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Things a Beginning Dirt Bike Rider Needs to Know The first steps in learning to ride are the scariest. It will get easier to overcome obstacles, even as those obstacles get harder. In between is lots of fun! There are lots of reasons you might want to learn to ride. Your significant other rides and leaves you sitting back in the heat-filled camp, all of your friends ride, you've always wanted to try it, fill in the blank. Maybe you've wanted to ride for a while, but you have excuses why you "can't". And if you're a woman (or know one) who MIGHT be interested in riding, check out my Women and Dirt Bikes page. Sections: [Choosing a Bike] [Bike Operations]
[Accessory Items Needed] Ask your friends and visit some bike shops before making a decision on a bike. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. If you have given some thought to the items in this section you will be much more likely to get the bike that is right for you. A short summary An 80 requires more skill and you have to keep your momentum up, but they're light and small. The 100s and the XR200 are a little heavier, and the XR200 is hard to start at times, as are the TTR125s and any other four-stroke. The suspension on the smaller bikes might not give much support for a heavier rider once you reach a certain skill level. The four-strokes require less maintenance and will pull you up hills without as much momentum and skill as the two-strokes take. I hope that helps you to make up your mind. Basically, you should try out a few different bikes if you have the opportunity. Otherwise, visit a used bike dealer with several different brands of bikes or visit several new bike dealerships and try 'em out. Some shops have small tracks out back. You can check out the suspension some by having someone hold the bike while you bounce on it. Bike Weight The bike should be light enough that you can pick it up when it is flat on its side in the mud - you will fall down eventually and YOU will have to pick it up. Remember though, lift with your legs, not your back. Needed Maintenance Take into consideration how much time you can devote to maintenance, how many tools you have or can afford to buy, and who is available to help you learn to do periodic maintenance (or do the maintenance for you). With two-stroke motors, generally the smaller the motor is, the greater the maintenance needs are. Four-strokes demand far less frequent maintenance. With all bikes the need for repair will depend on the type of riding you do. Two things that will need to be done on a regular basis are cleaning your air filter (probably after every riding weekend) and changing your oil. Motor and Power Characteristics Smaller motor two-strokes are not recommended for beginning riders due to the fact that the power is much more abrupt and harder to control. Good beginner bikes include any four-stroke or a Kawasaki KDX 200. Bike Height At least one foot should be able to touch the ground. I found it much easier to learn on a bike that let me put both feet on the ground at once, although it did teach me some bad habits. A lot of women and shorter men may need to modify a bike so that it is short enough. Ease of Starting See the kick starter notes in the Bike Operations section. Know What Kind of Riding You Plan on Doing Where: Cross-country, enduro, motocross, desert, that field near your house Type: Racing, casual trail riding
Places to buy or sell your bike. Brakes Front Brake: Apply it gently and generally in combination with the rear brake. If you pull it too hard when going fast, you could go over the handlebars. It is essential on downhills because if you rely on your rear brake you will slide sideways. Rear Brake: Provides the bulk of your braking power. On downhills tap your rear brake, don't lock up the rear end. The rear brake is used when cornering also. Changing Gears Clutch: Learning how to use the clutch properly, especially when taking off, is generally the most difficult skill to master. You need to master the cluster for corners and rough uphills also. Gear shifter: 1st is down, neutral is less than a full kick up, the remaining gears are up. Depending on your bike you will have 5 or 6 gears. Throttle Not too much at first! Don't hold on so tight that you turn the throttle when you don't mean to. Learn to be comfortable with the throttle. Kick Starter On all bikes (usually on the right) there is a kick starter. You kick down on it to make it start. At that point all similarity ends. On some bikes you rev the bike as you start it, on others you give the throttle a couple of pulls beforehand. Some bikes start MUCH more easily if you put it in neutral. With four-strokes you may need to get the piston at top dead center (the kick starter will have its resistance at its highest point), on half-choke, with a very strong kick. On my husband's bike, you basically just let gravity help you and it starts right up with no special care. -- Note: Some larger or dual-sport bikes might have an electric starter and you just push a button to start. Choke The choke can be on or off, and some bikes also have a half-choke setting. If the engine is cold you will need the choke set to on or half-choke to start and/or warm-up the bike. After the bike is warmed up (usually not more than two or three minutes) the engine will not operate properly unless the choke is off. On some bikes you might have to turn the choke back on when restarting the bike. Minimum for "open field" practice Hiking boots, SNELL and DOT approved helmet, old jeans, cotton gloves, a bike, tie downs. If someone else will be starting the bike for you or if your bike is easy to start you might be able to get away with tennis shoes at this point, but the bottoms of them will wear out fast from the footpegs. However, be aware that if your foot slips off the starter you could get a nasty scrape or bruise without proper boots. Minimum for trail riding Everything above plus a long sleeve shirt (yes, even in the summer), goggles, motorcycle gloves, first aid kit (antibiotic ointment, Band-Aids, burn spray, headache medicine, back pain medicine, etc.) Replace ASAP Replace your hiking boots with motorcycle boots, jeans with motorcycle pants, shirt with motorcycle shirt, and get some off-road gloves. No, it's not overkill. They have special materials and strategically placed padding and they will last a lot longer than street clothes. The material is stronger than street clothes and can protect you if you fall on something - at speed even an innocent stick can go through your leg if it's not properly protected. Get as soon as possible Camel back (or other water system), heavy socks, and a gas can. Good to have Different weights of shirts (for different weather), padded shorts, under gloves, and a kidney belt. Needed for racing or multi-day riding Everything above, plus a spare set of everything, roll-offs for your goggles, and undergloves (to help prevent blisters). Some people consume energy bars or energy drinks before a race. We drink Red Bull or Hansen's - I've found it helps a lot. Camping for the weekend Water, sun block, camera, video camera (with battery charged), water, bug spray, meals, dishes and utensils, drinking glasses, fruit, sports drinks, sleeping bags, water, canopy, chairs, tent, ice chest, flashlight, toilet paper, clean clothes to wear home, sunglasses, soap, towels, gas or racing fuel, and did I mention water? Basically the idea is to be self-sufficient. For maintenance (and to take with you for serious trail riding or racing) Chain lube, WD-40, filter cleaner and oil, assorted spare bike parts (including spark plugs, air filters, and tire tubes or a tube repair kit), an extensive tool set, duct tape, and zip ties. Silencer plug Used when washing the bike to prevent water from entering the motor through the exhaust pipe. Caution - remove before attempting to start your bike! Oversized gas tank To reduce or eliminate the need for pit-stops during races. A Center Stand With both wheels off the ground and the bike not leaning to one side it is easier to do some of your maintenance, such as lubing your chain. Hand Guards Highly recommended for riding anyplace east of New Mexico (or anywhere trees inhabit your riding area). They will reduce the chance of injuring your fingers or of breaking your clutch and brake levers. Aluminum Handlebars You WILL fall down eventually. Most stock handlebars are not very strong and bend easily. Aluminum handlebars are stronger than the steel ones (yes, it sounds backwards, but it is true). Skid Plate Protects the underside of your motor. OK, now you have borrowed or purchased a bike and the basic equipment. You've had someone tell you some of the specifics of your bike, and you have someone on hand to help you get started. Find a large, flat, open area and PRACTICE. We were lucky enough to find a large open field in between housing developments that was very flat. If you look around your neighborhood, you may find something that will fit your needs. Otherwise you will need to go out to a friend's country acreage or an established riding area. If your bike is hard to start, don't be afraid to have your "helper" start it for you. You can learn that later. You may stall your bike many times in the beginning, and you don't want to wear yourself out yet. Starting the bike is something you can practice in your yard at home as long as you are considerate of the neighbors and don't spend too much time on it. Before you take off the first time, be sure you know how to stop. While the bike is in neutral, practice finding and pushing down on the rear brake. If you have picked up speed, use the front brake only if the rear brake has already been applied, and pull it gently. Taking off can be very difficult at first. Don't get discouraged. It takes some coordination. Warm the bike up first while it is in neutral. Hold the clutch all the way in and put the bike in first gear. Lean forward just a little so you don't get thrown back when you take off (it also reduces the chance of an unplanned wheelie). It may make you more comfortable to have your foot resting on the rear brake at this point, but don't push it down or you may stall the bike. VERY slowly let out the clutch while very slowly turning the throttle. If you feel like you are going too fast, pull in the clutch and/or step on the rear brake. After you feel fairly comfortable taking off (I didn't really get it down for months, so don't feel bad if you have trouble) try riding in big, lazy circles. Make sure you practice going to the left and to the right. It took me several riding sessions before I made it past this point. You may pick it up faster, especially if you have experience on similar machines and/or aren't as timid as I am. Whatever happens, keep going. Don't give up just because you feel you aren't getting the hang of something. Believe it or not, eventually all of these basics will come naturally to you. Once you're ready to move on, set up some "goals." We used soccer cones to mark places to turn and I practiced until I could get fairly close to them while in first and second gear. If you can find a place with small hills or jumps, practice rolling over them. Now that you've built up your basic skills, find someone who is willing to stay with you and follow them around a simple trail. The first time or two around (at least) your helper might stop before new types of obstacles and explain the finer points of conquering it. For example, on a steep downhill you might use your front brake just a little in combination with tapping your rear brake. Or they can point out the best line to take through a difficult section. Just keep practicing and soon you will be the one teaching others how to get around the track. Additional Tips From Susan Connelly For beginners, the most valuable things I learned as an amateur that improved my riding the most: 1. DON'T FIGHT YOUR BIKE! RELAX! Let the bike do the work and go with it. As you get better you don't tire as easily because you learn not to fight and wrestle your bike. 2. Sit further up on the bike, closer to the tank. 3. Keep the balls of your feet on the pegs, avoid kicking your feet out to balance! 4. When going through sand, lift your butt toward the rear of the bike and gun it, the faster the better, and relax, go with the flow! 5. Of course, always stand up, especially when doing whoops. 6. Instead of jamming on the front brakes, downshift and let the motor slow you down instead. This prevents you from sliding out of control. 7. When you downshift, you don't need to engage the clutch. Just downshift. Beyond the Basics Cool motorcycle wallpaper, sheets, etc. - FREE shipping! Check out this information on a motocross school. For more info, look at Whitehorse Press -how-to books and videos. We hope you learned something from the information we provided. If you have any questions, comments, or corrections, please let us know. We would like to publish more information on this site. Please let us know what type of information you would find most useful. [Enter a comment in the guestbook] The Rest of My Dirt Bike PagesCindy's History
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