Riding in loose dirt or sand

[Slo-poke]

First I would like to say this is my first big dirt bike. I truly am a newbie. When I was young I had a Honda and then a Suzuki 50. I was never comfortable in the loose stuff, so when I got a little older I switched to 3 wheelers and later to quads. Fast forward 20 years...So when my 12 year old son wanted me to get a dirt bike, I thought I would take the plunge.

Last Friday I went riding with some folks at work on a freshly groomed trail, so it was about 4-6 inches of loose dirt.

Other than practice, and gas on, does anyone have any tips to riding in this stuff?

[ssevans]

I to have had to learn how to ride in the soft stuff! I bought a husky TE610 last fall,this is my first off road bike but I have been riding almost everything else for 20 years+. I started a tread last fall titled "riding in sand " and got a lot of great tips, I'm sure you could do a search for it. What I took from it was to stand up and steer by shifting your weight from one peg to the other, and of course lots of throttle!! Let me tell you it felt so wrong at first but i think i am getting the hang of it. The other thing is of course time in saddle!!!

[Slo-poke]

thanks ssevans I will look for the thread.

[kawirider]

Stay loose. The bike will be in a constant slow wobble. This is normal and you just have to get used to it. Another thing that will help is not making any sudden turns or braking hard because it is easy to wash out when you are riding on slipper stuff.

[CS27]

flow with the bike dont fight it

[temporarily_locked]

no matter what what you do, the bike is going to want to wabble, hitting other peoples lines and such, so let the bike do what it has to do, and go with it........ the best thing to do is be standing up, and that way the bike can do a lot more under you, but when you have to sit down for a tight turn, be right up against the tank..... when sitting down for a turn, ALWAYS be against the tank. If your really having a lot of trouble, and your going to be riding in a lot of soft stuff, try letting a little air out of your tire

[harjp1959]

Spend as much time riding in sand as you can. All that slipping and sliding gets you used to keeping your body loose and letting the bike do its thing.

I, too, never rode a dirt bike (or even a motorcycle) until last year. Forcing myself to get comfortable sliding around in the sand made a much better rider much faster.

Once you get used to sand somewhat, loose dirt will feel like glue!

[Slo-poke]

After veiwing ssevans thread and reading your posts, I think I understand a little better. I think that as uncomfortable as it feels, constant speed is a friend, stay loose let the bike wobble beneth me, stand up in the straight aways, and in the corners sit close to the tank. And above all PRACTICE. Once I put my bike back together (yes I trashed the right radiator) , I will give the trail another shot.

Thanks to all!

[Display Name]

4-6 in of freshly groomed dirt. Sounds like a dream to me hammer down, you'll stick no worrys about washing out.

[Baergen]

Dont fight the sand. Just go where ever it takes you (not for too long or you will go off the track) and keep on the gas.

[gettr]

Keep your speed up and RELAX. Keeping a death grip on the bars is gonna wear you out physically and mentally. Lower your air pressure in your tires and personally I like a softer suspension in this stuff. When you keep the speed up, you tend to stay on top of the stuff (or float). Slow down and you sink into every rut there is. Just my 2 cents....