Alright ya “Noodle Head”… if you really want to strap yourself to a loud dragonfly-buzzing dirt bike, try to fly mach 3 through the forest, and fly 50 feet off monster jumps, you need to prepare yourself or you’re gonna get hurt. Here’s the 411 on Dirt Bikes.
Are you ready?
mountain biking
Hopefully you haven’t just said I want a dirt bike as you’re putting around on your training wheels. You need to take the proper steps to qualify yourself for the speed of a dirt bike. Get a mountain bike and ride some trails. Start with some small hills and then see if you can handle some really steep ones. Once you get comfortable with the speed and you haven’t found yourself crashing into trees, you just might be ready for a mini dirt bike.
Dirt Bike Demos
mini moto
Dirt bikes are small and light motorcycles that have rugged tires and lots of suspension. They are built for riding off-road. Here’s a quicklist:
- Mini: As small as 50cc
- Trail-riders: Rough terrain (rocks and trails)
- Motocross: Speed, Racing & Jumping
- Supermoto: Racing on dirt and pavement
- Dual-Purpose: Off-Road and street legal
- Enduro / Rallies: Long trips, specializing in endurance
- Desert: Racing in the sand and dusty terrain
Getting used to the Gears
uphill ease
When you choose what bike you want to ride, make sure you can pick it up off the ground easily and when you sit on it, your feet touch the floor. The first place to ride should be completely flat with hard packed dirt. Take your time and learn how to control the gears.
jittery jumping
Once your comfortable with the way the bike speeds up and slows down, the way it turns and skids. Get a feel for different types of terrain. Practice on some small hills before you get to the big ones. If you want to learn how to do some jumps, make sure you have a good coach.
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