Need advice/help on form and what went wrong

[DBmotorsports]

Ok so three weeks ago I was riding with my buddies at Rockett Raceway in three springs PA and in the morning it was supppper muddy thick thick mud and a sloppy mess. I went out and in the back section of the track there was a smaller double 40-50 ft then right after an 80 ft table i was hitting it all morning. I am an average rider I get out a couple times a week and am confident on the bike and I am trying to figure out what went wrong...I came up to that same section cleared the first double so I had the momentum to hit the 80ft table so I throttled up and hit it next thing I know my world is turned upside down...the bike rebounded like crazy off the take of and sent my nose end saillling down bad...I was on the rev limitier trying to bring it back but there was no hope I cleared the jump landing directly on my face breaking the fall for my bike. lights out they said I wasnt moving for about a minute-minute and a half long story short they had to take me in a helicopter to the the nearest trauma center. cracked three ribs,collapsed lung,spitting blood,cracked scapula,cracked pelvic bone not fun and I never wanna repeat that. Now my question is can anyone help me piece together what went wrong. No I dont have the suspenstion set for my weight and dialed in... I know that should be done and I have been to cheap to have it done. I did have a lot of wheel spin because of the thick mud and im thinking was my wheel spinning the whole time and not hooking up so when I went off did that send my front end sailing?? was it just bad form? I have been riding all year on tracks and never had my front end dive like that. I always make sure my body posture is chin over the bars on the front of the bike like the attack position i guess you would say. ive always been able to control it with the throttle or just by moving my body in the air. any help would be appreciated thanks guys!

[dogfish]

I would be willing to bet lack of traction and an out of balance (front to back) suspension were both variables in your faceplant equation. Just glad to hear you are still riding. I hate mud and cant figure out why I even ride in the stuff. Go figure. A day in the mud on the bike beats a good day at work.

[Towelie]

I just wont ride the mud. Its dangerous, hard on the bike, gets into things, messes up fork seals and we don't get paid to ride the risky stuff or jump when its dangerous. Glad you are okay and it wasn't worse

[temporarily_locked]

if you weren't getting bucked forward the rest of the morning i doubt it was a suspension issue. Probably wheel spin due to the mud, did you do anything different like try to seat bounce? do you remember spinning? getting on the gas late? anything different from the rest of the day?

[DBmotorsports]

if you weren't getting bucked forward the rest of the morning i doubt it was a suspension issue. Probably wheel spin due to the mud, did you do anything different like try to seat bounce? do you remember spinning? getting on the gas late? anything different from the rest of the day?

I do remember over jumping the first one a little and I throttled up harder and I felt my wheel spinning but it wasn't kicking out so I thought id be good...I know next time I ride in thick mud ill be rolling everything and waiting till everyone else rips the track and makes good lines.

[coastalrider]

Mud could've got caught in your.....brake, chain, tire clearance, etc? and dropped your front. Maybe you were on the gas harder because of the first one but, without noticing it, throttled off at unfortunate time. or both, or........

Glad you'll be ok.

[tye1138]

I do remember over jumping the first one a little and I throttled up harder and I felt my wheel spinning but it wasn't kicking out so I thought id be good...I know next time I ride in thick mud ill be rolling everything and waiting till everyone else rips the track and makes good lines.

The problem with mud is that it generates drag on the bike. So even if you think you've got the speed, you might not have had it. Plus, when the front wheel leaves the jump face under drag (from the mud) and then all of a sudden doesn't have any drag, it can really unbalance the bike front to back, especially if your on the throttle.

If my bike is already dirty, I will ride in the sloppy stuff because I feel its a good skill to have. I tend not to jump anything unless its a real simple jump I can mess up without consequence. But I've seen lots of bad crashes from people thinking that a muddy or slick track (from coating hard pack with water) is safe and every time I kinda slam my hand against my forehead wondering why they even attempted it.

Its too bad you had to learn the hard way, though I'm glad you arn't too injured, it could have been a lot worse.

[DBmotorsports]

Yeah it sucks being out the rest of the season but im just glad im not in worse condition. The way I landed im very lucky. Big lesson learned take it easy on mud

[Gary Semics]

Ok so three weeks ago I was riding with my buddies at Rockett Raceway in three springs PA and in the morning it was supppper muddy thick thick mud and a sloppy mess. I went out and in the back section of the track there was a smaller double 40-50 ft then right after an 80 ft table i was hitting it all morning. I am an average rider I get out a couple times a week and am confident on the bike and I am trying to figure out what went wrong...I came up to that same section cleared the first double so I had the momentum to hit the 80ft table so I throttled up and hit it next thing I know my world is turned upside down...the bike rebounded like crazy off the take of and sent my nose end saillling down bad...I was on the rev limitier trying to bring it back but there was no hope I cleared the jump landing directly on my face breaking the fall for my bike. lights out they said I wasnt moving for about a minute-minute and a half long story short they had to take me in a helicopter to the the nearest trauma center. cracked three ribs,collapsed lung,spitting blood,cracked scapula,cracked pelvic bone not fun and I never wanna repeat that. Now my question is can anyone help me piece together what went wrong. No I dont have the suspenstion set for my weight and dialed in... I know that should be done and I have been to cheap to have it done. I did have a lot of wheel spin because of the thick mud and im thinking was my wheel spinning the whole time and not hooking up so when I went off did that send my front end sailing?? was it just bad form? I have been riding all year on tracks and never had my front end dive like that. I always make sure my body posture is chin over the bars on the front of the bike like the attack position i guess you would say. ive always been able to control it with the throttle or just by moving my body in the air. any help would be appreciated thanks guys!

I'd guess you spun too much, loss traction. Especially if your body position was forward in the slick conditions.

I hope you have a speedy recovery.

GS