Okay, so today was all about getting my hands dirty – literally – with my kid’s dirt bike. He’s been riding it pretty hard, and it was definitely showing. Mud caked everywhere, chain looking sad, the whole nine yards. I figured it was time to get this thing looking and running a bit better.
Prepping the Area
First things first, I moved the bike out to the driveway. No way was I going to do this inside. I grabbed my hose, a bucket, some soap (just regular dish soap, nothing fancy), and a few old rags and brushes.
The Wash Down
I started by hosing the whole bike down. Just a good, solid rinse to get the loose stuff off. Then, I filled the bucket with soapy water and went to town. I used a bigger brush for the frame and tires, and a smaller, stiffer brush for the chain and sprockets. Gotta get in all those nooks and crannies, you know?
- Hose down: Blast off the big chunks.
- Soapy scrub: Get in there with the brushes.
- Rinse again: Wash away all the soap and grime.
Chain Care
The chain was looking particularly rough. After the wash, I dried it off with a rag. The I spray the chain with a chain lube I bought some time ago,and wiped the chain after a while with another rag to keep it clean.
The Final Touches
Once everything was dry, I checked the tire pressure and added some air. Just wanted to make sure it was all good to go for his next ride. And that’s it.
It wasn’t rocket science, but it felt good to get that bike cleaned up and ready to roll. Now, he can get back out there and tear it up again… and I’ll probably be doing this all over again in a few weeks!
