Today we’re going to show you five tips on how to jump the biggest jump at your local track. You’re going to learn how to launch a humongous jump. We’re actually out at our local track Austin del Valle motocross park. We have 5 tips that hopefully improve your riding and your safety on jumping big jumps.
If you guys need how to jump a jump we have an article for that make sure that you don’t use this one to go figure out how to jump your first jump. This is a more advanced technique and more advanced information.
Tip number one is going to be just getting warmed up. Making sure that you’re not getting super psyched on the way there you’re riding texting your body saying I might hit it today I know I am and just going out the first lap and launching it doesn’t want to do that.
Okay, this check probably has 15 other jumps that are much smaller you can take time hit those jumps make sure that you’re feeling dialed in, some days you just feel a lot right so make sure it’s not one of those days when you go for the biggest jump. Get warmed up maybe do a 20-minute session go back get a drink have a nice smoothie whatever you have and then come back out and go for it.
Tip number two: This is going to be probably the most important one is going to be sizing up your jump. If it’s 100 foot you don’t want to jump 80 foot the first time. I would suggest jumping 40 foot or if it’s a quad like we have behind us here maybe jumping the double ten times and then going through the triple ten times then when you feel really really comfortable with both of those and it’s time to.
Also, another very important one, Once you’re ready to go you must go. I see it time and time again where a rider says I’m doing it I’m doing today I’m doing it right now I’m doing it in a minute okay I’m doing it tomorrow I’m going to do it tomorrow. Once you make the decision the most important thing for your safety is to go for it, that’s your gut saying I’m in I’m ready I’m going for it your mind is the only one that plays tricks on you, you must listen to the gut and go that’s going to be the safest route.
And another thing that goes along with the commitment is understanding what type of rider you are.
If you’re the type of rider that does a little better jumping stuff when you’re flowing in a lap and you’re feeling good or you’re the type of rider that easy to pull off and hit the jump ten times over and over making a little loop. Understand like where you’re at with that what is safe is for you and what’s going to be the most recipe for success there and make sure you make that decision.
Most tracks you can get off of and back on safely during the middle of practice. The fourth tip is going to be your risk management. If you’re going to go for something new it’s very very important that you take as much risk away as possible that starts with your bike. If I’m going to go big that day I’m going to make sure my bike’s good. So I start here, axle bolts make sure they’re tight you don’t want your wheel flying off okay.
Get you a torque wrench make sure that’s torque the spec. I go from there do the spoke you also don’t want those coming loose so make sure you’re checking your spokes. While you’re back here on the back end and also the front end make sure you’re checking your tire pressure. My go-to is 12 pounds of pressure, I moved from there keep on the back wheel to my sprocket bolt.
I’ve seen many times that have brought the bolts back out throw the sprocket destroys your hub and potentially destroys your body, from back there to the front of the bike. Okay, we’re going to go up here check our pinch bolt on our front axle and then also check our lock nut. Not all bikes going to have this but make sure this is torque to spec.
You want to check your pinch bolts on your fork. Okay make sure those are tight so we’re not losing our forks in the air, sounds crazy but it happens. Check your handlebar amounts especially on KTMs because they have a very they’re very prone they’re underneath in here they go into your top triple clamps, those bolt you will come loose your handlebars and start to wiggle, make sure you check those.
Very important for two-stroke riders make sure your gas is on because you’re only going to go about two minutes before the bike bugs out. Last but not least make sure your motorcycle has got a full tank of gas before you leap, I highly recommend getting yourself a funnel.
Make sure that you take that risk away by going over your bike very well I know a lot of people do but also a lot of people just on the bike go ride hope it goes well. When you’re jumping big jumps the bike can be a huge factor. After you get done tuning up your bike make sure that you know how to case the jump and make sure you know how to over jump a jump, okay, because those both could vary what’ll happen.
What I like to do if I’m over jumping or casing depending on the landing is to land with the back tire first especially on a very long high speed jump. You don’t necessarily want to land with the forks first the shock has a little more give in it, I guess I could say and then taking the blow with the front tire. That’s the big thing is just making sure you know how to case the jump and that you’re ready for that if it happens.
Tip number five, go with your gut, do not listen to your buddy, meaning don’t follow your buddy. When your buddy’s like hey just following me in, don’t do that they may have a much different jumping style than you, they may have a faster bike where they going slow up to the jump and then they power through the face which I’ve seen many times just size it up and do it on your own.
I always see people following people in the faces and I’m always like this. Alright, guys, we hope you’re jumping the big jump at your track after reading this.