5 Tips for Dirt Bike Beginners

The thrill of racing may be the first thing you notice, but that's only half of the game. Racing KTM dirt bikes is an exciting combination of brain and brawn, and it can also require a lot of practice beforehand. Whether you're a beginner and just learning the ropes of motocross, or you're a seasoned expert who's brushing up on the basics, here are a few things to remember as you learn to operate your new toy.

Throttle and Clutch Control

Figuring out the throttle and the clutch is all about timing. The more you ride, the more you'll learn how far to roll it and when to let up. Of course learning how to use the throttle and clutch together can be a bit of a challenge when you're just starting out. Take it slow and test them out at different speeds and different locations around the track. The biggest mistake you can make it thinking that you have everything on your dirtbike figured out - because accidents can happen, and then can keep you off your bike longer than intended.

Balance

You'll learn the balance more as you ride, but it can be similar to riding a bicycle. Many beginners choose to sit while riding their dirt bike, but often times can't achieve the correct balance while sitting down. Get in lots of practice time, and work on being able to stand up on your dirt bike. Sometimes you will have to hand over control to the dirt bike, which you can't do when sitting.

Body Position

While balance is still key in learning where to position your body, you'll have to learn how to position yourself for various obstacles. Whether you're cornering, taking jumps, or hitting berms you'll learn to develop a feel for the correct placement of your body for every obstacle the track throws at you. If you watched motocross, sometimes the rider and the bike will be parallel to the ground on a curve - yet because of the way the hold themselves on the bike, they don't tip over.

Vision

While looking down may feel natural when you're riding your bike, it's not going to get you the best results. Many new riders struggle with this, because while they see a rut, rock, or root, they become fixated on it, resulted in actually crashing into it. As a rider, you have to be able to look down the track and prepare for what's coming next so that you can adjust your throttle and clutch accordingly.

Memory

Being able to memorize the track can be what sets a good rider apart from a great rider. The race is just as much about being able to use your brain quickly as being able to ride a 250 lb. dirt bike down the track. By learning the route and realizing that it's not all about speed, you could have a better chance at winning. Racing is a mental game, you've got to be able to take yourself out of it at the start, don't be distracted by the shinier, bigger bikes, and don't be intimated by speed.

Best Dirt Bikes at the Lake of the Ozarks

Surdyke Yamaha is proud to be serving the Lake area with all of the equipment necessary to accomplish your adventurous dreams. Whether you've dreampt of sailing the high seas (or the lake!) on a new Lake of the Ozarks yacht, or you want to feel the wind in your face as you whip around corners, and down streets on your street bike - we can help. Our team has over 40 years of experience and we've been working on this type of equipment for many years. Visit our showroom today and we can introduce to to some of the best Lake of the Ozarks dirt bikes. At Surdyke Yamaha, you really do ride on our reputation.

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