Dirt Bike Trails

Motocross is my favorite thing to do on a dirt bike, but when I can’t get to a track, I love to ride the trails. Motocross trails are generally safer than motocross trails, and are great fun to ride if there are challenging obstacles. This article will give you an idea of ​​what motocross trails are all about, the dangers that can lurk there, and some tips to protect yourself and your bike.

Trail riding is a cheaper alternative to dirt bike riding instead of motocross racing. There are plenty of trail riding areas in almost every state, so finding one within a reasonable distance shouldn’t be too difficult for most people. For those of you who don’t have state or local trails near you, or cyclists who just don’t want to pay for a state trail sticker, you can make trails on your own property if you have forests. I make my own offroad bike trails and they are great to ride especially with a few friends.

There are many things that make trail riding unique and unusually exciting. First of all, when else are you going to drive through the woods with trees flying past your face in a vehicle? It’s the adrenaline rush of trying to overcome obstacles on the trails that makes it so exciting. The things that make dirt bike trails challenging are hill climbs with no traction, trees that hit your hands, roots that throw you off balance, or hills that you bump into and fall on. Other things like fallen trees or added obstacles like big rocks, logs, cars, wooden walls and whatever else the riders can think of make it even more exciting. It’s that “I think I can” spirit combined with the adrenaline rush that makes trail riding so purely awesome.

Fallen trees

Getting past these items is easier said than done. Riding over large trees is not always easy to do, especially if the tree is at an odd angle. To get over big trees, you can’t just go fast and hope for the best. You want to ride nice and easy, otherwise you will end up tipping over or the bike will fall on top of you. To go over a large tree you need to sit further towards the rear of the bike and lift the front of the bike up with throttle and arm strength, then once you get to the top of the tree you need to Shift your weight toward the front of the bike so you don’t tip over. It often happens that the bottom of the bike hits the tree. This will scratch the frame and possibly the engine. Don’t let this happen, so protect the frame and engine with a Works Connection Skid Plate.

hill climbs

I love going up big, steep hills on my motocross, and it’s even more fun when there are trees, branches, and ruts to navigate in the woods. To have great trails you have to have elevation change, and that is sometimes hard to do if you don’t have state trails nearby. So if you have a fair amount of hills, you’re in luck. Driving uphill often requires momentum, traction, power, and balance. Of course, you don’t always need all of these, but they are the things that will help you get over those nasty slopes. Gaining momentum is simply building up as much speed before the hill as possible. This takes skill and guts at times, but it also makes driving that much more exciting. Traction comes from body positioning/balance, a good rear tire, and throttle control. Normally you have to put weight on the rear of the bike to get traction, unless the dirt is very sticky, and rolling with the power instead of breaking will allow more tire hook up. It’s the rider going up the hill and usually not the bike, but a little extra power can’t hurt (see my “FMF Fatty Pipe Review” for more power).

Roots / Furrows

Roots and grooves… “What’s the difference?” you can ask, and I’ll tell you because you don’t want them to be confused when you talk to another fellow traveler. Roots are the vines of trees that grow up on the trails, usually from a lot of wear and tear. They are usually not difficult to climb over, but if there are a lot of crisscrossing roots facing each other at all angles, they tend to lose their balance at times. Probably the easiest way to get over roots is to stand upright and stay neutral on the bike, that way you can more easily shift your weight if necessary, and you may have to use your legs for suspension if you hit a rough root or three.

Grooves are the grooves that form after continuous use of a line. The rut tracks are often so deep on dirt bike trails that the foot pegs drag on the ground. The deeper the routine, the more unpleasant it will be to get into and out of it. The key is to get maximum traction so you can get through the entire rut. To have traction you need to be smooth on the throttle and sometimes have momentum going into the rut. You want to get the most traction so you can go through the pothole, and so you don’t lie down and eat the dirt. Resting is fine if you want to do it on your own off-road bike trails, but try not to do it on state trails because it just ruins it for other riders.

rocks

Rocks can be very difficult obstacles to overcome. It’s not just the size of the rock that’s intimidating, but the shape also matters because it requires a lot more force to keep the bike balanced while riding over them. Going over a rock is similar to going over large logs, except you have to be more careful with weight distribution and throttle control. If you accelerate too much, you will tip over and fall if you are not balanced. There may be luck involved in overcoming large boulders, but it’s mostly skill and experience. Rocks can be dangerous for you and your bike. Your elbows can easily get scraped or punctured, along with the rest of your body. You can protect them with some Fox Elbow Guards, or your whole body with EVS Body Armor, you’ll be glad you did. The pipes can also be damaged; rocks dent, crack, and puncture pipes, sometimes beyond repair. Protect your two-stroke engine with a Pipe Guard from E Line.

Branches/Trees

What’s more annoying than your hands constantly getting whipped around by trees and branches as you try to hold on to the handlebars? I know I hate it, and I’m sure you don’t enjoy it. A good way to avoid branches is to stand up so that you can easily tilt and turn the handlebars. But to do this you need balance, strength and stamina. After a while, it gets tiring if you move the bike around, so instead of expending all your energy, you can protect your precious hands with a pair of Pro Taper Hand Guards.

All of these obstacles I mentioned and more give the challenge riders want. Riding dirt bikes is a relatively safe activity for dirt bikers. It’s even more satisfying when you’re riding trails you personally created. So if you have land, get out there and do some trails, even if there are state trails near you. Either way, get out and hit some trails, especially if you haven’t tried it. They are great, I can guarantee it!

Good luck and drive safe.

-Tom Stark