how to keep the front down?

[n8MX]

I have a problem that I've been noticing a lot lately... especially when doing two jumps in a row. I don't have too many problems with the bike in the air, but when I land I want to be on the gas hard for the next jump. When I do this the front end pops up, which makes it pretty hard to hold the gas on for the next jump. Is is a matter of clutch control? I notice this the most on tabletop-style landings when I don't completely land on the down-side of the landing, is it a matter of being on the gas and then having the front end staying up while the back follows the slope of the landing? I was also thinking the forks might need to have more rebound damping... so they don't bounce the front end back up after landing.

What can I do to improve on this?

Thanks,
Andy
1984 CR250

 

[dell30rb]

chances are its not your suspension.

It all depends on the type of jump. Using less throttle on the face will help keep the front end down. So will leaning forward. Hitting the rear brake while in the air will bring your front end down, but I find its much smoother to just get the takeoff right.

Some jumps you have to be on the gas really hard on the face (kicker jumps espically) to avoid getting kicked over the bars or thrown into a nosedive. On other jumps you can get away with chopping the throttle halfway up the face.

Try leaning forward more or using less throttle on the face.

If you need more info, I can quote ya some stuff outta the gary semics, donnie bales book ;)

 

[Einstein]

Are you getting a power wheelie or are the forks bouncing up harshly after landing??? If you notice it mostly when you come up short...don't land short :scream: Like Dell30rb said lean forward, use the rear brake, and in addition some body position.

 

[n8MX]

Thanks dell and einstein. I think I was thinking it might be a combination of power + rebound, but now that I think about it, I think it's more a power issue.

I guess the obvious problem is landing short... since downsiding gives a lot more speed. That's why I had to be on the gas hard in the first place. I'll also try staying forward more.

Andy

 

[Anssi]

Originally posted by n8MX

I guess the obvious problem is landing short... since downsiding gives a lot more speed. That's why I had to be on the gas hard in the first place. I'll also try staying forward more.

If both your wheels land on top of the tabletop, you will get a nasty bounce and can only try and shift your weight to manage the bounce. If you get the front wheel to the downslope, it usually will NOT bounce up, more likely the other way round. If you do manage to get both wheels on the downslope, yoy can just start working on landing front wheel low.

 

[Darth_Atilla]

I had problems with that too, When i was getting adjusted to my CR125(*shameless plug*) Though i'd have to ask some questions.

Are you holding the throttle in the air? or do you let off? If that's what your doing, just let off right when you know your rear wheel has left the jump. Or just hold off till you land. That's how i fixed my Tsunami like jumps.

Body Position? Are you too far back? Well...Gee...how do i explain this one...move forward? heh.

Hope this helps, Have fun at the track.

 

[KTMKyd]

Well, really it sounds like a matter of you hitting the throttle in the air. You're basically doing an inadvertent panic rev, which will bring the rear down and the front end up... just wait till you hit before hitting the throttle, spinning the tire in the air won't make you get to the landing any faster, at least not the way you want to get there. You're already falling as fast as possible. Also try moving forward a bit, but I really think this is more about your hitting the gas in the air, and being on the gas to clear the jump and downside shouldn't really affect it unless you're holding the gas the up the face, and then keep holding it on once you've left the crest.

 

[dell30rb]

For almost all landings, I come in a little nose down, and then crack the throttle a little bit before landing. This causes the rear wheel to drop and touch down, and then I can keep on the gas all the way through the landing, giving the rear suspension that extra stiffness, and accelerating right upn touch-down.

 

[los36]

If you are trying to go fast, as in a race situation, getting on the gas before landing is one of the best ways to make up time on others. The only thing you have to do, besides twisting the gas, is be ready to go! As you get close to landing, open up the gas and get into the attack position. If you're over the bars and have the gas on, you should have a smooth, fast landing.

 

[n8MX]

Thanks again for the help. I was out riding again this weekend and worked on one of the jumps over and over. It's about 30 feet out of a turn and then the jump is about 30-40 feet, then about 30-40 feet to another jump the same size. I was able to get a straight shot at the jump by completely skipping the turn, doing the jump at about 1/4 throttle in 3rd. Then I got good at doing it and the following jump in second. When I knew I could clear it in second, I went around the back of the berm, and once I could do that pretty well I finally did it through the turn. So it was a good day (since I've been wanting to do the jump combo the right way for months!)...

Anyway, back to the problem. I think Anssi was the 'most right' - it seemed that if I could get a wheel on the downslope I was fine, and fortunately I was able to most of the time. It does feel really great to land just right and be able to accelerate hard and fast away from it.