Just bought a Used Bike, What to do?

[500_boy]

Hey there,

Well my search is over, I just picked up my new/old bike, it is a 2002 TM 300E, it is in pretty good shape, it was raced, but I think that the maintenance was kept up. Anyways I was wondering what I should all check/test/replace on the bike before I head out on it? I was thinking of replacing the chain, silencer packing, fork seals, all the fluids, air filter, grease all fittings and cleaning the carb out. What else should I do to this bike before I head out on it? Thanks.

-Jared

 

[ellandoh]

double check the brakes and all other safety issues and gas er up and have fun. get as much safety gear as you can afford also

 

[Kevin003]

If it ain't broke don 't fix it i always say. No need to replace the fork seals if there not blown. If the chain still has life in it ride it till its dead. You should definatly replace the air filter and all of the fluids though.

 

[500_boy]

Well the fork seals are completely dead, they are all dried up and cracked just because this dealership has had this bike so long and its been sitting for so long. The shop is taking the whole carb apart for me and cleaning it all out before they let me take it home so I dont mess it up with old gas. The chain, my shop teacher told me, that instead of buying all these expensive chains you can go to TSC and pick up #50 industrial chain for about $10 or $15 and it will last you 2 or 3 rides, then you just replace it with new for that price. He says that is what he used when he owned a small racing team around here, and he said he would just replace the chain every ride so he had a brand new chain every ride, kind of like a throw away chain I guess you would say. So that is what I think I am going to do, but I will look a bit more at this chain, it is lubed up good, but I will take it off and check it out. Isnt it you put it on its side in the air if it hangs more than 10 or 15 cm that it is done?
I also plan on oiling the bike, I dont know if anybody else does this with theirs, but I have done it with all my 4x4 quads, trucks, cars etc. After a really good cleaning, and time for it to dry off for a day I take a half litre or less of hydraulic oil, and I just spray the entire bike in it (except seats, hand grips etc. of course) and let it soak in there, it seams to keep the metal looking good and prevents rust and wear and tear in alot of places. It also seems to seap into alot of bolts also and lubricates them so its alot easier to take apart when I need to.
Also as far as fluids, I plan on going with Amsoil for the gas mix (not sure which, saber, interceptor?) and then for the other fluids going with Bel-Ray. Are those good fluids to run in a dirtbike, everybody else around here seems to run that and they love it, especially the amsoil. Thanks again.

 

[AnTs]

Why would you spend 15-20 on a chain every 2-3 rides when you can pay 75/100 for a o-ring or x-ring chain and never worry about it...

 

[adam728]

Just buy a good chain. I spend about $50 on a DID O-ring chain, it's lasted all season long, and I ride a LOT. I've easily put over 1000 miles on it. That would be a whole lot of those cheapie chains. Plus, what if one were to break? Possible case damage, stuck on the trail with a bike that can't move itself, possible injury if it breaks at a bad moment (like on the face of a jump, or while powering through whoops, etc).