Falling in love with the dirt bike

I believe that trying out new things is the best way to stay young at heart while growing older. I started feeling the desire to learn how to ride a dirt bike earlier this year, but it wasn’t until a month ago when I decided to take the risk. So far, the learning curve has been steep for me, but I’ve hit a few milestones.

My Dirtbike

As a starter, I wasn’t quite sure on which bike would work out best for me, but after a few consultations, I decided to go for a small-wheeled Honda CRF150R. I bought my dirt bike from http://www.magicbike.net/dirt-bikes-for-sale/ if you’re interested in one yourself.

learning-how-to-ride-a-dirt-bike

Getting started

Everything for me was trial and error on the first day; learning to load and unload the bike seemed like something I would never master on the first attempt but which I eventually did.

  • After that big success, I rode around in big circles in the first gear for what seemed like ages. Whenever I tried to go for the second gear, I would miss it miserably, and kept missing time and again. Most of the time I would stall and couldn’t restart the bike; I had to get my brother to do it for me every time. This became my biggest challenge. I would also say that it was the beginning of my dirt biking education. Here are a few takeaways I came away with at this stage:
  • You have to get your body position right
  • I realized that the only way to navigate bumps and obstacles involve standing, and I rode my bike in this position about 90% of the time .You will probably need to crouch a little rather than stand and then spread your body out for balance while keeping your hands free and elbows strictly out of the way.
  • Plant your feet in the ground when the need arises
  • Use your two natural wheels from time to time, and while that knee will blow out along the way, a few weeks of practice will make this kind of action almost flawlessly instinctive. I had better hold when I kicked my leg directly out and twirled the toes upwards.
  • Learning the jumps requires strength, brains, and agility.

I used to marvel at the spectacle of scrawny riders launching 250-pound beasts into the air and landing them as sleekly as can possibly get, and this might actually have been a pull factor for me joining the sport. However, you will need to know that these maneuvers require plenty of effort, practice, and technique.

Dirt Biking as a sport goes back many years but the first official dirt bike competition went down only in 1952,after which hundreds of similarly structured events sprouted up. Today ,this is more than a sport; it is a way to the top for some, a hobby for others and a health regime for an even bigger lot. The right dirt bike for any competition, as I came to realize, depends on the terrain involved, so take a good look at your riding zone before splashing the cash. While at it, avoid using your dirt bike on highways and streets. It’s expressly prohibited.

My adventure with the dirt bike may be a little more enjoyable now than when I started out, but it’s far from over. I have learned that the key to getting it right lies in daredevilry and practice.