Jumping???

[owenlo]

I used to ride motocross for many years and I moved and sold aLL MY stuff and never got back into it until now . I recently bought a NEW bike and am getting back into it again. My problem from the past has come back to haunt me too. When jumping I never know if the bike will go nose up in the air or nose down. Sometimes it will be perfect but more often than not it will be SCARY ( either close to an endo or coming out from under me ). How can I remedy this problem?
Obie

 

[Anssi]

The same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

 

[KiDX]

Originally posted by Anssi
The same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

Couldn't have said it better myself. You have to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

 

[owenlo]

c'mon

I know that somebody has some kinda tips on the subject other than "the same way tou get to carnegie hall". there are some rules to follow as far as wieght distribution, accelleration, braking etc. A few tips on the basics would really help other than turning someone loose without a clue as to the basics. Some REAL tips would really help engrain some GOOD habits rather than BAD habits. PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[kingriz1]

Hi,

I got a little online booklet that has a little of everything in it. I just gotback to riding after 16 years. It really helped me alot. What is your email address and I will send it to you. Also do a search in the riding techniques forum for jumping.

Sincerely,

kingriz1
[email protected]

 

[cybert]

Hey Kingriz1, can I get a copy of it also ? My email address is [email protected]

 

[owenlo]

Thanks

This is my e-mail. I will be looking forward to getting that. [email protected] Thanks Again

Obie

 

[YZr1der]

that sounds like a good read... would you mind sending it to me too:cool:????
my email is [email protected]

 

[YZDezertGuy]

Well... while your at it, drop me a copy to please... im at [email protected]


Thanks a ton~!

 

[Jaybird]

Try squeezing with your legs on the jump face, being far enough forward to be able to see your plate, and try using a gear higher than normal for awhile till you get use to hitting the jump balls out.

No book can take the place of practice.

 

[roostinbe]

start with basic body position. having a nice shiny new bike, and new gear makes it hard to go practice on the 80cc track, but if you want to become a good jumper, you gotta start out small and work your way up. staying loose in the air is one of the hardest things for beginners to remember, but it is the only way to maintain perfect control in the air. squeeze the bike with your legs, and be sure your weight is centered over the bike. your head should be near centered over the bar mounts. bend your knees, and arms a little, and STAY LOOSE! jumping should not be russian reulette, you should be able to predict what the bike will do, and change the attitude of it if needed. in mid-air, tapping the brake will make the nose drop slightly, and pinning the throttle will make the back end drop slightly. the faster the wheels are spinning, the greater the effect will be. another way to control what you are going to do off of the jump, is to watch your acceleration very carefully. chopping the throttle off of jumps will make them extremely difficult to clear, (if they have any substantial distance). be sure to accelerate smoothly off of the jump, this will also keep your bike level, as opposed to having the nose drop when you chop the throttle on the launch. practice as much as possible on these techniques. GOOD LUCK! Have fun

 

[Boozer]

here is my post that i wrote over on Thumpertalk a while ago.
I am far from an expert on a bike, so answers to your question from other members will help me also. But, here is my uneducated answer to some of your questions.
When approching a jump, you should be in the attack position (knees gripping the bike at the junction where the tank and seat meet, legs slightly bent, elbows up and out, head up over the cross bar). Forget about pulling up on the bars, you should be using the throttle to control the take off. Asses the jump as you approch it. A gentle ski slope style jump can be hit with the gas on all the way. Back off when you leave the jump, and providing you are in the 'attack position', the bike should remain in good shape. Jumps which are steeper than this tend to kick the rear of the bike up, and therefore sending you into a nose dive. To stop this, you need to give the throttle a 'blip' just as the bike hits the end of the ramp. This will drive the back of the bike 'off' the jump, rather than being 'kicked' off the jump. Again, the attack position can be used. For example, cruise at half throttle while approching the jump, and just as you are about to hit it, give the throttle a jab.
Jumps which are well worn usally develop kickers at the end of the take off ramp. Dangerous as they will seriously throw the back of the bike up into the air. In these situations, its best to back off the gas just before hitting the ramp. Once there, start feeding the gas until you get to the kicker at the end. At this point, give the throttle a good strong burst to drive the rear wheel over, just like before. Shifting your body weight slightly backwards before hitting the kicker will help the rear end to absorbs some of the kick.
Once you are in the air, and the bike is in bad shape, you do as you have mentioned :throttle on to bring the front up, and rear brake to bring it down. Don't touch the front brake, this will cause a serious nose dive (i guess, never tried it!)
if you are in trouble and you freeze, the more air time you have, the more dangerous it becomes because the bike has more time to flip or endo.
Not sure how you jump with the balls of your feet, but everyone i know uses the arch of their feet. This enables good rear brake access when in the air. Be sure to always have one or two fingers on the clutch when you are in the air. This way you can stop the engine from stalling if you need the rear brake.

 

[KDXDan]

How about sendin me a copy.

kingriz1,
Can you email me a copy to [email protected]. Thanks.;)

 

[padrutt199]

can i have a coppy to heres my adress [email protected]

 

[blackhawk468]

mind seding me a copy as well? [email protected] thanx

 

[kingriz1]

The booklet is mainly basic stuff. Great for me and a good refrsher for the rest. Let me know if I missed sending it to anyone.

Happy Riding,

Riz

 

[chadk01]

How about one more copy, PLEASE:)

[email protected]

 

[Vegas 250 F]

I Would also love a copy if it is not too much trouble. Thank you!

[email protected]


Thanks,

Bill Wilson

 

[MX823]

Some good advice was giving. I actually was just working with some rather new to the sport on the same thing about a week ago. I am by no means an expert and still am working on my technique too.
But I have taught a couple people so far on how to hit medium sized jumps. And it greatly improves confidence and riding when you aren't thinking about how am I going to land etc while turning laps.


I first started of with the newbie at a table top of about 30 feet. I had him listen to my bike paying attention as to where I was on the gas. After I asked him what he heard and where. And re-enforced what I did. I told him he should gain his speed in the flat before the jump [not accelerate at the last second or anything ] but to be consistant and smooth as you approach the jump carry your momentum up the face and just upon take off give the throttle an easy blip! This will load the rear shock a bit and give the front wheel a little lift. Do it a couple of times. don't preload or do anything but be smooth. If he was coming up short I told him to increase his speed slightly on the approach, if long decrease. But also when he left does he need to increase or decrease the blip at the top of the jump. if he was nose down a little more throttle blip when leaving and vise versa.

Now this assumes your suspension is set pretty close, and that you are positioned correctly and don't try to muscle the bike and pull up on the bars.

Try this on a table about 30' and just let the bike do the work, use approach speed to control ditance and the last second thotle blip to control the front end.


Yes there are jumps where you need to preload and hold it on all the way off the face but those are jumps that you need not worry about just get the basics firsts.

Once you feel comfortable try a slightly different jump using the same technique. you should start to get a feel for the bike .


Motox is about reacting to the feeling of the bike , once you know what it feels like to do it right , you put yourself into a position to correct slight mistakes.

Find a double less than 20' or a single and one inwhich you are hitting and feel comfortable but not perfect. Start to work on using the rear brake.
1st just pull the clutch in, while in the air do it till you feel confident you can find it and use it in the air.
2nd pull in clutch and give it a little gas do it till comfortable

3rd incorporate hitting the rear brake while doing the above just tap it at first it will drop the nose slightly.

on the approach get prepared

pull the clutch and give it gas so as not to stall the motor.

expirament with how hard to tap
you should notice you are now starting to land consistantly on the landing.

it is good to know how to do this since once you get confident hitting the smaller stuff you are going to want to go a little bigger. You will be able to correct slightly now.

I know some of this may be basic but having never seen you jump or know your expirence it is tough to say.

just remember take it slow , don't feel pressured if everyone else is hitting the 65' double. Cause if you are not ready and do go for it you are likely to get hurt and you are not going to get any better in plaster.

As far as positioning goes[body] your chin at all times should be over the tripple clamp , stand and with just in front of your arch of your feet on the pegs. and relax. a tense body makes it harder,

I hope this helps you or anyone else at this stage. I know the guy I was working with recently was able to benefit from it.

 

[MO-dirt-AR]

also, don't forget a firm grip on the handlebars!! (after my wife was learning on a small single jump and her right hand came off the bars in mid-air....she got it back on before she landed and landed ok, but strained her thumb ligaments grabbing back onto the throttle)

 

[Boozer]

that sounds like a one-hander to me!

 

[owenlo]

THANKS MX823

Thanks alot MX823, those are some real good easy training excercises that I think will be perfect for fixing the problems I used to have back when I raced MX, Before I get back into it practicing the same technique I used to have. I am in a" learning again" stage of my riding and now is a great time to fix the old problems. Thanks again.

Obie

 

[alanreeves]

kingriz1...
just one more copy, PLEASE :)
[email protected]

 

[aharoncross]

One copy for me , Pleasssssssseeee :)

[email protected]

 

[chooch]

Hey kingriz1,

Maybe you should post it and give a link so you don't have 20 other people asking for "Just ONE more copy". And oh, btw, can I get a copy too?:)

[email protected]

JohnnyB