Servicing bikes, DIY repairs, and set up is important rider knowledge.
Some of our “go to” resources when searching for diagnosing mechanical issues and service recommendations.
Morgan @HighlandCycles is an accomplished rider, mechanic, and entrepreneur. His brand and stoke for Dirt Bikes resonates heavily with Love2ride, and we are happy to partner with Highland Cycles on numerous events each season!
Check out the Highland Cycles social media and YouTube channel.
KTM Valve Adjustment | How Do You Adjust KTM Valves? | Highland Cycles
In this video I show you step by stem how to adjust the valves on a modern KTM 4 stroke!
How to Adjust Valves on a Yamaha YZ250F | Step-by-Step DIY Tutorial
Learn how to adjust the valves on your Yamaha YZ250F with this …
Learn how to adjust the valves on your Yamaha YZ250F with this complete step-by-step tutorial!
If your YZ250F is getting hard to start, losing power, or it’s time for scheduled maintenance, …this video walks you through the entire valve adjustment process from start to finish. I’ll show you the tools you’ll need, how to measure valve clearance, swap shims, and reassemble everything correctly.
Whether you’re working on your first four-stroke or you’ve been wrenching for years, this guide will help you save money and keep your Yamaha running its best.
👇 Let me know in the comments:
What year is your YZ250F?
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Jeff @Slavens Racing is an OG service and tech tip guru. Check out Slavens Racing below.
"These Tires are Magic"
Jeff does not use the word magic often. This is the tire and mousse combination he keeps coming back to.
The front: Bridgestone Battlecross X31, from $100.95 The X31 has quietly …become the front tire of choice around here. Six sizes; the 80/100-21 front is the $100.95 option and the 90/100-21 is $109.95. Jeff runs roughly 11 psi with a TUbliss, which is lower than most people expect and is a large part of why it feels the way it does. https://slavensracing.com/shop/battlecross-x31-soft-to-intermediate-tire-by-bridgestone/
The rear: Plews EN1 The Tough One Spec B, $159.99 Spec B is the softer of the two Tough One compounds. Note that the standard Tough One sits in the same dropdown at $149.99, so pick Spec B specifically. 140/80-18 rear only. https://slavensracing.com/shop/en1-the-tough-one-tire-by-plews/Show More
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"These Tires are Magic"
Jeff does not use the word magic often. This is the tire and mousse …
Jeff does not use the word magic often. This is the tire and mousse combination he keeps coming back to.
The front: Bridgestone Battlecross X31, from $100.95 The X31 has quietly …become the front tire of choice around here. Six sizes; the 80/100-21 front is the $100.95 option and the 90/100-21 is $109.95. Jeff runs roughly 11 psi with a TUbliss, which is lower than most people expect and is a large part of why it feels the way it does. https://slavensracing.com/shop/battlecross-x31-soft-to-intermediate-tire-by-bridgestone/
The rear: Plews EN1 The Tough One Spec B, $159.99 Spec B is the softer of the two Tough One compounds. Note that the standard Tough One sits in the same dropdown at $149.99, so pick Spec B specifically. 140/80-18 rear only. https://slavensracing.com/shop/en1-the-tough-one-tire-by-plews/Show More
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Let's Talk Rekluse Clutch Kits
Rekluse makes more clutches than most people realize, and the names do …
Rekluse makes more clutches than most people realize, and the names do not make it obvious which one you want. Alec picks up every box we stock and walks through …them.
Factory Replacement Clutch Kit — from $159.95 The newest one, and the cheapest. A complete OEM-quality rebuild in a drop-in kit: friction plates, steel plates, clutch springs and a friction pre-soak bag. If you like how your stock clutch feels and you just want a fresh one, this is it. Hard enduro is brutal on clutches and racing is expensive, so there is no reason to spend more than you need to. https://slavensracing.com/shop/factory-replacement-clutch-kit-for-ktm-hqv-gg-by-rekluse/
TorqDrive Clutch Pack — from $329.00 If you want to stay manual, this is the cheapest way to improve the clutch rather than replace the whole thing. Thin friction discs let Rekluse fit more of them inside the stock footprint, which Rekluse rates at around 25 percent more torque capacity and about 10 percent less lever effort. That extra engagement gives a more precise feel. Some strong riders want exactly that, and others want a clutch that slips a little so they can feather it. Personal preference, as Alec says. https://slavensracing.com/shop/rekluse-torqdrive-clutch-pack-for-ktm-husqvarna-husaberg/
A mousse keeps a flat from ending your race. That part is not up for …
A mousse keeps a flat from ending your race. That part is not up for debate. What Jeff wants to talk about here is everything after that, because a lot …of riders end up on a setup that rides like fifteen pounds of air and decide that is just the cost of not flatting.
It is not. You can have the flat protection and a bike that still hooks up.
When you need one: hare scrambles, GNCCs, enduros, desert races, Baja. Anywhere a puncture ends your day.
The fitment check: with the mousse in the tire, it should sit level with the bead or a hair proud of it, about a quarter inch. A long way proud means it is too big and the tire will ride stiff. Sunk well below the bead means it is too small and it may not hold the bead on the rim.
Why it matters more now than it used to: gummy tires are hybrids, with a stiff sidewall and a soft crown, built to wrap around rock and root. Put a stiff mousse under one and the tire cannot do that. It spins instead, and it wears the center knobs right out of an expensive tire.
The feel Jeff aims for:
– Trail riding on a gummy: about 4 to 5 pounds
– Racing: 6 to 8 pounds
– Not 12 to 15, which is where a lot of setups land by accident with gummy tires.
On lubrication: squirt the lube around the inside crown of the tire, then drop the mousse in. Do not glove up and grease the whole mousse first. It makes the thing nearly impossible to install and it does not help. Slavens tested this by putting the lube in one spot, riding a short distance, then pulling the tire back off, and the lube had spread everywhere on its own.
And if mounting it feels like you need a three foot tire iron and a friend, stop. That is a sizing problem, not a technique problem, and tire irons under that much load will get you in the head. Give us a call and we will get you into the right one.
First Look: Billet Crank Case Pressure Sensor by Bullet Proof Designs
Tracy swaps the OEM crankcase pressure sensor mount for the Bullet …
Tracy swaps the OEM crankcase pressure sensor mount for the Bullet Proof Designs billet replacement on a TBI two-stroke. It is a short job.
What shows up in the box: the …holder with the hose already attached and clamped on, plus two spare clamps, one earless and one screw type. Tracy uses crimping pliers on the earless one.
One install tip from the video: he pulled the brace off the side of the bike before starting, and says it made the whole thing a lot easier. Worth doing.
The reason to bother is what the OEM part is made of. The factory piece that holds the crankcase pressure sensor down is plastic. This one is CNC machined from 6061-T6 billet aluminum and anodized. Tracy’s verdict once it is back together is that it is pretty stout, and there is no sitting there wondering whether the plastic is going to let go.
Specs:
– CNC machined 6061-T6 billet aluminum, anodized
– Hose attached and clamped from the factory
– Two spare clamps included, one earless and one screw type
– Backed by the Bullet Proof Designs Lifetime Warranty
– $39.00
JT Carbon Steel Rear Sprockets: The $30 Sprocket That Outlasts an $80 OEM
Jeff has been running JT Racing carbon steel rear sprockets on his own …
Jeff has been running JT Racing carbon steel rear sprockets on his own test bikes for the last couple of years. Four bikes and three spare wheels means a lot …of sprockets, and that is what sent him looking for something that lasts without costing a fortune.
Here is what three rears weighed on the same scale in the shop:
OEM aluminum alloy, 0.8 lb, around $80 to replace
Chromoly steel, 1.2 lb, well over $100
JT carbon steel, 1.4 lb, low $30s
So the JT is the heaviest of the three, by a little over half a pound against stock. It is also the one you can buy four of for the price of a single chromoly rear, and Jeff rates it at two to three times the life of the stock sprocket it replaces.
The detail worth slowing down for is the tooth. Most brands cut a groove into the face of each tooth and call it self cleaning. It does clear mud, and it also takes away surface area from the part of the tooth that carries the load, so the tooth wears faster. JT machines the relief into the body below the tooth instead. The mud still clears and the tooth keeps its full surface area.
Specs:
– Rear is heat induction hardened C45 steel, 40 through 52 tooth, $29.95 to $32.95
– Front is Japanese 545C high carbon steel, fully heat treated, 11 through 16 tooth, $12.95 to $18.95
– JT rates the rear at up to six times the life of a 7075 aluminum sprocket, and the front at two to three times a mild steel sprocket
Flo Billet Clutch Master Cylinder: 9mm vs 10mm and Why Billet Beats Cast
Jeff walks through the Flo Motorsports billet clutch master cylinder, …
Jeff walks through the Flo Motorsports billet clutch master cylinder, a direct replacement for the Brembo clutch master found on most KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas, Sherco and Beta models. If you …are not sure whether you have one, look for the Brembo logo on the body.
The stock unit is cast, and cast is what cracks at the perch when the bike tips over, especially if your levers sit out wide. This one is CNC-machined from a solid block of aluminum, and it costs about what an OEM replacement costs. If you have already broken one, you can spend the same money and get the better part.
The one real decision is bore size: 9mm gives you a noticeably lighter pull.
Stock XC-W and EXC masters are 10mm, so this is the change most riders feel first. It outsells the 10mm about three to one.
10mm keeps the engagement window you already know, which some riders find easier to feel and modulate, and you still get the upgraded lever and the larger reservoir.
What else you get:
Reservoir holds roughly 30 percent more fluid, so it runs cooler and the feel stays consistent longer
A split sleeve in the clamp lets the assembly rotate on the bar in a crash instead of snapping, and the split means you can install it without pulling your grip
A bigger adjuster knob with a better feel than stock
A machined lip that lets you remove the supplied boot and run your OEM boot over the whole assembly, which is a lot better in mud
Precision-machined anodized lever included
Requires DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 brake fluid
Fits all 125 to 500cc dirt bikes equipped with a Brembo clutch master cylinder. Rebuild kits are stocked separately at $39.95.
Rocky Mountain ATVs YouTube Channel is also a great source for tech tip content.
Don't Let The Cold Stop Your Ride!
Want to keep riding when temperatures drop? Check out the fully updated MSR ADV Cold Weather Glove! Featuring a D3O palm slider and a built-in suede goggle wipe, this is …the ultimate upgrade to extend your riding season. Watch the full spotlight on our channel now!
Want to keep riding when temperatures drop? Check out the fully …
Want to keep riding when temperatures drop? Check out the fully updated MSR ADV Cold Weather Glove! Featuring a D3O palm slider and a built-in suede goggle wipe, this is …the ultimate upgrade to extend your riding season. Watch the full spotlight on our channel now!
Just a few of the fresh arrivals that just landed on the Rocky …
Just a few of the fresh arrivals that just landed on the Rocky Mountain website! Want to see everything else that just dropped? Riding gear, engine parts, and luggage options. …Check out our channel for the full video covering these items and a whole lot more!
It’s that time again, where we go over all the new and exciting products we’ve added to the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC website! We want to …keep you in the loop so you know everything new on the market. Whether you are looking for new riding gear and want to replace your boots, or maybe your helmet with an included Bluetooth comms unit from Cardo Systems. Or looking to upgrade your bikes performance with GET ECUs, maybe even a big bore kit from Athena for your YZ85, we’ve got something for everyone. If you need any parts, accessories, or gear for your next ride, Rocky Mountain ATV/MC is your one-stop-shop to GET READY®.
Looking to upgrade your Kawasaki H2? Discover the new Tusk Uinta wheels, engineered with a 5-lug bolt pattern, 16×7 sizing, and a stock-matching 6+1 offset …designed to clear massive factory brakes. Featuring a durable cast aluminum design, a forged aluminum beadlock ring, and grade 8 bolts for ultimate tire-clamping security, these beadlock-ready UTV wheels combine rugged performance with three stylish finishes: matte black, gunmetal black, and polished. Join Trent as he walks you through all the details and fitment options available! If you need any parts or accessories for your machine, Rocky Mountain ATV/MC is your one-stop-shop to GET READY®.
Wanting to upgrade the skid plate on your Kawasaki Teryx4/5 H2? The Tusk Quiet-Glide Skid Plate is just what you need! Quit getting stuck on rocks …and other obstacles when out on the trail, and glide over the top with ease with a UHMW skid plate. Join Charles, as he walks you through step-by-step how to install the skid plate onto your Kawasaki Teryx4/5 H2 helping you save time and money so you can get back onto the trails! If you need any parts, or accessories for your machine, Rocky Mountain ATV/MC is your one-stop-shop to GET READY®.
Elevate your ride and conquer rugged terrain with the Tusk Quiet-Glide Skid Plate designed for the Kawasaki Teryx4/5 H2. Crafted from virtually unbreakable, 3/8-inch thick …UHMW plastic, this heavy-duty undercarriage armor features a super-low coefficient of friction that lets your side-by-side effortlessly glide over rocks and obstacles instead of getting hung up. Delivering comprehensive front-to-back and side-to-side coverage with included rock sliders, it provides the ultimate off-road protection while offering a significantly quieter ride than traditional aluminum skid plates. If you need any parts or accessories for your machine, Rocky Mountain ATV/MC is your one-stop-shop to GET READY®.
