big jump tips

[High Lord Gomer]

Not to be picky, rather to avoid confusion with those less experienced. Seat bouncing and pre-loading a jump are not one in the same. Seat bouncing is more a sx/ax thing where tight turn enter jump, lower speeds, need air to clear... and yes it's an art form all its own and works well when mastered, and hurts like hell when learnig... pre-load is higher speed, generally done from an attack position and gets the air needed (maybe) to clear a long double or triple.

Very good distinction! Personally, I find pre-loading more difficult as it requires precise timing.

I agree, doubt that your really pinned... unless your upper B/A or money class. Most intermediate riders don't realize they have another 1/8th turn on the throttle, this last bit of turn may be somewhat odd to the twist... might suggest moving the throttle tube forward the where "pinned" is rolled all the way back without being uncomfortable to the wrist position. You'll know pretty much immediately if this is a solution.

Ike DeJager always stressed to us that we should re-grip the throttle as we enter a turn to ensure that we could twist it all of the way when exiting. It also give you a chance to loosen your grip for a fraction of a second.

last note, try with your eyes closed, it'll hurt less.

LOL!

Here's a clip I took a few years ago of a kid seat-jumping a step-up. Notice how it throws him up off the seat and forward when he leaves the jump. Once he gets forward, he then pushes the front down for the landing.

http://themxtrack.com/Carlos_1785.mpg

He was pinned. Me, on the other hand, I probably thought I was:

http://themxtrack.com/Gomer_StepUp.wmv

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

Not to be picky, rather to avoid confusion with those less experienced. Seat bouncing and pre-loading a jump are not one in the same. Seat bouncing is more a sx/ax thing where tight turn enter jump, lower speeds, need air to clear... and yes it's an art form all its own and works well when mastered, and hurts like hell when learnig... pre-load is higher speed, generally done from an attack position and gets the air needed (maybe) to clear a long double or triple. Pre-loading the suspension can be pretty cool but remember, the guy (gal) that clears the obsticle and gets on the ground driving first is the one winning races.

I agree, doubt that your really pinned... unless your upper B/A or money class. Most intermediate riders don't realize they have another 1/8th turn on the throttle, this last bit of turn may be somewhat odd to the twist... might suggest moving the throttle tube forward the where "pinned" is rolled all the way back without being uncomfortable to the wrist position. You'll know pretty much immediately if this is a solution.

ps... whatch the landing on the step-up, hate to see the rear wheel clip and bounce you over... last note, try with your eyes closed, it'll hurt less.

I don't understand the difference, don't in both cases you apply some downard force on the bike so the suspension is compressed before you're off that ground, causing it to uncoil in the air and provided a spring effect to get more loft?
I can barely do either (preloading does seem easier) but I thought they were really the same thing, just a matter of preference as to whether you were seated or not?

I have over shot jumps a couple of times from doing this too, and I agree it's unreal how much this slows you down by being in the air an extra second. Sometimes makes for some rough landings too. I've only crashed once (so far) when doing it (I'm not pushing it hard though).

 

[trial_07]

I think that chain needs tightening Gomer :nener:

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I don't understand the difference, don't in both cases you apply some downard force on the bike so the suspension is compressed before you're off that ground, causing it to uncoil in the air and provided a spring effect to get more loft?
I can barely do either (preloading does seem easier) but I thought they were really the same thing, just a matter of preference as to whether you were seated or not?

The effect is the same, but the difference is in how it is done. Pre-loading is similar to doing a bunny-hop with a bicycle. You push the bike down to give extra compression to the suspension on the jump face then "jump" up. This gets you moving up before the bike so that the bike's rebound is pushing mostly just it's weight instead of you and the bike. Doing this can get you a lot higher, but it requires fairly precise timing.

AAMOF, you can preload early before hitting a small jump or whoop to extend the suspension before hitting it. This will result in not being thrown up in the air by the bump/whoop as much. This is useful when entering a whoop section where you don't want to jump up and into them but rather you want to skim across the top.

Seat jumping, however, does not require precise timing since you are basically just along for the ride and you are counting on the transition from flat ground to the angled jump face to compress the suspension. If you're standing, your legs automatically compensate for this and you crouch more as you hit the jump then extend again once airborne. If you stay seated, all of your weight goes into compressing the suspension. As the suspension then rebounds it has to throw you and the bike skyward, giving you more height but not as much as preloading from a standing position.

When preloading, if you preload too early, you have the opposite of the desired effect because you have effectively unloaded the suspension before hitting the jump. Preload too late and you are pushing the bike away as it is already rebounding and you can become separated from the bike.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I think that chain needs tightening Gomer :nener:

Every time I sit on the bike the chain stretches...why is that?!? :whoa:

 

[KX250Dad]

...you can preload early before hitting a small jump or whoop to extend the suspension before hitting it. This will result in not being thrown up in the air by the bump/whoop as much. This is useful when entering a whoop section where you don't want to jump up into them but rather you want to skim across the top

High Lord Gomer... thanks, gotta set of killer whoops whereas you stated... to jump in 3 deep, to high, and don't know whether to blitz from there or try to jump/jump the balance. The fastest way has been to go in gear high, roll hard throttle and "skim"... whoops are far apart the suspension takes it but it beats the hell outta the bike/son. Should he pre-load going in the line in will be "flatter" without loss of forward momentum... may do the trick... thanks again.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Another way to keep from getting thrown up by the first one is to wheelie into them. The front tire should barely skim the first one. The rear tire will then hit the first one and throw the front down. The front will then hit the top of the second one, stop the forward rotation of the bike, and settle the rear end back down so that it will hit the top of the second whoop. I actually find this easier than preloading before a whoop to get on top of them.

I've seen it done and I can talk about it, but I can only do it on fairly small whoops.

You can barely catch it at the beginning, but this guy wheelies into the whoops:
http://themxtrack.com/TravisFlowers03.wmv

The best way to work up to doing that is to learn how to wheelie over a bump or step-up ledge without getting air. Here is a short clip showing wheelieing over a bump after the double. By wheelieing over it, I was able to stay on the ground afterward and maintain drive for the next jump.
http://themxtrack.com/WheelieBump.wmv

 

[rohleder149]

not to be a jerk.....but im gonna say there's no way in heck you're 4th gear pinned on a 250f and cant clear a 100 foot step up.....we've got a 120 foot table top that i (a 200 lb rider) can clear in second gear on a 250 f. granted, it's not a step up, but it isnt downhill either. bein's it's a step up, it will probably require some pre loading as mentioned before......"squat" down into the bike on the face, so the suspension becomes compressed.... and pull up with your legs off the face...it'll get you the extra lift necessary for a step up......this is extra necessary if the face is built at a smaller angle so it doesnt shoot you so high.

 

[trial_07]

You got to be committed when coming towards those whoops at that guy's speed! He must have a killer suspension though because it seems to do all the work, like the guy doesn't budge. Awesome clip :cool:

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Any properly working suspension can do that but damn few riders.

Another clip of him:
http://themxtrack.com/TravisFlowers01.wmv

 

[trial_07]

I love this guy's style! He makes riding look easy.

 

[TeXas_MXer]

http://themxtrack.com/TravisFlowers03.wmv

::speechless:: Does anyone have the phone number to his suspension tuner?!?!?

 

[High Lord Gomer]

::speechless:: Does anyone have the phone number to his suspension tuner?!?!?

I don't really know him, a friend just took a couple video clips of him 3 or 4 years ago. I did a search for him on Google but didn't come up with anything recent.

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

::speechless:: Does anyone have the phone number to his suspension tuner?!?!?

I agree with Gomer, you can tune suspension all day but to ride like that take several other ingredients, skill/comittment/cojones :nod:

 

[will pattison]

for what it's worth, some things to consider....

there's no way, based on the information provided, that anyone can effectively help this guy huck this jump. we don't know the track conditions, what the jump face looks like, what the landing looks like, or what kind of rider he is...or, for that matter, what kind of riders the ones who do clear it are.

there are just too many variables. how far out of a turn is the launch? how much taller is the landing than the takeoff? soft dirt or hard? bumpy run up or smooth? into the wind?

having said that, seat bouncing might help - length and size of a jump don't dictate whether you should do it or not. it's launch angle and ramp height relative to approach speed. the faster you're going, the shallower,and or taller it better be, or you'll end up on your head. in other words, right out of a corner...short and steep is ok. on the other hand, seat bouncing the stepup at cooperland (dirtweek), is ok, because it's steep, but tall, so even though it's a hi-speed approach you don't get bucked off. it all depends....

why? because timing IS important. seat bouncing isn't smashing the bike into the jump face, then letting the shock rebound toss you like a pogo stick. that's the path to a broken wrist. seat bouncing works because you've effectively attached your center of mass more directly to the center of mass of the bike. there's no bendable element (your legs) between you and it, so you get deeper compression, and therefore more stored energy. the timing part comes in when you release that energy and UNweight by standing up at the moment the front wheel takes off. you use the now relatively rigid platform of the footpegs as a point for starting a vertical leap with your legs. as you propel your body skyward, your upward momentum, combined with the now crazy fast upward momentum of the bike, gives you a taller trajectory. the takeoff angle also factors in. look at any pic of a pro right as his front wheel leaves the lip during a seat bounce. there's usually a little wheely going on. it all works together to get you more lift.

if your timing isn't good enough to do all that in 4th gear, don't try it on that particular jump face. just do the intermediate method of compressing into the face while standing, then unweighting on takeoff. the effect isn't as pronounced, but it's much safer.

wp.

 

[rathomas]

checkout the semics videos.

You might check out the gary semics videos. The newest one on jumping [series 2, video #3] has got some great info in there.. its about forty bucks. Probably worth every penny if you are not totally clear on the best techniques in jumping. Most of the first series can be viewed on totalvid.. they also have a two week free trial. You have to put in a card, but it is free if you cancel before the two week mark. You get full access to the video during the two weeks.

If you're going for 90-100 footers.. and not clearing them.. I'd back off a bit and practice the different techniques in the videos on some smaller stuff.

Its not just a matter of horsepower and balls.

 

[Mini Rider #4]

Dude what track is this at. The track I race at has a crazy step up. :yikes: Which I don't do.

 

[i racefast125]

my friend on a yz 125 got to far on a 90 foot jump and tore up his stomach, gl on that jump though

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Dude what track is this at. The track I race at has a crazy step up. :yikes: Which I don't do.

I asked the same thing a while ago. I'm pretty sure it was some kid blowing smoke trying to impress people on the internet. We get a lot of that while school is out for Christmas.

 

[sidewayz]

hey you guys one of my friends got one here and posted this **** but i got a buddy who has a 110 on his practice track but its downhill so you can clear it and only go like 60 ft... ill get some pics of it asap

 

[Racesmith]

I asked the same thing a while ago. I'm pretty sure it was some kid blowing smoke trying to impress people on the internet. We get a lot of that while school is out for Christmas.

New Year's Resolution #341 - more internet nut-swinging... :laugh:

 

[sidewayz]

how do i get the pic on here cause its on my friends myspace?