It’s no secret that some of the best riders oftentimes find themselves on the dirt. Whether it’s Marc Marquez or Valentino Rossi, it’s undeniable that there are benefits one can extract going from low traction to high traction.
Some traditionalists will tell you to start on the dirt first before you get on the road. Starting on a low-traction surface will train you how to deal with skids and sketchy situations, but what if you started on the road, went to the dirt, and then came back? Many riders find themselves in this kind of scenario, and here’s a nice take from Chaos Causes on YouTube.
Known for his list of videos, and also his love for Yamaha motorcycles, and a brief affair with KTM and Husqvarna, he started riding on the dirt about a year ago. In between then and now, he got a dirt bike, downsized his road bike, bought a supermoto, and published many videos in between. After a year of riding on the dirt, he has seven things to share with us that involve going from Motocross to the road, or dirt to asphalt depending on how you want to look at it.
The first is not to be fooled by pro riders and copying their riding style and body position to the letter. Do what feels best for you with proper fundamentals in tow. On that, you can’t learn to ride from a YouTube video. Get out there, ride, experience, and learn for yourself how to get faster, how to move your body, and how to control the motorcycle.
Following the first two, riding on the road becomes safer with a track session waiting for you on the horizon. This varies from person to person, as some people just don’t know how to keep a lid on things. However, at least in Chaos’ case, motocross was able to scratch his itch and his need for speed, leading to a safer road ride.
Getting used to losing traction is one of the first things that you learn on a dirt bike, however, getting the most out of the experience is being able to find traction by positioning your body weight where it is needed the most. All this is also influenced by the friends you keep, so do find fellow riders that help you along your journey and push your skills to new levels.
Finally, motocross has also helped Chaos unlock a new level of sensitivity with his motorcycle. When it comes to playing with his suspension settings especially. Getting in touch with your bike is important, and playing around with your settings is a part of it, and on the topic of control, sliding the bike and getting used to backing it in or maintaining a skid is a transition-able skill that Chaos said made him “feel like Brad Binder.”
Dirt Bikes!:
Source: YouTube - Chaos Causes