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Let me start out by stating the obvious:

No pics at the moment as the bike is torn down to the frame and engine…and I’m lazy.

Even though I am building a dirt bike, this applies to street bikes too.  It’s the process of buying a perfectly good motorcycle and taking it apart in an attempt to make it better.  Actually, I call it personalization.

I recently purchased a pretty much stock 2006 YZ450F, rode it once, and took it apart.  Since buying a used dirt bike off of a stranger is a crap shoot, I wanted to have a complete set of ‘knowns’ with regards to maintenance and had to add a bunch of goodies.

For maintenance, I’m doing the following:

• New engine oil & filter
• New Water Wetter mix coolant
• New fork oil (both inner and outer chambers) and seals
• Greased steering stem bearings
• Greased swingarm & linkage bearings
• Valve clearance check
• New hour meter to track engine usage

 And for the goodies, I’m adding:

• ZipTy Racing Carb Mod ‘Kit’
• MRD Racing full exhaust system
• Rekluse Z-start Pro Autoclutch
• Cycra Pro Bend brush guards & front disc guard
• New IMS desert tank
• Devol Skid Plate & rear m/c guard
• New Fastway pegs 
• New gripper seat cover
• New gearing & chain
• New Dunlop D952’s

And since the bike came with a new Scott’s damper with the sub-mount kit, the bike should be complete.  It is known that one of the first mods a rider should make before making the bike faster is to rework the suspension.  True, and I agree…but not in this case.

I want to actually learn about suspension tuning with this bike.  I have read a great deal on the fron forks and they are supposed to be very capable units.  I want to learn the ups and downs of the system before I shell out some $600 to a suspension company so that I can tell them exactly what I want done.

Up until now, I have not really ever bothered with suspension tuning beyond setting static sag.  Well, now I want to know what each setting does and to what degree.  In addition, I will be taught how to completely service them in a couple of days.  That too will be invaluable.

Even though motorcycle money is the most fun to spend, in total I’ll probably have less than $5500 into it (I shall not reveal all of the weaseling I have done to get parts at a discount ).  With all the packages showing up lately, it been like Christmas around here.  And since my ‘00 426 has been in the stable for six years now, this bike will probably be around for a while.  This thing should be a rocket when its done.

Heh - if there is anything I’m missing (I am kicking around the idea of an enduro side stand), please chime in.