Can you be good/fast if all you do is sit on the bike?

[EmpireofDerp]

I'm a fast rider & i sit down more than stand - its all in the "Balance"

I'm slow and do the same, its all in the gasping for breath.

[S.O.A.N.Z]

Just now, HeavyRotation said:

1 hour ago, S.O.A.N.Z said:

I'm a fast rider & i sit down more than stand - its all in the "Balance"

I'm slow and do the same, its all in the gasping for breath.

Haha yeah - i meant its all in the "Balance" of your gasping for breath

[Hans Schmid]

25 minutes ago, D.j. Gardner said:

Well, fast is relative...so how fast? Winning  A or AA/Pro classes in national races fast?  Or faster than the buddies your rally the trails with on the weekends fast?

 

Either waystart riding a motorcycle properly (stand up) and you’ll be even faster.  

Faster then my buddies in a gravel pit!

[D.j. Gardner]

52 minutes ago, S.O.A.N.Z said:

 

Fixed 

I’m honestly not trying to be a jerk here-and I’m have no intention of getting into a pissing match...I’m just saying the very fastest off road riders in the world (Taylor Rober, Kurt Casseli, Kalub Russel, Destry Abbott, Kendal Norman, Thad Duvall, and on and on and on) with the exception of you-all ride standing up, all say that standing up is how motorcycles are designed to be ridden, and all would teach anyone to stand...you won’t find one top pro rider ever saying that sitting down is the best way to go.

 

So dont shoot the messenger if you don’t agree with it.  

 

And the Balance and balance confidence thing...watch some Shane Watts, Dirtwise “how to” vids-or better yet, sign up for one of his riding schools...That is directly from him.  

 

And the “dirt bikes are designed to be ridden standing up” thing...KC66...watch the YouTube video I posted earlier.  

 

Dont shoot the messenger.  

Edited May 20, 2018 by D.j. Gardner

[frantzmidsouth]

Rodney Smith won many gncc championships and always was sitting, he called his position preloading his legs for rough stuff

[S.O.A.N.Z]

13 minutes ago, D.j. Gardner said:

And the Balance and balance confidence thing...watch some Shane Watts, Dirtwise “how to” vids-or better yet, sign up for one of his riding schools...That is directly from him. 

His dad - Norm is a sit down rider - that is directly from me watching him ride 

[Robert Malcolm John Livingstone]

On 19/05/2018 at 7:54 AM, TomTopDog12 said:

SO i know a few people who just love to stay seated on their bikes, they feel most comfortable and can get a good pace going, I'm just wondering to those of you who have many years of riding under their belts, is it possible to be good on a bike if all you mainly do is sit? I don't mean 100% of the time but when the going gets tough or 90% of the riding is done in a seated position? I'm talking strictly trail/xc/gncc riding here not moto, you can't ride moto and sit....

 

As i was saying i have guys i ride with that do most of their riding sitting down and are pretty good. I also have guys who ride that are a mix of both, but i do know a few who are alway standing.

 

What's your take on this ? can you be good/fast if you're primarily a sit down type rider?    

Back in the old days most trail/enduro/motoX bikes had a higher level of seat comfort and you did not have to spend all your time standing up on the pegs these days i have not seen any modern bikes that you could call comfortable for any length of time the bikes these days are differently balanced so you have to spend 90% standing up to use body english to control the bike look at a old XR compared to a CRF for example

[powdermuncher]

 There is sitting on a Harley (Not fast at all) and than there is sitting on a dirt bike with your legs preloaded as Malcom Smith cals it where you more or less touch the seat while riding in a low position.  Once in 4th 5th gear wide open stuff I am very low almost sitting with my knees grabbing the bike for additional stability. I  adjust how high I stand depending on speed and whooped trail, the deeper the whoops the more space you need to the seat no whoops sit your ass down. 

[Bigbird]

On 5/19/2018 at 7:16 AM, JoshG_smoke_dont_stroke_YZ said:

Depends on the trails, a lot of the trails I ride if you stood even on the straights you’d lose your head.... I 100% agree I stand as much as I possibly can, but I do find riding those particular trails quite enjoyable, super tight single trail that’s basically a tree tunnel with very soft sand base. &%$#@! I miss riding, tore some ligaments in my wrist in October and have only just recovered enough to start riding the road bike. I reckon getting back on the YZ is still a good 3-6 months off.

Hawaii is like that.  Lived there from '78 to '89.  Many of the trails were tight with tree/bush canopies that would take your head off standing.  Many times you were even forced to hug the tank to get clearance.  When I went there I was a stand up rider, and learned to ride there with efficiency while sitting.  I still ride predominantly sitting and have won a few District class championships.  I subscribe to the philosophy of "Sit when you can stand when you must."

[Robert Malcolm John Livingstone]

13 hours ago, Bigbird said:

Hawaii is like that.  Lived there from '78 to '89.  Many of the trails were tight with tree/bush canopies that would take your head off standing.  Many times you were even forced to hug the tank to get clearance.  When I went there I was a stand up rider, and learned to ride there with efficiency while sitting.  I still ride predominantly sitting and have won a few District class championships.  I subscribe to the philosophy of "Sit when you can stand when you must."

you got that in one with your last quote ?

[dittohead]

I can barely operate a dirtbike while sitting. It feels completely uncomfortable to me and it kills my back. I come from a mtn bike background where you really only sit for climbs and flats where you aren’t doing anything technical. I only sit when I’m exhausted and need a few seconds to recover, other then that I’m standing. Im trying to be a better sit down rider since I feel that you should be proficient in both styles. Ive never seen a really good sit down rider around here, the trails are just too rough here. You have to stand or you get pinballed into the bush.

[Odysseus]

Im way faster than some guys who are way better. They sure have great style and technique compared to this hack, i'm impressed..Unfortunately for them this aint ballet,more like barbarism.

Edited May 23, 2018 by widebear

[D.j. Gardner]

On 5/19/2018 at 10:28 PM, S.O.A.N.Z said:

His dad - Norm is a sit down rider - that is directly from me watching him ride 

And a I bet his dad would say that a Shane is ten times the rider he is.  ?

[S.O.A.N.Z]

1 hour ago, D.j. Gardner said:

And a I bet his dad would say that a Shane is ten times the rider he is.  ?

Or not 

[dcdr]

Ronnie Mac is the fastest man alive and he always sits ??????

[truckjunky87]

I use to sit down a lot and was convinced I was fast.  Guess what... I wasn't.  I only thought I was because I lacked the comfort in standing.  Once you over come that standing is your friend.  Sure, If you're talking fire roads or straight line flats then sitting is fine, but anything technical that requires suspension or moving of your weight for balance and traction then you'll be faster standing up once you develop the balance and core strength to do so.  Until then sitting will be the weak link in your riding skills.

[Motox367]

14 hours ago, dcdr said:

Ronnie Mac is the fastest man alive and he always sits ??????

Ya but he didn't get there sitting down lol and is a professional mx racer

[Hans Schmid]

14 minutes ago, truckjunky87 said:

I use to sit down a lot and was convinced I was fast.  Guess what... I wasn't.  I only thought I was because I lacked the comfort in standing.  Once you over come that standing is your friend.  Sure, If you're talking fire roads or straight line flats then sitting is fine, but anything technical that requires suspension or moving of your weight for balance and traction then you'll be faster standing up once you develop the balance and core strength to do so.  Until then sitting will be the weak link in your riding skills.

Ah no... Maybe in your experience, but its not the case for everyone. I work with a Pro rider and much of what we work on is about sitting more BECAUSE he stands too much... Standing has its place, as does sitting... 

[Lahms]

Usually to go really fast on trails and such. You need stiffer suspension, and it isnt comfortable to sit when you ride fast because you get jerked around, sure its possible, but not pleasant. I gotta stand on my 17 250 sx (moto or trails), not just because of stiff suspension, but because going fast makes me wanna stand to have better control. My dad can sit all day on his XR200, but thats because his suspension is super soft and has a super soft seat. I call it a couch because the seat is so wide! [emoji23]

[Hans Schmid]

I would also guarantee that most people in this thread who talk about standing, probably sit way more then they think...And that if we had a stop watch and we did 3-20min laps in the bush, your lap times would be dictated more so on your fitness then whether you stood enough or not...