KTM swingarms have several plastic plugs inserted from the factory to keep dirt and water out of the inside. Dirt Rider never loses them because they are glued in place with silicone sealant on our test bikes before we get them. You should do the same.Got a Trail Tip? Send it and some pictures to [...]
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The sound of horsepower and the smell of nitromethane returned to Glen Helen Raceway with the North American Hillclimb Association. The promoters managed to find a find an appropriately steep section of nasty real estate near the REM track, then added a jump and a turn right out of the gate, then added jumps, ledges [...]
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A sanitary SDR oil cooler setup keeps the lines tucked in and protected, and it drops the engine temps 28 degrees. HRC provides the adapter that replaces the oil filter. The cooler is only needed for races with extended high-rpm running like in Baja. BMW: One-Man Band BMW is taking it slow in the U.S., [...]
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In the past, Dirt Rider has illustrated the proper methods of bleeding brake systems, but each time those processes assumed that you have good pedal or lever pressure to pump the fluid through. If you have changed the brake line, the process is a bit tougher. If you change the caliper, then the entire system [...]
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Broken clutch plates are one of the most common sources of screen-blocking junk. Sealant, flakes of gasket material and other trash that finds its way into the oil can also cause problems. An engine’s oil pump and the oil screens that protect it are all critical parts of a modern four-stroke that remain largely ignored. [...]
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Chris Barrett In the last few years it appears that current and former dirt riders are realizing that track days or a good ride off-road are critical to mental health and general well-being. Heck, even wives are getting in on the deal. Many of my friends have shown up at rides unexpected, and sheepishly admitted [...]
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Danny “Magoo” Chandler was one of the original Wildman showman of motocross. His loose and atomic aerial antics on KTMs won him wide fame before he ever hit it big as a racer. Magoo was not a win machine like McGrath or Carmichael, but when he had an on day, and usually at a fast [...]
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Kawasaki may not have invented the mid-size pit bike, but its KLX110 has defined the class with outstanding standard performance, solid reliability and a boatload of additional potential. Since it out-muscled Honda’s XR70R and beats up on Yamaha’s TT-R 110, the KLX has been one of the few pit bikes that can be raced at [...]
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I have never been able to wear any sort of under-glove. But one of my teammates for the Glen Helen 24-hour works a production line for an auto manufacturer, and he had some OccuMitts under-gloves. I tried a pair, and I was amazed. The fingerless glove is made of a stretchy nylon/spandex blend that is [...]
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Grant gets grilled on the performance of the piston, head and the most recent FMF muffler. During the three days we had in NC, the team was chasing dry dirt. Mud makes for poor SX testing. One day we drove to a home SX track with a sandy base in South Carolina, and basically Grant [...]
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For a young motocrosser, going with the flow in the 65cc class means riding a KTM. Any other course is a lot of work, but there are always those who swim upstream. Some folks just like doing things differently, but in the case of Chase Bell, the reason is sponsorship. Getting a Kawasaki Team Green [...]
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Shallow water crossings with steep clay banks are routine in GNCC and Hare Scrambles racing. None of the pros slam through a section like this, since risking hidden hazards, fouled vision and compromised gloves aren’t worth the milliseconds saved. The problem is that steep banks attacked at slow speed rut up deeply, and the ruts [...]
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I carry only L-shaped Allen wrenches in my track tool box, but many times I need to use the long arm to reach a bolt, and that little arm of the wrench doesn’t offer much purchase to loosen a tight bolt. I slip a 10mm or smaller box-end wrench over the small arm to increase [...]
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www.racetech.com. With Foos being so light, the suggested rates were significantly lighter than stock. In spite of the softer springs, the bike was still too busy and harsh. What suspension experts like Race Tech said was true: the suspension needed internal modification for such a light, fast rider.Race Tech felt that changing nearly every tunable [...]
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Karel Kramer Those who learned of civil liberty in school may be groaning, but the 2010 KTM 450 XC-W ISDE Edition is a different “civil liberty.” Maybe it should have a comma? This bike is super civil, and with a six-speed, good fuel range, quiet power, decent lights and off-road legality it gives you the [...]
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The Monster Energy Cup was the first
The start is everything when you
Two wins and a second earns him
The most dominant performance by a motorcycle
