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Cleaning a Dirty Carburetor Words and Photos: John Lehenbauer
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iding a dirt bike is one of the most thrilling forms of off-road recreation and racing. Whether cruising down a single-track trail or blasting wide open across the desert in search of a championship there is nothing like being on two wheels. Keeping that off-road motorcycle (new or old) in peak form does require a bit of maintenance now and then. The amount of maintenance and severity of work needed are dependent on a number of factors such as an individual’s riding style, how the bike is used (trail ridden or Baja raced), where its ridden (sand, silt, mud, etc.), and amount of time spent in the saddle. Many times, it is as simple as cleaning the air filter or changing engine oil. There will be other times when maintenance means pulling the suspension apart or giving the engine a tuneup.
One item that will eventually need some attention is the carburetor. Things like sluggishness, hard starting, and leaking can make it necessary to pull the carb off, crack it open, and give a thorough cleaning. In the case of our 1996 Honda CR 500 we decided it was a good time to go through the carb while the bike was torn apart for some routine maintenance on the rear suspension. With the sub-frame, shock, and fuel tank removed the carb was easy to get to and work on. Though the bike has been used hard through the years the carb had never given us any issues, but staying on top of things makes sure it continues to be that way. Follow along as we give the 500’s Keihin carburetor a quick going through and cleaning to keep it in peak working condition.
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