Learning on a dirt bike

[Euro2018]

I've recently graduated to a restricted license and have an BMW F650 which I'm using to improve my riding skills and will become a regular ride. I'm also working towards full license by June 2018 and riding a bike around Europe in July 2018.
The BMW lives in another city and so I don't get to use it as much as I'd like.

I'm considering buying a 250cc dirt bike to hack around home (I live out in the country and not far from Kimmy's Motorcross Park) in order to get some more riding time, hoping to improve my confidence and skills.

My question, is riding a dirt bike off road likely to cause any bad habits that I will regret on the road ?

[KawasakiKid]

Riding a dirtbike offroad is an excellent way to learn more about riding but will teach you nothing about traffic. If you intend this as your only training before your full licence and immediately riding around Europe, you probably won't survive. You need good road and traffic experience before jumping in the deep end, we ride on the right too of course....your brain will not adjust, very dangerous for you and us. Please think again.

[Euro2018]

I won't ride in Europe by myself, I'll make sure I'm with a couple of NZ friends or preferable a German friend.
Dirt bike certainly won't be my only experience. It's mostly just to get some confidence handling a bike.
I've already done the Ride Forever Bronze course (on my BMW) and am booked for the Silver course in August (again on the BMW).
I understand that the dirt bike is no substitute for road time, it will be a supplement. My concern is that it teaches me bad habits (you make a good point about no traffic, but I'll likely ride it around the country roads near home as well, until I get my BMW here.

BTW - if there's anyone here who lives in/near Hamilton and has time to go riding during weekdays and wants a riding companion, do let me know. I'd prefer to go riding Mon-Fri, daytime so I'm home for family during weekends.

[cods4]

A dirt bike is an excellent way to build up skills that you can transfer to the road.
The best thing about having experience in the dirt is getting used to the feeling of losing traction and being on the limit of your available traction.
So when you are on the road and you feel your back wheel sliding out when braking into a corner you know how to correct for it and get it back in line instead of panicking and coming off.

[ellipsis]

A dirt bike is an excellent way to build up skills that you can transfer to the road.
The best thing about having experience in the dirt is getting used to the feeling of losing traction and being on the limit of your available traction.
So when you are on the road and you feel your back wheel sliding out when braking into a corner you know how to correct for it and get it back in line instead of panicking and coming off.

...yeah exactly...and it will help in stopping you hit dogs ...

[russd7]

...yeah exactly...and it will help in stopping you hit dogs ...

but only as long as you don't go and get rider training (sarcasm in case one actually believes this )

[Ocean1]

My question, is riding a dirt bike off road likely to cause any bad habits that I will regret on the road ?

Yes.

But it'll cause far more good habits that will come in fucking handy in the long run.

The fact is on the road the critical time you need to nail is the second before you die. Almost by definition that's the time you're at or beyond the limits of your ability to control the bike. On a dirt bike you're at that limit far more often and for longer periods of time and subsequently you learn far more quickly how to manage at those limits.

So it's a good idea, do it, go have some fun. Let us know when you can do full lock figure eight power slides at walking speed on a greasy paddock and then we'll talk about what doesn't translate to the road.

PS: get a dirt bike that's reliable but won't mind a few scrapes.

[Madness]

I'm pretty sure Kimmy's is closed and has been for a while, awaiting new owners to re-open.

I agree with the others, dirt biking will give you loads of extra skills that will probably show up on the road as as instinctive responses to shit happening.

If you do buy a dirty bike and struggle to find places to ride send me a pm.

[russd7]

truly is a good idea, even the likes of rossi still do a lot of training on dirt bikes. biggest thing i think is ya get used to the bike moving around under neath you meaning ya don't panic every time ya get a little slide on the road and add to that you don't shit yaself every time you come upon an unsealed road or roadworks

[Euro2018]

Thanks for all the advice, I'll go ahead with buying a hack, off road bike. Fortunately, I've also solved the road bike storage problem, so that's coming home in a few weeks. More riding of both. Yay !

[Akzle]

full lock figure eight power slides at walking speed on a greasy paddock

pix or it didn't happen old son

[Euro2018]

Just bought a Yamaha AG200, year 2002 (although the year probably doesn't matter as they've probably produced more identical AG200s than McDonald's has made hamburgers.

It's just down the road from me, so will likely collect on Friday.

Might go for a hack up Thompsons Track on the AG200 this weekend if I don't go on the BMW (pipe & slippers optional) organised ride on Sunday.

[Ocean1]

Just bought a Yamaha AG200, year 2002 (although the year probably doesn't matter as they've probably produced more identical AG200s than McDonald's has made hamburgers.

It's just down the road from me, so will likely collect on Friday.

Might go for a hack up Thompsons Track on the AG200 this weekend if I don't go on the BMW (pipe & slippers optional) organised ride on Sunday.

That'll do. Just remember it's an ag bike, not an mx bike, keep the speeds reasonable.

[YellowDog]

Just bought a Yamaha AG200, year 2002 (although the year probably doesn't matter as they've probably produced more identical AG200s than McDonald's has made hamburgers.

It's just down the road from me, so will likely collect on Friday.

Might go for a hack up Thompsons Track on the AG200 this weekend if I don't go on the BMW (pipe & slippers optional) organised ride on Sunday.

Congrats to you. As has been said, dirt bike riding will teach you skills you would find difficult and expensive to learn on the road.

Enjoy

[Cosmik de Bris]

I rode motocross as a young lad and only rode competition events, motocross, grasstrack, that kind of stuff. When I got a road bike later on in life the one habit I found hard to break was sitting on top of the bike when cornering instead of dropping off the side.

Cheers