I'm mildly excited...

[NordieBoy]

Hmmm. I'll have to put it to him then.
It's also cool to watch what your bike is capable of too

I know most of the theory but the application is lacking as evidenced by my mad motorcross skillz.

[warewolf]

Is it best to stand up when riding along the flat & downhill if on "technical" terrain? It seems natural standing going uphill.

Stand up, unless it is flat and straight, or very smooth. Stay centred on the bike. Don't lean forward/back, but rather stay upright and let the bike come to you or fall away on the hills. Shift your hips more than your shoulders: bend zee knees to get your weight up front, poke your bum out to shift weight back. Weight over the front on corners.

Don't coast with the throttle closed, 'specially in the corners. Keep the drive on, it will make the bike handle. Footpeg pressure and drive will keep the back end of the bike pushing the front where you want to go, no matter which direction the front is pointing.

In the snotty slick stuff, you don't want to be accelerating much if at all, you'll just spin up the rear; nor do you want to have a closed throttle and get compression lock-ups. Keep the throttle on enough to maintain your speed and keep the wheels turning.

Yes, it is a subtle balancing act, both wrt body and throttle position.


+1 on the training session for me, too.

[Padmei]

Excellent thanks WW kinda confirmed some things I thought. Alot of it is what I try to do while MTBing, it is the weight thing of the moto that changes the technique for me.

I think the big thing is I close the throttle off around tight bends. Is it better to ride the clutch a bit? When I get more experiencd/ confident I'm sure it will all come together in a more relaxed way.

Went for another cruise into wairoa gorge & took my time doing a few steep hills etc. Very cool. I'm just loving riding at the mo & can't wait till summer & dust

[warewolf]

Alot of it is what I try to do while MTBing, it is the weight thing of the moto that changes the technique for me.

That, and the fact that applying power settles the bike, makes the rear shock do its thing, and floats the front. I've worked out my hardtail mtb is front-biased: you have to pound the front through stuff because that's where the suspension is, the rear will follow. A rigid is nowhere near that front-biased, and neither is a motorcycle especially not anywhere you can be on the power working the rear.

I think the big thing is I close the throttle off around tight bends. Is it better to ride the clutch a bit?

Closing the throttle is fine while you are under brakes, but be either on the brakes or on the throttle.

I ride the clutch A LOT, both on the 200 2T and the 640 4T. Dipping the clutch on transition from brake to throttle can save two gear changes, or a whole shiteload of revving in the next gear down. The more I ride the clutch in the dirt, the more I ride the clutch on the road!! It's probably the most under-utilised control on a motorcycle, possibly due to racers' clutchless shifts being so cool - when done properly - so people aim to use as little clutch as possible. Road racers that I dirt ride with often say, "must learn to use the clutch more", they treat it as almost an on-off switch.

[JATZ]

My riding was getting better, I thought, until I had an unexpected off around a harmless easy corner. For some reason my front wheel just slid under & I was on the ground looking at my scuffed new handguards. I was annoyed.

Any tips for riding technique?

Ps I love my bike & riding it too

Could be worth a try

[NordieBoy]

Could be worth a try

Hmmm... I'll see if Shane has done that to his TT350

[Padmei]

Hey jatz are they on a DR ?I dont think they would fit on Gonzo