Mr know-it-all

Dear Mr. Know-It-All, I’m sure this topic has been beaten to death, but figured I’d ask anyhow. On a two-stroke bike, is there any harm, no matter how small, in allowing the carburetor to run dry? Thanks. Ken via…
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Dear Mr. Know-It-All, My thermostat is leaking on my 2019 Beta 390RRS, and the bike is out of warranty. I’m not sure if I should replace the part or buy a hose kit to eliminate it altogether. Can you feed me your thoughts on my dilemma?…
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SCRATCH THE ITCH Dear Mr. Know-It-All, I’d love to go riding this weekend. I have a new set of tires for my bike, but I’ve never changed my own tires. I attempted to do so, but only managed to get one side of the tire off and pull the…
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Dear Mr. Know-It-All, I recently purchased a 2020 Husqvarna TE300i, but I didn’t receive the map switch that is supposed to come with the bike. I took the bike anyway, knowing my dealer would send me the part when it came in. My question…
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GIVE ME A BRAKE Dear Mr. Know-It-All, I went to install new brake pads on my CRF450R, and when I put the new brake pads in, I couldn’t get my disc to go back into the caliper. Are these new brake pads the wrong ones or too thick? Is that…
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Dear Mr. Know-It-All, I’m looking to make my tire changes at home easier, so I don’t always have to take them to a shop. I struggle holding the bead of the tire down in one place and end up chasing it around the rim while I’m installing a…
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When a carburetor needle clip breaks on a trail ride it can be a challenging dilemma.
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Dear Mr. Know-It-All, I recently replaced the cylinder on my 2002 KX125 with a new one from Kawasaki when I deducted that mine was worn out. I removed the (head) studs with a stud puller and am ready to install them into the new cylinder.…
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I just bought new graphics, and they’re already looking rough! They’re high quality. How can I get these black smudges off? I believe they’re from my boots.
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I was recently on a big trail ride with a group when one of the guys had a big get-off and broke his side cover. It was leaking oil.
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I have a 2019 Beta 390 RR/S. The bike is completely stock and has about 10 hours on it now. I notice in the service manual that the bike has plastic oil-pump gears
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Silencer packing is about more than just noise
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WHY RUN A DOT TIRE? Dear Mr. Know-It-All, Now that I’ve got myself a KTM 500EXC, I want to put the best tires for off-road on the scoot. My riding will consist of about 10-percent street and the rest technical off-road—mostly singletrack…
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Mr. K weighs in on how to keep your chain adjusters tight
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There is no doubt that the cost of rebuilding your four-stroke engine—be it tired or wounded—has escalated as the machines have gotten more complex
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How adjusting your chain can cause unwanted geometry changes.
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ROTTEN LUCK Dear Mr. Know-It-All, I was just on a big off-road ride, and one of the guys in our group got a flat. Most of the guys are running foam inserts, so they don’t have to worry about flats, but this guy had a spare tube, tire…
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Mr. Know-it-all, I'm a converted two-stroke guy and hate to admit it, but I've never adjusted the valves on my YZ250F. I look at the O.E. manual and get intimidated. Is there a more plain English procedure on-line that you can recommend?…
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A REAL BLEEDER Dear Mr. Know-It-All, I have a 2019 KTM 300 TPI. I have a sibling in the motorcycle industry but am afraid to ask him for assistance. He can be a real Richard. Here’s what happened: I punctured my line going to the clutch…
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BLEED IT OUT Dear Mr. Know-It-All, Hello, sir. I have a Yamaha YZ250 that I ride in the woods. I love this bike and can find few flaws in its character, as it does everything I want a bike to do on the trail.  Lately, though, my rear…
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