How to jump a bike?

[Mr Skid]

I've got the XT airborne on the way home the last few evenings, and it dawned on me midair that I'm not really aware of the correct technique to employ.

Last night I was going at a fair pace when it launched, and the bike sorta fell away underneath me.

It lands without any problems, but I'm not sure if I'm doing it right. Does anyone have any hints or tips they can share?

[NC]

I'm not condoning this, but.

See if you can get air over K'rd coming up from queen street, you have to do it in the early hours of a Monday or Tuesday morning. Oh and time the lights too.

[Trakxntrials]

You bad boy! Shame on you!

How you been anyway - since I met you at the Hamilton Trials.
Did you manage to get out of the property without Skkkkkkkkiddding?

I really think that you should come and join our club and ask one of the guys if you could used their bike??? I do know that NM hires them out for the day -
so that could be a possiblity?
Even if you don't want to join, but come and have a ride around some of the sections - it's fun

See you again soon

G

[Posh Tourer :P]

Land the back wheel first. Or so I've heard...

[Beemer]

I got all flustered there for a minute - until I realised the title was actually "how to jump a bike" and not "how to jump a bikie" - and there I was thinking I had some knowledge of this subject...

[Motu]

One of the up,or down sides of long travel soft suspn is that the bumps that were - bang,clunk...ah shit! on a sportsbike become - wheeeeee! on a dualpurpose.I like to hit things hard on the road,square,and with the throttle on,this loads the suspn and puts it into ''action'' mode - hit it on an angle with throttle off and you get ...sproing!,boing!,wollow,wobble.Keep the power on if you get air time,it's not as if you'll loop the bike,I doubt if you'll get 3m of air with an XT,the motor is strong and won't die....I used to let the XLV spin out to 8250rpm and hit the limiter with a bit of air,or a loose spot on gravel,sometimes you can feather it a bit,but land gas on,hard.Keep the front pointed where the bike is going,but sometimes it's a bit hard to tell...that's why you have the throttle on,to straighten it out.If turning you will be countersteering with the wheel off the ground,and need more lock to turn than if you were on 2 wheels,coming down is a big shake up,be careful there....

[vifferman]

What you do with the throttle and brakes in the air actually affects the attitude of the bike; if you blip the throttle, it tends to bring the front wheel up, and if you let the gas off, or hit the back brake, it drops the front wheel. Gyroscopic action / torque, and all that, y'know. So if the landing point is sloping away from you, having the front end down do both wheels hit at the same time is a good idea, but if it slopes up, having the front wheel up is good.

You can also use a bit of 'body english' before you hit the jump, and to adjust the attitude of the bike in the air too, to make sure the bike flies nicely, looks styley, etc. Of course, all this depends how long you're in the air - if you're only a few cm off the ground for a millisecond or three, it's irrelevant.

[clint640]

I'm sure as hell no MX star but the thing I find helps me pull off the few wussy jumps that I do attempt is having the bike in the right gear - if the front is too high, try a lower cog. If you are nose diving, hook a higher one. And stand up!

Cheers
Clint

[Mr Skid]

I'm not condoning this, but.

See if you can get air over K'rd coming up from queen street, you have to do it in the early hours of a Monday or Tuesday morning. Oh and time the lights too.

Any ideas what speed one would be doing to achieve this?

[Mr Skid]

You bad boy! Shame on you!

How you been anyway - since I met you at the Hamilton Trials.
Did you manage to get out of the property without Skkkkkkkkiddding?

I really think that you should come and join our club and ask one of the guys if you could used their bike??? I do know that NM hires them out for the day -
so that could be a possiblity?
Even if you don't want to join, but come and have a ride around some of the sections - it's fun

See you again soon

G

I took it easy exiting the property. I couldn't see much for the rain, and the front tire didn't have the best grip. Oh and I was running on-road pressures.. and..

Nothing to do with the rider though, certainly not!

I am reasonably interested in having a go at trials, it does look look like a fair bit of fun. I think I will probably wait until I can get into it properly though.

[hondacmx450]

Any ideas what speed one would be doing to achieve this?

i did it on my gsxr at 140 kph and it was gr8t ppl loved it and it was not at night it was lunch time saturday and my mates held the traffic up it was scarry but good
and i dont say it is a good ider iv been riding for years and it was a stupid thing to do

[duckman]

You don't have a relative called SK8rBoi do you???

[Mr Skid]

You don't have a relative called SK8rBoi do you???

SK8rBoi? Last I heard Bondage Bunny has him tied up in her gargre.

[Brian d marge]

What you do with the throttle and brakes in the air actually affects the attitude of the bike; if you blip the throttle, it tends to bring the front wheel up, and if you let the gas off, or hit the back brake, it drops the front wheel. Gyroscopic action / torque, and all that, y'know. So if the landing point is sloping away from you, having the front end down do both wheels hit at the same time is a good idea, but if it slopes up, having the front wheel up is good.

You can also use a bit of 'body english' before you hit the jump, and to adjust the attitude of the bike in the air too, to make sure the bike flies nicely, looks styley, etc. Of course, all this depends how long you're in the air - if you're only a few cm off the ground for a millisecond or three, it's irrelevant.

Yup that is true .... the correct way is as above ...but the method I use ....is easier

When you see jump ..think Speed ,,then just before the jump.... Bail ....and shut thottle off ..then with a vice like grip ...hang on to those bars for all your worth ....dont worry about your legs going past your ears .... remember you have long travel suspension ( doesnt help in the slightest ,,but its a comforting thought ) .....and as long as you hold on .....( if you see the back wheel follow your legs ,,u in heap big trouble kingosabe,,,)
It not look pretty ,,,but its effective ,

The one I am having trouble with is the drop off .. I know you have to wheely off them ,,,but I just cant bring myself to wheely off a cliff right now ,,,,yesterday I spent the day setting up the bike and maybe today I will practice a bit ,,,
But Yesterday I spent the day being launched out of the seat ,,,the flying W ..( preload to soft or technique ?? dont know )
Anyway once you get the hang of flying you will never look back

Stephen
who is a ...Limp wristed whoos rider

[texmo]

where is that sk8erboi