I bring this back to the top because I was scared sh%$less this weekend, by downhillls. At one point I sat on my bike at the top of a hill and swore to sell it when I got home. "Riding dirtbike is scary, and I don't get any fun out of it" was going through my head all day. I ride a KDX 220 (2 stoke) and don't have the luxury of compression breaking, and don't have the skills yet to manipulate all 6 controls at the same time. My friends kept bombing down these hills and I stuck picking my way down like some kind of trials rider. I know that speed helps, but I was scared and didn't know how to get over it. I crashed one time after another, and I kept trying to go slower and slower because I knew I was going to crash, and would rather crash going slow. I seemed to keep locking the front and washing out. By the end of the day, I had gone down enough easier down hills to gain some confidence, and I discoverd the rear brake. I would appreciate input on the technique I was using, as it was a survival tactic only. After stalling a number of times I determined that I should just pull in the clutch at the top and keep it there. I tried to get into 3rd so that when I hit the bottom of the hill I could let the clutch out and go. That eliminated the use of 2 controls (clutch, shifter). I would then try to carry a little speed (as I gained confidence) but brake like hell when traction was good. I would lock the rear brake (sometimes letting off to straighten the slide) because I don't feel like I can "feel" the brake pedal good enough to control the pressure. I would then use the front by tapping it lightly and trying to "feel" it. At the end of the day stomping on the rear brake was what kept me alive, and a little less scared. I no longer wish to sell my bike, although the 250Fs I was riding with were tempting me to change. This thread has helped alot, and I hope by bringing it back to the top I can get some more technique tips!