Important Beginner Dirt Bike Riding Tips for a Safe and Smooth Ride

Mastering the basics serves as a strong foundation for any skill set and this holds true especially when it comes to riding dirt bikes. Mastering the basic riding techniques is essential for moving on to more advanced techniques and improving your speed and balance.

Here we will be discussing some dirt bike riding tips for beginners, so that you have an enjoyable ride on your bike.

1. Finding the Neutral:

The first step is to correctly detect the neutral of bike. In case you are riding a trailbike sans the clutch, then you will find the neutral right at the bottom of the shift pattern. All you would have to do is to tap down the shift lever until it stops clicking. 

The neutral is usually the first gear at the bottom with half a click up between the first and second gears for bikes with a clutch. For such bikes, the trick is to roll the vehicle backward and forward with the engine turned off and the clutch out. Bikes that come fitted with a clutch will inadvertently roll up a few inches before “bumping” against the gear. So the trick for smoothly rolling a bike is to successfully locate the neutral.

2. Kickstarting the Bike's Engine:

Flipping the kickstart lever of the bike would require a little practice. But, once you get a hang of it, it becomes quite easy to start the bike. All you have to do is to flick it on using the toe of your boot, without reaching down. 

While kickstarting, begin from the very top to give a smooth and strong kick all the way down, without stomping on or stabbing the lever. Bikes fitted with a small two-stroke engine might need repeated kicks to get it to start. However, for the majority of bikes, one good kick works best for starting the engine. 

3. Clear a Flooded Engine:

If the fuel has flooded the engine, clear it out by twisting the throttle wide open and holding it in the same position. Simultaneously, try to kickstart the engine without closing off the throttle until the engine comes to life. While you are attempting to clear a flooded engine using this technique, remember to be careful of a kickback. So, it is best to always wear boots every time you start the bike. 

4. Use the Choke Efficiently:

If your engine refuses to start because of the cold air or if you happen to own a carbureted bike, then you can use the choke to fire the engine. There is no fixed location for the choke and its position can change from one bike model to the other. However, it is generally located either on the knob by the handlebar or it can also be a lever or knob on the carb.

All you have to do is to kickstart the bike without twisting the throttle down. If you have a bike with a two-stroke engine, shut down the choke when the bike engine starts. However, if you own a bike with a four-stroke engine, you can let the choke run on for up to a minute before turning it off and riding the bike. 

5. Letting the Clutch Out Smoothly:

The best way to let out the clutch smoothly is to bring the bike's engine to maintain a steady Rotations Per Minute (RPM) at approximately 1/8th throttle. Once the engine is idling slowly and smoothly, let the clutch go. You would have to practice to keep the throttle steady with your right hand so that you can focus on leaving the clutch smoothly with your left. 

6. Using the Clutch Properly:

Once you know how to let go of the clutch smoothly, it is time to learn to use it in the right manner. The clutch is an amazing part of the bike and can at times act as your panic button. So, if anything goes wrong, pull the clutch lever. This will allow the bike to distribute the power to the rear wheel. 

7. Slowing Down Using Brakes:

While the front brakes of the bike have more power than the rear brakes, it is a little difficult for beginners to learn to control them. So it is best to practice braking using both the front and the rear braking levers – together and separately. Also it is best to use composite levers for brakes over aluminum brake levers. 

While the aluminum brake levers can break when pressure is applied, composite levers do not. Moreover, composite levers are much more durable and do not break easily under extreme duress, unlike aluminum levers. The composite levers can bend more than 20 times and can be straightened again quite easily, making them much more flexible and easy to operate while riding. Thus, it is best to provide composite levers to beginners so that they can learn the breaking technique easily.

In Conclusion:

Now that you are aware of some of the most basic dirt bike riding techniques, it will be easier for you to master the more advanced moves. Do not forget to fit in composite levers for your brakes to ensure optimum safety and functionality. Stay safe and happy riding!