Beginners question on jumps and berms.

[titansfk]

Hey.

I am ordering some MX videos, but I have a few specific questions in the mean time.

Jumps:

I am starting to do small jumps, and I stand on the pegs just before hitting the jump. My trouble is with steep faced jumps. When I hit the jump I get popped off the pegs and my weight gets thrown forward. I think I need to grip the bike more with my legs and possibly shift my weight back before hitting the jump.

Berms:

Half way through the berm I accelerate hard, but blow over the top of the berm at this point. I think I need to lean the bike over more.

Whoops:

I shift my weight way back and go for it. This works well, but the back tire hooks up hard once in a while and I feel like I will flip backwards. I don’t know what to do to solve this.

Thanks for any advice.

[zao]

when you jump you should be standing with gas on all the way off the jump unless you have a 2 stroke. also with your feet coming off the pegs could be 2 things one you suspension set up wrong or 2 the jump face is to radical a transition. I would have to see you ride a berm to see how you do it. Whoops are a beast stay on the gas if you feel like you might fall overbackwards tap the clutch but this could result in you loosing your forward momentum a bit(i dont rememcond this but it does work). what tracks are you riding and what bike do you have?

[Johnnybmoto]

when you jump you should be standing with gas all the way off unless you have a 2 stroke.

Do Not Listen to that.

If you try to jump without the gas on you will go flying over the bars because your front end will do a nose dive. Stay on the gas all the way through the jump and lean back a little.

[IKE607]

Do Not Listen to that.

If you try to jump without the gas on you will go flying over the bars because your front end will do a nose dive. Stay on the gas all the way through the jump and lean back a little.

I second that motion!!!! If you listen to that, you will end up hurt. Best advice is stand in a neutral position, hold the gas on all the way up the face and then stay loose enough in the air to adjust bike attitude with body positioning. With that said, it's all easier said than done.........

[rmz757]

i think he meant with the gas on, all the way off the top.

[zao]

i think he meant with the gas on, all the way off the top.

Thats what i meant. I didnt type it as clear as i should have.

[temporarily_locked]

even if you have a two stroke, steady gas all the way up the face

[RedRider_450]

Hey.

I am ordering some MX videos, but I have a few specific questions in the mean time.

Jumps:

I am starting to do small jumps, and I stand on the pegs just before hitting the jump. My trouble is with steep faced jumps. When I hit the jump I get popped off the pegs and my weight gets thrown forward. I think I need to grip the bike more with my legs and possibly shift my weight back before hitting the jump.

Berms:

Half way through the berm I accelerate hard, but blow over the top of the berm at this point. I think I need to lean the bike over more.

Whoops:

I shift my weight way back and go for it. This works well, but the back tire hooks up hard once in a while and I feel like I will flip backwards. I don’t know what to do to solve this.

Thanks for any advice.

I think it sounds like you pretty much know what to do now you just need the seat time. Know and understand the technique and practice through repitition. And of course do it correctly. It will come in time, just work your way up, push yourself a little but be in control and have fun.

[titansfk]

Thanks everyone. I ride a 05 yz250f, and ride mostly trails and sand pits by my house in northern nj.

From everyones advice, I think the biggest mistake I am making on jumps is throttle control. Thanks for the pointers.?

[Johnnybmoto]

Thanks everyone. I ride a 05 yz250f, and ride mostly trails and sand pits by my house in northern nj.

From everyones advice, I think the biggest mistake I am making on jumps is throttle control. Thanks for the pointers.?

Ya a steady throttle hand is the key to racing

[Moto4706250]

another thing make sure your butt isnt sittin to far back cause the bike could be kickin ya ive done that a couple times

?

[Pornstar]

Except on a kicker.

If the ramp you are trying to jump is very small and steep then it is called a kicker and it tends to kick your rear end up.

Why?

Because your front end is already in the air when the rear wheel hits the lip.

What you need to do is to soak up the supension on the face of the kicker so both wheels are compressed at the same time and give it an extra blip on the throttle.

Thats why sometimes a small jump is way more dificult than a bigger jump with a smooth face, the latter one will provide you with consistent jumps.

[Mickeymeanie]

Yep, smooth throttle over the jumps. Work on pre-loading the suspension as you come up the jump face, especially on shorter steeper jumps. This is something I struggle with. I've been working on this on smaller jumps that have little or no penalty (read Tabletops) for coming up short. Once you do it a few times, it starts to come more and more naturally.

I'm still working on the whole berm / rut / cornering issue... I'd be no help there!

Woops... pretty much commit and go for it...

[Beerbatter]

Concerning the rear end poping up on you and sending you flying forward, check your shock rebound damping. If the shock rebounds to fast, it will tend to pitch you forward like that. I had a similar problem and solved it by increasing the rebound damping on the shock, which slows it down so it doesn't kick back so fast after being compressed. As the bike starts up the face of the jump, the rear shock usually gets compressed due to the inertia of the bike driving towards the face. As you leave the lip of the jump, the shock will rebound, releasing the stored energy. If the damping is set to low, the rebound will be to quick and the rear end will buck up and slap you in the butt, sending you flying off the pegs.

Of course, what everyone else is saying applies as well, form and staying on the throttle. Pay attention to whats happening on other parts of the track to assess your shock rebound damping. Another thing that happens when the rebound is to fast is that the rear will bounce around and buck you all over the place going over fast bumps and small woops. If the rear tends to be in the air a lot instead of down on the ground grabbing traction, your rebound probably needs to be slowed down some.

Try increasing your rebound damping 2 clicks and try again.

Another test I like to make that gets you in the ball park is to stand next to your bike and with your foot, put weight on the peg to compress the front forks and rear shock. Then quickly hop off and watch what the bike frame does at is moves back up. If the suspension is balanced, the frame should move stay parallel to the ground and the front and rear should move up simultaneously. If the rear end jumps up quicker than the front, pitching the frame forward, then your rear is rebounding to fast.

Good luck, and whatever you do, make one change at a time, test, and then make the next adjustment.