10 Dirt Bike Accessories For Stress Free Riding

Well selected dirt bike accessories can make a huge difference when you are out in the middle of nowhere riding.

My must have dirt bike accessories list will help you find important components that will take the stress out of riding and let you enjoy the experience.

The majority of items listed are relevant to trail/enduro riding due to the fact that once you are out on the trail and something goes wrong it is more of a problem than when you have access to spares etc whilst doing motocross.

Find the best dirt bike accessories below and take your riding to the next level.

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1. Chain Lube

This may not seem like an obvious addition to the dirt bike accessories list but I have seen many bikes not get the due care they need when it comes to lubricating a chain.

This product is really up there for dirt bike must haves.

A good chain lube will extend the life of your chain by sticking to the chain and ensuring the rollers and seals remain lubricated.

This helps reduce friction and heat build up but more importantly, it keeps the chain working as it is supposed to and extends its life.

Chain Wax is a popular choice amongst riders as it really adheres well to the chain and is easily applied from an aerosol can.

Watch the over spray if you are particular about the spray getting onto other parts of your bike.

2. Hand Guards

Prior to hand guards, one decent drop of the bike during riding could result in damaged hand/fingers and a broken or bent lever.

When hand guards first came out they were often called bark busters, for obvious reasons (I think it was also the brand name at the time).

These days there are a lot of products on the market, but I like the Acerbis X-PRO .

Acerbis make solid products and these guards not only protect your hands and levers but they also look cool. Other models still do a good job but can look a bit industrial.

3. Dirt Bike Stand

Having a dirt bike stand is not an essential item as far as dirt bike accessories and maintenance goes.

A milk crate will often do the trick, but here is the thing.

Depending on your size, getting your bike onto the crate can be a pain in the butt.

Often the crate is not quite big enough so the bike can easily fall off.

Having used both a crate and various other methods I much prefer a stand.

The reason is that a stand is easier and safer to use and getting one with a foot operated lever to lift the bike up and down is even better!

This is why I love the Dr Dry dirt bike stand.

This stand also has an additional feature my old stand doesn’t, a shock absorber for taking the speed out of the lever when you want to drop the bike down.

I love my old stand but you really have to watch out on the lowering side of things, it goes down quicker than a punctured party balloon.

4. Heavy Duty Tubes

Getting a decent set of heavy-duty tubes is one of the best investments you can make as far as enduro dirt bike accessories go.

You pay about twice the amount for these things but for the benefit you get, the extra dollars spent is well worth it.

In general terms, the heavy-duty tubes are twice as thick as a standard tube which means the chances of getting a puncture are reduced.

Since changing to a heavy-duty tubes my tire punctures have reduced significantly.

The Maxxis Heavy Duty Tube is a good example of a product providing excellent puncture protection.

It has 2.5 mm thick wall making it significantly stronger and thicker than a standard tube.

Make sure you get the right size tube according to your bike manufacturers specifications.

5. Tires

Ensuring you get a good set of tires that fit the riding environment you prefer can really make a huge difference in the bikes grip and performance.

Different tires perform better in different conditions.

For example, if you ride a lot in sandy conditions then a tire suitable for sand will be a much better option than a tire suitable for mud.

If you ride in varying conditions then a tire suitable for enduro conditions could be the way to go.

A good example of this is the Dunlop Geomax MX52 .

They provide excellent grip in soft to intermediate terrain.

For more information regarding this tire, Dunlop has an excellent website that allows you to identify the right tire for your bike and riding conditions.

Make sure you get the right size tire according to the manufacturer’s specifications of your bike.

If you are just starting out and you happen to have bought a new bike then chances are the tires that came with the bike are going to be crap.

Take these off and save them for when you sell the bike (always looks good if you are selling the bike with new tires).

6. Portable Hand Pump

This may seem a little strange recommending a portable tire pump, but hear me out.

Once you get set up with a good set of tires with heavy-duty tubes the next best way of keeping your grip on the ground is adjusting your tire pressure.

For example, when riding through sand a good psi range would be 12psi on the front tire and 10 in the back.

This will ensure you get a better grip on the sand due to the tire being at a lower psi.

A good psi range that covers a range of varying riding conditions is 12psi on the front and 13 on the rear.

The reason a hand pump is useful is that you can adjust tire pressure whilst riding.

If you find the conditions are not as muddy as you thought then you can quickly add some more air to the tire.

Tire pressure can also change as the tire gets warmer from riding, so being able to check and top up on the ride is really helpful.

One portable pump that I really like is the Planet Bike dual action pump.

What separates this pump from the majority of portable pumps is the pumping process.

You simply rest it on the ground and pump up and down rather than trying to pump “in the air” like a standard push-bike pump.

It also uses a dual action system which means it pumps in both directions as you pump it.

7. Bash/Skid Plates

If you like riding trails and enduro type riding, the underside of your engine can cop a lot of carnage.

This can be in the form of log crossings, rocky tracks or even rocks flying up from your front tire.

This is where a skid or bash plate can be invaluable.

Some bikes have better protection than others in this area. Often the factory cover is ok but takes a real pounding when doing the heavy stuff.

I have always invested in a quality bash plate as these tend to provide better protection than a skid plate that mainly covers directly below the engine.

As you can see in the photo the bash plate also provides side protection to the engine which has saved my hide on numerous occasions.

There are plenty of bash plates on the market but I like the Enduro Engineering skids plates as they have the wrap around wings at the front that just provide that extra protection for the engine.

8. Spare Tools When Riding

Over many years of riding, I have worked out that there are a few essential dirt bike accessories that are invaluable to have if something goes wrong whilst riding.

If you are in the middle of no-where and you have a few tools to fix the problem then this can be the difference between having a great day or a real stinker.

First of all, an adjustable shifter can be handy.

I wouldn’t normally recommend a shifter as a tool as they don’t grab very well, but they don’t take up much space and if this is all you have then whoopee because it might be all you need to fix that loose bolt that’s about to fall out of your bike frame!

If you can fit a socket set on board, even better.

Secondly, a couple of screwdrivers can be useful as screws can unwind from the vibrations of a bike.

One of the most important spares to carry is a spare spark plug.

If you don’t have a spare and the old one goes then its game over unless you can swap out the old one.

Don’t forget to pack the right tool for swapping the plug out as well.

The other problem when riding off-road is the ever-present threat of tire punctures.

This can be from a puncture received from something on the ground like an old nail or from a pinched tube due to riding over rough ground.

Either way, the tires going to go down quick smart so unless you can fix it, it will be game over.

So pack a repair kit and tire irons and you can manage this whilst out riding.

9. Tie Downs

Being involved in dirt bikes, you will more than likely need to transport your bike to wherever you are riding.

This is not a bad thing as having a vehicle nearby with spares etc. can be useful.

In order to transport the bike to wherever you ride you will need to stop the bike falling over whether it’s in a pick-up or a trailer.

You could use some rope but really the easiest and quickest way is to use some tie downs.

Tie downs basically allow you to quickly secure your bike by attaching to the handlebars and then to the inside of a pick-up or trailer.

One thing I have always found with tie-downs was that the cheaper pairs tend to slip when wet, so spending a bit more money will stop this problem.

Rhino Tie-downs are a quality product and with excellent customer feedback.

This reduces rusting and allows for easier use of operation.

10. Hydration Pack

Hydration packs I find are awesome as they not only provide you with hydration but they can also be used to carry spare parts etc.

It doesn’t take very long to work out that dirt bike riding is often extremely taxing on the body, and part of this is the amount of sweat that you can lose.

This is where the hydration pack comes in handy.

Rather than having to stop regularly you can simply take a swig of water or electrolyte whenever you need it.

As the packs are usually pretty small I have never felt them being a problem whilst riding.

The other bonus is most packs have a few pockets built in that can take some tools or snacks with you.

I like the Freemove hydration pack, it has a good size water volume of 2 liters and aditional pockets for storage. What sets this pack apart is that it will also keep your drink cool for up to 5 hours.

Some hydration packs will hold more liquid so consider how much you will drink out riding.

Bonus Dirt Bike Accessories Item: Beating Arm Pump

Ok, as far as dirt bike accessories go I can’t say I’ve tried this bonus item but I really want to.

They are called Stegz Pegz and basically, they are designed to reduced arm pump.

As far as helpful dirt bike gadgets go, these are right up there.

If you don’t know what arm pump is then basically it is a type of pain in your arm that occurs from constantly hanging onto the handlebars when accelerating or decelerating standing up.

The idea of the Stegz Pegz is that the little rubber stoppers grab the back of your boots so that when you accelerate the stopper takes the pressure off your arms by holding your legs in place.

Although I have no personal experience with these, I have read some good reviews.

If you have tried them send me a note I would love to hear how these things go.