Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126601
Kawasaki Team Green's Steve Ransbotham be lieves in a methodical system of tearing down and inspecting each bike he services. 1. Clean t he air fi lter, t hen check for rips or separations at the seams. 2. Oil the filter, making sure to get it evenly lubricated. Maintaining_~our "'otorc~cle: Part one Preventative maintenance, the key to winni~g By Tom Mueller T h e end of the race IS approaching a n d yo u 're locked into a n easy wi n. The competi tion is far behind a n d yo u're on yo u r way until yo u r bike stops cold a few tu rns from the fi.n is h lin e, _~as ~t ever ~a,~,~~ l/~I~a~ S~~?kk~)?u:~~~)b~,~~ 26 happened ,to . Y0 ':l' If It ~ a s . what was th e ca uses -Someth ing meant 10 replace but never did? A talented racer ca n' t win if hi s 3. Spread a layer of grease on the filter where it touches the airbox. bike lets h im dow n, a nd th eonlv cu n for i h.u proble m is p reve n ta tive ~ ai n u- n a nrr- , \\' 1' w en t to Kaw a s aki ' s South Regi on faci lity in Atla n ta to ge-t so me a ns we rs as to w ha t is in volved a n d we re a ssi sted by P ro duct Se rv ice In stru ctors Walt Ra inwat er a n d Su- vr Klein a nd Tea m G ree n Easter n Tec h n icia n S u -vr- R a n s ho tham , "Thr- bi g ges: pro ble m with m o st o f rhr- rarr-rs I dea l with is t heir fa i lu re to p e rform p rc vc ru a t ive m aint e n a n o -," sa id Ran sb oth am . " C lea ni n~ the a ir filt er , tig h ten in g nuts a nd holt s , c hcc k in g for crack s in th e fra me. th in~s like tha t. T'h ings get loo se, start m ovin g a ro u n d, ~et warm a n d break ," " O n e ~ uy a t Ponca (O k la homa , a t till' N MA M ini fin a ls ) had a $40 0 shock o n hi s kid 's h ike . hu t had the shock m ounts torq ued a t about 200 p o unds. T hen' was n o wa y that shock co u ld work ," a dde d Klein , An y rid er who p la n s o n co m pe ti ng ser io us ly shou ld a ll oca te a g ood ch u n k o f ti me to wa rds m a imu in ing .a n d prepping h is machine. R a n sbotham said to properl y p re p are a Team G reen MXer h e sp en d s about a 4. When replacing the fi lter, twist it a bit to assure a tight seal. day a nd a h alf doi ng till' jo b. " It's n o t _ l uck tha t o u r rider s d on 't o fte n DNF, j us t a bun ch o f work." sa id Run sborham. " So me rider s w ill cross [ive s ta tes to make a bi g race, but wo n' t spend tw,; h ou rs workin g o n th eir hike, " The fi rs t ste p in wor king o n yo ur m ach in e is to get the dirt o ff. " Workin ~ clea n " is so meth i ng all top mecha n ics prid e themselves in . G et yo u r cyc l<- spra yed o ff as soon as p o ssibl e aftera race, bein g ca ref u l n ot 10 shoot a d in- er spray o f water in to a rea s wh ere el ect ri cal co n nect io n s a re. Ge t the bike up o n a work sta n d o r milk na te, prefer ably gell in g the ti res o ff th e gro u n d . Disassembly S ta rt by takin g th e tank a n d seat o ff th e bike-th e w h eel s al so, if t he la st run wa s a mudd y on e. From th er e o n i n th e o n ly thin'g w h ic h separates a to p a ma te u r a n d a pro is detai ling, m ak in g s u re n ot to over loo k a n y porti on o f th e b ik e, Mo st o f t he o pera tio ns in vo lved a re ea sy to d o o nc e yo u know how , so fo llow us th ro u g h a few o f the s te ps involved in making yo ur m otorcycle o ne yo u ca n count 0 11.