You replace your rear tire because you can see the signs of wear, but the signs of clutch wear are trickier to spot. You can lay your bike over and pop off the clutch cover easily enough, but what do you look for then? Ron Hinson of Hinson Racing demystifies basic clutch inspection.

Proper chain tension is vital to drive-component longevity and peak performance. When we noticed Destry Abbott's main wrench, Jonny Weisman, adjusting chain tension after a rear sprocket swap, we had to ask about his secret technique and what parts he uses to make wheel changes quick and easy in the heat of battle.

Riding narrow trails can be daunting, since they're usually confining for a reason: There's not enough room for something wider due to a quirk in the topography. The trail might be on the razor-edge top of a ridge, it could be a goat path on the side of a mountain, or there might be more treacherous obstacles next to it.

As a group, motocrossers love to get dirty. But what about when it comes time to wash off all that dirt? We all know that you can't just toss your bike in the shower, which is why we have pressure washers and, as a result, nifty tips to make cleaning your ride a bit easier on the both of you. Yamaha of Troy mechanic Corey Shea has plenty of experience buffing his bikes and was more than eager to share some of his best hints for this dirty job.

Before every pro supercross race even begins, most riders take a lap around the track on foot. But they aren't just walking for the exercise; riders use the track walk as a time to evaluate lines, determine jump combinations and prepare for the race. According to AMA Lites racer Logan Darien, the track walk can be just as useful to beginners at a local track as it is to serious pros. Below, Darien explains the basics of a supercross track walk, which can be applied at any level of racing.

Ryan Hughes is a badass, plain and simple. He rides like a charging rhinoceros (hence the nickname), and his competition simply gets out of the way. Noticing how extremely focused Hughes seems before a race, we just couldn't help but ask him what was going through his head. Here is Ryno's very best advice for mentally preparing yourself to race-and win.

Communication between rider and suspension tuner can be as tricky as child psychology, so we asked master suspension tuner Jim "Bones" Bacon to break it down for us. On a daily basis he deals with the top racers in both motocross and off-road and at the same time the regular customer guy, so he definitely knows the tricks to translating information from a rider into the suspension and ways to help a rider figure out this black science and tune his own suspension.

Well-prepared goggles can provide some of the most important protection in motocross. At a recent National, we spied Utopia Optic's Simanovich working some fishing line onto a set of Mike Brown's Roll Offs and asked what he was up to.

As I approach these two tight trees, my aim is to carry as much speed through them as possible. Because of some braking bumps leading up to them, I am able to maximize my speed by getting airborne and turning the handlebar, which effectively decreases the width of my machine and "threads" it through the small gap.

Proper fit is the most important requirement in a helmet-as long as the lid is a quality one in the first place. Some heads and helmets just don't match, while others fit like a glove. For those that come close, the fit can be tailored to near perfection. Troy Lee Designs' Mike David shows us how.

Off-cambers are tricky enough, but add an ascending slope to the equation and it's easy to get messed up and in a situation in which you are going nowhere fast. Nathan Woods shows us how to avoid getting into trouble by following a few simple rules when tackling obstacles like this.

Whether it falls off when you really need it or is just stuck on the shaft when you want to take it off, kickstarters can be a hassle. However, most bikes have a built-in, simple and effective way to break loose a stubborn kickstarter-you just didn't know about it!

Every two- or four-stroke engine uses at least a few studs. A stud is like a bolt that is threaded on both ends, and it usually has a smooth shank of varying length in between the threaded ends. The problem is, how do you install a bolt without a head? One of the little-known facts about studs is that they have two slightly different ends. The side that threads into an engine casting has a flat end. The threaded portion that sticks out of the casting has a slightly rounded tip with a small depression in it. Look at these photos of Ron Wood showing the ins and outs of studs.

Communication between rider and suspension tuner can be as tricky as child psychology, so we asked master suspension tuner Jim "Bones" Bacon to break it down for us. On a daily basis he deals with the top racers in both motocross and off-road and at the same time the regular customer guy, so he definitely knows the tricks to translating information from a rider into the suspension and ways to help a rider figure out this black science and tune his own suspension.

Note: Trackside medicine is intended to provide a general medical guideline and is not intended to replace the clinical judgment of a doctor or take the place of the medical doctor's diagnostic or treatment recommendations. These articles will always err on the conservative side for safety purposes.

Proper fit is the most important requirement in a helmet-as long as the lid is a quality one in the first place. Some heads and helmets just don't match, while others fit like a glove. For those that come close, the fit can be tailored to near perfection. Troy Lee Designs' Mike David shows us how.

Note: Trackside medicine is intended to provide a general medical guideline and is not intended to replace the clinical judgment of a doctor or take the place of the medical doctor's diagnostic or treatment recommendations. These articles will always err on the conservative side for safety purposes.

We asked former GNCC and World Enduro champion Shane Watts to demonstrate how a novice should handle one of the trickiest situations any dirt rider can come across on the trail: an off-camber.

Riding off-road is a challenge, especially if you want to keep it safe. Taking on small drop-offs is sometimes a necessity and can be tricky. With a few pointers, what was once a little scary is now as easy as throwing a leg over the seat. We met up with enduro hero Mike Lafferty to demonstrate a textbook drop-off.

The technique pros use for fast flat-track-style hard-packed turns isn't simply pitching the bike completely sideways. Instead, they put the bike into a controlled drift, maintaining momentum by putting power to the ground. We asked Baja champion Mike Childress to show us how he does it. "I think of it as a piece of pie," he notes, indicating a bird's-eye view of the bike. "Any time you get your wheel outside of that piece of pie, you're losing time; keep the rear end in that 'slice' and you're going fast. "

We asked former GNCC and World Enduro champion Shane Watts to demonstrate how a novice should handle one of the trickiest situations any dirt rider can come across on the trail: an off-camber.

Riding off-road is a challenge, especially if you want to keep it safe. Taking on small drop-offs is sometimes a necessity and can be tricky. With a few pointers, what was once a little scary is now as easy as throwing a leg over the seat. We met up with enduro hero Mike Lafferty to demonstrate a textbook drop-off.

Motocross is arguably the most popular form of off-road motorized sports. And despite how it may appear from the outside, it is organized. You just have to be on the inside to truly appreciate the system. It's a big family and one that's always looking to add members regardless of age or ability. So if you ride but don't race, consider the benefits of motocross and give it a shot. After all, it's a great way to meet with fellow moto-junkies (who may just become lifelong friends) and will undoubtedly fill you with competition-charged adrenaline. If you've never been to a race but love the idea of hitting the track on your dirt bike, check out these tips and you'll have a head start on the learning curve that is motocross.

When you race, do you simply gear up, start your bike and head to the line? If so, shame on you! Your body will perform much better if it has a regimented, solid warm-up program. It's a good thing that Destry Abbott is here to show you how this is done!

Trackside medicine is intended to provide a general medical guideline and is not intended to replace the clinical judgment of a doctor or take the place of a medical doctor's diagnostic or treatment recommendations. We will always err on the conservative side for safety purposes.