How Do You Ride a Dirt Bike Track? Hardpack? Sand?

When it comes to exciting outdoor activities, riding a dirt bike track is undoubtedly on the upper list. It’s as thrilling as it is good for your health. That’s why it’s no wonder why sports such as motocross, arenacross, and supercross were created.

If you’re intrigued or determined to ride a dirt bike track, there are several guidelines and recommendations you need to follow.

For one, to ride a dirt bike track, you need to understand the skills required for all the turns, jumps, and other obstacles present on the surface of a track.

Furthermore, you have to master basic techniques on clutch control, throttle, and balance. Also, you need to keep your body ready for the physical demands of the sport.

Aside from the techniques you need to possess to ride a motorcycle well, it is imperative to master how to ride various track surfaces.

How Do You Ride a Dirt Bike Track – The Right Way?

If you’re riding a dirt bike track, it’s essential to consider factors such asposture, balance, control, and endurance.

They are typically artificially designed with jumps, rollers, tabletops, drop offs, step downs, and other obstacles.

Essentially successfully riding a dirt bike on the motocross track depends on the following:

1.     Body Positioning

Riding the dirt bike on the track starts with proper posture and body positioning. With that, it begins with the correct upper and lower body positioning.

Grip

Make sure your elbows and shoulders are positioned in such a way that the impacts are absorbed and channeled through the entire body. Compared to riding straight armed and rigged. This will cause the motorcycle to react poorly to terrain features, and for you (the rider) to fatigue prematurely.

Your elbows should be bent at 45-90 degrees. The rest of your upper body should be in line/over your elbows, this will allow your body to absorb some of the impacts most efficiently. This will allow you to ride faster and longer.

Seat Positions

Sitting over the motor of the dirt bike will drive your weight down to the ground. This is common if you’re riding the dirt bike in a rut (terrain deformation caused by bikes riding over the same area repeatedly. However, this would require support.

But for most riding situations the best thing you can do is stand on your pegs on the balls of your feet. This allows you to maneuver your body easier around the bike as well as puts your elbows into that 45-90 degree angle naturally that was mentioned previously.

2.     Balance

The key to balance on any two-wheeled vehicle is keeping your core muscles tight to keep your body steady on the bike.

It's true if you want to be steady on your motorcycle you need to keep you core tight. However, if your only using you core you'll exhaust those muscles very quickly and then will have virtually no ability to control your inputs and correct the dirt bikes direction when it gets out of line.

However, there are several other techniques to stabilize your body in addition to keeping your core tight. Squeeze the bike between your legs to grip the motorcycle this will take the strain off of your core, as well as your hands so in theory you'll have less arm pump the more you're able to grip with your legs. 

Again, standing when riding your bike enhances balance. The taller you stand, the easier it is to stabilize because the farther off the seat you are the more room the bike will have to move. And you can use you legs like a secondary shock absorber, the bike will in turn stay much more stable while bouncing over the various terrains the track will present.

3.     Control

Riding a motocross track is likely to be exhilarating and accident-free if you have full control. This encompasses good clutch control, throttle control, and extreme body movement control.

Clutch and throttle control is all about your body positioning. Experts always recommend moving forward, letting your weight push on the front end. This way, you can prevent wheelies orwhiskey throttle.  

Also, elbows should be raised for sufficient flexibility. Your arms should be in line with your wrists.

Furthermore, using more than two fingers on your clutch lever means you won’t have any left for the handlebar. So to maximize control, simply use 1 or 2 fingers.

To exhibit body movement control, you will need to perform standard maneuvers and positional readjustments. 

For example, you will need to counteract the weight of the bike to go around corners. The simplest way to do this is by moving your body weight to the outside of the seat.

4.     Endurance

You should never skip endurance and strength training if you’re going to ride a motocross tracks.

Control, balance, posture, and other factors will allow you to complete a motocross race, but this all depends on your endurance.

Cardio and weight training programs can help you out. Likewise, constant practice will also keep your body on top of its game. These activities will build your core muscles, specifically around your lower back and stomach.

If you’re a beginner still mastering the basics of dirt biking, you can efficiently start your training by using an adjustable stand. Practice your body positioning and grip before hitting the actual tracks. Check out theRisk Racing A.T.S. stand.

How Do You Ride a Hardpack track?

A hardpack terrain is almost like a road but with lots of rocks, ruts, jumps and other obstacles lying on the ground. As a result, it has less loose dirt than a regular dirt bike track.

Advanced riders are often placed on hardpack that has far more barriers with a series of ruts, jumps, mounds, and objects.

On the other hand, beginners start their ride on a plain hardpack surface.

If you wish to ride a hardpack track with less struggle, it is best to ensure that your tires have enough tread. To do this, you will have to employ several techniques on body position to get the grip you will need.

When it comes to the body position, riding the corners of a hardpack track needs precise positioning. You will need to put your body outside of the seat and press more pressure on the outside foot peg so the weight of you and the motorcycle is being distributed to the appropriate parts of your tires.

Move as if you are pushing the knobbing directly into the ground whenever you need to perform a turn in a rut.

Furthermore, you will also have to grip a lot to sustain clutch and throttle control. 

And in the subject of optimum grip, riders need to protect their hands by usingpalm protectors. This gear will allow you to continue riding a hardpack tracks without getting bothered by blisters or muscle fatigue.  

How Do You Ride a Dirt Bike in the Sand?

Riding techniques on the sand tracks and hardpack tracks almost seem similar. 

Unlike the hard pack tracks, sand tracks have loose ground. This means that you will need to strive more to get traction. Otherwise, you won’t get the proper momentum to ride quickly through this surface.

With that, you need to follow some basic guidelines on riding a dirt bike in the sand.

For example, assess the weather condition in the riding tracks. Your best chance of diminishing the dirt bike riding struggle is to ride on the damp sand. This way, the ground is not too loose, which allows you have better control and traction.

When it comes to putting your weight down, the general direction for most of your maneuvers on the sand is backward. This will allow the front wheel to glide on the unstable sand and the rear tire to dig for grip.

Next, you need to hold power on. By doing so, it becomes easier for you to lift the front wheel and move forward.

Summary

Riding a dirt bike track requires the practice of a handful of riding skills and techniques.

So, whether it’s a regular dirt bike track, a hardpack, or sand, always make sure that you are familiar with the necessary moves.