do you agree with my theory?

[HubertGarfunkleIII]

ok so my theory is this, no matter what, when you jump, always try and stay on the bike. wether you are going to case it, over shoot, or what have you. I see these guys that over shoot or case it and instead of staying on the bike they jump off in the air. Come down hard on their feet and break a leg, ankle, etc. So my theory is that no matter what it would be better to stay on the bike and let the suspension take some of the impact than just jump off. Something that reminds me off this is that video a guy posted in here a hwile back. The guy goes off a fmx ramp and over shoots bigtime. and lands in the flat, he jumps of the bike and his legs are totally mangles. If he had stayed on the bike he still would have been injured no doubt but probably less cause the suspension could take some of the impact.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

In most cases I would agree.

If you are endoing badly, I can see how it would be worhwhile to try to get away from the bike. One time I spent 8 hours on a backboard after being knocked out for a while when I crashed like that. Another time I broke my neck when I cased a jump, then rebounded forward and upside down. I just never seem to be able to give up and bail even when I am endoing badly, though.

One case where I did bail and it turned out to be the right thing to do was when jumping a tall sand hill (about 75' high). The throttle hung on me at the top and the bike launched. I bailed off the back, pushing the bike forward and me back. I landed about halfway down the hill in soft sand. The bike landed all the way at the bottom. I think I wouldhave been hurt worse if I had landed close to the bottom with the bike.

 

[two-stroke]

i always go down with my bike

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

I guess my mind works too slow. I rarely have time for an "OH SH**! let alone time to bail.

Rod

 

[hot125mod]

i just cant bring myself to bail either usually there isnt enough time but i guess it depends on the situation.

 

[theKDX200rider]

I think if you start rotating foward or know you are going to case it bad, it's better to get away from the bike. A broken wrist or ankle is much better than a broken neck or back. One thing that I always do is never try to save my bike. The bike is replacible, your body and life are not. Overall, I just go with my gut feeling. If you think you're gonna wreck you'll probably wreck. Most of the times I stay on, let my bike bounce around, and hold on for dear life.

 

[FruDaddy]

If the bike is going to hit the ground first then it is usually best to let it absorb as much of the impact as possible. Please note how much room that I have left for the trillions of variables involved in making the right decision. There is no right or wrong here. First protect the parts that you can't live without, then prevent life changing injury, finally make it hurt as little as possible. How you go about this is up to you, but if your machine will absorb part of the impact without making it worse on your carcass, then you should let it.

 

[HubertGarfunkleIII]

yeah i think it would be best to stay on the bike in most cases, besides endoing, or like that sand jump example

 

[BigRedAF]

tough call, I've seen it go bad both ways but I have never bailed on purpose.

 

[IndyMX]

tough call, I've seen it go bad both ways but I have never bailed on purpose.

Same here, I've never been given a vote..

I tend to just get spit off the bike like an unwanted passenger.

It's really very disrespectful of the bike to do me that way!!!

 

[KX85 rider]

I'll third that, i've never had the choice to bail out of a jump-i haven't anyway though so i'll see how long i can last before the bike gets sick of me and spits me off. lol.

 

[YamaB]

I figure if the bike is going to hit first, then you are better off being on it. If you are going to hit first, then it is good to get the heck away from it. Once the bike passes that point of no return (going to endo or flip backwards), I try to get away from it. Granted, most of the time the bike will make the decision for you.

I have had many instances where I was sure that I was going to eat sh*t and all my instincts said to bail, but I have stayed with it and ended up saving it.

 

[Yamajoe250F]

just drink some red bull before you jump that way if you need to bail you can fly off! Duh! lol JK

 

[gearhead119]

My thoery "in most cases" is if I bail I know .. 100% that i am going to hit the ground but if I stay on there may be that one in a million chance of a miracle landing that will save my butt! ya just never know!

 

[2strokerfun]

I'm with Indy and AF: I apparently have the optional Auto-Bail on my bikes. I have never bailed on purpose, but have found myself separated from my bike several times. I usually start to think about "tuck and roll" shortly after I hit the ground, or a tree.

I agree with your theory in general, as long as the bike is upright.

 

[IndyMX]

I'm with Indy and AF: I apparently have the optional Auto-Bail on my bikes. I have never bailed on purpose, but have found myself separated from my bike several times. I usually start to think about "tuck and roll" shortly after I hit the ground, or a tree.

I agree with your theory in general, as long as the bike is upright.

Tuck & Roll.. Funny.. I don't think I've ever had time to even consider that option!!

Fortunately I'm so slow, it really doesn't matter much how I land..

 

[trial_07]

If my front end is too low while getting off the jump for some reason and I see I can't bring it back, I will bail. It happened to me at one race and I rolled back onto my feet, restarted the bike, and finished my moto. If I wouldn't have bailed, I could've been seriously injured. Like others said, there is no right or wrong, you got to listen to your instincts in those awkward moments.

 

[ohiogrown]

The only time I bailed on purpose I was coming up the face of a third gear jump and when I went to preload I accidentally downshifted to second. I was on may way to overjumping a 50ft. double by at least 20ft to flat. I bailed and slid down the backside of the jump relatively unharmed. My bike however took a nose-first bounce and I upgraded bars shortly after.

 

[LEllis7motox]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2U7Z4FqS8PE

But in that situation i would have probably stayed on the bike :think:

 

[gthoma23]

I'm new to ridin, but use to skateboard for years. when on a skate, and the jump doesn't look right, kick out the board. i took that mentality with ridin. hit a jump that threw me sideways. ditched the bike right after take off. i think i made the right decision, cause i only got some scratches and my bike landed fine with me not on it. i'm not good enough to be able to control the bike in the air. it was fun...til i landed. :bang: