How to learn?

[lbk]

Ok so I got my RM125 after getting hooked the first time out, so we headed back out this weekend with someone who has experience. He did a good job showing us around and keeping the pace comfortable. But I'm really struggling with the differences between street/roadracing (Organized not street racing) and dirt.

So first of all, I bit it on the MX track because I wanted to slow down for the next birm and well I'm so used to using the front brake, that's what I did and the nose went right into the soft stuff and I went over the bars. Got up no problem, but then had another incident with the front brakes too. So I started trying to get use to using the rear brake more (Pretty much NEVER do this roadracing).

So my the guy I was riding with suggested doing, what one of the track day orgs had us do when I first go into that, which is try riding around at a pace that you don't have to brake at all. Basically causing you to just focus on other areas while eliminating that one. Then get comfortable with those things, then add the brake back into.

But I was curious is there any other training techniques that can help with, braking, turning a dirt bike (Completely different than road racing) I can slide the rear to turn but then in the back of my head this little voice says "That's not good" now I know this has to be done, so how do people transition, and get use to the differences between the two styles of riding?

 

[Bodge]

Keep practicing.

 

[rollerman]

dont feel so bad got back into dirt about 2 months ago ..riding in my area i hit the front brake andfilled my pockets with sand . iwas laughing so hard that a neighbor thought i had broken something....

tom

 

[lbk]

Well the keep practicing thing I've defnitely got down. We went two weeks in a row, and plan on going this weekend too. I can definitely relate now to what my wife feels like just beginning to ride. That's what dirt feels like for me, feels like I'm learning to ride all over again.

rollerman, thanks glad to hear that I'm not alone in making those kinds of mistakes.

 

[dante]

On a road bike you tend to lean into the turn with forearms parallel with the ground, managing your ground clarence by hanging off more instead of increasing the lean angle... On your dirt bike it's completely the the other way around... You have way more ground clearance to work with... You lean the bike down, elbows up leaning on the opposite side of the bikes seat than you would on the street... Straighten out your leg to help with balance and getting more weight on the front tire to keep it from washing out... Also your body weight is way farther forward towards the front wheel than on the street... On the street your keeping most of your body weight on the rear tire staying loose on the bars... Whereas on the dirt your keeping your weight as far on the back wheel as you can... After hitting the apex for your exit you'll want to spill weight back on the rear tire to get the traction you'll need for your exit...

 

[Shig]

Motor learning is based on modeling, practice and feedback.

Modeling: Get a visual image of the proper technique by asking alot of questions, getting a book on riding techniques, spending a day in a riding clinic, watching the faster riders, buying a copy of the Great Outdoors II video.

Practice: Perfect practice makes perfect. It will take more than 100 repetitions of a new technique to make it a reflex or habit. It's tough to build new reflexes for dirt when you have so many habits from the street, but it can be done without losing your street skills. I'm always amazed that I can go from a motocrosser to a MTB and still have the correct reflex for the front brake even though the levers are oposite.

Feedback: Have someone watch you or follow you around. Video taping will work wonders, especially if you can watch it while you are still at the track. It's tough to make effective changes to your technique if you have to go all the way home to see what you are doing wrong. Compare your lap times both before and after learning a new technique.

 

[lbk]

Thanks for the help everyone.

I like the ideas, and after riding this weekend with someone who knew what they were doing I can definitely see that as helping. I will check out that video, and I'm sure as I get more into this I'll start getting more exposed to ideas and things to try.

 

[freakaccident]

I had the same exact problem. I landed on my a$$ more than a couple of times by using the front brake. I practiced just running slow and using the rear brake on every corner slowly increasing the speed. Very hard to do coming from the street. My biggest problem at first was keeping my foot on the rear brake. I never needed to before and it just wasnt comfortable. Practice!

 

[SpectraSVT]

Its just as difficult the other way. I rode a street bike for the first time after riding on dirt for 3 years. Lets just say I probably looked real stupid sticking my leg out around corners on the street.

try learning to brake with both the front and rear. It does wonders for stability. Eventually you will get a feel for how much of each to apply in the hundreds of different situations you can get yourself into. After 3 years I still ocasionally grab too much front brake or miss the rear brake with my foot while grabbing a handful of front. It hurts but ya learn quickly.

 

[YZ165]

Lets just say I probably looked real stupid sticking my leg out around corners on the street.

:laugh: The first time I did a supermotard practice I think I was the only one to stand up on the start! Then late brake with my leg out for the first turn! Everybody was laughing! Including me! :laugh:

 

[rdrash2]

Took me almost 2 week's to find your thread dave. I'm slacking. At least you didn't want to puke after the trail he took us on. This dirtbike stuff is hard work. Much harder then I thought it would be