didn't want to allow the sprockets to turn and I just used motor oil or WD-40 and tried to knock the rust off with a steel brush. 8) I have done many more reprehensible acts, Father, but, after watching your upload there are over 1000 old dirt bikers waiting to get in the confessional. 9) Fr. Rado - Yes, Tom, your sins indeed are grave and I CANNOT give you the forgiveness that you need but I will get you started: See that pile of filthy air filters over there?.....About 10,000 of them - CLEAN 'EM. Next - Change about 8500 old tired that need to be changed over in the 2nd bay? Change them and put mousse tubes in all of them.....DON'T FORGET THE LUBE!!! All those bike sitting over there......pull apart to steering head, totally clean them and grease them.....torque properly!!! Lessee.....it's 11:00 AM and I want it done before you get any lunch. Be back at 12:30 and we'll give you a list of your next tasks......don't count on any sleep for the next few days!! You are one of the WORST DBS(Dirt Bike Sinners) I've met is my priesthood and you YOU WILL OBEY THE LITTLE GUYS IN RED SKIN-TIGHT WORK SUITS AND HORNS ON THEIR HEAD. If you fail to obey, they have the full right to punish you in ANY WAY the see fit. You MAY be forgiven but, just in case, start sleeping in a pizza over for the next month......that should get you started. P.S. Don't even approach the topic of forgiveness.....we've got a LOT MORE to discuss!
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Good advice. Here's a tip that works on some bikes. When you have your bearings out of the linkage and swingarm, drill a hole and tap it to put a zert fitting in. Grease everything up, put it all back together like normal. If you ride a lot, give them a squirt every few months, casual riding do it once or twice a year. Your bearings will last a lot longer. You have to make sure that the placement of the zert will not interfere with anything. Ride safe my 2 wheel friends.
From Wikipedia: “A grease fitting, grease nipple, Zerk fitting, grease zerk, or Alemite fitting is a metal fitting used in mechanical systems to feed lubricants, usually lubricating grease, into a bearing under moderate to high pressure using a grease gun.”
Bgvh km vhb vhbgvhbgvhbgvh
Na, it’s not hard to pull it apart and clean properly, while adding anti seize
@@mixalis6168 You missed the point. You still do regular maintenance.
I wish I did that when racing XC in wet conditions. I did proper service or course, but pumping out the water from the linkage would have save me lots of time.
One thing about the chains, remember that a chain derailment is what broke Malcolm Stewart’s femur a few years ago in Supercross. He was in the whoops, and the chain came off, and he went over the bars. Keeping your chain and sprockets in good shape is super important. And especially if it’s just tightening or loosening the chain, it’s one of the easiest parts of the bike to maintain.
All great advice. Chain maintenance is super important and it’s the first thing I do after every race. I never wash the bike with the chain on. Never. For non-prong chains, Pull the chain off and drop it into a pan of kerosene. Leave it in as long as you want. Next wire brush the entire chain. Next, wipe of with a lint free rag. Then use compressed air to blow off all residual kerosene from between the links until no more kerosene can be blown off. Now spray between links with WD40 to ensure no residual moisture remains. Put the chain back on and apply your favorite chain lube and adjust per manufacturers recommendation. Your chain and sprockets will last and last. More importantly, there will be much less performance robbing chain rotating resistance. Especially important on 150’s or smaller.
What is a non-prong chain?
@@JBK647 what you've never heard of a shrimp chain?
@@Michael_De_La_Rosa Nope; what is a non-prong chain? One that is not fitted to a chain saw?
@@JBK647he definitely had an auto correct for non oring
Long time road rider, newbie dirt bike rider: wow, packed with information. Bought a 1999 Kawasaki KLX 300R for some easy dirt bike riding on local trails (no crazy speeds or jumps). All the same, much food for thought!
WOW, thank you so much for this amazing information. This is one of the best and most informative video I’ve seen so far. I just bought a new 2023 CRF300L and I’m looking forward to performing the maintenance you describe.
Glad it was helpful!
Little tip my fellow riders
When packing needle bearings in your swing arm and linkage use a collar and put it in just enough so that you can pack the bearings without ever having to worry about the needles dropping out as really tacky grease will pull them out of an open bearing cage.
Another point to add on, ignoring his advice and only replacing the chain or sprocket one at a time will wear them down quickly. Old chains wear out new sprockets, old sprockets wear out new chains.
What do you mean oil change after 4 hours on a 4 strokes ? I never ride for less than 6 hours
bearing maintenance: If you race check them often, esp rear suspension. When my son raced I took the bike apart every 3 weeks or so and was Surpised at how water can get into everything. And I use a lotta grease
Silencer packing is overlooked by a lot of people
I'm rebuilding a 2011 rmz 250 right now these videos help a lot
i want to say either take off air filter or engine maint. and replace it with wheel spoke tightness
Excellent summary for us new riders. Thank you.
I have been riding dirt bikes for decades and only recently learned this little trick for air filters. It's a nasty process to clean them, unless, you use Wesson Oil! It works great and can be easily cleaned using dish soap and of course is safe to throw out on the ground.
You use dish soap instead of a oil? Or to clean off the oil?
Not been riding as long as that but have you tried no toil because I normally use the cleaner in a bucket quickly get a lot of the bits off then put the filters in washing machine with the cleaner and detergent and they come out like brand new but as far as I know you gotta use the no toil air filter oil but it’s all biodegradable
I never once considered a broken chain cold cause me a broken collarbone. I always been worried about my crankcase 😂
Thank you for a good video. My concern with blowing the bearings with air after a wash, is that I’ll be blowing the water into the bearing? I like the idea of blowing air into components like the engine kill switch but I have concerned with blowing air onto bearing area…. Is it not better just to let the bearing outside dry by itself?
Darren lawrence taught aj cat how to torque his triple clamps this year and he said it made a huge difference.
Great Video!!! #1 Torque wrench!
I'm closing this window at 1:30 and headed for a ride instead. Hope for the best.
Hey Rado, thanks for the great advices! One question, I've got a PAPER air filter on my 4-stroke, is it really maintenance-free and when does it need to be replaced?
When servicing wheel bearings, don’t forget the seals and collars they run on.
I was told many years ago in my mx racing days to never "squish" your air filter when oiling/cleaning it due to damaging the fibers? Any logic to it in your opinion?
Rubbish, you have to squeeze the filter to work the oil into the fibres and also to remove excess oil. The thing you shouldn't do is twist the filter as that will likely tear it, always squeeze.
i have recently brought a 2015 250exc, my first 2 stroke and i love it, im just wondering about the top end, the guy i brought the bike off said he done the top end 20 hours ago and i’ve almost done 40 hours on it. Do you think i should do the top end or how many hours do you recommend to do the top
250-300cc can last up to 200 hours plus if you are not riding them super hard. Being your first two stroke and it's size. I wouldn't worry about it for some time to come. Look up how to tell when your top end needs a rebuild. I'm sure there are some very informative videos on the subject. Being raced they can go about 50 hours even less with some riders and other get more. Depends on how they are ridden. And there are ways to check so you are not wasting money on things that don't need work. Comprehension test is part of the testing and removing the expansion chamber so you can look in the exhaust port to see if there is any wear on the piston and bore that you can see. Sticking your finger in and rubbing your nail in the bore to see if your nail catches any grooves. Also if the cross hatching from the hone stone is missing. That's a good sign that it was or wasn't done 20 hours ago. Look up boring and honing a bore and you will see the cross hatching I'm talking about so you know what to look for. Use a torch to see it. Proper maintanence cleaning air filter will help your top end last a lot longer and propped checks during servicing will save you a lot of money and help you learn what to look for when you buy second hand bikes. More you learn the more you will save and enjoy riding them not spending on them. I wouldn't buy anything under a 250 two stroke because they don't have the same long life span.
I'm not that rider....I do all five + more. I have too much invested in my dirt bike to let it go to crap or cause it damage.
This video says: "Spend as much time working on a bike as you you do riding". If bikes required this, there would be a lot of manufacturers out of business.
Don't forget they meant for competition
There a mech in any team , Wonder why??
You could always take up golf instead
It’s really not that hard to be honest and not very time consuming
I’m running about 25 hours on my 2024 tc125 and I do the air filter every ride and change the oil every 10 hours. How long do you think until I need to rebuild my top end?
I have 25h on 22 YZ125 and will be doing the top end soon. what does Husqvarna say for your bike? I would not go more than 30-40.. depends how you ride
@@dirtniron i got my bike recently in September and I’m not very fast at all
Thank u for the great advice just got a 91 125 2 stroke I'm happy to be able to restore and do maintenance to make it last forever thanks for the heads up on everything I need to make sure it runs great!
wheres a good place to buy parts for a yz 125?
This guy is good
Rado got 2005 Ktm 300 mxc. Haven't u said before I can use that shellrotella oil in my gear box. What weight should I use exactly what is your preference?
I use 15W40 conventional Shell Rotella in my bikes, 2 strokes and 4 strokes
I have as well for years, handles heat very well.
Nope I replace my bearings about every 120 hours. About the same time I do my bottom end and crank bearings I do a complete bearing change on whole bike.
Will running all the fuel out of the gas tank cause a lean
runaway condition on a two-stroke.
yes as you are running out of gas it will run lean and dies.. be careful, you can overheat and ruin the engine
@@dirtniron okay so don't run it out of gas
Ktm 350 100hours not a oil change yet
I mean if yamaha quotes in the service manual to change the oil every 7.5 hours.
Im sure the engineers have looked at those oils and they arent that dirty or broken down until 7 plus hours.
Is four hours really necessary?
I really don't think so
It depends on howe you use it. Riding it on a motocross track 4hr is defendeble. Riding in the outback make often oil charges not necessary.
Depends on type of engine. The primary issue isn’t so much wearing out the oil by a process referred to as “shearing” or degradation. The oil stock will likely be good for far longer than even 10 hours or more. Most of the time the oil goes bad due to fuel dilution before it is completely sheared or broken down.
Fuel dilution time really depends on the engine type. A higher strung motocross engine is going to let more fuel by the rings on the piston than an air cooled trail bike engine. The reason is that motocross engines tend to use one compression ring and one oil ring. Trail engines use multiple rings, sometimes even as many as 3 and one oil ring.
Less piston rings, smaller piston skirts, higher rev’ing, higher compression all mean it will tend to shorten oil life. But again, oil life often doesn’t only mean are the base stock oil good. Fuel dilution, shearing action, contamination, efi vs carb, riding style, even air filter condition will impact the serviceability of the oil.
Instead of discussing engine oil changing life, I’d prefer to discuss fuel/oil ratios and best way to tune a power valve, 2 stroke life!
i got an sx 150 wth aprox 50-60 hours on it and i haven't noticed a change in performance.
I don't race, but it's at high rpm a lot of it's life and it takes it well.
Although it is a two ring and you could probably push one of those to 80 then do the top end.
Trust me change it before it detonates, and don’t forget to look after the coolant (my sx125 got way too little and blew up) it’s just not worth it!
might be doing top end this winter, gut i'll definitely change the coolant@@Idk56373
Blowing compressed air at water just forces it in the bearing. Better to just dry it out with towels and some WD40 to displace.
Good Advice.Thank you very much 🙏
Bewel Bar for the swing arm. Easy maintenance.
I mix wd41.1 with motor oil. WD is a good penetrant but crappy lubricant and the oil is a good lubricant but slow penetration. Word.
Along with removing the swingarm and greasing bearings, also remove and lube the axle blocks and adjuster nuts and bolts going into the swingarm. Don’t wait. You’ll thank me later.
Great Video!
Glad you enjoyed it
Very helpful thankyou sm
Too tight of a chain can break, crack the engine case. I have seen it done.
shell rotella t4 is great oil for bikes
brilliant...❤❤❤
Put never seize on your chain tensioner bolts or they will seize and snap 🤣
Your awesome
Tom: Forgive me Fr. Rado, for I have sinned.
Fr. Rado: May the Dirt Bike Gods forgive you of your sins. Please tell me what you have done and how many times. When we are finished, I, thru the grace of the dirt bike Gods, will give you an appropriate penance.
Tom: Well, Fr. Rado - I've been riding for 55+ years and during that time I suppose that I've committed every sin against dirt bikes that there is.
Fr. Rado: Please, Tom, try to be more specific as to the sin and the list the number of times you have strayed from the beautiful path of heavenly riding.
Tom: OK, Father, but it has been so long that many of my wicked mistreatment sins I may have forgotten.
Fr. Rado: The Dirt Bike Gods know that with as many times as you have hit your head on tree limbs, overhanging rocks, the ground, and many other objects, they realize that the a lot of damage has been done to your brain. Since you were made on a Friday you got a rather small, left-over brain, anyway. But just do the best that you can.......
Tom: Well, Fr. Rado.....I will give you my most serious sins as I remember them. 1) Definitely, I've allowed the head bearings and linkage to be deficient in grease have and done all my tightening of fasteners WITHOUT a torque wrench. I have trusted my beautifully calibrated arm(both ft-lbs and in-lbs) in ALL my tightening. 2) I NEVER checked my forks for correct parallel at all. Surely that has damaged EVERYTHING in the legs that can be hurt. 3) I've used HI-PRESSURE car wash water to clean everything on my bike, thus washing away the HOLY grease. 4) I have allowed complete idiots and beginners to ride my bike without giving them even a basic idea of proper bike care.......I feel SO BAD for my bikes and so guilty that I fear it has given me ED due to my sins. My poor wife........ 5) I have not only used gasoline with cheap two-stroke oil but several times when I wanted to ride and didn't have two stroke juice and resorted to motor oil. I think I read somewhere on the can that doing so would be the fastest way for a rider to go to HELL that there is. 6) Fr. Rado, I can't even remember the last time I checked my tired pressure.....is that important? 7) Lubing the chain......I lube the chain when it begins to assume a kinked position or didn't want to allow the sprockets to turn and I just used motor oil or WD-40 and tried to knock the rust off with a steel brush. 8) I have done many more reprehensible acts, Father, but, after watching your upload there are over 1000 old dirt bikers waiting to get in the confessional. 9) Fr. Rado - Yes, Tom, your sins indeed are grave and I CANNOT give you the forgiveness that you need but I will get you started: See that pile of filthy air filters over there?.....About 10,000 of them - CLEAN 'EM. Next - Change about 8500 old tired that need to be changed over in the 2nd bay? Change them and put mousse tubes in all of them.....DON'T FORGET THE LUBE!!! All those bike sitting over there......pull apart to steering head, totally clean them and grease them.....torque properly!!! Lessee.....it's 11:00 AM and I want it done before you get any lunch. Be back at 12:30 and we'll give you a list of your next tasks......don't count on any sleep for the next few days!! You are one of the WORST DBS(Dirt Bike Sinners) I've met is my priesthood and you YOU WILL OBEY THE LITTLE GUYS IN RED SKIN-TIGHT WORK SUITS AND HORNS ON THEIR HEAD. If you fail to obey, they have the full right to punish you in ANY WAY the see fit. You MAY be forgiven but, just in case, start sleeping in a pizza over for the next month......that should get you started. P.S. Don't even approach the topic of forgiveness.....we've got a LOT MORE to discuss!
How do you know I'm not doing 5 things right. Lol
You can skip the first 1:15 min .
Thank me later.