Vegas 250 F

Member
May 14, 2001
52
0
I have just started going to practice at my local motocross track (Las Vegas, NV) and I am a beginning rider. I am having a real problem with the jumps. I am not quite clearing the table tops and some of the smaller step up doubles. When I land short I am really hurting my ankles. Both times I have gone to practice I have come home limping with two badly sprained swollen ankles. I know I should just hit the jumps faster and clear them,but I am not confident enough for that yet . . . Any advice how I can land on the top of the tabletops and not hurt my ankles. Is there a technique I need to learn? I ride with the balls of my feet on the pegs and my ankles are overextending when I land hard.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Bill
 
Last edited:

berm buster

~SPONSOR~
Apr 17, 2001
52
0
hurting ankles on landings

Hey Vegas, I think I can offer you some advice that may help.

First. Try changing your foot position on the pegs, on really hard landings
you could easily break your ankles with your balls of the foot on them.
Put the middle of your boot on the pegs instead. This should help a lot.

Second. When you land on a tabletop, try to have your bike in a neutral
position in the air, in other words the bike is level.
Right before you land, give the bike some throttle, this will help the rear
suspension take the force of that landing. Which will result in a much
smoother landing. Which will also result in you having a better time at
the track.

Let Us know if these things helped.
 

Vegas 250 F

Member
May 14, 2001
52
0
Thaks for the advice Berm Buster . . . I will try moving my feet farther onthe pegs . . .

I am too sore to practice this Friday, but I will definitely try this at practice next Wednesday.
 

MikeT

~SPONSOR~
Jan 17, 2001
4,095
11
Berm Buster, I think you shoud be "Jump master". Excellent advice.
 

vern#19

Member
Apr 23, 2000
126
0
boots?

Did you set your boots up so they were comfortable to walk in? If so then you should tighten them up so they give support when RIDING . I hurt my ankles too many times doing that same thing . tighten them up till ya gota walk like a cow boy babie.
 
S

Saratoga

Good advice in previous posts. Also, make sure your suspension is set up correctly. If the springs are too light for your weight some stock set ups will blow right through the stroke and bottom hard. Suspension that is set for your weight and ability should not bottom hard enough to break ankles unless you completely miss the landing. If you hit the face or case it, nothing will stop you from getting hurt.
 

BermBuster

Member
Apr 17, 2001
25
0
To add a piece of advice to the others .... In clearing the step-ups, I would make sure your rear wheel is higher than the front wheel. You can do this by either hitting your rear brake in the air, or backing off the throttle a second (estimate) before take-off.

Hope this helps.
 
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