The first day you get your dirt bike is a very exciting day! But before you take it out for a spin, check out these safety tips. They will not only help you ensure your safety, but also achieve great performance!
Steps
Step 1. Put on a helmet
Other safety equipment may be considered optional, such as boots, gloves, and knee pads. However, especially for inexperienced motorcyclists, the helmet must be worn all the time.
Step 2. Make sure you have a proper position
You can check this by sitting on the bike. If you have chosen the correct bike size, your feet will have no problem touching the ground. Now, see where you are in the seat. If you are like most beginners, you will be far behind. You need to constantly repeat this mantra while driving… "forward, forward, forward."
- The seat of a dirt bike has a natural spacing where the seat meets the gas tank. That's precisely where you want to put your butt … don't worry, you can't get very far due to the gas tank. It is very important that you resist the tendency to sit on the motorcycle as you would on a saddle or a “cruiser” type motorcycle.
Ride Your First Dirt Bike Step 2Bullet1 - Put both feet on the pedals and try to stand up without pulling on the handlebars. If you are sitting on your feet, as you should, then this will be easy. If you are too far behind your feet, you will need to slide forward and pull on the handlebars.
Ride Your First Dirt Bike Step 2Bullet2
Step 3. Familiarize yourself with the “feel” of the drive
Now that you are seated properly, start driving around. The goal of this first trip is to familiarize yourself with the feel of the dirt bike as it moves over the dirt. If you are used to a street bike, riding a dirt bike will be a bit disconcerting at first, because the ground is uneven and the bike will “wiggle” a bit under you. That's normal. As a beginning driver, you will be "waddling" around and even a little more than usual because you will be going very slowly. As you progress to higher speeds, you will see that your front wheel will “float” a little more, instead of following every little turn on the ground. Whether you're on a track or in a field, only drive for around 20 minutes. Try to go a little faster each time, until you feel the bike stop “wiggling” so much.
Step 4. While driving, without moving your eyes or head, determine if you can see your front bumper using peripheral vision
If you can, you are probably looking very close to the front of the bike.
Step 5. Master the acceleration
When you accelerate, natural forces will try to push you back. Most beginners sit far back in the seat and counteract these forces by pulling on the handlebars, which is precisely what you shouldn't do. If you are sitting properly, your hips should be on the stirrups (or in front of them) and your upper body should lean forward. In this position, you can counteract these forces by pressing down and back on the stirrups, as well as leaning a little further forward. If you are doing it properly, you should be able to take your right hand off the handlebars while accelerating and the bike should continue straight.
Step 6. Make quick and smooth shifts
Although there are 3 elements involved (the accelerator, the clutch and the gear lever), they are not 3 independent movements. Eventually they will all turn into one motion, meaning you'll release the throttle, pull the clutch, and grab the gear lever simultaneously. Similarly, after the new gear is selected, you will release the clutch while simultaneously opening the throttle. Work on this until you can make at least 3 changes smoothly and quickly.
Step 7. Brake properly
In the same way that the accelerator pushes you back, the forces of the brake will push you forward. Again, the trick is not to transmit these forces to the handlebars. Doing so will not only make it more difficult for you to use the handlebar controls, but you will have a tendency to stiffen your arms, which in turn will make it harder for you to handle bumps. If you are sitting properly when you brake, the gas tank should be between your thighs. When you start to brake, squeeze the gas tank with your legs. This will keep your body in the correct position.
Step 8. At first, only accelerate to the third or fourth gear and then brake to a stop
Remember, while you are braking you must lower the gear so that when you stop you will be able to resume immediately.
Step 9. Try to “feel” when a tire is about to lock up
If you feel it, don't increase the brake pressure one bit more. Ideally, you want to be at the precise point where maximum pressure can be applied without the tire skidding.
Step 10. Remember how the track condition affects acceleration and braking
For example, if you have a lot of potholes, you cannot brake very hard because you would start skating. You have the option to hold the clutch when you stop. You don't have to skate.
Advice
- Use both brakes simultaneously.
- Keep your knees glued to the bike.
- As you improve and as various conditions are ordered, you will find certain exceptions to these tips. However, for the first few days you must follow them.
- Try to only use 2-3 fingers on the clutch.
- If you come out of a turn and the bike sounds very low or boggy, let go of the accelerator and downshift, then listen to the sound it makes; if it makes the same sound, lower the gear again. When exiting a turn, don't fully open the throttle or the front of the bike will start to lift. Keep practicing to find out how much to accelerate when you come out of a turn.
- Use only 1 or 2 fingers on the front brake.
- By spending time accelerating and braking, you will gain confidence in your driving skills. It is important to keep pushing yourself while doing these exercises. Try to accelerate and brake more each time. It is important that you get used to feeling the bike. Most likely, the rear tire will "burn out", which means it will turn faster than you are going. This is normal and can be controlled by throttle and body movements.
- Don't try to use the rear brake by rotating your ankle. Take your foot off the stirrup and press down on the brake pedal.
- Sitting position will affect all aspects of handling, especially when cornering. If you sit too far back, the shock will compress more than the forks, resulting in a chopper angle. This will cause the front of the bike to feel very lazy in turns, causing the wheel to arc very wide and not have good traction.