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Dirt Riding


03tlrmo

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I rode a dirt bike this past weekend. It wasn't a big one just a simple 100. I went through turns trying to turn up as much dirt as I could. Bieng that it was a kids bike I was showing them how to take a corner with their foot out and gassing it to give them some idea. I haven't rode a dirt bike in 15 years. Point is that when I finished I got on my street bike got the tires warmed up on the way home and got some open green arrows lefties and I never felt my rear end hook up the way I did. On a couple of them I came out with spinning tires. I guess what I'm trying to get to in my long statement. Does dirt ridng increase cornering ability on the street or track? I have been canyon carving for about a year and I am not one of the slow ones but after ride that dirt bike I feel my turn almost 100% different. It's not that it's any faster it just feels like it has more force pressing through the turn.

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It really depends. Dirt riding can help, and it can hurt.

 

It helps because you're working the controls of a motorcycle. You're refining balance and throttle control as well as working on visual skills. Additionally, it's one of the best physical workouts you can find.

 

It can hurt because the dynamics are totally different, and if you try to apply one style to the other type of riding (i.e., dirt style to street/track riding), you're going to hurt yourself quickly.

 

A dirt bike, you steer with the rear. A street bike you steer from the front.

A street bike you stop from the front. A dirt bike you stop from the rear.

A dirt bike you push down under your body, keeping yourself upright and inducing massive lean on the bike. Try this on a streetbike and you're gonna eat pavement QUICK (ask me how I know).

 

Ultimately, it can be a great tool in keeping you fresh and healthy. However, you need to understand that they are completely different and you must be able to disassociate one from the other.

 

All that being typed as I sit here in sheer agony from the fire in most every muscle in my body, 4 days after spending 6 hours on my CRF-450... (and anxiously anticipating the next outing in less than 48 hours).

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I think more now that it has been a couple of days. It comes down to now what I think is an SR. The experience I had just built confidence in my throttle control which is helping me keep the bike in the power band throughout the turn. I will still be purchasing a dirt bike soon. They are alot of fun.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I ride MX all the time and I think it helps you get a better feel for traction. If you can get comfortable sliding around in the dirt it kind of trains your reactions for when that happens on the street.

 

The down side of riding in the dirt is you have to ride a dirt bike different from what you do on a street bike. You have to be able to ride one way on a dirt bike and another on a street bike. Sometimes you can develop habits on a dirt bike that won?t help you on the road. It?s important to be able to identify the things that are different.

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  • 7 months later...

A street bike you stop from the front. A dirt bike you stop from the rear.

 

 

Given your experience, I assume you're not implying that the front brake on a dirt bike doesn't do much?

 

Maybe you can clarify so new dirt riders don't avoid the front brake... like some new street riders do.

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Actually I have very little dirt experience (despite landing a 3rd in the Vet class this last Saturday), but you are correct. I was not implying that the front brake did nothing on a dirtbike. Just a VERY different dynamic.

 

The basic point I was trying to convey is that while dirt riding can help, it can also cause confusion for certain types of riders.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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