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You really don’t need a ton of tools to maintain your dirt bike, but it’s really nice to buy a few specialized tools that will do a much better job of working on a dirt bike than standard tools.
The four things I recommend that every dirt bike rider gets for maintaining a dirt bike are:
- This torque wrench on Amazon.com. PLEASE do not make the same mistake as me and do any work on a dirt bike without a torque wrench. Many bolts on dirt bikes need just 5 ft/lbs of pressure, and you’re likely to overtighten and cause damage without a torque wrench.
- This stand on Amazon.com. It’s a pain in the butt to do maintenance on a dirt bike without a good stand. This one is nice because its durable and has a drain hole in the bottom of the plate so the oil can drain out.
- These T-handle wrenches on Amazon.com. You can always just use normal wrenches, but on many spots on a dirt bike it can be hard to fit a normal wrench. These are perfect for working on dirt bikes!
- This pump on Amazon.com. This is a specialized pump that can inflate high PSI tires and is powered by a cigarette lighter in your truck. I recommend getting this one because if you ever decide to go tubeless (which more and more people are), then you’ll need a higher PSI pump.
Torque Wrench
The torque wrench that I recommend for dirt bikes is the Bikemaster 1/4″ digital torque wrench (click to see it on Amazon.com). It’s PERFECT for dirt bikes! This wrench reads down to 2.2 ft/lbs, which covers every bolt on a dirt bike. I find that a 1/4″ torque wrench is best for dirt bikes because it will work on most of the bolts you have. However, do keep in mind that some of the larger bolts will require a different torque wrench if you want to be perfect. You may consider buying a 3/4″ drive torque wrench as well at some point down the line, but start with that Bikemaster 1/4″ digital torque wrench as it’ll work for most of the bolts you’ll need to tighten accurately on your dirt bike.
If you own and maintain your own dirtbike, you really should get a torque wrench for working on your dirt bike. When I first started taking care of my own dirtbike, I did not have a torque wrench and I just did things by feel. I thought this would be just fine until I made the mistake that changed my mind. I was changing the oil on my dirtbike and tightening up the bolts that cover up the oil filter cover. As I started to turn, Snap! The bolt broke off in my dirt bike that had was in one piece and the shank of the bolt was stuck in the bike.
Instead of me saving money by changing the oil on my dirt bike myself, I ended up spending $20 at Home Depot to try to get a tool that could remove the bolt. That failed, so I had to take it into a dirt bike shop then church at me $65 ticket doubled out. Altogether, I spent $85 on that oil change–all because I was too cheap to purchase a torque wrench.
PLEASE don’t try to save money and skip the torque wrench. It will save you money.
Stand
A basic stand is really a requirement for working on a dirt bike. It brings the bike up to a comfortable height so you can work on the bike, and keeps it steady.
Everyone has their preference for a lifting stand, scissor jack stand, or just a regular stand. For most people, the regular stand is fine.
T-Handle Wrenches
There are lots of parts on dirt bikes that can’t be reached with a regular wrench because you can only turn a tiny bit at a time before bumping into another part.
A T-handle wrench is designed to fix this problem by providing a long shank that gets the turning handle out away from the bike so you can easily spin it.
Of all the things on this list, the torque wrench is the first thing you need, and then the second you need a T-handle wrench.
Pump
You can use any pump on a dirt bike. Even a basic bicycle pump will work because dirt bike tires are generally only inflated to 12-15psi. However, it’s nice to have a good quality electric pump that can do your PSI checks for you and give you a precise readout.
Also, if you decide to go Tubliss, you’ll need the better pump to inflate to the very high PSI ratings required for the inner tube on those tires.