I recently spent the weekend at the motocross track watching my 7-year-old niece race her dirtbike. As a mom and her aunt, it absolutely terrifies me but she is a little daredevil who loves the sport and there’s no stopping her (I do love all of the pink & purple). So, I have learned to embrace it and support her. While sitting there at the dusty, dirty, hot racetrack knowing next to nothing about the sport, I began to have a lot of questions.
Here are a couple of questions I had (don’t judge me, this is new):
🏍️ Why does she put her dirtbike on the stand in between races?
🏍️ Why is a broken fender such a big deal?
🏍️ What in the heck is a holeshot!?
These are just a few things that really got me thinking! My initial thought was to turn to Google, I’ll find the answers there. But, then I realized I had no service out in the middle of this motocross track! So I turned to the expert. Wow, did my niece think it was cool that her aunt was so clueless and she was able to answer all questions. This got me thinking...if she were in my shoes on a job site, what kind of questions would she have?
The Answers To My Questions
Why does she put her dirtbike on a stand in between races?
A dirtbike is put on a stand between races to keep the wheels elevated to prevent suspension and tire problems due to long-term lack of use. Think of this as preventative maintenance at a plant. When preventative maintenance tasks such as adjusting skirting, tensioning belt cleaners, and inspecting the conveyor belt and components are done, the conveyor has a better chance of operating at maximum capacity.
Why is a broken fender such a big deal?
The fender can jam the wheel and cause a crash. While a fender isn’t the most expensive part of a bike, it is essential. Much like a 
on a conveyor as they both contribute to clean, safe, and reliable operation.
What the heck is a holeshot!?
Holeshot = the first racer to get through the apex of the first turn. The holeshot gives the rider an advantage over their opponents and oftentimes, the rider who gets the holeshot wins the race. I compare a holeshot to our experienced technicians and territory managers being nearby and able to solve a problem or answer a question when it arises. It is without a doubt our goal to always get that holeshot and be the first one on-site to solve a problem. 
We have a lot of experts that can help out with specific or broad questions. We have boots on the ground all across the U.S. to lend support where needed, and we have our in-house experts at headquarters who are awaiting your call or live chat questions. When it comes to questions in the bulk materials handling realm, it’s comforting to know that we have the answers.
Last week, my niece broke her arm during practice. The throttle stuck while accelerating to a jump and when she hit the ground, she did a "superman" off of her bike. I might have had more questions about how all of this happened, but she was in no mood for my concerns at that time. So, I’ll wait until she’s all healed and back on the track.
There will always be questions...whether from a customer, a new employee, or a clueless aunt. For every question, there HAS to be someone available to answer it. If you have any bulk materials handling questions, let us help!
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