Help with jumps

[TVRider]

I was out on a motocross track (a pretty sad excuse for one at least) today and tried to do some little jumps. I am totally new to jumping, by the way. Sometimes when I took off my feet came up off the pegs. Fortunately the jumps were small and I came back down on the pegs. Do I need to grip the tank with my knees? What if I'm standing. Is it just poor technique?

Any ideas would be helpful!

Tom

 

[Moto Squid]

stand up and grip the tank!

 

[Green Horn]

By any chance are you trying to MAKE the bike jump? What I mean is are you anticipating when the bike will jump and therefore unintentionally leave the ground before it does? ;) It'll come off the ground on it's own when cresting over a jump. Just give a little "blip" of the throttle as the rear wheel is coming off the crest.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

If you're sitting on the seat when you go over a jump, it *will* throw you off the seat and maybe even the bike! You need to be standing in a semi crouched position so that you can use your legs as an additional set of shock absorbers. It also helps to grip the bike with your lower legs

 

[TVRider]

I definitely wasn't sitting, Green Horn may be on the right track, maybe I was anticipating the jump. I'm just so new at this I thought I would ask.

Tom

 

[Green Horn]

Never hurts to ask. You also may want to sit back and watch others jump and watch what they do. Like anything else in life it's something that is learned and not an automatic. Keep trying at it and you'll figure it out. :) You're definately doing the right thing by starting out on small jumps.

 

[AZMotoHound]

Maybe your just a "Freestyler" at heart....lol

Now just throw those legs back and grab your seat....