redcell98

Member
Mar 13, 2004
1
0
Can you help me? I just got a dirt bike in december of last year and am now trying to learn how to jump kinda far. I have this really small jump in my back yard and can go five feet when i jump off it. If you can give me any tips i'd appriecate it.
 

Jeff Gilbert

N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 20, 2000
2,963
2
Jumping can get quite involved, not sure if anyone can safely tell you how to do it. I assume when you say you are jumping 5 feet now that you are referring to distance??
All I can tell you (that I can think of at the moment) is to make sure you are in an attack position as you launch and it helps to land on the gas so the suspension will absorb the landing. Take it in small incremements untill you know how you and your bike will react and understand body positions and techniques to correct attitude for landing. A lot of what determines jumping is the type of face the jump has on it as well the speed and attack you hit the jump. If the jump is so short that both wheels won't fit on it I'd move to a safer jump before you are kicked over the bars. The best type of jump is a tabletop with a fair amount of face, probably 15 -20 feet, the angle of the face shouldn't be too steep. If you can find one with a gradual landing, that'll make it that much safer. I was fortunant enough to practice on one like I mentioned that was about 55-60 feet accross and it came up way short a bunch when I 1st started.
How you attack a jump can make a lot of difference. If you've ever seen AX/SX, a lot of those really big jumps are hit in 2nd gear, some of them in 1st gear, going fast isn't always the key, it's how quick you are going. Make sense?

Good luck
 

podia

Member
Aug 31, 2000
187
0
Jeff Gilbert said:
Jumping can get quite involved, not sure if anyone can safely tell you how to do it. I assume when you say you are jumping 5 feet now that you are referring to distance??
All I can tell you (that I can think of at the moment) is to make sure you are in an attack position as you launch and it helps to land on the gas so the suspension will absorb the landing. Take it in small incremements untill you know how you and your bike will react and understand body positions and techniques to correct attitude for landing. A lot of what determines jumping is the type of face the jump has on it as well the speed and attack you hit the jump. If the jump is so short that both wheels won't fit on it I'd move to a safer jump before you are kicked over the bars. The best type of jump is a tabletop with a fair amount of face, probably 15 -20 feet, the angle of the face shouldn't be too steep. If you can find one with a gradual landing, that'll make it that much safer. I was fortunant enough to practice on one like I mentioned that was about 55-60 feet accross and it came up way short a bunch when I 1st started.
How you attack a jump can make a lot of difference. If you've ever seen AX/SX, a lot of those really big jumps are hit in 2nd gear, some of them in 1st gear, going fast isn't always the key, it's how quick you are going. Make sense?

Good luck

Hi Jeff, I know some of those SX rider attack those huge double and triple in 2nd gear on their 250s. I'm wondering the surge of powerband wouldn't loop their bike out right away when they are off the ramp? If they are in 1st gear, wouldn't the effect amplify? :think:
I have been trying to clear jump using lower gear, but would always jump nose high, for example, I can clear this long double, hitting it at 4th. but always have problem using 3rd gear. I have jump it in the attack position, but still nose high.
by the way,i'm riding a 125, please advice. :worship:
 

Jeff Gilbert

N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 20, 2000
2,963
2
podia, When you hit a jump tapped out in the powerband the back wheel is only going to spin so fast. Hitting a jump at the same speed in a lower engine rpm gives the bike more opportunity to increase the real wheel spin in the air if you are staying on the gas.
The quicker the rear wheel increases speed in the air is what will bring the "nose" up. As the back wheel leaves the ground, at a lower rpm, in other words when you have the ability to rapidly increase the speed which the real wheel is going to turn, the more of a chance the front end is going to come up high. Of coarse there are so many variables it's almost impossible to say for sure what's causing it without actually experiencing the jump 1st hand.
I have had some luck doing the seat bounce technique over small jumps that tend to kick the front high but they usually are smaller jumps and this style of jumping can get you into trouble quick.
 

podia

Member
Aug 31, 2000
187
0
ya Jeff, I understand if I hit the rev limiter, the rear wheel is gonna stay spinning that fast.

I could clear a jump at maybe half throttle at 4th gear with the bike level out in the air, but would always have problem with 3rd gear (at 3/4 or more throttle), it would goes nose high up.

I can always jump at the same speed(for both 3rd and 4th gear) but at lower rpm and that's 4th gear. I still can't really figure out how the 250s pro could do it at a lower gear, higher rpm, on such steep jump face. :think:
 

va_yzrider

Member
Apr 28, 2003
353
0
Commit and be aggressive (aka attack position, stay on the throttle, etc). If you are apprehensive about the jump, you are going to screw it up. I feel that if you stay aggressive and visualize the flight and landing, then you will come out on top (of the bike, that is). It also helps to have someone there that you can watch a few times and maybe even follow over the jump to get your speed right. It is definitely a learning process. It is normal to be a little scared or nervous about a new jump, but if you are petrified over it, don't do it. Better to live to ride another day. Just take your time.

podia, ever notice how much the pros preload their front suspension on jumps? I think this is how they keep the front low in conjunction with perfect body position on the bike. Panick braking will also help, but I think the preferred method is getting your head over the number plate.
 

Reesknight

~SPONSOR~
Oct 31, 2002
942
0
its all about body position and whether your accelerating, decelerating or keeping a constant speed and the jump face. A constant speed is the safest IMO and you can keep a neutral or centered body position. If your accelerating off the face of the jump and the jump face is flat(no kicker), then a forward body position, head over the number plate, will help level out the bike in the air as it will tend to want to go front wheel high. Tapping the rear brake will also help bring the front down. If your decelerating, then the front end tends to dive and a rearward body position will help, just make sure it don't kick your butt over the bars :eek: I like to do all my accelerating before the jump and keep a constant speed over it, but thats not always possible, depending on run up to the jump and corner speed.
 

tedkxkdx

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 6, 2003
393
0
When the pros hit those big triples they have a ramp that is very steep and us spodes would think it is basically 90 degrees feeling but most of us are probably use to doing ramps with angles of 15-25 degrees. The pros do go nose high for the first part of the jump but then can adjust in the area and usually by pushing the bike away from them. I noticed that at one web site the guys are doing whips and go like heck at the jump and at the bottom of the face they are letting off and are just barely accelerating as seen by the roost kicked by the rear wheel. I would venture to say that your body position is different when using 3rd or 4th and hence in 3rd you have more front end high attitude. http://www.adbmag.com/html/pages/riding/arch/whip.html
http://www.acemotocross.com/whip_principles.htm
movie 32 is the one I am referring to.
 
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