Fast on the Straights

Straights are usually the easiest but because of the speed you can really crash hard. Of course most of it depends on the soil condition and the room you have for mistakes. If you’re speeding through the trees over rocks, tree roots, ruts and mud you better keep her under control the entire time. Another tricky straight away condition may be over big uneven bumps. Whatever the conditions are following are some key points.
A. Scan the ground as you’re going along and see all the details. At the same time keep your focus out far enough ahead of you that you are ready for what’s coming up. This takes the kind of concentration to light a news paper with a magnifying glass in the sun.
B. If it is at all rough you should be standing on the pegs in the central body position and make the bike go exactly where you want it to go. Squeeze the bike a little with your knees. This will make you more connected to the bike for better control. The thing that is most likely to through you off course is hitting something with your front wheel that you didn’t see.
C. Stay in the right gear (in the meat of the power) and if it’s really technical keep your foot on the rear brake, not just to slow down fast but to give you more control. Think about it; the only control you have over the M/C is body movement and the five controls (front and rear brakes, clutch and throttle and the gear shift). What else could there be? But there are 55 Absolute Techniques that go into these two categories. Check out my Motocross Practice Manual for all of them. http://www.gsmxs.com/catalog/catalog.asp?CID=176&CI=2920

Going fast on the straights is kind of like jumping doubles. You don’t jump distances you don’t have control over and you shouldn’t do speeds over rough ground that you don’t have control over. If the fear is there it’s most likely there for a good reason. When you get enough seat time and confidence the control will be there and the fear will not. In the mean time you may consider paying attention to that fear, it’s a survival instinct.

Sign up for one of my 2 Day Group Classes at my Lisbon Ohio track this year and receive a free DVD of your choice and 50.00 off the class. http://www.gsmxs.com/schedule.htm