Dirt Bike Racing, Gears

So what do you need when you go for dirt bike racing? First and foremost, you must own a helmet and gloves. Any serious biker will carry these, in addition to forearm guards, boots, and knee and shin guards. They also carry a grasshopper shell.

The professionals recommend keeping a checklist so that the essentials will not be missed out. Invariably, every ride is a learning experience no matter how often you ride, because you discover something new. The following is a must-have list packed in a fender bag.

The fender bag contains

* A tire patch kit and a front inner tube – this can also be used for the rear tire in an emergency.
* At least four carbon dioxide cartridges.
* One pair of tire irons.

The rear fender bag should carry the following:

* A multi tool kit
* Magnetic hex extensions, the 2 and 6-inch variety
* Multi pliers
* Vise grips – needle nose – 6-inch
* Crescent wrench 6-8 inch
* Multi wrench that should fit the axle bolts in the front and rear
* Spark plug wrench
* Two extra links of chain and two extra master links
* An old toothbrush that will help clean parts on the trail
* To remove a hot spark plug, a small piece of half inch fuel line
* Sandpaper or emery cloth to clean dirty plugs
* A few feet of hose to siphon gas off or into the tank
* Extra clutch lever for long rides
* A tow
* Some duct tape that can be wrapped around an oil can
* Some bolts and nuts of assorted sizes

An experienced rider cuts the top of two used oil bottles and fills one with all the tools. Then he stuffs some rag inside after which he slips the second bottle over the top. The idea behind this is to keep the tools from rattling inside the bag. The duct tape fixed around the oil bottles can prove useful for a lot of fixes. The bottles are useful to hold small parts, fill the radiator and transfer gas, etc.

Additional things to carry, which can be accommodated in a small backpack are, snack bars, first aid kits, iodine tablets which are used for water purification. A camera, maps, extra spark plugs, flashlight and probably a lightweight blanket also prove to be very useful on long rides.

And finally, cash!

Recommended Reading

1. Dirt Bike Racing, Tackling Dirt Bike Jumps
Let us face it - if you have decided to take up dirt bike racing, you will be doing a...
2. How Mountain Bike Gears Work
The gears in mountain bikes just keep getting more and more intricate. The bikes of today have as many as...
3. Dirt Bike Racing, Getting Ready To Go Racing
After carrying out the basic maintenance, its time to assemble the bike and go racing! However, finishing touch is required...
4. Dirt Bike Racing, Basic Maintenance
Any biker will realize the importance of a well-maintained bike. This becomes even more essential when involved in racing. Negligence...
5. Dirt Bike Racing, General Tips
It is always useful to pick up tips from the experts. They advise that the first thing to do is...