Have you ever ridden dirt bikes?

[dantama]

And if so, do you feel that it helps you with riding on the street?

I have, about 40 years ago. Scared myself so bad I never got back on one. As I remember I tried to ride up a steep dirt bank and ended up with a ducati on top of me.LOL. Seriously though,I think any riding that helps you learn different ways to control your bike is an asset.

[dank]

I think it helps on swerving, initial understanding of the clutch, and being ready for things to change quickly and make adjustments. Having motorcycle experience certainly beats trying one of these big V-Twins as a starter bike, and I rode my trail bike on both pavement and off-road, so the general experience helped.

But I think it has drawbacks in use of the brakes. Dirt and pavement are very different substrates. There are times you use the front brake on pavement that would just result in the dirt giving way and down you go on the trail. Similarly, I used to skid my rear tire on soil, with the dirt yielding in ways that would cause problems were I skidding and releasing my tire on pavement. Maybe my technique was just poor, but I relied more on the rear brake in trail riding than I do on the road. On wet grass, gravel, or slick spots the front one could get you in trouble in a hurry.

[blowndodge]

I have a XR600R desert race bike. Yes dirt bike riding skills compliment street riding.

[ringadingh]

Riding a dirt bike when I was younger really taught me how to handle a bike, I had a 125cc Jawa CZ that I could do almost anything on it. Cornering, braking, jumping, etc, became second nature on that bike. I also learned how to read a road and pick the best path to get around the track.Now that 35 years have passed since that bike I have a lot more knowledge about riding but I feel I have lost a lot of the skill I had back then compared to now. Trying something new back then to see how the bike would react wouldn't bother me, if I fell off I got back on and tried again, today I take the sure bet when I ride, I don't want to fall off with the Nomad under me, I don't think I heal as well today as I used to and asphalt isn't as forgiving as dirt. When me and my brother ride, he teases me now saying I ride like an old man compared to the old days on the dirt bikes. I still like to go fast once in a while but I pick a nice straight road in the middle of nowhere.

[flightdoc]

I can tell immediately if a student has dirt bike experience. I think it helps immensely in ones riding abilities.

I haven't ridden dirt bikes... something I've always wanted to do though...

[dantama]

I can tell immediately if a student has dirt bike experience. I think it helps immensely in ones riding abilities.

Thanks for the rider coach perspective.

For any that may have missed it in other threads, Flight doc is an MSF Rider Coach. Of course he has a lot of knowledge to share with the rest of us and his input is greatly appreciated always here.

Pay attention to his posts and I don't think you'll ever be led wrong.

I learned to ride in the dirt, and eventually had a Honda CR 500 dirt bike.

One of the areas that I think it helps on is understanding traction management. I had (and perhaps most dirtbikers?) an innate sense of how the traction pie works.

On another board that I participated on, there were many riders that were intensely fearful of gravel, none of them had dirt biking experience.

Another area in which I think it is helpful is just familiarity with the mechanics of operating the the bike. A new rider is doing some form of mental instructions like, let off the throttle, pull in the clutch, lift the gears up or down was it?, let the clutch back out, roll on the throttle.

All of that is mental resources that can't be used to scan for dangers etc. Free up all that mental energy and you can put it to better use. All dirt bikers have already learned all that before heading out on a street bike.

A confounding factor may be that dirt bikers are a self selected group of risk takers by nature?

[ringadingh]

A dirt bike is a totally different animal from a street bike, much lighter, agile and tons of bottom end power, they are easy to "toss around" and you can use the instant power to get around corners in a flash. Even though they are totally different to ride the knowledge you pickup is and can use on a streetbike is priceless. It makes you aware of road conditions and being able to set the bike up for the best way to get through. Experience on knowing what a bike will do under certain conditions takes some of the surprise element out and enables you to handle the situation by knowing what the bike will do before its to late.

[flightdoc]

Good thread..... One of the primary things I notice about many inexperienced riders ( in the basic class) is the fear of leaning in a curve. People that have ridden dirt bikes as kids have no fear at all of leaning....they usually like it and that helps them a bunch in getting through the course. Corners are dangerous places for bikes....not being afraid of them or understanding how to deal with them can be life saving.

[Scoot]

Yea I grew up on a Dairy farm and that was my way of getting around. All the neighbor kids had one and we'd got back on the old dirt roads and play chase or tag. We all had Sl 100's or 125 then my younger sister got a SL 70 and no one could catch me on that little bike. Yea I think riding a dirt bike growing up helps me now.

[blowndodge]

I haven't ridden dirt bikes... something I've always wanted to do though...

I thought you had dirt bike riding experience up at Mt. Palomar??

[dui546]

I contribute my childhood dirt bike riding to magnifying my love for street bikes. I got my motorcycle permit and license as soon as I could at age 16 in Pennsylvania and took my trail riding onto the paved road. My first street bike was a 1974 Honda CB360. It was perfect for me at the time and I've had several street bikes over the years. The largest in engine size and weight is my Nomad. I guess you could say that I somewhat graduated to the Nomad level. However, I look back at the days of the 50 cc, 70 cc, 80 cc, and 125 cc dirt bikes as the concrete foundation where I learned to do all those skills...including getting back in gear after picking up from a crash.

[Todd]

[quote:k29il67z]I haven't ridden dirt bikes... something I've always wanted to do though...

I thought you had dirt bike riding experience up at Mt. Palomar??[/quote:k29il67z]


ROFLMAO....who didn't see that one coming

[Todd]

Yes, I rode dirt and trail, have not in many many years...but, definitely helps with street riding...especially when you can throw the Nomad around a little bit in the twisties. ;) ;)