When it comes down to it, going fast on your dirt bike is all about carrying momentum. Unfortunately, there is always the inevitable obstacle(s) that can disrupt your speed/momentum.
So what is the most effective way to keep up your speed when you’re on an incline with rollers or jumps all the way up the face? It can be a tedious process and, at times, frustrating to lose so much of your speed within a matter of seconds; however, where there’s a will there’s a way.
We turned to Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto to walk you through the techniques utilized to charge an uphill littered with big rollers, while making sure minimal speed is lost.
1.”When you’re approaching a section such as this one for instance, it’s important that you select your line beforehand, that way you can charge through the entire section as fast as possible. Something else that you should keep in mind is the possible development of ruts. Sometimes these rollers can develop ruts and that can really mess up your timing/momentum. If you ever find yourself in that scenario, it’s best to start planning ahead. By that, I mean choosing your rut before entering the section in order to maintain your speed and timing.”
2. “Once you’ve passed the first roller, it’s critical that you keep the rear tire on the ground for as much time as possible. If you keep the rear wheel on the ground, it helps to maintain your speed and momentum. Also, you want to minimize the amount of time spent in the air. Staying low to the ground helps you increase the time your rear wheel spends on the ground. However, it is possible have too much momentum, which can cause you to slam into the face of the following roller. If you happen to find yourself caught in that situation, the best way to take action is by pulling up on the handlebars and trying to get the front wheel to land on top of the next roller and staying on the gas.”
3. “No matter how much speed you carry as you’re approaching similar sections, you’re bound to lose some of your momentum. Once you feel the rpms of the bike begin to flatten out, you have one of two options. Your first option would be to feather the clutch a tad in order to bring up your rpms; the second option is to downshift a gear. Although, you should only downshift if you’re really out of shape.”
4. “Always remember to look ahead; however, you don’t want to look too far ahead because that can cause you some trouble. The final thing that will help you to minimize the chances of getting out of control and hitting the deck is gripping the bike with your knees. When you’re trying to go fast in sections like this, the bike will have a tendency to go one way while your body goes the other way. Therefore, keeping the bike firmly gripped with your knees will help to alleviate the chances of you wiping out.”
TAGS: dirt bikes, How-To, Monster energy, riding skills, Riding Tips, ryan villopoto, Skills, technique, tips, Tuesday Tip
