How Often Should You Clean Your Dirt Bike Air Filter?


Your air filter is one of the most important parts that you need to maintain in the dirt bike. It requires the most attention because it really gets dirty very quickly. It can create various problems if not cleaned.

How often should I clean my dirt bike air filter? You need to clean your dirt bike air filter after every ride, especially after riding in very dirty areas. But if you have a very expensive and high-quality air filter or you did not train in a very dusty and dirty area like a road, for example, so you have to clean the air filter after a minimum of 3 days.

In general, cleaning the air filter will have to be after every ride no matter what. You need to understand the air filter would have caught loads of dust and dirt even in areas that are considered relatively clean. Besides, cleaning the air filter after each ride will also help extend the life span of the air filter and the engine.

If the whole dirt bike air filter is of interest to you, keep reading. In this guide, I will show you all the things you need to know about cleaning and replacing the air filter.

Here are all topics I will discuss in this guide

How to tell if my dirt bike air filter needs clean
How often should you replace the dirt bike air filter?
Can you ride a dirt bike with a dirty air filter?
How to clean the dirt bike air filter?
Related questions

Need dirt bike safety gear? Click here to buy safety gear for dirt bike riding on amazon , or go check my sales pages of recommended safety gear page click here to view.

How to tell if my dirt bike air filter needs clean?

If you do not want to clean your air filter after every ride and want to shut it down, clean it if it’s really dirty. The truth is there are several different signs that will tell you if your air filter needs cleaning or not.

  • Dirty air filter – the first sign that is most easily recognized is when the entire air filter becomes black. New air filters are usually white but when it turns black, it means the filter is very dirty and needs cleaning. Also, when checking the air filter, I recommend you do this under bright light.
  • Strange engine noises – if your dirt bike engine begins to make weird noises than usual, it is an indication that the air filter is dirty and requires cleaning. It happens when dirty has limited the flow of air to the engine, making it not to function properly.
  • Reduce gas mileage – if you often ride long distances in your dirt bike but now the dirt bike can’t go the same distance with the same amount of fuel, it means the air filter is dirty. The reason is that when the air filter is dirty, there is no free flow of air; therefore, it resorts to burning more fuel.
  • The engine does not start – if your dirt bike is having trouble getting started, it’s a sign that your air filter is very dirty and needs cleaning. And if the engine does not really start, this can indicate serious problems and even cause damage to the engine plugs. So, you will have to clean the air filter as soon as possible and check for any damage to the engine.
  • Speed ​​and acceleration are slow – When you observe that your dirt bike does not reach high speed as usual, and the acceleration is very slow, it means the air filter is very dirty and needs cleaning.

How often should you replace the dirt bike air filter?

Dirt bike filters don’t need to be changed often, though it’s very dependent on how much care and maintenance you invest in the air filter. You need to replace your dirt bike air filter once or twice a year but you also need to clean and maintain the air filter consistently so that it can last a full year.

If you are very much abused by an air filter as a result of riding in very dusty and dirty areas, then chances are you’ll need to replace the air filter more often.

In addition, I recommend you buy 3 air filters so that it will be very easy for you to clean and you do not need to clean after every ride. Also, it will even make it even easier for you.

Can you ride a dirt bike with a dirty air filter?

The short answer is riding with a dirty air filter is one of the worst things you can do to your dirt bike.

Understand that riding a dirty air filter, first, will significantly impair your dirt bike performance. Especially, the engine can’t even get started or also accelerates faster because when the air filter is blocked, sufficient air won’t be injected into combustion chambers. When this happens, it will create a lot of smoke and even damage the engine, reducing its life span.

By the way, riding a dirty air filter can cause you the entire parts of your dirt bike, especially your engine. So, this is why you will have to make sure to clean the air filter after every ride.

How to clean the dirt bike air filter?

There are some simple steps through which you can easily clean your air filter in just a few minutes. You can read the complete guide I wrote on how to clean your air filter and other things. Feel free to click here for the complete guide

Step 1. Get appropriate equipment – Before you even start cleaning your air filter, you need to make sure, first, have all the necessary equipment which includes gloves, detergents tailored for cleaning an air filter and not soap because soap can damage the air filter.

Step 2. Open the seat to gain access to an air filter – Once you have all the necessary equipment, you need to remove and open the seat to get access to the air filter. It is important not to dirty the air filter when removing it, so I strongly encourage you to make sure your hands are clean.

Step 3. Remove the air filter – After you have opened the seat, you need to remove the air filter and put the oil from inside the air filter.

Step 4. start cleaning the air filter – To clean the reverse filter, you need to use the appropriate cleaning materials for an air filter. Rinse it only with warm water in a bucket. It is also important to note that you should not use soap or shampoo to clean the air filter because they contain chemicals and materials that can destroy the air filter. Therefore, you should use a detergent that is designed for cleaning air filters

Step 5. Dry the air filter and put in new oil – When you finish cleaning the air filter, dry it in the sunlight on a clean surface. And after that, gradually pour new oil on the air filter several times and not once.

Step 6. Replace the air filter – After you have completed all the steps, you need to replace the air filter.

Related questions

  • Can I ride my dirt bike without an air filter? If you will ride your dirt bike without an air filter, a lot of dirt and debris can get into your engine and because there is no filter to get rid of the dirt, it will create loads of dirt bike problems.
  • Does Dirty Air Filter Affects Performance – Yes, dirty air filter affects the performance of dirt bikes, especially the engine. It causes very low speeds and in some cases, it will prevent the engine from starting.
  • Where is the air filter on dirt bikes? The air filter is located under your seat, where you can access it easily.

Need dirt bike safety gear? Click here to buy safety gear for dirt bike riding on amazon , or go check my sales pages of recommended safety gear page click here to view.

If you have any questions or opinions about this article, please write us a comment and we will get back to you within 24 hours.

Thanks for the reading

Rob

I’m Rob, the owner of RX Riders Place. My family and I have a long history of riding dirt bikes and ATVs and want to share what we have learned.

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