Tech Articles

How do I maintain my Dirtbike or ATV?

Items we see break a lot with Dirtbikes, ATVs, UTVs, and anything Powersports is standard maintenance items! A lot of things that should be maintained, greased, or adjust regularly are ignored and cause big problems later down the road! Here is a basic list brought to from us at www.ThePartShed.com. Check out our PARTS FINDER to get any of the items mentioned below or anything else you may need! 

Wheel Bearings

Wheel bearings are probably the most neglected wear item of any machine. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen bearings that are just completely shot on a wheel (especially dirtbike) simply because they weren’t maintained. This is one of the easiest things that can be done on a bike. After every ride pull the wheels of the machine and grease the bearings and axels. It may take an extra 15 minutes, but if it’s added to the standard maintenance routine

How Do I Use an OEM Parts Finder?

How Do I Use an OEM Parts Finder (Microfiche) When most see a Parts Finder on a website they tend to stray away from it because it seems difficult. Honestly, it’s much easier to use the parts finder than to scroll through countless pages of categories and parts to find the one thing you’re looking for. Here I will be showing you the steps to get to the parts finder, find the part you’re looking for, and transferring it to your cart on The Part Shed.

Let’s say I want to get an air filter for a 2012 Honda CRF250R, here is how we do it!

First navigate to our home page at www.ThePartShed.com. From here there is a bar at the top, click on “Parts Finder”, or scroll down just a little bit and the

What Rear Tire Size Should Be On My Dirtbike?

The most common misconception with dirtbike tires is “bigger is better”. While that may be true with other things, dirtbike tires are not the case. Rear tire size is one of the most important things you can choose on your bike for a solid weekend. Here is just a few helpful hints from us here at The Part Shed. 

• Rear tire size is debatable through all sizes. Big bikes (125, 250, and 450) have a few different sizes you can use. Standard sizes are as follows:

125) 100/90-19

250) 110/90-19

450) 120/90-19

The first number describes width of the tire, the second describes height, and the third describes when diameter. Here are some diagrams to better explain. 

Side By Side Pre Ride Checklist

Riding your Side By Side can be an absolute blast. Whether you have a Polaris Ranger, RZR, a Honda Talon or Pioneer, a Canam Maverick, or just a John Deere. There’s a few things you should always have ready and with you when going for a trip in your SXS. Here are a few of the things I recommend taking with you.

• Air pump

I always recommend in having some sort of air pump. Obviously you want something that can handle the PSI and load going into your SXS tires. I recommend getting something that can run off of a 12V accessory socket. Most Polaris, Honda, and Canam Side by Sides come with it or have it as an aftermarket bolt up. It can be an absolute lifesaver if you get a pinch flat in the trails or desert. It may not fix the flat, but it may be able to get you back to camp!

• Drinks and Food

A lot of people don’t think driving these Side by Sides is hard work, but it

5 Tips Before Riding This October

It's finally that time of year, fall! If you're like us and you're from the south you know exactly what I mean. During the summer months it is almost too hot to ride your Motorcycle, Atv, Dirtbike, or Side by Side. Now that it is October the cooler weather is finally here and it's time to ride! Also, if you're like us, your machines have been sitting in the garage all summer waiting for this moment. It's a good idea to give them a once over and a service before putting them to the test. Here are a few points and things I recommend doing before pulling them out.

1) Check tire pressures

It's one of the more overlooked things when servicing your Atv, Dirtbike, Side by Side, or Motorcycle but it is one of the most important things you can do. Improper tire pressures can cause a slew of issues. Uneven tire ware, handlebars tweaked, hard or heavy turning, less performance, and if severely low you can damage you wheel or rim! You can check the side of your tires

How to Decode your VIN year

Have you ever wondered what year your Motorcycle, ATV, Side by Side, Dirtbike, or Scooter is? Sometimes when purchasing a used machine the previous owner had no idea what year it was and just guessed. Now you’re ordering parts for the wrong year machine! There is a simple solution to this. All you need to do is check the VIN (Vehicle Identification number)!

Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Polaris, CanAm, and

Polaris ORV Lube Specification Chart

Servicing a Sportsman, Ranger, RZR, General or Scrambler can be a bit intimidaing at first. However, with the right tools and knowledge it is a very simple and straight forward process. In this article I will supply the Polaris ORV Lube Chart. The ORV Lube Chart supplies volumes of oil required for each system of the ATV or UTV. The chart also supplies which oil/lube to be using within each system. First I'll list all of the different lubricants Polaris uses which will make understanding the servicing procedures a little easier. 

PS4 Engine Oil (Synthetic)

PS4 engine oil is