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Message: [QUOTE="Jaybird, post: 205881, member: 22283"] Being an old schooler...(ok no jokes)....I learned to ride sitting down. We used to take old rat street bikes and modify them for the dirt and we had those comfy seats. :) Like Wardy explained, it's better to start out correctly than it is to change later. I was lucky and had an experienced motocrosser explain to me how to ride correctly before I got too old to teach new tricks. What convinced me of the standing position was the "center of gravity" thing. Explain to your new rider the properties of gravity and how the lower the center of gravity on a dirt bike, the better control we have. This is best explained and demonstrated on a nice flat turn with lots of deep, loose dirt. (this method is for folks who already think they know how to ride, not neccesarily a beginner, but the explanation of it may help a newbie) Hit the turn sitting down...unless the rider is lucky and hits it right they will do one of two things...high side or low side. It's hard to find the middle point when sitting because when you are sitting your center of gravity is higher so you either lever over the top, or you have to bring the bike too far sideways and wash out low. With our feet on the pegs, we have lowered our center of gravity to the lowest possible point on the bike. At this point it's the leaning of the bike that is the key. Even if a washout or a highside is likely, one can compensate easily while on the pegs. Now when you are seated with you leg out for counter balance, you can still keep the center of gravity low by "weighting the outside peg". An A rider may look like he's sitting on the edge of the seat, but he will have very little weight there....it will be on his outside peg. Start 'em out correct and they will have fewer problems with this down the road. [/QUOTE]

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