Responsibility of taking care and maintaining your motor sport vehicle usually belongs to you the owner. So you're ready for a fun weekend ahead and you find that there is a small puddle of oil underneath the engine compartment of your dirt bike, utility vehicle, off road go kart, ATV, motorcycle or motor scooter. This has never happened before so if youre not too mechanically inclined you either check it out and look at the owners manual for some answers or worst case scenario try to find a mechanic nearby that knows what to do. Usually when something like this happens it is something minor but should not go neglected because it could lead to spending way more than necessary by taking care of a small problem before it turns into a large one.
It could simply be a broken seal or something loose for that matter. Whatever it is, take care of it right away. So now you have the leak fixed and you go to start up your dirt bike, motor scooter or motor sport vehicle and the beast won't start. Since you haven't ridden it for a month, guess what, the battery is dead. One of the best ways to keep this from happening is to keep the battery connected to a trickle charger or some type of battery tender to keep it fully charged. There are different types that you can buy. These are available for as little as under $10.00 but I would recommend spending a bit more to get one that stops charging once the battery is at full charge so you do not overcharge it and eventually ruin it's life expectancy.
Most motor scooters, motorcycles, dirt bikes and ATV's will run on a 6 volt battery. Utility vehicles and off road go karts could run on an even larger battery so make sure you are aware of the size, especially if you decide to jump start your battery from another vehicle. Be careful, as it is important that you read the instructions that come with your jumper cables so as not to cause damage to your battery and or physical harm to yourself. These are just a few tips on maintaining your motor sport vehicle whether it is a dirt bike, motor scooter or any other type. Next time we will discuss why you should clean your dirt bike or motor sport vehicle every time after a ride and how to keep it clean the easy way.