This article was originally published in the July 2017 issue of Dirt Rider.

Dirt bikes get dirty, then they get washed, then they get dried. If you are scratching your head going, "Dry my bike? Isn't that what gravity and the sun do?" Well, that is one way, and I've done that many a time. But to get all the nooks and crannies free of extra moisture, an air compressor works great and is the choice of most mechanics and race teams. Whether it's price, space, or portability, the average Joe might just skip drying their bike after a wash. This is where the BikeMaster Detailer Blow Dryer comes in. It is an electric blower that does just that—push a bunch of air out of a tube to dry your bike.

First off, no, it isn’t as powerful as an air compressor even on its more powerful mode (there are two modes, indicated by one and two fan icons). Second, the nozzles that it comes with aren’t as small as most air compressor tools to really focus the air.

On the plus side, it does move a lot of air, and I could get a lot of the water off the bike and out of the hard-to-reach places (radiator fins, above the head, under the tank, around the carb/throttle body, controls). Plus, it isn’t so strong that it can hurt things like really powerful compressors could. It also lasts as long as you need it to since it isn’t relying on a tank full of air. The hose is long and the unit is light enough to carry easily. I’ve lined up four bikes and, using an extension cord, dried them all at once, walking around each.

Overall, it is a little bit of a mono-tool (one use) because other than drying a bike it can only really blow out the back of your van, truck, or the garage. Can it inflate tires? No. Can it reverse and become a vacuum? No. But it is smaller, lighter, and simpler than those other machines and is a handy item to have around the shop.