1. Riding with levers in the wrong position. You need to be as comfortable as possible when riding your dirt bike, and levers in the wrong position will ruin your day. Make sure to setup your brake and clutch lever correctly before you go out on the track, and don’t forget about the rear brake pedal! I can’t tell you how many times I jumped on someone else’s bike and couldn’t ride fast because the rear brake pedal was way too low, making me very uncomfortable. It’s your bike and since you ride it all the time, you need to make sure it fits like a glove when you get on it.

2. Riding around the track mindlessly. Why do you ride dirt bikes? Because it’s fun and gives you an adrenaline rush like nothing else. But if you take the fun away, it soon becomes a routine and you start riding just to ride and get faster, or to get in better shape. That’s a mistake lots of riders make, and so did I. Yes you need to put in the time, do your motos, work your corners, but don’t forget what riding dirt bike is all about: FUN and THRILLS. Go out and have some fun on your bike, go find some cool jump, go ride in the hills…forget about going faster or getting in better shape once in a while, or you’ll get yourself into a rut of “I have to go train today, I have to do my motos” and it will soon become more of a chore than anything else.

3. Not working on your technique. This is directly affected by the previous paragraph. During my career as a professional racer, I have seen so many pro – and amateurs – riders make this mistake and I always wondered why? Working on your technique is very important, as it will make you feel much more comfortable on your bike, and more in control as well. You also won’t get tired as easily since you will be more relax on your bike and won’t make as many mistakes. You can work on your technique in a lot of different ways. My personal favorite (and also what I think works your technique the most) was to go trail riding and find crazy sections to ride through, like really steep and long up hills, gnarly down hills, big natural jumps…making your own lines on virgin land is always more challenging then riding on a track, and it really makes you a better rider in my opinion.

4. Riding with a burnt clutch. You really don’t want to do that! First of all, you’re asking for it…that’s one of the best ways to go over the bars on a big jump and come short because your bike didn’t give you the power you expected. Second, if you regularly ride with a burnt clutch, you’re gonna get tired real fast the day you get back on a bike with a new clutch! All the extra power will make you cramp up fast and you will feel uncomfortable riding a bike with that much more snap then what you’re used to! Third, riding a bike with a clutch that spins every time you use it isn’t fun at all. So change that clutch the second it starts to spin on you.

5. Not checking your gas valve before going on the track. This has to become a habit…you need to check to see if your gas is on EVERY TIME you get on the bike! I used to check it even if I knew it was on – from checking it 5 minutes earlier – just to reassure myself that it really was on, and then I would check it again before the 30 seconds board came up….and then again half-way through the 30 seconds board!!! Maybe it was a little excessive, but it was stronger than me. You never know what could happen, what if a rock it the valve just right and turned it off while you were doing your pre-lap? Or what if someone turned it off by mistake – or on purpose – right before the start of the race? Or if your mechanic forgot to turn it on for you? There could be so many reasons why your gas valve might be off that you need to make it a habit to check it every time you throw your leg over the seat!!!

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Post tags: motorcycle riding tips, quick tips, Riding Tips

You might ask yourself how you can forget to breathe

It’s actually pretty simple, you’re already thinking of so many things when riding, like shifting, braking, standing up and sitting down at the right time, bumps and ruts you want to avoid, and on top of all that throw in the fact that you’re hanging on for dear life and that your heart rate is close to its maximum and you’ve got your answer….all the above gets even worse when you’re in a race because you now have to worry about the guys behind you and the ones in front of you, plus the stress and anxiety you put on yourself!

Teach yourself to breath correctly and at the right time

It is very important that you teach yourself to breathe correctly during a race, and it’s something you can practice during the week every time you ride your bike. Not breathing correctly – or enough – will wear you down much quicker because your muscles need oxygen to function correctly and stay strong. If you forget to breathe, you will build up acid lactate much quicker and your arms and legs will start burning before you know it. Your heart rate will also get much higher much quicker, and you will be completely exhausted after a few laps.

So how and when should you breathe?

There aren’t many areas on a track where you can take a deep breathe and regroup, but the best one is during a jump. Jumps are great for 2 reasons: they allow you to rest and take a deep breath at the same time! Obviously the bigger the jump the better, as you need to do both while flying through the air. You need to make a mental note in your head of all the jumps on the tracks, and think of them as “Triggers Points” where you will take a deep breath and try to relax your muscles. As soon as you take off, start taking a really deep breath and try to relax, hold it in for half a second, then let it out as you’re landing. Remember to do that on all the biggest jumps on the track and you’ll see how much of a difference it makes!

Are jumps the only place where I can take a breath?

No, jumps aren’t the only places where you can take a breath; they’re just the best and easiest areas to do it. The other area to take a deep breath on a race track is on a long straightaway. Obviously, the smoother the surface the better it is to relax and think about breathing, so don’t try to do it on a straight full of gnarly bumps and ruts for example. If the surface is smooth enough, you can pretty much go through the whole straightaway sitting on your seat, with your butt towards the rear of the seat to apply as much traction as possible to your rear tire. The will allow you to relax and rest, all while taking a deep breath, and regroup before the next turn. But as you can imagine, there won’t be very many smooth straightaway’s where you can take a deep breath, so they should only be your “backup” plan, in case you forgot to do it on the last jump for example.

That’s it for today’s tip on breathing correctly and at the right time while riding your dirt bike, I hope this will help you in your riding and if you have any questions on the subject, don’t hesitate to ask me using the comments form at the bottom of the page. Good luck!

© ronronmx for Ronron's 2 Cents, 2010. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: motorcycle riding tips, racing tips, Riding Tips

Choosing the right pair of handlebars can make a huge difference in both your riding style and cornering speed.

But how do you choose between all the different bends?

…and how do you know if you chose the correct one? The simple answer is “You have to try them all and pick the ones you felt most comfortable with”…that’s all good and dandy when you’re a factory rider and you get all that stuff for free, but what if that’s not the case? After all, I’m willing to bet my right hand that 99.9% of people who are currently reading this are NOT factory riders! (Did I lose my right hand?).

So then, what’s the alternative you ask? It’s hard to say, I mean, how can you know if you’re going to like bar A better than bar B if you don’t try them both? Maybe my experience in the matter can help a little. Now I’m sure most of you used to ride bicycles and BMX bikes when you were kids, so try to remember how you had you bars setup back then, which position you felt most comfortable in. Did you like to have your bars forward and high or closer to you and low? The same feeling applies on a dirt bike, if you had your bars forward on your bicycle, chances are you will feel comfortable with a set of handlebars that’s higher than standard on your motorcycle.

How tall you are should also play a big part in the process of choosing your new bars. You don’t want to use a tall pair of bars AND rotate it forward as well if you’re only 5’7, or good luck leaning back in a whoops section! Take me for example, I’m about 5’9 on a good day (a very good day), and it’s already hard enough for me to lean all the way back in a whoops section without getting butt-kicked by the seat, with standard, neutral bars. When I tried a taller pair of handle bars, it made it way harder to blitz the whoops, and even cornering became more difficult. Then I decided to go to the other extreme, and tried a pair of low handlebars, rotated closer towards me (a la Carmichael). At first it was weird yes, but man after a few laps I realized I was blitzing the whoops much easier, thanks to the fact that I was able to lean back farther on the seat, and even my cornering speed increased.

I still wasn’t as comfortable with my new set of lower bars as I was with my regular ones, but I was definitively faster! I guess those new bars worked better for my size, and I kept riding with them ever since.

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Post tags: dirt bike riding, handlebars, motorcycle riding tips, quick tips, Riding Tips

All wallpapers come in 2 sizes: 1920×1200 for 16:9 screens and 1600×1200 for 4:3 monitors. I also made some wallpapers at 1920×1080 for wide-screen high-def TV’s. Click on the links that match your screen resolution to download the correct size wallpaper.

Trey Canard over the triple at Anaheim 3.

Desktop resolutions: 1920×1200 | 1920×1080 | 1600×1200

Ryan Dungey at the start of the 450 main event.

Desktop resolutions: 1920×1200

Privateer rider Teddy Parks railing the sand section.

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Ryan Dungey jumping through a rhythm section.

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Yoshimara exhaust on a street bike that was on display in the pits.

Desktop resolutions: 1920×1200

James Stewart’s bike hasn’t seen too much action lately.

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Ryan Dungey railing the turn before the finish line.

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Privateer rider #811 during afternoon practice sessions.

Desktop resolutions: 1920×1200

So, which ones do you like best? Let me know below by leaving a comment!

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Post tags: Photography, racing wallpapers, supercross wallpapers, wallpapers

Would you say there’s different techniques on when to/not to use the clutch with a 2-stroke versus a 4-stroke?

Someone asked me the question above in the comments section of my last riding tips,  Shift faster without using your clutch, which made me want to write a “Quick Tips” about it.
When people first make the transition from a 2 stroke to a 4 stroke, they try to ride it just like they used to ride their old 2 stroke dirt bike, and quickly realize (hopefully) that 4 strokes are a different beast to tame and that they need to change their riding style a little bit.

So yes, there’s definitively different techniques on how and when to use the clutch between a 2 stroke and a 4 stroke. When I switched from 2 strokes to 4 strokes, I had to change my clutching ways because I used to pop the clutch a lot more on a 2 stroke, and that’s because you have to keep a 2 stroke in the right revs if you want maximum power.

A 4 stroke, on the other hand, has so much more torque then a 2 stroke that you can ride a gear higher in many places and you don’t always need the clutch to find power. You also need to be less aggressive with a 4 stroke, or it will throw you around like a rag-doll and wear you out quick. You have to ride smoother and take advantage of the extra torque and roll the throttle more instead of popping the clutch like a mad man…! All the above is especially true if you’re on a 450 4 stroke!!!

Now go out there and practice giving your clutch a break

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Post tags: motorcycle riding tips, quick tips, Riding Tips

Each wallpaper comes in 2 sizes (except the first one):

1600×1200 which is for square monitors (4:3).
1920×1200 which is for wide-screens monitors (16:9).

Click on the corresponding link below the thumbnails to download the correct size for your monitor resolution. I hope you enjoy these and feel free to leave your comments at the bottom of the page. Stay tuned for more wallpapers soon.

One of the Monster girls holding the 30 seconds  board.

Desktop resolutions: 1920×1200 (16:9)

Ryan Dungey jumping over a table to table section

Desktop resolutions: 1600×1200 (4:3) | 1920×1200 (16:9)

Blake Wharton at Anaheim 3.

Desktop resolutions: 1600×1200 (4:3) | 1920×1200 (16:9)

Ryan Villopoto at Anaheim 3, jumping over a table to table section.

Desktop resolutions: 1600×1200 (4:3) | 1920×1200 (16:9)

Canard passing Hahn over the triple at Anaheim 3.

Desktop resolutions: 1600×1200 (4:3) | 1920×1200 (16:9)

Justin Brayton’s bike – Anaheim 3.

Desktop resolutions: 1600×1200 (4:3) | 1920×1200 (16:9)

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Post tags: Photography, racing wallpapers, supercross wallpapers, wallpapers

1. To shift from neutral to 1st (or 2nd) gear and get you going from a dead stop.
2. To keep the bike from stalling under heavy braking.
3. To keep the bike from stalling while in the air, by pulling the clutch in and twisting the throttle a few times.
4. To launch the bike out of a corner.

Those 4 reason above are the only time you should really be using your clutch! You don’t have to use it while shifting – up or down – it will only slow you down. Your bike will shift up and down just fine without using the clutch, although shifting up is harder then shifting down, since your engine is under heavy load when accelerating.

The hardest time to up-shift without using the clutch is probably right out of a turn, going from 2nd gear to third gear for example, since that’s when you put the most load on your engine. If the gear won’t shift up, you then have 2 choices,  and one of them is using that good old clutch. The other method is one I use very often, and that’s lessening the amount of engine load by doing a tiny “bunny hop” and barely decelerating at the same time.
Let me explain…when you come out of a turn and you’re on the gas, most of the time you’re sitting down on your seat, or you’re barely standing up, either way you’re putting a lot of weight on the rear wheel and increasing engine load. You can do a small “bunny hop” by pushing down on your foot-peg hard with your whole body,  and releasing the pressure right away while making yourself as light as possible. This will make your bike’s suspensions compress and decompress very rapidly, lessening the engine load. As soon as your suspensions decompress,  let go of the throttle for a split second shift  up at that time. If you do all that correctly and with the right timing, your bike will go into the next gear like a breeze.

This technique isn’t easy by any means so don’t try it during a race or something important. Make sure you practice it a lot during the week or the next time you go riding, and keep practicing it until you feel comfortable with it. You could always use the clutch in those situations (and sometime you have to, no matter what you do), but really, who wants to take the easy way out? If you want to go that way, make sure you just flick that clutch lever really quickly, just enough for the gear to slide up, and you won’t loose too much time.

If you want to add anything to this quick tip, of if you disagree with something, please leave your comments below. Thanks for reading.

© ronronmx for Ronron's 2 Cents, 2010. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: motorcycle riding tips, quick tips, racing tips, Riding Tips

Which finger you use doesn’t matter, as long as you’re comfortable doing it. I myself always use my index finger on both levers, but many riders prefer to use their middle finger to clutch and brake and keep their index finger on the grip. I tried it a few times and couldn’t stand it, so it’s really up to you. The image below shows Christophe Pourcel using both his left and right middle finger to grab the clutch and front brake lever:

In this image, you can see Pourcel getting ready for the upcoming turn by positioning both his middle fingers on the levers, and getting ready to brake into the turn.

Let me clarify something: you don’t need to always ride with 1 finger on the clutch or front brake lever. So how do you know when and where to do it or not? Well for example, a good place not to do it would be going up a hill or going down a fast straight, as you don’t need to be ready to brake or use the clutch since you’re wide open, but you need to make sure you get ready in time for the upcoming corner. For example, if your going down a long straight wide open, and there’s a tight right hand turn at the end, don’t wait until you’re in the braking zone to grab your front brake lever and clutch! Get ready a few seconds before by moving both fingers in position (you can do this while still being wide open), so that you’ll be ready to act before hitting the braking bumps, not as you ride through them.

Now get off the computer and go practice!

© ronronmx for Ronron's 2 Cents, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: motorcycle riding tips, quick tips, racing tips, Riding Tips

The rear brake and what to do with it

Your rear brake can be your best friend in many situations, not just when you want to slow down or quickly rotate your bike. Actually, you should never use your rear brake to slow down, because that’s not why it’s there! The only brake that will slow you down efficiently is your front brake, so stop smashing that poor rear brake pedal when you’re trying to slow down for a turn, because it’s not working very good…all you’re doing is locking up your rear wheel and making it slide. Instead, use your rear brake to stabilize your bike when coming into turns, by pushing on it gently and tapping it to allow your rear wheel to rotate (don’t lock it up).

Wait there’s more…

But the rear brake has many more uses, and you need to learn to use it everywhere, not just braking into turns. One of the best places to use your rear brake a lot is down a rough hill full of bumps, while you’re wide open on the throttle. Don’t push on it too hard or it will slow you down more than you need, but keep your toes on it and put pressure on the pedal as you go through the rough parts. By doing so, your bike will be more stable and you won’t get kicked as much, as your shock will stay low and not rebound at the speed of light! When I rode in the 250cc class with Factory Kawasaki and Factory Suzuki, I used to go through 1 set of rear brake pads in each moto during race day (I was a little extreme on my rear brake…)! I would use my rear brake everywhere there was big bumps or breaking bumps to stabilize my bike, all while being wide open. It really makes a huge difference on your bike’s handling!

Here are some photos below that try and show you Villopoto and Reed using their rear brake while still on the gaz (I couldn’t find anything better for this purpose, I’ll have to start shooting more specific things!):

In this image, Chad is slightly pressing on his rear brake to stabilize the rear of the bike through the bumps

Here, Ryan is doing the same thing as he’s accelerating through the downhill bumps at Glen Helen

That’s it for today’s quick tip! Next time you go riding, try to remember that your rear brake has more than 1 purpose, and try to use it like I talk about in this article. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to reply promptly.

© ronronmx for Ronron's 2 Cents, 2009. | Permalink | 10 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: motorcycle riding tips, quick tips, racing tips, Riding Tips

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Post tags: motocross best crashes, motocross crashes