Hitting a new jump.

[BangIt2Times]

Well they added a nice double on my local track, and since its so new its peaked. Alot. And im nervous about hitting it becuase if i come up short. Ill die. Well not really but it will hurt. The just isnt super long. Maybe 50-60 ft. Idk im bad at guessing. But what do i do? Ive always had problems hitting a new jump for the first time. Any tips? Im guessing everyones going to say just pin it.

[Kalwasinski98]

Just pin it.

Or find a guy who's hitting it no problem and ask what he's doing and just duplicate it. It's what I always do.

[Gary Semics]

The first time you hit a big jump, how do you know how fast to hit it? I've been asked this question hundreds of times. The best rider I've known at doing this is Kevin Windham. You've probably seen him doing hugh SX transfers on the TV during the opening ceremonies. Kevin can calculate a big jump so well that he always hits his landing target within a foot. He does it the same way any pro does it, he's just better at it. He's better at the calculations in his mind's eye. He can perceive exactly how the jump is going to through the bike, how high and how far. Then he calculates and perceives how hard he'll have to hit the jump in order to land on target. I say how "hard" he'll have to "hit" the jump instead of how fast. Sure the speed is important but there's a lot more to it that just speed. The speed has to be close but the techniques used when hitting the jump, when going through the compression and rebound parts of the jump are just as critical.

 

These different techniques are shown and explained in detail along with how to begin learning these critical jumping techniques in my Volume 3 DVDs 6 and 7 (Motocross Basic Jumping Techniques) http://www.gsmxs.com/dvds/volume-3/dvd-6-motocross-basic-jumping-techniques and (Motocross Seat Bouncing and Launching Techniques)  http://www.gsmxs.com/dvds/volume-3/vo3-dvd-7-motocross-absorb-scrub-whip-jumping-techniques . In short Kevin carries the correct speed into the jump, then he precisely times his body weight into the compression part of the jump. At the same time he hits the precise amount of power with the clutch and throttle. That's the compression part. Now for the rebound. As the bike begins to rebound he springs his body weight out of the footpegs, while remaining on the power. The next millisecond requires Kevin to catch his body's balance with the proper body movements in order to maintain the center of balance and keep the angle (front end neutral and straight or into a whip for extra eye candy) during this time he also backs off the throttle. By this time he has seen his landing target and knows he hit another home run, making the entire process look seamless and easy.

 

In this video Zach Osborne pulls the trigger on a big quad in a SX rhyme section. I know it looks like a triple with a tabletop at the end but in pro SX language it's called a quad. Here Zach is using the Seat Bouncing technique in order to get even more height and distance. Zach's on his modified Geico Honda 250F practice bike.

 

This is a dangerous jump because the landing has to be hit just right. If he would come up short changes are his feet would get bucked off the pegs, causing him to get spit off the bike as he hits the next jump. I promise if you rode through this rhyme section you would think "There is NO freaken way".

 

[BDubb106]

Jump to the middle a few times... get a feel for how much more gas/speed you will need to clear it. Add just a tad so that you will land at the base instead of right at the peak. You will be clearing it in no time.

 

That is the approach I take... hope it helps.

[Larry Gude]

 

This is a dangerous jump because the landing has to be hit just right.

This is part of what is wrong with SX, wrong being that the riders, as a whole, don't get paid anywhere near enough to be doing this.

 

And the reason why, in my view is, for comparison, in football, most fans can relate to it via high school or even some college where, while we may not have had pro level talent, we could throw or run or block or tackle. Pros do the exact same thing but, further, faster, better and stronger. Baseball, same thing. NBA, same thing. Hockey, same thing. Golf, tennis. All of it. The pros are doing stuff we all can do, just not as well or, non playing fans knew lots and lots of people, brothers, neighbors, class mates, who could play.

 

SX, especially SX, how many people in the audience can even make it around the track doing all the obstacles, one lap? A handful of people? With no one else on the track, at their own pace. Heck, some of the guys IN the race give it up and start rolling sections before the race is over. Really good MX racers struggle with SX.

 

I think your example of Windham is really good because it illustrates just how difficult this is, how precise it is and, as such, it's virtually impossible for a larger audience to relate. Worse yet, like your Zack vid, when they get it, the riders make it look easy whereas a great play in football, say a run where the guy breaks a bunch of tackles or hitting a 95 mph fastball, a diving catch, a dunk over three guys, muscling in a loose puck, holing a 40 foot putt, we know how hard that was.

 

It's just a shame because it is truly amazing what top level riders are doing. And the price THEY pay...man.

 

Sorry for the hijack. I'd like the original poster to not underestimate what he is trying to do. It's not 'just a 60 foot double' as though that is rolling over a pot hole. That's a long way and he's gonna be well off the ground and there is a LOT that can go wrong, the wind, a bad line taking off, ruts, casing it, going way long, a mechanical, another rider messing them up, and it's not a missed free throw or a bogey or even getting creamed by a linebacker if it goes bad. It's coming down off a two story building at 30-40 mph onto the ground at who knows what angle.

 

It's a crazy jump that will look cool as hell and effortless in no time but ALWAYS be 'THIS-CLOSE' to a ride out on a stretcher.

 

OK, I feel better now...  LOL

[BangIt2Times]

This is part of what is wrong with SX, wrong being that the riders, as a whole, don't get paid anywhere near enough to be doing this.

And the reason why, in my view is, for comparison, in football, most fans can relate to it via high school or even some college where, while we may not have had pro level talent, we could throw or run or block or tackle. Pros do the exact same thing but, further, faster, better and stronger. Baseball, same thing. NBA, same thing. Hockey, same thing. Golf, tennis. All of it. The pros are doing stuff we all can do, just not as well or, non playing fans knew lots and lots of people, brothers, neighbors, class mates, who could play.

SX, especially SX, how many people in the audience can even make it around the track doing all the obstacles, one lap? A handful of people? With no one else on the track, at their own pace. Heck, some of the guys IN the race give it up and start rolling sections before the race is over. Really good MX racers struggle with SX.

I think your example of Windham is really good because it illustrates just how difficult this is, how precise it is and, as such, it's virtually impossible for a larger audience to relate. Worse yet, like your Zack vid, when they get it, the riders make it look easy whereas a great play in football, say a run where the guy breaks a bunch of tackles or hitting a 95 mph fastball, a diving catch, a dunk over three guys, muscling in a loose puck, holing a 40 foot putt, we know how hard that was.

It's just a shame because it is truly amazing what top level riders are doing. And the price THEY pay...man.

Sorry for the hijack. I'd like the original poster to not underestimate what he is trying to do. It's not 'just a 60 foot double' as though that is rolling over a pot hole. That's a long way and he's gonna be well off the ground and there is a LOT that can go wrong, the wind, a bad line taking off, ruts, casing it, going way long, a mechanical, another rider messing them up, and it's not a missed free throw or a bogey or even getting creamed by a linebacker if it goes bad. It's coming down off a two story building at 30-40 mph onto the ground at who knows what angle.

It's a crazy jump that will look cool as hell and effortless in no time but ALWAYS be 'THIS-CLOSE' to a ride out on a stretcher.

OK, I feel better now... LOL

This is the greatest post ive ever seen. My bud trued telling me croos country is harder than motocross. Hes never even been on a bike.

[Larry Gude]

 ... telling me cross country is harder than motocross. Hes never even been on a bike.

That has to be taken in context. I can't remember the name of it but, I think it is in Austria in an old mine pit. Super extreme enduro race where something like 5 guys out of 100's ever finish. I don't wanna argue hardest/baddest/most extreme. Just wanted to comment in context of the original post and hitting big(ger) jumps and that SX is dangerous in that context. That's not to say 'harder' because a three hour cross country race is brutal too and more demanding over all but, maybe not as incessantly dangerous as SX.

 

Thanks

[Larry Gude]

Erzburg. 

[BangIt2Times]

What about romaniacs in Transylvania

[Mau_DDM]

This is part of what is wrong with SX, wrong being that the riders, as a whole, don't get paid anywhere near enough to be doing this.

And the reason why, in my view is, for comparison, in football, most fans can relate to it via high school or even some college where, while we may not have had pro level talent, we could throw or run or block or tackle. Pros do the exact same thing but, further, faster, better and stronger. Baseball, same thing. NBA, same thing. Hockey, same thing. Golf, tennis. All of it. The pros are doing stuff we all can do, just not as well or, non playing fans knew lots and lots of people, brothers, neighbors, class mates, who could play.

SX, especially SX, how many people in the audience can even make it around the track doing all the obstacles, one lap? A handful of people? With no one else on the track, at their own pace. Heck, some of the guys IN the race give it up and start rolling sections before the race is over. Really good MX racers struggle with SX.

I think your example of Windham is really good because it illustrates just how difficult this is, how precise it is and, as such, it's virtually impossible for a larger audience to relate. Worse yet, like your Zack vid, when they get it, the riders make it look easy whereas a great play in football, say a run where the guy breaks a bunch of tackles or hitting a 95 mph fastball, a diving catch, a dunk over three guys, muscling in a loose puck, holing a 40 foot putt, we know how hard that was.

It's just a shame because it is truly amazing what top level riders are doing. And the price THEY pay...man.

Sorry for the hijack. I'd like the original poster to not underestimate what he is trying to do. It's not 'just a 60 foot double' as though that is rolling over a pot hole. That's a long way and he's gonna be well off the ground and there is a LOT that can go wrong, the wind, a bad line taking off, ruts, casing it, going way long, a mechanical, another rider messing them up, and it's not a missed free throw or a bogey or even getting creamed by a linebacker if it goes bad. It's coming down off a two story building at 30-40 mph onto the ground at who knows what angle.

It's a crazy jump that will look cool as hell and effortless in no time but ALWAYS be 'THIS-CLOSE' to a ride out on a stretcher.

OK, I feel better now... LOL

And that ..... That is well said!!! Great post!

[Tommyk_55]

Follow someone off it, ask if they're seat bouncing or anything weird that you should know before you hit it tho.

[coastalrider]

I personally think it's how the jump feels. Different faces put different attitudes on the bike. You can't just hit the distance because it's the same length of another table or double. You could get pitched over or too high. Just hit it soft and land in the valley until you are confident how your bike and you are going to react. You'll have to grow the distance some and land a foot more, etc as you push the comfort level of the face up but once you've got the attitude figured out, you've got it. It's why I stand up on my site laps and feel every face. I also try different lines on the face in case there's a kicker hiding out.

Never been a fan of peak to peak. I'm just a wkndr and a sometimes midweek guy. Close to the pro level they can size it up on their first lap and feel every face underneath them and react before the bike leaves it. They're also probably jumping 380 jumps a day so peak to peak is no big deal.

Feel the face and then hit it.