CRcrasher

Member
Aug 16, 2001
4
0
OK boys hers a quick question.
When your climbin really soft hills is it better to go in a higher gear and try to get traction?
Or just haul on the throttle and use alot of momentum?
Im askin cause the other day i got stopped dead in some soft stuff near my place twice on the same hill!
next time id etter go up or im switchin to tricycle racin!
 

Kramer

Member
Jan 19, 2000
112
0
If it's smooth enough, take the highest gear and highest speed that the bike can pull. But speed won't do you any good if you get thrown off.
 

FMX_novice

Member
Jan 5, 2001
161
0
Take the outside line on the corner before the hill, use powerband on the straight before the hill and shift up when you come up to the hill, you want to be a gear higher then you would if you were riding a straight. If you start to get bogged down, power downshift and make sure your at a happy medium between powerband and stalling. You definately dont want to dig yourself into the dirt with a low gear climb.
 

cr125_king

Member
Apr 2, 2001
343
0
Here's how i do it.....

Wide open (on a 250) from the bottom of the hill starting in 1st or 2nd gear. I keep it wide open up the whole hill and power shift as many gears as i can. I never stuff 5th over the top of a hill because it's just hard to do . As i do this i'am also in control and not all over the hill. A new tire is also a good idea if your problem is getting good traction.
 

quadrunner

Member
Jul 20, 2001
48
0
It takes horsepower and speed to stay on top of the loose sand. Once you sink down, you just dig a hole in a low gear, or bog in a high gear. The key to making the top is having a good run at the bottom, in 2nd or 3rd gear.
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
Originally posted by FMX_novice
... and shift up when you come up to the hill, you want to be a gear higher then you would if you were riding a straight...
I have to disagree with that part. With the exceptions of 500s, my experience has been that it is necessary to hit a soft, steep, sandy hill on the pipe and keep the bike wound up.
 
Last edited:

orion163

Member
Mar 12, 2001
66
0
I keep it wide open up the whole hill and power shift as many gears as i can.

I dont know about where you ride, but where i come from, there is no shifting involved when riding steep soft hills, unless you ride a 500, as Gomer already noted.
 

Hucker

~SPONSOR~
Sep 15, 2000
999
0
Yeah, shifting gears and hills don't mix around here. Its either wide open in 1st or 2nd.
 

FMX_novice

Member
Jan 5, 2001
161
0
If you keep the bike high revving then you might dig a hole in the soft dirt and get stuck. Keeping the power smooth and tractable works for me. If you have lots of speed going in then riding in powerband will keep your momentum better, but when you start to slow down dont think you can tear an holeshot out of soft dirt on a 50 degree angle at 10mph. You might be able to pull a backflip if you've got mad power. Say, what kind of bike do you ride crcrasher. 125/250/500/450? A 4 stroke is more adept to climbing hills with its smooth power, so if you climb lots of hills or do steep trail rides maybe a wr/xr/dr/kdx would be a better bike for you.
 
Mar 31, 2000
68
0
I'm a hill climb fanatic.. I've been in this situation many times ( untill I bought a 500 ) IMO - unless your on a 426F a four stroke just doesn't have the punch for loose sand on a hill. The real loose stuff at the base of the hill can be tricky. If your play riding, role up and down a spot to pack it down. If not attack with lots of momentum and loft the front wheel slightly as you enter the hill. your organs my bottom out once and a while but once you get the nack of it you'll be walking up hills that you used to strugle on. this technique has helped me on unfamiliar hills that are intimidating.
 

CRcrasher

Member
Aug 16, 2001
4
0
thanx for the help boys!
As soon as i get my carb figured out from pouring out the overflows im gonna go give it another try!
Oh yeah i have a 250
-pro circuit pipe
-fmf powercore
-answer bars
 
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