turning in ruts

[dkortje]

I'm developing a bad habit and need some advice in breaking it. When I enter deep ruts through turns, my bike wants to stand up. My natural reaction is to push down on the inside handle bar to lay the bike down, but all this does is push my body to the outside of the turn, in effect standing the bike up more. I know I need to lean, but just don't seem to be able to do that. Any advise on how to approach this turn with more confidence. The ruts are fairly deep which makes leaning harder (approx 6-8 inches).
Thanks.

 

[CaptainObvious]

With ruts that deep it's impossible to do anything other than follow the path of the rut. Keep the power up lean the bike over, but not to the point where the pegs are going to drag and dig-in. If you get cross-rutted you best course of action is to stop and correct your line.

 

[TreeKiller]

I've found (by not knowing any better until I accidently noticed it) that if I weight the outside peg in a rutted corner the bike wants to stand up. I think by pushing down on the inside bar your effectively weighting the outside of the bike. I've found (I'm a fairly new rider, so, I could be wrong) that if I throw my weight to the inside of the bike, kinda like a sport bike rider, that I have better luck with bermed corners. Just don't try it on flat ones or you'll get dirt in your teeth.

 

[blackhawk468]

I've had trouble with ruts too, and the best thing I have found is to make sure you lean the bike to match the wall of the rut at the entrance and then sit down and get on the gas. When I started leaning the bike into the rut before I got there it made it alot easier and my bike would stay leaned and not stand back up. Make sure you are riding the wall of a rut and not getting in it. That makes a huge difference as well.

 

[Moto Squid]

look where you want to go, don't focus just past your front fender. It can be a difficult thing to practice at first and to get use to, in fact you'll probably go down a few times especially in the ruts. Keep on the gas too. It takes practice but it'll make all corners easier and faster

 

[Fark]

Originally posted by Moto Squid
look where you want to go, don't focus just past your front fender. It can be a difficult thing to practice at first and to get use to, in fact you'll probably go down a few times especially in the ruts. Keep on the gas too. It takes practice but it'll make all corners easier and faster

Exactly. Look waaaaay ahead. I used to concentrate on whats under the fender but you're always trying to over-compensate. Look way down the track and let the rut take you where it does.

Obviously, you should be scanning before you even enter it to see where the rut will take you. It's not always possible though.

 

[Tapkawiman]

One of the biggest things that I know to do is to do your braking before you get to the rut and excellerate thru the rut if you brake in the rut the bike has a tendency to want to stand up. You also want you to push in with our outside knee while turning. If it seems like the front wants to walk up you can drag the front brake a little to help weight it. And what I know that is my biggest mistake is that I dont trust the bike thru the rut and dont look far enough up the track, if you look at the rut in front of the tire you will screw it up. Absolutly have to look up the track. Hope this helps.

 

[wardy]

TRY forgetting the rut is there at all, don't go in it, square up and just ride across it. many times riders see these berm ruts and think as they do the corner they HAVE to use them..........wrong, don't be afraid to just change you line through the corner and go right over the top of them all. Do this with diligence and determination, trying to do this move with any second guessing and you will find the ground.

wardy

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Originally posted by wardy
don't be afraid to just change you line through the corner and go right over the top of them all. Do this with diligence and determination, trying to do this move with any second guessing and you will find the ground.
wardy

I can attest to that from my experience at DW. Coming out of the wooded section on the big track during the B race I found myself in the roost of 3 bikes in front of me. By the time I could see I found myself looking into the face of a tree. By the time I corrected my coarse to stay on the track I found I wasn't lined up for the big rut that was there. I attempted to cross-rut it but at the last second wasn't sure if I should've. Results; went down because I tried to change my mind. I had plenty of momentum to go over the ruts but I had to slow to line up with them and as I did I stumbled and the riders behind me didn't. Had to buy a new back fender after that. :confused:

 

[mx547]

Originally posted by wardy
TRY forgetting the rut is there at all, don't go in it, square up and just ride across it.

i often do that. i hate ruts. i'm the oddball that turns with a different radius than everyone else. the ruts rarely suit the way i like to turn. i've found that it's easier for me to just ride over them.

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Originally posted by mx547


i often do that. i hate ruts. i'm the oddball that turns with a different radius than everyone else. the ruts rarely suit the way i like to turn. i've found that it's easier for me to just ride over them.

And I think I've got a picture of you doing just that at Burleson in that little section that everyone about has to stop to make the turn.

 

[wardy]

Little added fun to this, I often do it just so that I can mess up the rut riders behind me..............imagine their surprise as they "railing" the corner only to find half way through there that some "a-hole" knocked in there line LOL, some times it can make for some interesting conversations!@

wardy

 

[dkortje]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone, this has really been a helpful post for me.

 

[Reesknight]

Originally posted by Jeff Gilbert
went down because I tried to change my mind.

That applies to most every obstacle on an MX track! Good thread with good info! :thumb:

 

[Tom Dixon]

When in ruts, don't look at where your tire is but where you want it to go. Also, keep the gas on at a steady rate but not over your limit.

 

[offroadaudio]

I read in an MX mag once to put your leg out in front as if going into a turn, when going into a deep rut. Keep it very high, even with the front axle. This sort of keeps your body weight forward so you are less prone to being pulled of the back. Worth a try I guess??

 

[motoman542]

when you go into ruts. Get your body up over the tank and lean forward.If you do it right you should almost see your front number plate.once you are oner the tank accelerate and look down the track not down at the rut

 

[whyz]

Originally posted by wardy
.imagine their surprise as they "railing" the corner only to find half way through there that some "a-hole" knocked in there line LOL,

Oh, So yourrrrrr the guy. My son does that too and he just cracks up when I enter it and there's a huge bump in there that throws me out and screws up my whole Ninja-like Zen. :silly:
I got these things at home .
Now I pin to it,shift down in it and roll throttle out of it.
Just as I enter it,I'm looking out of it. I learned this from DRN :cool:

I wish they could make a race with just turns,whoops and no jumps,
well maybe small ones,
for people that totally bite at jumping PERIOD! >> ME << :whiner:
I eat it in the whoops too,but I think their cool.

 

[RiDe_ABS]

weight ur outside peg..and look out ahead of you to where u want to go and not down at the ground in front of you..cuz ur bike goes where your looking

 

[AZMotoHound]

A little front brake action in the rut will help you to stay in it!

It's a hard technique to learn, but it works.

 

[wardy]

its funny you should say that, i been doing this stuff a long lonnnng time, and at dirt week 00 during the school i was talking to a rider and he said that. needless to say I was like hmmm that sounds good and later that day tried it, works but have to be careful also mite work a little to good!

wardy