Are you dirt biking enthusiast and want to enter the world of dirt biking? If yes, we’ve got the right tips for you to get started.
Dirt biking riding isn’t just about putting in the gear and accelerating the throttle. It is a combination of strategy, technique, experience, speed, and strength to ensure successful dirt biking trails.
Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll be able to:
- Have more control while riding and braking.
- Improve your reflexes.
- Lessen your chances of getting hurt.
- Learn ways to get the most out of your biking experience.
So without further ado, let’s get to the tips!
Correct Usage of Breaks
On the ground, dirt bike braking appears to be a simple task. But modern brakes pull a bike up quickly. If you start giving them much more pull power, the wheel will lock up.
The best way to go is to squeeze gently initially, then gentler as the bike slows down. This gives the suspension period to compress, resulting in increased traction.
The most significant problem with front braking is applying the brakes too quickly. Because the wheel at the front may lock up, and you might be thrown over, this can be a serious issue.
NOTE: Keep in mind to downshift gears so you can accelerate after you’ve finished braking. This may seem simple, but it takes quite a bit of practice to brake and accelerate simultaneously.
Gripping With Knees
Employing your hands in a deadly position (like death grips) will do more harm than good. This will quickly exhaust you, and also, you won’t be able to last in the game for an hour.
For dirt bikes, we always advise newbies to use their knees to grip the bike. Grips are sewn into modern bike pants specifically for this purpose. You can get these motocross apparel from MXstore.
So, use your knees for good grip so that your arms can properly manoeuvre the two-wheeler. We’d also advise learning to drive one-handed as certain situations may require you to do so.
Understand Your Bike’s Gears
Understanding the speed constraints of each gear and the acceleration details is essential for improving your riding skills. Usually, lower gears give forceful acceleration. This must be changed fast on most dirt bikes.
Upgrading your bike’s rear sprocket can also offer a little more oomph on the bike’s throttle because of the wide ratios.
Understanding your bike’s gears is best accomplished by listening to the motor.Find a wide outdoor space to hear when you’re starting out and set to shift into the subsequent gear.
Make Use of Your Bodyweight
“Be Like Water, My Friend,” said Bruce Lee. When cornering, use your body weight to assist yourself and keep a front tire down while going maximum throttle.
It’s really a good idea to keep your body weight at the back wheel when descending. With your weight at the back of your dirt bike, you still have a second up your sleeve if your front tire locks.
Never Ride Without Proper Protective Gear
One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is riding without important protective gear. While they focus on a helmet and boots, they ignore other smaller yet significant gear like neck braces and roost protector.
Make sure you don’t make this mistake and always ride with full protection.
Time to get started!
We hope that the tips mentioned above have given you a new perspective on what is possible. Just keep in mind that learning to ride a dirt bike off-road isn’t difficult. All it takes is a lot of practice and a desire to learn. Which one was your personal favourite? Let us know in the comments section.
