If you’re planning a bike ride in an area with some water crossing, you need to know what to do if your dirt bike gets underwater. This will save you a lot of trouble and get you out of the bush in no time.
The best way to avoid water crossings is to ride around them if possible. Unnecessary water rides can cost you a lot of riding time if you drown and damage your bike.
So, here’s what you need to do when your bike gets underwater.
Can a Dirt Bike Ride on Water?
Riding on water requires some special equipment and practice, but riding a dirt bike on the water is possible. However, you need to understand that you’ll have a great problem if your dirt bike gets underwater. Fortunately, there are some ways you can use to make riding on water effortless and risk-free.
The first method is using “surfing BMX,” where you install skis around the rear and front tires. The skis keep your bike buoyant, but this requires practice to keep the skis right and ensure that they stay on.
There is also aquaplaning, which can be done on shallow pools of water. This occurs when the front tire develops a water wedge below the leading edge. This causes the front tire to lift and slide in the water.
However, two-stroke engines are better than four-stroke engines because it’s easier to save a two-stroke engine if the bike gets submerged.
How to Successfully Ride on Water
If you want to be successful when riding on water, here’s what you need to do:
Start on land
Before you get in the water, it’s crucial to start on land. However, beginning on the shore won’t cut it. You need to be at a reasonable distance from the shore and build up a good speed and momentum to help you ride along the water. However, the speed might not be fast enough.
Maintain the speed
Although you need to build up speed on land, it’s crucial to maintain the speed when you hit the water. However, this is challenging since the bike will slow down naturally once you leave the dry land. You should ensure that there’s no bump into the water.
Experience
You need to master the art of dirt bike riding before you ride on the water. In most cases, some bikes are specially designed for this purpose. If you’re an experienced rider and want to take your skills to the next level, this is a great way to get started. If you’re a beginner, you need to practice before trying to ride underwater.
What to do when your dirt bike goes underwater?
If your dirt bike goes underwater, you need to get it out as fast as possible. If the bike stays submerged for long, it may cost you a fortune to repair. Here are some steps to fix your drowned bike:
- First thing, remove the spark plug, seat, and tank.
- If the air filter is wet, remove it and wring it out as hard as you can. Ensure that you drain all the water in the bike’s airbox.
- Turn off the petrol switch.
- Tip your dirt bike backward like you’re doing a wheelie. This will drain water from the exhaust pipe. Ask your buddies to help you out.
- Use your hands to push the kickstart 8 to 10 times to eliminate water in the plug hole. If you have a lightweight two-stroke engine bike or it lacks a kickstart, you can tip the bike upside down and allow it to rest on the handlebars and seat. Put your dirt bike in top gear and spin the back tire to pump water out of the bike’s plughole.
- Place your bike on its wheels and remove the drain plug from the carburetor float bowl. You can skip this step if your bike is fuel injected. Drain the fuel and refit the plug.
- Wring out the bike’s air filter carefully and refit it. You can allow the air filter and spark plug to dry for a few minutes.
- Using a dry rag, dry the spark plug or install a new one if you have an extra.
- Restart your bike. If it restarts normally, you’re lucky. If not, you need to push it to your car.
These steps only apply immediately after drowning. Once you get home, here are some steps you need to take to ensure your bike runs smoothly:
- Replace or clean the air filter
- Replace the engine oil and filter
- Change the radiator coolant
- If the exhaust is waterlogged, you need to replace it.
FAQs
What happens if water gets in your exhaust pipe motorcycle?
If water gets in the exhaust, the gas flowing out will stop it from running toward the bike’s engine. The bow wave will come back at you if you go too fast, thus flooding the engine.
What happens if water goes into the bike engine?
If water gets into the bike’s engine, it can cause massive damage and even make it unrepairable.
Final Thoughts
Riding your bike in flooded areas is always fun and memorable. However, things can go wrong if your bike gets submerged. Fortunately, the tips above will help you get back on the road in no time. Always protect the longevity of your dirt bike by doing things the right way.