Spinning out coming out of turns

[HajiWasAPunk]

For most turns, other than wide sweeping ones, I usually downshift to 2nd. One turn in particular has a jump fairly quick after it and so you can tell if you got the turn good because if not you don't backside the jump (about a 40 foot table).

Alot of times, even though I feel like I'm carrying more momentum into it, when I get back on the gas in 2nd, the bike seems to be spinning a ton and by the time it really starts tracking, I seemed to have lost a lot of speed. And cosequently don't clear the jump or bounce off it, which screws up the whole section.

Am I not getting back on it soon enough?
Sitting/leaning to far forward?
Getting on it to hard as opposed to rolling it on?
Still not carrying enough momentum into it?

 

[Thumper96]

are you using the clutch at all try slipping the clutch so your still flying out of there but not spining

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

I thought I should only tap the clutch if the bike was out of the power?

 

[CRguyStan]

I would try to load the outside peg, have your inside leg straight out as possible, have your arms somewhat straight to put more weight over the rear tire, and like Thumper96 said, feather the clutch.
On a 125 for MX you will feather the clutch on about every tight turn, if not on the pipe you are losing ground. A skilled 125 rider will make a novice think he is going to blow the thing up because they are always using the clutch to stay on the pipe.

 

[Masterphil]

You want to get as far back as possible until one of 2 things happens.
1) You start to slide the front tire from loss of traction in the turn.
2) You start to lift the front end too far.

If you watch someone like bubba ride a 125, his front tire only touches the ground for about half of the turn, then once he gets on the power, he starts to steer with the rear tire by maintaining lean and traction. Another must, You must keep a 125 singing to move at anything that resembles a quick speed. A 125 MX bike has a very narrow powerband that you must stay in. Just another reason why it takes a more skilled rider to effictively use a 125.

The short and simple, once you start to turn on the power, shift your weight back until the front starts to lift.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

You want to get as far back as possible until one of 2 things happens.
1) You start to slide the front tire from loss of traction in the turn.
2) You start to lift the front end too far.

:cool: Great advice stated very clearly!

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

Well I gave the advice here a try today and it definitely helped. Particulary the "far back as possible until" advice from Masterphil. The clutch work helped, but this seemed more of a bandaid than to really address the problem (loss of traction). It'll take several practices to get the habit broken of getting to far forward, but I saw some results already, thanks!

 

[Masterphil]

Sometimes body positioning alone is not enough to controll traction.

If the front starts to lift and shifting the weight forward dosen't help, don't let off the throttle, just slip the clutch a little. This will happen when you have lots of traction, loamy dirt.

If the rear starts to spin, and shifting the weight dosen't help, slip the clutch a little. This will happen in mud and hardpack.

You're never going to be in the perfect position all of the time, or in the right conditions to be able to use all of the power, the clutch lets you maintain throttle position and concentrate on controlling the rear wheel with only 1 controll device instead of 2. On a 125 your clutch is the controll that you use most, Ideally leaving the throttle pinned the whole time to make sure that the engine is spun up. The last thing that you want is to let off the throttle and drop off the pipe.

 

[c&b745XX]

Absolutely Masterphil , learn to keep her throttled up and use the clutch for momentum control ..
Yah " like he said " .........

 

[Masterphil]

Man I wish I could ride as good as I can tell others how to ride. Doing is much harder than saying, that's too bad...