Dirt Bike Racing, Tackling Dirt Bike Jumps

Let us face it – if you have decided to take up dirt bike racing, you will be doing a lot of dirt bike jumps on the track. The track has several types of obstacles. However, the basic skills of jumping remain the same, no matter what you are trying to jump.

Stand Up On The Bike

The sensible thing to do when you approach a dirt bike jump is to stand up on the bike with your body at an angle, gripping the bike with your legs. This ensures that the bike stays in line and does not veer off sideways if it hits a hump on the trail. This can be a very scary feeling.

The technique is to pick your line on the up ramp maintaining an even throttle, as you get closer. When you hit the up ramp, if there is a small ledge on the top lip, remember to manage the throttle so that it stops the rear wheel from kicking up as you go over it.

Maintain Appropriate Speed

A certain speed is required to clear certain types of dirt bike jumps, like, tabletops or gap jumps. So you need to make sure that your speed is up before you reach the jump so that you can avoid having to accelerate hard up the up ramp. This causes a problem if the bike impacts with a bump and makes you sail over the lip of the jump making it a very unsettling experience

Once you take off and are in the air, be aware of where to land. It is better to land with the rear wheel down first when you are landing on the flat, pulling up on the handlebars just before you land.

Let us say you are landing on a down ramp. The bike must land at the same angle as the down ramp. Suppose the front wheel is too high, lower it by pulling in the clutch and using the rear brake. While locking the rear wheel, it also lifts up the rear of the bike. If the front wheel happens to be too low, then release the clutch and rev up the motor – the force of the rear spinning wheel pulls down the rear of the bike. Make sure you pull up the handlebars simultaneously.

Getting on the throttle just before the landing will help the rear suspension to absorb the landing and you can drive away from the jump comfortably and in control. Practice at a pace that will build your confidence and you can become a master in dirt bike jumps.

Recommended Reading

1. Dirt Bike Racing, General Tips
It is always useful to pick up tips from the experts. They advise that the first thing to do is...
2. Tips For Taking Jumps And Sharp Turns On Your Atv
You may notice that some ATV riders can make certain obstacles and jumps look like child's play while others make...
3. Dirt Bike Racing, Gears
So what do you need when you go for dirt bike racing? First and foremost, you must own a helmet...
4. Dirt Bike Racing, Safety
Safety is one of the prime things to be considered in dirt bike racing. Dirt bikers or even someone considering...
5. Dirt Bike Racing, Getting Ready To Go Racing
After carrying out the basic maintenance, its time to assemble the bike and go racing! However, finishing touch is required...