If you have a 2 stroke dirt bike and you’re mixing fuel, then it’s both a frustration yet something you really need to get right.

Like one of those necessary evils, it’s certainly necessary if you’ve got a two banger and need to keep it in tip-top condition. While we know it needs to be done, a lot of dirt bike riders get confused and go searching online for the answers.

The best 2-stroke fuel ratio is the one recommended by your manufacturer, though 40:1 is considered to be standard for modern-day 2-strokes. KTM, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki have their fuel-to-oil ratios published online and in the user manuals. Failing this, your local dirt bike mechanic can provide some guidance and recommendations.

It’s generally safer and easier to simply call up your local dealership. Even if you didn’t buy the dirt bike from them, you’ll find them to be accommodating and able to provide a clear and concise answer.

2-Stroke Fuel Ratios

The premix ratios recommended by leading dirt bike manufacturers is one based on racing your dirt bike. At full capacity, your dirt bike obviously operates at such an intense pace as opposed to cruising around the ranch and doing jumps.

Therefore, we can say that the extra oil is just an overkill yet if you’ve got the funds, then go right ahead! Then again, manufacturers have the caruretor setup for this right mixture of petrol, oil and air. Changes of any notable ratio will require you to make some changes to the carby and jets to accommodate properly.

40:1 as we mentioned at the top of this article is ideal for the casual rider. Yet don’t get too worried if you’re putting too much oil in, as you won’t really damage it that much. You could cause some fouled plugs. This is mild compared to completely seizing your engine or prematurely wearing it out.

Ratio	OZ per Gallon	Millilitres per Litre
50:1	20	2.56
40:1	25	3.2
32:1	31	4
25:1	40	5.12

Again, individual bikes will have their ratios mentioned by their manufacturer. They can also vary year on year as the engines are upgraded or revised.

Professional Recommendations

You should consider that this task gets easier the more you do it. Yep – the first time that you mix oil and petrol, it feels a little weird. “Am I putting in too much or too little?” among other questions that might be running through your head. That’s why professional recommendations are a wise idea.

To mix 2-stroke dirt bike oil, follow these steps:

1. Get yourself an oil measuring cup. There are several available but our #1 recommendation is this one on Amazon.
2. Place the measuring cup on a flat and stable surface. Add in the required oil and fuel and mix together.
3. Add the mixture into the fuel tank. Don’t start your dirt bike right away as you’ll want to allow some time for the oil to mix properly through your fuel tank.
4. Properly rinse the measuring cup. If you leave it with residue oil/fuel mix, then, unfortunately, dust and other foreign particules can stick to the insides which can then leech into your fuel tank later on. Trust us – that causes real havoc!

The first time is the most concerning, but it gets easier and easier. Like popping that first wheelie, it just takes practice.

The 2-Stroke Oil Dangers

Now, some things that you definitely don’t want to be doing is buying cheap 2-stroke oil. This is a really bad idea and a quick pathway to the premature death of your engine. Get yourself premium oil. Yes – it costs more, but so does a rebuild!

Next – don’t go mixing different manufacturer oils together. Chances are that you’ll start clotting up your engine which isn’t what you really want mid-way through an epic run through the forest. Just use up your old oil then do a full drain before trying a new brand.

Finally – don’t forget the petrol! Don’t skimp on this and go for high octane gas/petrol like 95 or 98. 91 octane just isn’t enough for a performance-driven bike that’s designed to be revved hard and perform even harder.

Understanding the Basics

It’s hard to know sometimes how to read ratio charts properly. While we provided a chart above, what does this mean in plain and simple English? Well, it’s pretty simple.

50:1 means that for every 50 parts of petrol you have, you need to add 1 part of oil. You need to take into account the volume of your fuel tank.

Let’s say your 2 banger holds 10 litres. Well, you mix your fuel at say 50:1 then you have 200 millilitres of oil to add. Ratios are based on millilitres as opposed to gallons or ounces as it’s more tricky.

Finally – if you’re too worried, then get a buddy to help you out. There’s nothing shameful to ask for help to get the ratios done properly. What’s more shameful is a full engine rebuild!

There is nothing worse than to be in a race, suffer a crash and then suddenly you can’t get your motorcycle started.

By installing a hot start lever on your motorcycle, you can quickly start a motorcycle. These levers allow more air into the engine as opposed to a choke. Modern-day motorcycles don’t require a hot start lever, but if your dirt bike is more than 10 years old…it’s a smart idea to get one.

Surprisingly, some riders might have one of these fitted to their dirt bikes yet never know that it’s there or how to use it.

How to Use a Hot Start on a Dirt Bike

The process to using a dirt bike hot start lever in 5 steps:

1. Pull in the hot start lever (it’s near the clutch)
2. Start kick-starting until your engine starts
3. Let go of the hot start lever
4. Pull tlutch in and select a gear
5. Start riding your dirt bike again

This process only takes about 8 seconds though dirt bike racers have this down to about 4.5 seconds easily. The more times you do it, the easier it becomes!

You’ll typically find a hot start fitted on the handlebars situated right next to the clutch or brake levers. The lever is quite small (less than half the size of a clutch lever) and it doesn’t really interfere with riding. It’s so small and unnoticable that some riders don’t think that it does anything.

Typically it’s something you pull in just like a clutch lever though you won’t feel the same level of resistance. On some models, it’s actually a press button or a lever that you push. Either way, once you activate them, then you’ll be using the kick start.

Now, don’t go using the throttle just yet because this will just put more fuel back into the engine. The reason why your dirt bike is dead-in-the-water is because of excess fuel so this will bring you back to square one.

Why They Are Important

Flooded engines are a struggle to get started again. Because you don’t have fuel injection, you’re simply flooding the carburetor with fuel and the air/fuel mixture isn’t ideal.

This same issue applies to older cars where, if you pressed the throttle when the engine is off, you’d have to wait around for up to 15 minutes until the optimum fuel to air ratio returns to normal. While cars have evolved, the big manufacturers had to find a way for dirt bikes to evolve, and thus – the hot start button was invented.

They are important to keep you going when you crash and your engine isn’t firing up instantly. It’s most common that you’ll find these on motocross bikes though some recreational trail bike users are fitting these too, as are adventure riders.

Do you need one? Not really, unless you’re racing. Then you’ll absolutely be wishing you had one the day when you simply can’t get her kick-starting and you’re losing valuable lessons and all your hard work.

Getting a Hot Start Installed

Chances are that you don’t need to get a hot start for your modern-day dirt bike. However, if you’ve bought an older used machine, then we can recommend that you get one of these as they are relatively in-expensive. Some 2nd-hand units are available for sale on eBay.

Simply get an after-hours motorcycle mechanic to fit one of these. They aren’t too hard nor time-consuming with many tutorials available on YouTube. You should try using these a few times during practice sessions first, and then in the situation when you need to use one on the race track, you’ll have the steps down-pat and can get back into the

It’s hard to find a kid in the western world who doesn’t enjoy seeing motorcycles cruising up and down their streets.

If your kid is 5 or older, now is a perfect time to get them into dirt bike riding. Kids can ride 50cc dirt bikes right up to 125cc dirt bikes, and there is a developing industry of electric dirt bikes.

In this guide, we’re going to show you how to get ’em into the fun sport.

Getting Kids into Dirt Bike Riding

It’s best to keep your kids off social media and into genuine fun out there, just as how we had when we were growing up.

Just remember that it isn’t hard. Getting a child to learn dirt biking is much much learning how to ride a bike. In fact, it’s much easier if they can already ride unassisted.

Creating Enthusiasm

Let’s say your kids aren’t that keen that. Perhaps they’re worried about hurting themselves or the noise scares them a little.

One of the best ways to really get them interested in the sport is through taking them to MX tracks and events. Seeing other riders doing cool tricks and showing off their bikes, then kids generally find a lot of joy and entertainment. This makes them a little more engaged and interested in riding their own bike.

Another way is to find some friends who have kids already in the sport. Making friends with other dirt bike riding kids is a great way to create buy-in and get your kids.

Choosing a Bike

There are various kids dirt bikes that you can get started with. They are relatively inexpensive especially as Chinese motorcycles have become more developed and reliable.

Best Dirt Bikes For Kids (Guide for 5 to 12 years old)

You can buy a relatively good machine for under $1,000. To save some extra money, look at Gumtree and Craigslist where you’ll find Japanese and Euro brands like Yamaha, Honda and KTM.

Their enthusiasm can be diminished by buying a petrol-driven dirt bike. We personally got an LPR bike here in Australia but the Stacyc 16″ is becoming hugely popular in North America and Canada.

Choosing Gear

Safety is paramount when riding dirt bikes. Unfortunately, some parents miss this completely and let their kids go riding with anything they want, or simply miss the mark.

You can spend a fortune on dirt bike gear but your child will need an upgrade every 2 years. This can then make it quite an expensive sport for you to keep maintaining.

Just like finding a used bike, you can typically find used gear online that has been hardly used. Then again, avoid the cheap new gear that you’ll find on Amazon. The better quality stuff will not only survive better and protect your child in a crash, but they’ll get up and start riding again and not start to create hatred towards dirt biking.

Where to Ride

There are literally hundreds of places to go riding. Places that are legal for kids to go with their dirt bike. These are typically MX tracks, paid-to-ride areas (owned by private owners) as well as private property. You can certainly let them ride on your private property as long as it doesn’t annoy the neighbours.

You can ask your local council or get connected with some Facebook groups or forums. This is where you’ll find others who share the same passion and even create some lifelong friends. You could even ask around your local school and figure out who has their kids already into the sport. Sometimes your kids will already know the kids who are riding bikes…because it’s all they talk about all day long!

In Summary

Riding dirt bikes doesn’t have to be something reserved for parents alone. In fact, there are parents who become dirt bike riders only because their kids showed immense interest!

It’s certainly a family-friendly sport that you can do year-round and is seriously a lot of fun. Once they’re kitted up with the right gear, it’s no more dang

Older dirt bikes are notorious for being slow to get kick-started right away, often taking 5 to 10 attempts before firing up.

To get a dirt bike started on the first kick, try this:

1. Turn the petcock on
2. Turn your choke on
3. Lay your dirt bike on its side for a minute (where the float will prime with fuel)
4. Pick your dirt bike back up again
5. Put your foot on the lever while holding the front brake lever
6. Gently push the kick lever down a few times as a warm-up
7. Finally – throw all your energy into kick-starting your dirt bike

In 90% of cases, this will jolt your dirt bike into life even on a cold morning.

Kick Starting Dirt Bikes

It’s certainly frustrating to get a dirt bike kick-started, especially if you’re a light person who’s more concerned in saving up energy for the tracks which lay ahead. Standing there kick-starting your dirt bike for what seems like a lifetime while others look and giggle is a surefire way to spoil the moment.

Others seem to have this craft mastered yet you stand there like a lone soul. It’s worse when someone comes over and offers to kickstart your dirt bike for you. On one hand, you appreciate the gesture and on the other hand, you’re frustrated because you wish you could do this yourself.

Hopefully with the steps we’ve outlined above, you’ll have this craft mastered even if you’ve got an older MX bike. Whether it’s a 2-stroke or 4-stroke, the nature is the same.

A Great Alternative

Did you know that instead of kick-starting, you can actuall roll-start? This is helpful if you’re parked on the top of a hill (even a short one) and you can roll down.

To do this, you’ll need to be in second gear with the clutch out. As you start gaining momentum, let the clutch out with some throttle and your dirt bike may spark into life…even with a dead battery.

You’ll need to practice this one a few times and it’s best to do it when your dirt bike is working properly. This way you can keep riding back to the top of the hill and rolling down again until you’ve got this process mastered.

Pro-Tips

We’ve done this ourselves many times and can recommend some tips to make your life so much easier.

Firstly, practice makes perfect. Instead of waiting until you’re at the track with a whole bunch of riders around you, simply practice kick-starting at home. Do it every single morning for a week even if you don’t have any riding planned.

By practicing the famous kick-start, you’ll be more confident and have the steps downpat. It will become second nature and you’ll learn how your dirt bike reacts.

Secondly, your choice in boots actually impacts how well you can kick start your motorcycle. If you’re using running shoes, then this is a bad idea as the spring-back (the force that comes up and rebounded when you kickstart) will be very noticable.

We recommend that you wear your MX boots or at least some steel-capped boots which will give you some extra weight and confidence. These boots will mean that any force in the kick-starter rebounding will be absorbed across the surface of the boot sole.

Finally, consider ensuring that your next dirt bike has an electric start. If it has an electric start already, then don’t rely on it entirely. Every once in a while we suggest that you do a kick-start so you remember how easy it is to do, even on a cold winters morning.

While electric start is fantastic as you’re merely pressing a button, there may come a day when the button simply doesn’t work. What happens if your battery is flat? You’re going to need to kick-start, and if you’ve practiced this before, then you’ll have no troubles at all.

In Summary

Kick-starting successfully really comes down to practice. The more times you do it, the easier it becomes. This is especially true if you keep riding the same dirt bike month after month.

Those who struggle are generally those who don’t go riding often enough, or it’s those with the ‘luxury’ electric start switch. Don’t rely on these all the time, as one day you’ll need to kick start.

Even the nature of kick-starting your dirt bike instead of reaching for an electric start commands respect among dirt bikers globally. Get out there and start practising, as it gets easier and easier!

Have you seen the Braaap Motorcycles? They have some cheap yet great motorcycle on the surface of things but maybe there’s a catch?

In this guide, we’re going to be getting into the details as to whether Braaap Motorcycles owned by Adam Smith is worth your time and energy.

Let’s begin.

Braaap Motorbikes Review

Adam Smith from Tasmania owns Braap Motorcycles and has done so for over 10 years now. He started importing the cheap pit bikes from China after having made a trip over there in his teenage years.

Since then, the company fluorished in the earlier part of last decade. He proceded to launched several new motorcycles, including the famous Braaap Mercury which has had great feedback and minimal customer complaints.

While the past dealings of Braaap have been troublesome, they are certainly looking towards a better future.

Past issues include:

• Numerous product recalls
• Adam Smith being taken to court
• The Melbourne store closing down
• Potentially going into liquidation

Australia’s famous news outlets love a catchy story that meets the narrative, and thus you’ll find smear campaigns online. Remember that there are 2 sides to every story.

Despite it’s rough history, Braaap is surviving and even thriving today. There is newer and more reliable models in stock and active chatter within Facebook groups.

Braaap Mercury Evaluation

One of the best bikes in the lineup is the Braaap Mercury. This is an awesome cafe racer just without the high price tag. Keep an eye out for Adam’s sales events as these come up often.

Even today, Braaap continues to offer lifetime warranties on their motorcycles which is epic. When you’re buying a kids dirt bike for twice the price from their competitors, you’ll only get a short warranty and also have to spend a fortune on additional parts and servicing.

The ST250 Cafe Racer like some of their other models is currently sold out and likely will be for some time. Delays in China are frustrating for them and their customers.

It’s interesting as they started with dirt bikes and their road bikes actually took off massively. Seems like Australians really do want affordable road bikes under $3k.

Where Are Braaap Motorcycles Made?

Braaap imports their motorcycles from China into Australia. From there, they are put together in their Australian-based warehouse before being sent out to customers across Australia and New Zealand. Essentially – all their parts and major components are Made in China which explains their low prices.

Considering the enormous prices that the established brands like Yamaha and KTM charge, it’s not surprising that Braaap has found itself pushing into the market. The industry in North America is even more massive with many westerners really beginning to embrace motorcycles which aren’t made in Japan or Europe.

Are They Worth It?

Braaap is the only manufacturer in the world who offers a lifetime warranty. For that alone, they are worth the few thousand you’d spend on one of their epic dirt bikes.

Unfortunately, they deal with the lower end of bikes and those designed for residential streets and fun on the farm. These bikes aren’t really racing or adventure calibre, though for some cheap thrills, you’ll find these to be worth the cost.

The Future of Braaap

Will they be around in 2 years time? We believe so. Despite their tarnished reputation and bad dealings in the past, it’s evident from Adam’s Facebook videos and Zoom calls that Braaap wants to rebuild itself and become highly known and respected in the offroad motorcycling world.

In his words “I’ll just smile and keep going forward….”