Motocross Clutch Care

Motocross biking is one of the most exciting activities around. There is nothing like going on a nice practice ride or taking part in a race. Most riders will spend weeks practicing stunts and maneuvers over and over to prep for a competition. But all those hills and stunt-riding does take its toll on the bike and it is important to keep up with routine maintenance. Motocross clutches take a lot of the bumps and knocks on the road and it is important to pay attention to this part and repair or replace when it is going out.

When motocross clutches are starting to deteriorate your bike will give some warning signs. The motocross bike will seem sluggish and slow to respond to acceleration requests. It may stall on hills or appear to quit in the middle of a trick. The bike may seem to keel over more than normal or feel likes its going up the RPM range too fast. These are all signs that that you're having clutch problems, and it should be checked. It may be your clutch slipping or it may be time for new clutch plates.

Some experts say that motocross clutches are the most abused components on the bikes. It makes sense as it is the part that takes a lot of the pounding during the stunts and racing. The experts also advise that clutch replacement is a regular part of bike maintenance and even average riders can expect to put in new clutch plates every six races. Once the plates are burnt it will start affecting performance and could be the difference between winning and losing a race. While owners can do this change themselves, they may want to have a mechanic do the work. Because motocross clutches are worked on so often, and because they are so critical to bike performance, competitive riders may want to let an expert take over the duties. They will be able to keep the motocross bike running at top potential.

There are some routine maintenance chores the owners should do and this includes keeping the bike properly lubricated. In order to get the most life out of their motocross clutches owners should always keep fresh, clean transmission fluid in the bike. They should also pay attention to the cable and if it has any tension at all, it usually means the clutch is slipping. If you are still able to adjust the cable, you may be able to get another week or two out of it with proper adjustment. If you're not sure, get a second opinion from your mechanic.

Motocross clutches can take the brunt of the hits from the speeds, fast turns, and the racing. Owners should always do the routine stuff like cable adjustment and keeping up the fluids. And they should expect to be changing the clutch fairly often. It's just the cost of all that the bike goes through for fun and action. With proper care and maintenance you will get the peak performance from your motocross bike.