Motocross is my favorite thing to do on a dirt bike, but when I'm not able to go to a track I love to ride on trails. Dirt bike tracks are usually safer than motocross tracks, and they are a lot of fun to ride on if there are challenging obstacles. This article will give you an idea what dirt bike tracks consist, the dangers that can lurk in them, and some tips on how to protect you and your bike.
Trail riding is a cheaper alternative for riding your dirt bike instead of motocross racing. There are many trail riding areas in pretty much every state, so finding one within a reasonable distance should not be that difficult for most people. For those of you that do not have state or local trails near you, or riders that just do not want to pay for a state trail sticker, you can make trails on your own property if you have woods. I make my own dirt bike trails and they are a blast to ride on, especially with some buddies.
There are many aspects that make trail riding unique and unusually exciting. First of all, when else are you going to be blitzing through the woods with trees flying past your face on a vehicle? It's the adrenaline of trying to master the obstacles in the trails that makes it so exhilarating. The things that make dirt bike trails challenging are the Traction-less hill-climbs, the trees smacking your hands, roots causing you to lose balance, or the hills that you happen to high-side and fall down. Other things like the fallen trees or added obstacles such as big rocks, logs, cars, wooden walls, and anything else riders can think of make it all the more exciting. It's that "I think I can" spirit combined with the adrenaline rush that makes trail riding so purely awesome.
Fallen Trees
Getting over these objects is easier said than done. Riding over big trees is not always simple to do, especially if the tree is at an awkward angle. To get over big trees you can not just go fast and hope for the best. You want to go nice and easy, otherwise you'll end up tipping over or the bike will land on top of you. To get over a big tree you should sit more towards the rear of the bike and raise the front of the bike up with the throttle and arm strength, then once you get on top of the tree you should move your weight to the front of the Bike so you do not flip. It often happens that the bottom of the bike will hit the tree. This will scratch up the frame and possibly the engine. Do not let this happen, so guard the frame and engine with a Works Connection Skid Plate.
Hill-Climbs
I love riding up big and steep hills on my dirt bike, and it's even more fun when there's trees, branches, and ruts that you must surpass in the woods. To have great trails you must have elevation change, and that is sometimes difficult to come by if you do not have state trails nearby. So if you have a good amount of hills then you are lucky. Riding up hills often requires momentum, traction, power, and balance. Of course you do not always need all of these, but they are the things that will help get you up those nasty slopes. Getting momentum is simply building up as much speed before the hill as possible. This takes skill and guts sometimes, but also makes riding a lot more exciting. Traction comes from body positioning / balance, a good rear tire, and throttle control. Normally you should put weight on the rear of the bike to get traction, unless the dirt is really tacky, and rolling on the power instead of snapping it will allow the tire to hook up more. It's the rider that makes it up the hill and usually not the bike, but a little extra power does not hurt (check out my "FMF Fatty Pipe Review" for more power).
Roots / Ruts
Roots and ruts …. "What's the difference?" You may ask, and I will tell you because you do not want to get them confused when talking to another riding buddy. Roots are the vines of the trees that come up on trails usually from a lot of use and rundown. They are usually not difficult to ride over, but if there are a lot of roots that criss-cross and face every angle they tend to mess up your balance at times. Probably the easiest way to get over roots is to stand up and stay neutral on the bike, that way way you can shift your weight more easily if you need to, and you might have to use your legs as suspension if you hit a rough root or Three.
Ruts are the grooves that form after continuous use of one line. The tracks of ruts often get so deep on dirt bike tracks that your foot pegs drag on the ground. The deeper the rut is the nastier it will be to get in and out of it. The key is to get maximum tract so you can ride through the entire rut. To have traction you must be smooth with the throttle and sometimes have momentum coming into the rut. You want to get the most traction so you can get through the rut, and so you will not roost and eat away the dirt. Roosting is fine if you want to do it on your own dirt bike trails, but try not to on state trails because it just ruins it for other riders.
Rocks
Rocks can be very difficult obstacles to overcome. It's not just the size of the rock that's intimidating, but the shape also matters because it requires a lot more strength to keep the bike balanced while riding over them. Getting over a rock is similar to riding over big logs, except you have to be more careful with your weight distribution and throttle control. Too much throttle and you'll tip over, and you'll fall if you are not balanced. There can be luck involved with getting over big rocks, but it's mainly skill and experience. Rocks can be dangerous to you and your bike. Your elbows can easily get scraped or punctured, along with the rest of your body. You can protect them with some Fox Elbow Guards, or your body body with EVS Body Armor, you'll be glad you did. Pipes can also get damaged; Rocks dent, crack, and puncture pipes, sometimes beyond repair. Protect your two-stroke with a Pipe Guard By E Line.
Branches / Trees
What is more annoying than your hands constantly getting whipped by trees and branches while trying to hold on to the handlebars? I know I hate it, and I'm sure you do not enjoy it. A good way to dodge branches is to stand up so you can easily tilt and turn your handlebars. But to do this you need balance, strength, and stamina. After a while it gets tiring if you are moving the bike, so instead of using up all of your energy you could protect you precious hands with a pair of Pro Taper Hand Guards.
All of these obstacles that I mentioned and more give the challenge that riders want. Riding on dirt bike trails is a relatively safe activity for dirt biking. It's even more satisfying when you ride on trails that you personally made. So if you have some land, go out and make some trails, even if there are state trails near you. Either way, get out and ride some trails, especially if you have not tried it. They are blast, I can guarantee it!
Good luck, and ride safe.
-Tom Stark