Guide to Jumping Dirt Bikes for Motocross
One of the exciting things about the sport is launching a jump on a dirt bike. It is very challenging. You may require a lot of practice and perseverance to become a master at jumps. You require a level of instruction which is needed with any stunt, no stunt is perfect and does not have a manual which you can follow for executing dirt bike jumps.
You need to know a few basic techniques only then can you advance to professional levels. Slowly and gradually learn the stunts and in no time, you will be doing doubles or triples.
Getting Started
Before you start to ride or race a dirt bike you need to get a bike model & brand that is correctly suited for your weight. Always be careful while you jump as these jumps are dangerous make sure you wear the right equipment.
Even if your jump is unsuccessful, your body might get hurt, so to minimize the effect it is advisable that you use proper protection. This will reduce the level of damage. While riding, wear a helmet, gloves, knee pads, boots, neck brace, and chest protection.
Steps to Jumping a Dirt Bike
Get to Know the Jump
Before any speedy attempt you should get familiarized with the jump. Always start with a walk across the trail or ride slowly on the bike. The main idea is to understand what your line of sight is while you are riding on the dirt bike.
While you ride over the trail to jump you are also allowing your bike to warm up. You can try standing up on your pegs while you are riding to gain confidence.
Or if you want to relax and learn what the trail line of sight is you can also watch another rider perform the jump. You just need to estimate the speed at which you are going to make the jump.
Warm up the Bike
You should never jump when the bike is cold. If there is a mechanical problem with the bike’s engine while startup it will make the jumps difficult and lead to injuries.
Keep the bike on for a few minutes to let it warm up. You may ride the vehicle for several laps. By doing this the dirt bike will expand and settle.
Start Small
Now as the bike is warmed up, start the jump very slowly without jumping very high. Start with a very small jump to enhance your speed. Now as you are continuously riding get over to first get the front wheel off the ground now start with both of the wheels. You can start with initial small elevations on the track.
When you do jumps, it is always better to be in a place where there are not many people, especially in the area where there are more experienced spectators. You will always get the profit to ride at your own pace. If you are a learner check with the local track if you can get private hour sessions.
Work on Body Position
Positioning your body is a very important point when you take-off and land. Always maintain a standing posture. The knees can grip the bike and they should be in a bent position. In addition to it your elbows should hold out.
You should position your head and shoulders over the handlebars which are above the forks. Place your upper body about 45 degrees up to the ground. You can squeeze your bike with the calves and knees and make sure that your feet are in place and do not fly off the pedals when you approach the jump. You should be stable and relaxed.
Approach the Jump
When you are jumping it is important to have sufficient momentum to make the jump. While doing this what you need to do is not ride full throttle in high gear. Make sure you are approaching the jump while in a single line. It should seem as if you are hitting the bike at an angle. For a new learner it may be a risky thing to pull off. When you make the Jump at an angle you could kick out the back of your bike.
Before you land select the gear in which you will jump in. Experts always suggest choosing the third gear. Never change gears when you get close to the jump or in the middle of the jump. When you change the gear, you should do this before you hit up the ramp.
A good idea would be to use an even throttle, and you can at this point accelerate slightly as you leave the ramp-up. It will take a lot of effort and practice to get a hang of throttle controls on your bike.
Keep a steady grip on your throttle when you get the speed and make sure to keep it throughout the jump.
If you leave the bike’s throttle early it will send the bike into a nose-dive. The other thing which might happen would be if you accelerate quickly you can enter a mid-air wheelie which would be very risky.
The body should lean forward when you approach to land and when you take the jump your body should be in a backward position. At this point in the jump, you should be standing up.
A rider’s full weight of the body should be in front of their foot pegs, the body should be also neat the handlebars. If you stand up your body would have more control and your legs will act as a suspension while you land. While you land if you are sitting, the shock will be taken by your spine.
Controlling your Bike Mid-Air
You will need to have a good understanding about how gears work and also understand the sound of your motor. If you have Low gears it also works very nicely, like the third gear. It is very effective when you are approaching a jump as it can increase the rotations every minute. Making it more effective.
It’s a must to have a good understanding about how gears work and understand the sound of your motor. If you have Low gears it also works very nicely, like the third gear. It is very effective when you are approaching a jump as it can increase the rotations every minute. Making it more effective. If you want to shift up, let off on the throttle for a slight moment in the meantime squeeze the clutch. You also need to push your foot to press the bike’s gear shift peg. When you are downshifting, you will need to push the peg down. Never use the clutch or gas in midair.
While you are in midair lean away from the handlebars before you are hitting the ground. If you are too close you might risk hitting the handlebars with your chest.
Landing
You should concentrate on your landing. When you hit the ground, you should let the knees take the blow and keep your arms away so that your chest is not close to the handlebars. Wrists should be kept straight to prevent spraining them when landing.
The wheel at the rear should land first and then the front wheel should land on the ground. The part where you land is risky as once the ramp is left, the only way you would go is down. Knees should be tightly squeezed. Slowly increase your speed before landing to keep the motorcycle going in a straight path.
Exiting the Jump
Under controlled acceleration, dirt bikes are the most stable. Your bike can lose control when you land on the ground if the ground is rough. So be very careful when you land. Get the bike’s gas in a fraction of a second before you land. If you are in control and gradually increase the speed the bike.
Jumping Techniques
Start with Step-Ups
A step-up is a slight elevation in the level of track. Start by riding over a step-up firmly but do not go airborne. The main aspect is to understand the abrupt change in elevation which is encountered during standard jumps.
You should continuously practice by gradually accelerating and later go airborne and then land on the top of the set-up. You can also try step-downs as you move from a higher place to a lower one.
Advance to Tabletop
The Table top jump has three steps in itself, a take-off, an elevated plateau, and a landing. Make sure to ride over the tabletop several times before you increase the speed to get airborne. Ensure that the throttle controls are smooth.
Try Doubles or Triples
After you have learnt how to do table top jumps, you can start with jumps which are more complex. They are also known as doubles or triples. Very soon you will start to develop a perfect sense of distance and timing. This is when you become a seasoned rider. When you become a seasoned rider, you can start the double or triple jumps all together rather than doing the jump separately.