MX101's Tech Tips

March 28, 2005

By the crew at MX101.ca

So winter is coming to an end and your new ride is parked in the garage, or for the lucky few … in the basement. Just because you have brought your bike home from your favourite dealer do you think that you are ready to moto??

Not so fast. Typically bikes are shipped from the factories with very little grease on the headsets and linkages. Make sure you remove the top triple clamp and grease the upper and lower steering stem bearings. Remove all linkages and swing arm pivots and apply grease liberally to all bearings and bolts. Remove both wheels and continue with the greasing of both axles (only a very thin layer of grease is required) to ensure that they come out after riding for more than five minutes without the use of a trusty ol’ hammer.

Ready to ride? Not yet ... tear that bike down!

Check the air filter and oil it if necessary. If the dealer has not done it, re-do it! Normally the factory only applies a very thin spray of filter oil. Use high quality foam filter oil and ensure 100% coverage while squeezing out all the excess. Remember that, with four strokes, it is recommended that you do not ride with a freshly oiled filter—the filter should sit for a few hours before being installed.

Don't trust the factory. Re-oil the filter and check inside and out for dry spots.

Next on the list is break in. Before you fire the bike up for the first time, check oil levels and the coolant level. Now you are ready to break in that new bike. The steps that the MX101 crew use for new bikes is as follows:

· Warm the bike up on the stand until motor is warm to the touch
· Let the bike cool completely (time will depend on the outside temperature)
· Warm the bike again and take it for a ride on FLAT ground while not using more than half throttle but using the shifter to go up and down through the gears
· Let the bike cool again completely
· Check oil and coolant levels again
· Warm the bike again. This time use ¾ throttle and put a load on the engine (small hills or jumps)
· Let the bike cool again
· Now you are ready to use all the power the motor has

After break-in, drain the engine or transmission oil that the bike was shipped with and replace with fresh high-quality oil.

Now you are ready to moto … or at least that new bike is. For our next tip we will work on “breaking” in your body before riding.