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There have been several threads on this subject if you can find them but here are a few tips.
- Keep the gas on when leaving the take off ramp. It will shoot you higher but the front wheel will stay up.
- Get over the rear fender more to help keep the rear end down.
- When you realize that the front end is dropping in the air, spin the rear wheel and it will pull the front wheel up.
- Body english in the air can help to raise the front too.
- Try not to hit the jump where a lip has been worn in. Aim for a smoother part of the jump off to the side of the take off ramp.
Good luck and practice on smaller kicker jumps until you feel comfortable with the techniques that I discussed.
- Keep the gas on when leaving the take off ramp. It will shoot you higher but the front wheel will stay up.
- Get over the rear fender more to help keep the rear end down.
- When you realize that the front end is dropping in the air, spin the rear wheel and it will pull the front wheel up.
- Body english in the air can help to raise the front too.
- Try not to hit the jump where a lip has been worn in. Aim for a smoother part of the jump off to the side of the take off ramp.
Good luck and practice on smaller kicker jumps until you feel comfortable with the techniques that I discussed.
One other thing to check is that you are standing on the pegs in the run up to and on the face of the jump. Sitting on the face of jumps pre-loads your suspension causing your back end to 'bounce' up off the face of the jump therefore lowering your front end.
If you plan on sitting down off the face of a jump: hold your gas pinned until you are in the air. This will level out the 'bounce' and put you higher in the air. This technique is rightly called "seat bouncing".
If you're going to stand: just find a smooth line of the the jump, stand up, pinch your seat with your knees and roll the throttle on evenly.
If you plan on sitting down off the face of a jump: hold your gas pinned until you are in the air. This will level out the 'bounce' and put you higher in the air. This technique is rightly called "seat bouncing".
If you're going to stand: just find a smooth line of the the jump, stand up, pinch your seat with your knees and roll the throttle on evenly.
I too am an old guy who found the same problem. When I was a kid I never even thought about it, jumps just happened. Now that I think about it constantly....I find that I can do a jump without gripping with my knees and my front wants to dive, if I DO grip with my knees on the exact same jump, the bike jumps fine. I hate the taste of dirt!:D
Been there (recently)
KDXgeezer
I'm 49 and ride a '00 CR250. This is my first dirt bike that I purchased last year. I too have experienced the same problems as you. I recently have been able to (almost) clear a 15-20 foot table top. OK you younger riders, go ahead and laugh at us.
I found that I had a habbit of chopping the throttle near the lip of the jump out of fear of going too fast and over jumping when just the opposite was happening. The front end would dive and not look or feel very good.
The past couple of weeks I got the "stones" to hold the throttle on the jump face and the bike actually behaves MUCH better. It makes a nice arc through the air. I also have found it better to be a gear higher, say 3rd instead of 2nd. That way I'm not "on the pipe" and risk hitting the power band as I leave the jump causing the front end to launch into the sky.
I keep my helmet over the cross bar when I jump. I'd be careful leaning back AND holding the throttle on the face of the jump. Try a "normal" standing position first while holding constant throttle and see how the bike "flies", then adjust your body position.
So we older riders are just more cautious I guess. We have to go to work during the week and can't afford time off work because of an unexpected "get-off".
Take care... you're not alone.
Be sure to give us an update. I like to hear what others have tried and the results.
KDXgeezer
I'm 49 and ride a '00 CR250. This is my first dirt bike that I purchased last year. I too have experienced the same problems as you. I recently have been able to (almost) clear a 15-20 foot table top. OK you younger riders, go ahead and laugh at us.
I found that I had a habbit of chopping the throttle near the lip of the jump out of fear of going too fast and over jumping when just the opposite was happening. The front end would dive and not look or feel very good.
The past couple of weeks I got the "stones" to hold the throttle on the jump face and the bike actually behaves MUCH better. It makes a nice arc through the air. I also have found it better to be a gear higher, say 3rd instead of 2nd. That way I'm not "on the pipe" and risk hitting the power band as I leave the jump causing the front end to launch into the sky.
I keep my helmet over the cross bar when I jump. I'd be careful leaning back AND holding the throttle on the face of the jump. Try a "normal" standing position first while holding constant throttle and see how the bike "flies", then adjust your body position.
So we older riders are just more cautious I guess. We have to go to work during the week and can't afford time off work because of an unexpected "get-off".
Take care... you're not alone.
Be sure to give us an update. I like to hear what others have tried and the results.
Re: Been there (recently)
Well put John. I think the neutral standing position is best with medium throttle. I have noticed something similar to this when riding my friends bike. When I jump my YZ125, the front goes high in the air frequently. I have to be very aware of it and make sure I'm over the bars to keep it down when jumping. Now when I jump my friends 93 CR250, the front ALWAYS nose dives so I have to move back when jumping and rev the bike in the air.
I'm not sure but I think the CG of my bike is back farther and the CR has its CG more forward.... Not sure though.
Well put John. I think the neutral standing position is best with medium throttle. I have noticed something similar to this when riding my friends bike. When I jump my YZ125, the front goes high in the air frequently. I have to be very aware of it and make sure I'm over the bars to keep it down when jumping. Now when I jump my friends 93 CR250, the front ALWAYS nose dives so I have to move back when jumping and rev the bike in the air.
I'm not sure but I think the CG of my bike is back farther and the CR has its CG more forward.... Not sure though.
Maybe I'm trying to do stuff with a KDX 200 that it was not meant to do. This is a woods and enduro bike and I know it doesn't have the same beefy forks as an MX bike, or the extreemly fast throttle response. But I think I should be able to do some moderate jumps. Does anyone else use a similar enduro bike on MX tracks just for recreation?
No, no, no.
The KDX is a fully capable bike. Its all in your technique and body positioning. You need to practice and you'll get it.
No one has mentioned this yet but we are all assuming you have the clickers on your suspension set up properly. For example if on the forks you had the compression set at FULL SOFT and the rebound set at the slowest rebound setting. All that along with your shock set up with the quickest rebound and stiffest compression.... That would contribute to you nose diving, I think you get the picture.
Make sure your settings are pretty "neutral" Your bike is COMPLETELY capable.
The KDX is a fully capable bike. Its all in your technique and body positioning. You need to practice and you'll get it.
No one has mentioned this yet but we are all assuming you have the clickers on your suspension set up properly. For example if on the forks you had the compression set at FULL SOFT and the rebound set at the slowest rebound setting. All that along with your shock set up with the quickest rebound and stiffest compression.... That would contribute to you nose diving, I think you get the picture.
Make sure your settings are pretty "neutral" Your bike is COMPLETELY capable.
I believe the KDX 200 has only a compression damping adjudtment on the bottom end of the fork tubes. No rebound adjustment. It set towards the stiffer end of range. So I think thats ok.
Back shock I left at factory setting as I believe the factory sets it up for a 150 lb rider. I am 150 lb.
Bike is probably set ok, rider just needs to work on technique. At 46, I'm a tad old for picking up dirt riding, but I'm havin a ball and my 10yr old boy is a major grin factory on his Suzuki JR80.
Back shock I left at factory setting as I believe the factory sets it up for a 150 lb rider. I am 150 lb.
Bike is probably set ok, rider just needs to work on technique. At 46, I'm a tad old for picking up dirt riding, but I'm havin a ball and my 10yr old boy is a major grin factory on his Suzuki JR80.
I agree the kids really make you proud!
Just look at my 12 & 14 year old boys ride.
Click their names below.
Matt Age-14
Ryan Age-12
Good Luck!
Just look at my 12 & 14 year old boys ride.
Click their names below.
Matt Age-14
Ryan Age-12
Good Luck!
My $.02 ,
You should rarely get over the rear of the bike on a jump unless there is a kicker that tends to kick the rear end up. Small take off ramps, where the front is already off while the rear is just starting to compress will kick the rear up, You NEED to be on the throttle to prevent this.
Normal jumps should be jumped in a central/neutral body position. This allow you to compensate when the attitude of the bike is unexpected. If you consistently jump nose low, you are probably choping the throttle (or else sitting on the jump face, another no no unless you are prepared and on the throttle).
Jumping with your weight back is dangerous in my opinion. You have a higher chance of looping out if this is done BEFORE you leave the jump. Shifting your weight around should really be done after you are in the air to compensate for problems.
You will notice a lot of fast guys seem to be over the back of the bike. This is ussually because they are going faster than needed to clear a jump and are braking on the jump face. They shift weight back since they are not jumping under power. This is an advanced technique (IMO) and should only be done after you become comfortable jumping (and are comfortable making mid-flight corrections).
You should rarely get over the rear of the bike on a jump unless there is a kicker that tends to kick the rear end up. Small take off ramps, where the front is already off while the rear is just starting to compress will kick the rear up, You NEED to be on the throttle to prevent this.
Normal jumps should be jumped in a central/neutral body position. This allow you to compensate when the attitude of the bike is unexpected. If you consistently jump nose low, you are probably choping the throttle (or else sitting on the jump face, another no no unless you are prepared and on the throttle).
Jumping with your weight back is dangerous in my opinion. You have a higher chance of looping out if this is done BEFORE you leave the jump. Shifting your weight around should really be done after you are in the air to compensate for problems.
You will notice a lot of fast guys seem to be over the back of the bike. This is ussually because they are going faster than needed to clear a jump and are braking on the jump face. They shift weight back since they are not jumping under power. This is an advanced technique (IMO) and should only be done after you become comfortable jumping (and are comfortable making mid-flight corrections).
