Articles by "tips from pros"

Showing posts with label tips from pros. Show all posts

Find out how pro rider Justin Soule' picks the best line for up hill situations.
Rider-Justin Soule'
Rider Website-www.justinsoule.com
Bike-Kawasaki KX450F
First Bike-PW-50
Home Town-Reno, Nevada
Twitter-Follow Him Here

 Question-How do you approach and overcome a steep uphill with many roots, and/or rocks?

 Answer-Rider Justin Soule' says I first pick my line at the bottom of the hill and commit to it. You don't have a ton of time to scan the hill for every detail, I just take a quick look and see if I can see any obvious hazards that stand out (boulders, trees, big bushes ect.) and then I commit to a line clear of those hazards and react and rely on my bike skills to conquer whatever obstacles may come up that I didn't see from my scan at the bottom.

 I try to stay loose in the upper and lower body but try to keep a strong core when going up a technical hill. That way you can let the bike react a little more underneath you and use body English to whip it back into shape. 

 I always start a hill in a gear where I have a safety net of gears to shift down into as the bike starts to bog under power in the middle. Say starting the hill in 4th and by the time you get to the top you may be in 2nd. Momentum is always your friend with a hill, you want to keep the wheels on the ground so the tires are tracking and propelling you forward. 

 As far as body positioning, I try to stay in a forward to neutral position to keep weight on the front end of the bike to keep the bike from wheeling. If the bike does start to wheelie, do not chop the throttle but feather the clutch to control it. If you chop the throttle completely, you will lose all your momentum and end up getting stuck.

 The goal is get to the top. Whether it looks pretty or a little out of control. There are no style points awarded. Just find a way up there.


Continue Reading »

Question-What is the best way to cross an obstacle that is at a 45 degree angle like a root, log, or limb?

 Pro Rider-Nick Fahringer
Riders Website- www.nickfahringer.com
Bike-Husaberg FE 450
First Bike-PW-50
Home Town-Dayton, Ohio
Facebook-Follow 

Pros Answer- Rider Nick Fahringer said hitting a long or limb that is at a 45 or greater angle to the straight on can cause your tires to push along the obstacle causing the bike to come out from under the rider. To avoid the phenomena, propped approach and set up is key.

 Step 1: Riding position- elbows up, standing on the pegs, knees squeezing the motorcycle, body centered over the bike and head over the bars LOOKING AHEAD.

 Step 2: Line selection/plan of attack- since you are looking ahead, you should be aware of what is between you and the obstacle, width of the trail, and where you want the bike to go after crossing the obstacle.

 Step 3: Execution- there are two ways to cross this angled devil. The best way is to not touch it at all. This means finding a rock, bump or other object to pop your wheels up and over. This takes practice and confidence. If you are not practiced in the art of hopping a bike, you need to "square up". This means swerving away from angled log within the confines of your path and then turning into the log so as to hit it as close to a 90 degree angle as you can. Maintain propped rider position with a steady throttle, covering the clutch. If you do not get completely square, lighten the front tire with some throttle then backing off the power lightly to allow the real wheel to roll over it. 

 This works on anything from angled approaches to logs, limbs, roots, square edges, entering roadways with raised edges, or running over machines that are blocking the trial. 

Continue Reading »

Question-What factors do you consider when choosing a line in a race?

 Rider-Paul Whibley
Rider Website-www.paulwhibley.co.nz 
Bike-Yamaha YZ450F
Hometown-Dannevike, New Zealand 


Answer- Picking lines at GNCC's can be tough as the track is constantly changing and evolving. With the amount of riders passing through lap after lap, lines change and ruts can become bottomless quickly. I try to walk the track and look for spots I expect to become difficult. But then, again, it's changed so much by the time we get to ride. I try to anticipate how much it will change and look for alternative lines that may open up or that may allow me to get around a bottle neck should one form.

 Once into the race, when approaching a known problem area I'm looking well ahead, ready with a plan should the track be blocked. The old story of use the sides of the track, and get out of the main line still works at a lot of races, but often those edges are well and truly used up by the afternoon race at a GNCC. When coming up on a mud hole or a section with deep ruts, look for a clean, straight line. Often crooked ruts indicate something hidden like roots or logs in the mud. Avoid ruts that previously had someone stuck in them. If they got stuck, you will most likely as well. Its amazing how many riders blindly plow into a poor line that someone just got dragged out of. Another way to avoid getting wedged in deep ruts is cross them at a 90 degree angle. This also involves some thought and will require a different approach to the trouble spot. Often lines change during the course of an event and you may catch sight of a good line reentering the main line. I try to remember and store that information away for the following lap. Sometimes the fastest thing to do is stop and take a second to look around for a good line. That one second could save you minutes dragging your bike out. If you do end up in a bad line with deep ruts or really soft mud, commitment is your last hope. Use as much pace as you can safely carry through the obstacle.
Continue Reading »
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)

Discount Codes

Company Discount Get Deal
RockyMountain ATV/MC $9.99 Air Filter Get Deal
RockyMountain ATV/MC 62% Off Riding Gear Get Deal
RockyMountain ATV/MC Cold Weather Gear Sale Get Deal
RockyMountain ATV/MC Quick Cash Off Get Deal
RockyMountain ATV/MC $20 Off Pirelli Tires Get Deal
RockyMountain ATV/MC $20 Off Dunlop Tires Get Deal
RockyMountain ATV/MC $20 Off Bridgestone Tires Get Deal

Support Our Sponsors

Show your support by clicking images below to check out their page.

Author Name

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

Powered by Blogger.