BEGGINERS GUIDE FOR TRAIL RIDING
As we all know, dirt bike racing is not always an easy, all happy ending scenarios. Sooner or later, a rider will eventually fall over and get injured. The thrill and adrenaline rush on these races are hard to resist that is why some riders are being reckless which results in some pretty nasty outcomes. These outcomes are not limited on the bike but o the rider as well. As for trail riding, it has less of the rush compared to dirt bike racing but there are still problems involved on it. These problems will always be present; you just need to figure out how to handle them.
To help you overcome these problems, here are 10 tips of things you need to know in trail riding.
- Don’t buy a bike.
- Most riders go out there and buy the machine and almost without fail this will be the wrong bike. If you’ve come used to riding a 1000cc plus sports bike, you will be convinced that having a big bike is what you need. You will thus go out there and buy a 450cc full on enduro bike like the Yamaha WR450F above, or even worse a converted 450 crosser. Start in small scale then make your way up as you make progress.
- Take advice.
- If you have friends who are into dirt bike for a long time, it is best to ask for their advices because it might help you to be better and avoid any unnecessary fails. They might give you some tips on how to ride smooth and how to overcome different stages and environments of every track.
- Join a club.
- Being in a group with a shared interest is both fun and educational. Not only will you be able to get an idea of what bikes they are using and why, you’ll find out where they ride, where is legal, where isn’t and you’ll get a chance to go out on rides with them. And as time will come, they may be your future best buds.
- It’s not motocross.
- To sum up, trail riding is having fun on a dirt bike. You can go and spend time with your fellow riders and generally going back to being a teenager, just practically having fun. It is not racing, it’s not competitive and it’s definitely not going as fast as you can through sensitive landscapes.
- Introduce yourself.
- When you are on your first try in trail riding, don’t be shy to introduce yourself to the run leader and tell them you are a novice and haven’t much off road experience. Also tell about your abilities, strengths and weaknesses as they will help you in any way they can. Let the leader also know about your medical conditions if there are any.
- It is not about the bike.
- It is not important to have a brand new bike on your trail riding. Though there will be guys on new machines, the majority will have bought second-hand and had their bikes a while. As long as your bike is reliable and can handle the terrain that your club rides. Just don’t go on a full BMWF800GS when the rest of the guys are on lightweight.
- Embrace Failure.
- If you genuinely can’t get up a steep hill or rocky climb, don’t be afraid to admit defeat and let somebody else help you or ride the bike up for you. It will take time and practice. Don’t get frustrated.
- No nails please
- Don’t turn up on a bike with known faults. Make sure you’ve got a full fuel tank, a proper silencer that does not sound like a Harley on straight pipes oh and maybe the correct plug spanner – bikes getting drowned in river crossings is not uncommon, and if you can’t get the plug out yourself, you won’t get the water out! If your bike is running inner tubes in the tyres – which it probably is – it might be a good idea to learn how to change a tube out in the middle of nowhere.
- Gear Up.
- When riding a bike, whether it is racing or trail riding, it is important to have the proper gears to protect yourselves. A good helmet, proper boots, riding trousers, body armour of some sort, knee and elbow pads (these may be integral to some jackets and trousers). It is not necessary to buy the most expensive gears, just make sure of the quality of the product.
- Track it.
A good way of tracking routes so you can ride them again are phone Apps such as Strava, Endomondo and others that will do the same at little or no cost and then you can transfer them to an old fashioned map. This apps however drain the power of your battery really quick, so you may need to fit a proper mount and docking point to your bike.
