What Tools Do I Need for My Dirt Bike?

Every dirt bike owner should carry with them a trusty toolkit in case of breakdowns or emergencies. This goes for practice and competitions alike and a good toolkit should not be taken for granted. You never know when you're going to need it and you’ll feel pretty silly the day you don’t have one and find yourself wishing you did. 

There are numerous essential tools every dirt bike rider and owner should carry with them. Having the right tools will prevent further damages to your bike and will encourage you, as a dirt bike owner, to learn about the mechanical side of dirt bikes so you can make your own necessary tune-ups and repairs. 

Most of us have a household tool kit for regular maintenance and projects around the house. But having a tool kit specifically designed for your dirt bike maintenance is just as important. We have rounded up the best tools to keep in your dirt bike toolbox and you can find out what they are if you keep reading below.

Tools Every Dirt Bike Owner Should Have

Every dirt bike owner should have a toolkit on them whether just going to practice or heading to the track for a big race. Being prepared will give you peace of mind that if anything does happen to go wrong, not that we would wish that on anyone, your toolkit will be right beside you to hopefully save the day. 

Here is a list of all the possible tools every dirt bike owner should carry on their person when heading out for a ride:

Dirt Bike Stand

This is one of the most forgotten tools that you will need when repairing your bike. 

It’s much easier to repair a dirt bike when it’s sitting solidly on a stand and you can easily work on your bike without having to ask someone else to hold it, attempting to balance it yourself, or trying to lean it up against a structure just to have it fall and make the issue worse. 

Check out this ATS MX stand that you can find right here at Risk Racing. This stand can support any make, year, and model dirt bike with an adjustable top that levels any bike from front to back for an easier time with repairs and maintenance. 

Wire Cutters/Pliers

Good-quality wire cutters will come in handy for numerous repairs on your dirt bike. You’ll need wire cutting pliers, flat head pliers, long-nose, and short-nose pliers, and trust us when we say you will use all four of them at some point. 

Wrenches

You will need an assortment of wrench sizes for multiple uses when repairing a dirt bike. Your dirt bike is made up of nuts and bolts holding almost everything together. You will want multiple size options so you have a wrench to fit every occasion.

More specifically, you will find a spark plug wrench is necessary for removing, cleaning, and replacing your spark plugs. As we all know, spark plugs need to be replaced fairly often on our two strokes, and when they do there’s hardly any pre-warning to let us know it’s coming. It’s usually just a misfire, a backfire, a flooded engine, and a bad smell of gas.

Vice Grips

Almost like pliers but a vice grip holds other fixings in place so that you can use the other pliers in the tool kit to cut wires or remove screws easier. 

Vice grip pliers are also known as locking pliers because they will lock and tighten onto whatever you’re working on for an easier way to prevent slipping while you’re pulling, rotating, or cutting. 

Mud Axe

When the track is wet and extra muddy it can affect the performance of your bike. A great tool to consider is the Mud Axe from Risk Racing to scrape, pick, and scoop mud off your dirt bike to keep your engine and mechanical parts working efficiently. 

No one ever said removing mud from your dirt bike would be a clean process, but the Mud Axe is constructed to make it a much simpler chore for the sake of your happiness, and your bike’s usefulness. 

Seal Doctor

Oil leaks can be a bit of a scare when you’re on the track and leaks can cause numerous other issues with your dirt bike if not cleaned and fixed immediately. 

Keep your seals cleaned and leak-free with Risk Racings Seal Doctor which can prevent and cure a leaky fork seal. 

Simply pull the dust seal down, attach the seal doctor, rotate and push up under the fork seal and rotate again until it grips the mud or grime stuck under there, pull it out with the seal doctor, and reattach the dust seal. Don’t forget to clean off any leaking oils. 

The seal doctor comes in a couple of sizes so make sure to check your fork tube size or double-check your manual before purchase.

If you liked these last two suggestions, you can also purchase the Mud Axe and Seal Doctor combo. 

Screwdrivers

What toolbox is complete without both a flathead and a Phillips screwdriver?

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a few different sizes of each as sometimes you need a big one to really put some torque down on a large screw, and other times you’re screwing something so small you can hardly keep track of it.

Puncture Repair Kit

A puncture repair kit could be what gets you back on the track sooner rather than later. 

A puncture repair kit isn’t designed to get you back out riding immediately but is designed to get you to the nearest garage so you can have the tire replaced and then get back on the track. 

There are different types of punctures and each one is bad for the condition of your bike in the long run if you continue to ride without having the tire properly fixed or replaced. 

Cable Ties

You can never go wrong with cable ties as a quick repair and maintenance fix until you can get the bike to the shop for genuine repairs. 

Cable ties, or zip ties, can be used for securing loose wires, loose plastic, and holding fixtures in place. Cable ties are man’s best friend but should only be used as a temporary fix. We highly recommend not using cable ties as a long-term fixture. 

Flashlight

We believe everyone should have a flashlight regardless of whether you ride dirt bikes or not. Flashlights come in handy for multiple situations and may one day get you out of a pickle. 

When it comes to your dirt bike, there are some hard-to-reach areas, especially around the engine, so having a flashlight on hand will help you to see the areas better, in turn, you can reach them easier with confidence. 

Of course, there’s always the fact that torches are great for darker days and nights when a flashlight is necessary for vision. 

Here at Risk Racing, we have a huge selection of work lights for you to check out. We offer everything from traditional tactical flashlights and headlamps, to more unique designs like flexible lights and magnetic lights as well.

Allen keys

Allen keys for a dirt bike might sound like a strange tool to need, but they are essential toolkit items that you might find yourself lost without them in the case of needing repairs. 

Modern bikes have many cap screws and bolt heads that need to be removed when checking for what needs to be restored on your bike and Allen keys could be the only tool that helps you get some of these difficult-to-remove bolts and cap screws off.

How To Carry Your Dirt Bike Tool Kit

We’re not saying to have to ride around with an old-school big metal red toolbox, although we don’t object to that either. Vintage is cool.

There are various other ways you can easily carry your toolbox around with you including backpacks, belt bags, and easy-to-carry portable tool kits. 

Conclusion

There are essential tools every dirt bike rider needs in their dirt bike toolbox and each tool is as handy as the one before it. The instruments above are all necessary for quick and easy beside the track repairs but will also impact the longevity of your bike when used appropriately and efficiently. 

Keep these tools handy for your convenience and peace of mind that if something goes wrong, you’re one step ahead and prepared for any undesirable mechanical mishaps.