Whoops again!?!

[MRKRacing125]

Well, I finnaly have gotten the bike that will make it through the whoops with out throwing me off! 01' yz125. Anyways, I did a search on how to go through the whoops, but didnt come up with anything great. Now here is my question, if you gun it just before the whoops in like lets say top of 2nd into 3rd and you hit the first whoop will you still be able to keep the front end from diving? I know you have to keep your weight back, and keep constant throttle position, but is that just what you have to do. I think I just need the gumption to go through them! Will be practicing them tommorow:p

 

[monkeybutt]

whoops

To keep the front from dropping in be in an agressive attack position,pull back on the bars, keep your weight on the pegs and towards the rear.Let the bike rock underneath you while shifting your weight and pulling on the bars as needed to skim the front tire across the tops of the whoops.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I think every set of whoops are different, so generalities are of questionable value. (But here goes, anyways... :scream: )

If you carry the front end high, it has to come down sometime and you might have trouble depending on where it comes down. I find it more predictable to keep the bike fairly level and let the front hit (hopefully lightly) almost every whoop.

(This applies to the kind that are too close together to get down in and double or triple through.)

Remember, this is the advice of an old, fat, slow guy...hopefully some of the young or fast guys will explain their approaches. :)

 

[Jaybird]

Sorry, another old, fat, slow guy....

I like to come into the whoops sections in a higher gear. Most of the best whoops riders I see have it about 3/4 pinned in third...I like to come into them in 4th. (like Gomer said, every section is different) When I'm in a higher gear, it seems I have more control and it seems smoother. If I do blip the throttle accidently, it seems I don't have as much adverse reaction as I would in a lower gear. I like to stay neutral comming in, and if luck is with me, then the first landing will be on top and the rest is cheesecake.

All logic goes out the window at an arenacross! :p

 

[KawieKX125]

There are three methods to going through whoops with a couple general rules. They are stay in one gear, grip the bike with your kneew, and NEVER LET YOUR WEIGHT GO FORWARD!!!!!
Here are the three methods;
1)Skimming, This is the most common method and really takes no skill, just guts. You must lean back, grip the bike and pin it. If the front wheel goes too high, do not let off the throttle, just pull the clutch in a LITTLE. Do not drag the rear brake either. As long as your suspension is set up right and you are gripping the bike with your knees, you will go straight. When I can put videos on the net, I will post some of me going faster than Gary Semics through a set of whoops at his track. Very important to grip, lean back and skim the front wheel, do not wheelie through.

2)Doubling/tripling. This is self explanatory and only really works on huge whoops that have big spaces between them. YOu must have very precise timing and speed control.

3)Front wheel placement-This method is good for whoops that change size or a short set of whoops. You wheelie through a couple then lightly set the front wheel to continue with one of the other 2 methods of whoop riding. I never use this method as I can not set the front wheel down very lightly.

Once again, never let the front wheel drop or you will take a big soil sample.

Hope that helps!

 

[HiG4s]

While everyone says do not lean forward, which is good advice, you need to be careful about leaning back. I have even seen pictures of how to do whoops where the rider has his back end all the way out over the back fender. The bike can be like a bucking bronc when going through the woops and if you behind is too far back the back of the seat or rear fender might just launch you over the bars. I speak from experience, now I keep my weight back as far as possible while keeping my rear from hanging out there as a target.

 

[YZDezertGuy]

Everyone seems to have their own technique. Heres mine, i prefer to take the whoops section in ONE gear, I never change unless i HAVE to. The most thing to remember is to grip the bike TIGHT w/ your leg (knees), I prefer to be over the center of the bike. When i ride LONG whoop sections i stay over the front of the bike that way the back end can bounce how it needs. I find this a great style for desert whoops. At the track i usually lean back a LITTLE bit but prefer to be over the center. Best thing to remember is to hold on tight w/ your legs!

 

[KawieKX125]

On a small bore bike, leaning back is critical as they do not have enough power to carry the front wheel through a whoop section. It is also important to lean back so that you do not get thrown forward when the bike contacts the whoops with the rear wheel. There is a limit to how far you should be back. Be back as far as you can go without the fender slapping you and be forward far enough to still have the use of your legs as a little bit of suspension.
HiG4s-If you are really far back and the bike is bucking all around, you may not be holding on with your knees tight enough, your suspension could be very, very badly maladjusted, or you could be letting off the gas a little. When the bike is accelerating, the rear end tends not to rebound to quick and keep it from bucking around.

 

[Jaybird]

Kawie,
I suggest you try a KTM 125sx. Plenty of power to carry whoops or whatever.
I watched some A races(125) the other day and the very best whoops riders had thier head over the handlebars, and their rear was a bit back...sort of a modified attack position. I feel that being neutral and compensating for whatever comes is the best method.
I aslo noticed you are now including squeezing with your knees in your tutorials.:)

 

[KawieKX125]

Haha Jaybird! But, I still stand still on the fact that I was not saying in the other thread not to grip with your knees, I was just saying an easy way to go about it! Anywho, I do agree that the best riders can go through in the attack position, just look at MC, but from what I learned at the GSMXS school I did and from what I have experienced, the easiest way to go fast through the whoops short of having big cajones is to lean back, hold on and pin it!

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I may be way off base, but I don't agree with squeezing the bike with your knees while going through whoops. I find it easier to let the bike move around under me, something I couldn't do if squeezing the bike with my knees.

I do maintain a firm grip on the bars and shift to the balls of my feet, though.

 

[KawieKX125]

Good point Gomer. I forgot to say that you should be on the balls of your feet. Adds a little bit of suspension in your body. Gary Semics also mentioned that when you are gripping the bike with you knees, you should be able to slide your knees forward and back to let the bike pivot under you. I would never get the ckicken wing syndrome with my knees though. That could prove very bad.:eek:

 

[bashn]

Dang! I should have read this thread yesterday! I tried to double through a set of 7 tall, widely spaced whoops. I came in fast in 3rd, hit the 1st whoop and cleared the 2nd as planned. I kept too much wieght forward, causing the forks to compress on #3, launching the front end to the sky! Through divine guidance I managed not to loop out. However, the bike now lands on the back of #4, compressing just rear wheel as the front wheel clears the 6th. You probably guessed this soon progresses to the ugly endo riding position! I save it one more time, clean my shorts, and move on. Moral of the story- Keep you wieght slightly back of center. Keep the bike level by pulling up on the bars if it starts to dive. Don't chop the throttle.

Hey, they don't call me bash'n for nothin!

Mark (Sen Nov)