How H.E.P. Suzuki Maintained a Championship
Fall is the perfect time to start garage projects, which means swapping out old parts for new. A lot of us know that having a can of WD-40 ® Multi-Use Product handy can help get old parts unstuck and prevent new parts from becoming next year’s worry. But there’s much more to WD-40 ® Brand than just the Original WD-40 Formula, and pros like the mechanics for H.E.P. Suzuki always have WD-40 Brand products, including the WD-40 Specialist ® line, in the pits and at the race shop as they get ready for race day. The team just clinched the FIM World Supercross Championship with Ken Roczen, and they rely on a variety of WD-40 Brand products, as part of bike builds and maintenance. No matter if they’re racing motocross or supercross, they need WD-40 Brand products to get the job done right. Roczen’s championship mechanic, Travis Soules, is sharing a few tips on which products he uses to maintain Ken Roczen’s Progressive/Ecstar Suzuki.
Foot Pegs: WD-40 ® Smart Straw ®
“There are a ton of little areas where the Original WD-40 Formula comes in handy. I like to use it on the foot pegs and the Smart Straw helps with application. It’s pretty easy for footpeg pins and springs to get packed with dirt and grime. We use it to keep these joints moving freely and stop them from squeaking.”
Throttle Tube: WD-40 Specialist ® Dry Lube
“Another critical area is the throttle tube. For this, we use the WD-40 Specialist Dry Lube. This keeps the throttle tube moving with ease and keeps power delivery consistent, allowing the riders to maintain control of the motorcycle. If there’s one part of a bike you want to have a consistent feel, it’s the throttle!”
Electrical Connectors: WD-40 Specialist ® Electric Parts Cleaner
“WD-40 Specialist Electric Parts Cleaner is great for cleaning out all the connectors on the wire harness. We take apart our motorcycles weekly and keeping those connectors clean is very important to ensure the proper operation of the bike.”
Brake Rotors: WD-40 Specialist ® Contact Cleaner
“WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner is also widely used around the motorcycle in areas like the brake rotors after the bike is washed or before a new rotor is installed. You want to ensure there aren’t any oils left over from the packaging or machining process.”
Fenders and Skid Plates: WD-40 Specialist ® Silicone
“Mud sticking to the underside of the fenders and skid plate is a constant battle. The more mud or dirt that sticks to the bike, the heavier it gets. If too much mud sticks to the bike, it will start to weigh the motorcycle down and change how the suspension works and reacts. Mud can also change the balance of the motorcycle. We try and avoid this as much as we can, so our mechanics will spray WD-40 Specialist Silicone on the skid plate, the underside of the fenders, or any place mud might stick You just have to make sure no silicone gets on the brakes or where the rider contacts the bikes.”
Check out the Progressive/Ecstar and Twisted Tea Suzuki pit the next time you’re at a race and you’ll spot plenty of WD-40 Brand products in action. Mechanics like Travis Soules find that using WD-40 Brand products makes winning titles a little easier!
