Dirt bike recommendations?

[leathel]

early days in learning we used to do a lot of slow learning (not on soft sand!) and see how slow we could go in each gear, teaches you your stall speeds, clutch control and balance, then short steep hills etc once that was mastered it was back to slow hill climbs and decents but we had plenty of great land to ride on the farm back then...

The flat packed sand lower down at the beach is good for slow learning, and wheel stands, donuts etc :P

[unstuck]

[george formby]

Beyond the basic physics comes the technique comes in and everything you say is correct, but pottering around at little more than walking speed actually makes riding more difficult in a lot of cases.

Yup, your right.
I'm from a trials / trail background so never really learned how to ride fast. Cases like badly pugged paddocks, tussock grass & loose rocks, like in streams etc require momentum & a light front end to negotiate without going over the bars. Yee haw, lean back & gas it.

[Jay GTI]

Yup, your right.
I'm from a trials / trail background so never really learned how to ride fast. Cases like badly pugged paddocks, tussock grass & loose rocks, like in streams etc require momentum & a light front end to negotiate without going over the bars. Yee haw, lean back & gas it.

Low speed riding is a skill in itself, one I'm not very good at (mainly because I am addicted to going... ahem, trying to go fast) so should be treated as another skill-set really.

My missus learned to ride a couple of years ago, she started with lessons from Tony at the Sandpit, but it took her a while to get the confidence to carry some speed. As soon as she did and clocked the momentum actually helped the bike get over obstacles and stay upright, she was away. Her 4th ever ride was a farm ride up Kaipara way and the last section was a creek crossing, a short hill climb and then a big open paddock. She would note it through the creek, fly up the hill then up into top gear across the paddock, with me in tow wondering how the hell she was doing it so easily and I was really having to wind the Kato out to get past her CRF150 at the end.

[BoristheBiter]

early days in learning we used to do a lot of slow learning (not on soft sand!) and see how slow we could go in each gear, teaches you your stall speeds, clutch control and balance, then short steep hills etc once that was mastered it was back to slow hill climbs and decents but we had plenty of great land to ride on the farm back then...

The flat packed sand lower down at the beach is good for slow learning, and wheel stands, donuts etc :P

One of the best things Birchy taught me was to try and go around in a circle at full lock.
Teaches throttle/clutch control, balance/bike lean/body position, back brake drag and vision.
Easy on the XR a bitch on the KTM.

[Ktmboy]

It's not about faster, it's about using the throttle for control. If you dive the bike into a corner & close the throttle it will turn into itself & fall over. If you dive the bike into a corner & open the throttle it will try to stand up & move forward. Slow in fast out is a well worn expression & true. Don't ride faster than you can see.
The speed of your turn & how much throttle to apply are the real skills. Grip is everything, to go faster you need to find more grip, to find more grip you have to ride better. Two tires touching the ground, the rider makes it move.

Throttle is not BL's friend. BL can be prone to the ole whisky throttle.
BL's friend is the clutch. Its all about clutch control and the more you use said aid the better you will be.

Yes the CRF230 has its limits but its a damn good bike to learn on. Unfortunately the foot peg position tends to make the rider lean way forward over the bars in the standing position. Hence it is very important to bend from the hips and put the arse out the rear.

These are basics that need hours of practice to get right. Its not going to happen in a couple of days. However i've had noobs getting it right in 1 hour.

[bosslady]

Throttle is not BL's friend. BL can be prone to the ole whisky throttle.
BL's friend is the clutch. Its all about clutch control and the more you use said aid the better you will be.

Yes the CRF230 has its limits but its a damn good bike to learn on. Unfortunately the foot peg position tends to make the rider lean way forward over the bars in the standing position. Hence it is very important to bend from the hips and put the arse out the rear.

These are basics that need hours of practice to get right. Its not going to happen in a couple of days. However i've had noobs getting it right in 1 hour.

Is there not something I can do about the foot pegs? (guess not). Yea, the throttle will send me straight towards some trees.. so i've uhh heard, lol.

[george formby]

One of the best things Birchy taught me was to try and go around in a circle at full lock.
Teaches throttle/clutch control, balance/bike lean/body position, back brake drag and vision.
Easy on the XR a bitch on the KTM.

+1 on all counts. In both directions....

[BoristheBiter]

+1 on all counts. In both directions....

then figure 8's.

[leathel]

Is there not something I can do about the foot pegs? (guess not). Yea, the throttle will send me straight towards some trees.. so i've uhh heard, lol.

From memory your pegs needed the stop welded a little to lift them as they sloped down a little, was going to suggest bringing the bike down to adjust bits and do some slow practice at the workshop lawn and carpark... Bit I have to pick up something Saturday now.....

[bosslady]

From memory your pegs needed the stop welded a little to lift them as they sloped down a little, was going to suggest bringing the bike down to adjust bits and do some slow practice at the workshop lawn and carpark... Bit I have to pick up something Saturday now.....

sounds like you've been naughty and bought something?

[leathel]

sounds like you've been naughty and bought something?

Nothing is bought...until money changes hands :P

Been a bit bad lately, More bits for the cruiser today, another tent for cold kiwi just arrived today too...ohh deer I need to stop spending and get back in black

[bosslady]

Nothing is bought...until money changes hands :P

Been a bit bad lately, More bits for the cruiser today, another tent for cold kiwi just arrived today too...ohh deer I need to stop spending and get back in black

I knew it! hey I'd still like to go to the beach one day maybe I can try and wheelie? maybe next month or month after....?

[leathel]

I knew it! hey I'd still like to go to the beach one day maybe I can try and wheelie? maybe next month or month after....?

We will get there....sometime

Only weekend free in September is the 7th & 8th now.....

Donuts and wheel stands and power slides

Also had a chat to another person today with a small block of land we can ride on....but I have yet to head to his place to see how small it is

[bosslady]

Well I am still going out of town this weekend to get some help with my riding however due to a change in living and financial circumstances (basically I am moving out of my current flat soon and my weekly expenses are going to go up shit loads) I won't be able to afford to maintain two bikes and a car and pay for all the extra petrol costs and entry fees to parks etc. etc. you get the idea. So, I am going to have to sell my dirt bike... which I am quite disappointed as I have ridden it f*ck all and have only just gotten started, also I feel like I've wasted peoples time who have tried to help me (on the net and in "real" life!). However, I am still going to keep my gear as that loses value pretty damn quickly and I might want to pick it up again another day when I am in a better position to do so. So... look out on trademe in the next couple weeks if you want a crf...