Racing team experience: motocross service and tuning in Schlatt TG

What the Motoshop takes care of on your Honda

Its services cover repairs and servicing work plus tuning of suspension and engine. For this, the MX-Academy brings 30 years of off-road experience, and Honda motorcycles have been the bikes of choice at its off-road school for a decade.

Which work makes sense depends on the model, its condition and how and where you ride. A CRF50F with a centrifugal clutch has different needs from a CRF450R that is ridden on a motocross track.

Care after a day of riding: what you can do yourself

A lot keeps a motocross bike in shape without the need for a workshop. After a day of riding, mud and dust should come off before they dry; avoid aiming the pressure washer directly at bearings, seals and electrics. While the bike dries, you will also notice whether oil is leaking anywhere.

After dusty rides, a look at the air filter is worthwhile, as dust in the intake damages the engine. The chain needs to be cleaned, lubricated and correctly tensioned. Also check bolts, spokes, brakes and levers, especially after a crash.

When oil, filters and wear parts are due is stated in your model’s owner’s manual. These simple tasks do not replace a service, but they make wear visible early.

Setting up the suspension for weight and ability

Fork and shock are usually set up at the factory for a rider of average weight. If you are much lighter or heavier, the bike quickly feels too soft or too hard: it dives heavily under braking, bottoms out on jumps or bounces over bumps.

A first step is the sag, followed by compression and rebound damping. On the CRF150R, for example, the Showa fork is fully adjustable. If the springs do not suit the rider’s weight, only a change of springs will help. Ability counts too: beginners usually cope better with a forgiving set-up than with a stiff race set-up.

With the engine, it is worth using the built-in options first. The CRF250R, for instance, has a riding mode switch (EMSB) with three settings and the three-stage HSTC traction control, which can be switched off. Anything beyond that is a matter for motocross service and tuning at the Motoshop.

Know-how from the racing team and sponsorship for Honda riders

The official Swiss Honda MX-Academy Motocross Team is looked after and coached by the MX-Academy, which also organises the team and provides the racing equipment. Racing quickly shows which suspension and engine set-up works, and this experience feeds into the Motoshop’s work.

Riders who race a Honda themselves and want to use it for advertising can ask the Motoshop about tailor-made sponsorship. What the support looks like is discussed individually.

Honda road motorcycle? Workshop at Honda Motorrad Zürich

The Motoshop in Schlatt TG specialises in off-road. For Honda road motorcycles, the workshop at Honda Motorrad Zürich, the official Honda Dream Dealer, is responsible. There you can also get advice, used motorcycles and motorcycle leasing.