Five Tips for Off-Road Riding
In the off-road adventure ground, you will face many challenges. Since, what you face during off road riding is very different from that you deal with on the roads. It means that now you have very less chance of making mistakes. Each mistake will bring its dangers and frustrations, which you don’t want to be a part of your trip.
Here are our five best tips for off-refactoring that will help you succeed through your off-road adventure.
Vision – The More You See The Better You Plan
Vision is one of the most fundamental factors in your off-road riding success, while other elements are correct body positioning, steering and traction management. But according to experts, most of the riders have a room for improvement when it comes to their vision.
All the information our brain processes in a given situation is coming through our eyes. Looking in just one direction is just not enough when it comes to dirt bike riding. This will not leave you enough time to respond appropriately to the diverse outdoor environment.
Making a response frantically at the last moment creates a sort of panic in your brain. It reduces your energy and makes it difficult for you to handle the dirt bike. The better strategy for having more fun from your adventure instead of frustration is keeping your head up and looking as far ahead, to make sure to keep a planned biking strategy while you ride your bike.
Fun – It is what you are seeking:
When you are looking far ahead on the trail, you have time to respond to your challenges at the right time. Be it a corner or an obstacle; you can now handle everything calmly that comes your way. This will save your energy, keep you relaxed and let you enjoy the ride.
When you feel that tension is building up in your head, you should find a way to relax. You can talk to yourself in your helmet, just to remind yourself to calm down and take a breath. When you are tense on a bike, your energies are quickly drained, and you wear yourself out.
Everyone has a different way of coping up with stressful situations. Some riders feel better when they get off the bike, walk around, take some deep breaths and stretch out. With experience, you will know when it is the best time to engage and tackle the terrain. You can also identify the points when you can fully relax. Therefore, experience increases your comfort level in various conditions which gives you better control on your dirt bike.
Better Body Positioning – Better Bike Control:
Body positioning on your bike determines your efficiency of handling the dirt bike off-road. When you stand on the pegs, you have greater control over your bike because you can see better while standing. Standing makes your weight dynamic on the dirt bike instead of your stationary sitting weight, slowing down the cycle.
If you have a habit of leaning on or pulling back on the handlebars, you may get exhausted very quickly as it drains energy faster. Exert a neutral front to rear weight bias, as it will let you use the particular wheels whenever required. The legs should support the body and use your arms for adequate controls.
Experts emphasise that it is better to focus on setting the whole body for steering. When you have already decided in which direction you have to move, now you can aim your upper body in that direction. When you push your knee into the bike, you will automatically put your weight on the outside peg.
When you are riding in the deep sand, weighting the pegs becomes more necessary because now you have to steer through that like a boat. Don’t go on doing significant handlebar inputs; just place a subtle weight shift that will drive your bike in the desired direction. Your feet should be in a “pigeon-toe” position toward the cycle, to save them from tree branches, rocks and other hurdles coming your way.
Steering – Focus on the front:
When you are off-road on your dirt bike, you can control several factors to stay in the right direction. So we can say that when you are on your bike, be relaxed, look ahead and position your body in a correct way to control yourself and your bike. Don’t focus too much on the rear wheel while riding on streets; instead, keep the front wheels managed. The steering should be focused on directing the front wheel.
No matter how much your back wheels kick and turn and skip and spin, they will ultimately follow the front. Better control over the rear wheel ensures speedy entry into the corners. Your control over the rear brake, throttle and clutch will determine how well you are making the swift cuts. Shift your weight right in time to make the right move before it’s too late.
Traction Management – Clutch and Throttle:
Before you leap into the adventure, it is better to learn about the margins of traction you have. This integral part of training is better done in a controlled environment. You have more freedom to try these electronic features in these classes than you have in a remote territory. Once you enter your adventure well-acquainted with possible helpful traction, you will be able to focus more on enjoying the errand.
These electronic aids are just acting as a backup. When you activate your electronic aids, it means that you have exceeded your traction limits or braking limits. This is a clear indicator that you are still making mistakes, and the bike had to save you.
The Final Verdict:
The actual purpose of off road riding is to have fun, and it is just a recreational thing. Take your time to learn everything before you head towards a trail adventure. Learn your controls and best body postures to minimise fatigue and frustration.
Only if you are relaxed and excited than you will make precious memories, for your life, you will feel a kind of emotional attachment with your adventures.