Should I be leaning more forward?

[Masterphil]

I wish I could make myself DO what I KNOW… Last weekend I went out to Podium 1 for a Sat./Sun. Practice/Race weekend. The track was prepped and watered to the n’th degree. The dirt was deep and soft; a perfect traction situation if there ever was one. So, what’s the problem!? My problem is that I know I need to squeeze with my legs, keep my weight forward to help counteract acceleration, and hold on to the bars only tight enough to operate the controls. Too damn bad I can’t make myself do it! By the time I finish the first lap, and actually realize that I need to be squeezing with my legs, my hands have already turned into big balls of non-responding crap. The next three laps are a struggle just to hold onto the bike, much less ride at a pace that I KNOW I can ride, a pace that I rode ALL DAY the day before without too much problem.

This pisses me off so bad. I’m not even riding hard enough to get winded after a moto. I know I can ride much faster than I do during a race. I just can’t seem to get my hands/arms to cooperate with me long enough to finish a moto. If I ride easy, they don’t cramp. It’s the constant acceleration, holding myself onto the bike with my arms instead of my lower body, that is killing me.

Clearly, what I'm currently doing isin't working! :bang: I know I need to squeeze more with my legs, but do I really need to lean further forward? Or do I need to scoot further back on the seat AND lean more forward. One more example of dirtbikes not fitting tall riders. This pic is a pretty fair representation of my form mid-corner:

(Now THAT is one HIGH QUALITY photo!!!)

 

[Okiewan]

Riding in deep loam is a lot like mud or sand ... you tend to try to hold on a lot tighter. The deeper the soil the farther BACK you should be (keep the front light and from plowing, tucking; you having to hold on for dear life) and the harder you need to stay on the gas, try to steer the bike with the throttle, treat the front like a rudder. There is no rest in the deep stuff!

Then again, brakes are optional, berms can be blown-up, roost lands on your head and goes down the back of your jersey... :aj:

 

[ellandoh]

you look like your mom just told you to sit up straight at the dinner table.........LOL

looks pretty good to me your foot is in a good spot, if you were in all out race mode in that corner it looks to me youre in a pretty good spot, maybe just get the hunch down on the bars a little more. when i sit up that straight and hit a whoop or unexpected bump i dont like the jar on the old back. remember these are just opinions from an intermediate dismount artist

 

[Okiewan]

intermediate dismount artist

Good one :)

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

That picture is throwing me off, it looks like your head is out over the bars and yet you look fairly straight from the waist up and and also look like you maybe a a sitting a little far back (which would seem not possible if your head is out over the bars [you do look tall though])? Tough to tell from just one pic. Is your outside elbow up? That will definitely help (see below).

I've had the exact same problem (where I seemingly can practice ok, and then be worn out 2 laps into a race). And it seemed like everytime it gets better, I get just a little faster and it comes back.
One thing that has helped me was my elbow position even during straights. I was assuming that the acceleration problem causing me to squeeze too tight was mostly from turns, but an instructor pointed out to me that I had gotten a little sloppy even in straight aways. I was standing up, squeezing with my legs but my elbows were down. I went back to consiously keeping my elbows up even in straight aways which seems to really reduce the pull (it wears your shoulders out instead but they seem to last longer). Our instructors swear this arm position forces the bigger muscles of your upper body to help more.

 

[ellandoh]

intermediate dismount artist

Good one


i think i may have picked that up here somewhere, been so long i cant remember

 

[Masterphil]

That picture is throwing me off, it looks like your head is out over the bars and yet you look fairly straight from the waist up and and also look like you maybe a a sitting a little far back (which would seem not possible if your head is out over the bars [you do look tall though])? Tough to tell from just one pic. Is your outside elbow up? That will definitely help (see below).

That's my problem! Even though my head is over the number plate, I'm still too straight, AND I'm sitting too far back. I've already got the bar mounts moved and turned to the farthest forward position that they will go!

You're right about my elbows, I havent even been thinking about keeping them up.

Okie, that was my first experience with truly loamy dirt. The stuff was amazing. I never had to worry about washing the front or losing the rear no matter how hot I came into the corner.

This sucks. Finally getting serious about racing and having to undo 5 years of bad habits. :bang: