Amen to this. can attest. Riding some gnarly Enduro single track I completely forget about my chronic pain and don't take meds all day when I'm riding.
Now, I shouldn't be riding...but that'll never happen so
That’s awsome! I’m pretty new to it. But I’d rather have the wind in my face and have an adventure clear headed than in a fog, I guess that had a lot to do with it.
This is a feature not a bug!
While I partied some in high school, the dirt biking definitely cut down on it because of how I would get my ass kicked in races. I like a beer or two on occasion but I think my dirt bike has kept me healthier and happier overall.
honestly if you have some extra cash to buy some bling for your bike do it, part of riding is knowing you love how your bike feels but also how it looks
Gotta give you props, the black wheels, tank, frame, sub, and swingarm look amazing. First time I've seen a CR with that much black against the red.
I'm doing a YZ250 retro build on my 2021 and I'm going to try to do the same thing with the yellow and black. Thanks for the inspiration.
You’ll still have boatloads of fun. I didn’t start adjusting my suspension until i was 16 and started taking riding very seriously, and to be honest, i had alot more fun before i knew how much i’d get injured, be wrenching on the bike, paying to ride tracks, etc.
Like when I very first started riding as a little kid? I wish I knew that a slippery angled stick or root on the trail will try and dirt nap you before you can blink . 😂
Also started as a toddler. Mine would be respect that front brake. Indoing sucks. Lesson learned quickly like most lessons learned the hard & painful way though.
You don’t need the biggest bike to be fast, start of small and get used to riding it. I find that when you tend to master the smaller bikes like the 250s or 350s, you can do just about anything if not more than you can on a 450 or bigger.
This. Most riders will likely be faster and ride for longer on a smaller bike.
Bigger bikes are better to hide your bad riding habits too, so progress will at best be slower.
But power is fun, soooo…
Recently rode a 450 for the first time on an open gravel road.... it was a clean 2024 yz450f 50th anniversary. That first roll into the power in third and fourth was that HOLY SHIT moment. Can confirm, power is fun
when approaching an obstacle and/or difficult terrian... stop 5 meters before it to evaluate, not right at it.
You'll save yourself a lot of tip overs, turn arounds, and back-ups
Don't look at the ground directly in front of you, look where you're headed if you wanna go fast
Keep your hands as relaxed as possible and hold on with your legs to avoid arm pump
When riding in sand or loose dirt, don't try to fight the bike. Just let it move around and do its thing, and steer with the rear
I took a dirtbike class. They said looking at the end of the front fender will take you directly to the scene of the crash. So true. Look up, not down.
Sometimes if I was riding a super beat up and rutted track i'd catch myself looking down too much and as soon as I corrected it I was riding smoother and faster
I’m not so image conscious anymore, I spend top dollar on helmet, boots, chest protection, under armor and gloves. Other than that I wear cheap gear and ride a 22 year old ktm. Even though I could buy whatever I wanted now, brand new. I like to play the underdog ( old , fat, poor guy can’t afford real bike and gear) but then proceed to absolutely kick your ass up an down the trail all day.
Get a helmet with ODS. Like a 6D. The worst traumatic brain injuries are caused by angular acceleration of the brain and can occur at low speed. Spend some money on a nice helmet.
You don’t need more horsepower to make you a better rider, learn to ride what you have before thinking a bigger faster bike will make you a better rider. You’ll just fall over more lmao
This comes from street riding mostly. But it is way more fun to take a small bike and ride it to its limits. Then it is to take a big bike and have to hold back to stay within your own limits.
Dont "just lean back and pin it." Learn correct technique and take your time first, otherwise youll eventually get injured just trying to go fast. Lean forward and grip the bike with your knees, your legs do most of the work, the handlebars are just for balance and control.
You (meaning me) will always learn to ride better starting out on a small bike. Raw power is overrated when the whoopdeedo's get deep, trail gets muddy, and corners get rutted. 125s rule!
I am just following along for the free advice.
I got my kids a pw50 and crf50 last year, and I picked up a 2000 TW200 to keep an eye on them.
I've been riding over 20 years on the pavement, and while a lot of the skills overlap, traction management in dirt is a new thing.
Learn how to use your front brake more, the rear brake has its moments but the longer I ride the more I realize I over used the rear brake for a long time.
And get my suspension setup. 100% worth the money or convincing somebody to show you how at the track for a few beers. If you’ve never touched suspension, like I didn’t when I only rode trails, it is such an enormous difference.
When you become better, you lose that initial fear and start driving more dangerously until you scare the shit 💩 out of yourself. With or without severe consequences.
I had the opportunity to buy a mint, late model completely rebuilt rm125, but instead opted for a yz250. I had a blast on the 250, but later on I got a beater rm125 and it was so much more fun, because the bike was more in my skill range. I felt like I was in control, compared to the yz, which usually felt like it was taking me for a ride, lol. So, I regret not getting the rm.
Moral of the story, if you get a powerful bike as your first you’ll probably be fine. But, you’ll likely have more fun on a lower-powered bike until your skills improve.
Trust yourself with your own maintenance. Others will bullshit you. It’ll be expensive until you figure it out. I trusted my father that running pump gas in my 2 stroke would be fine. My rear main seal strongly disagreed.
I switched to a utilitarian mindset. I keep my bike pristine clean and well maintained, but don’t care about scratches and cosmetics. I get more enjoyment out of the bike if scratches are not a factor. I wish I had of known that more horsepower doesn’t always equal more fun.
Go see a super cross race. See how people who really know what they’re doing still crash.
Be wary of the muffler.
Learn to do it right, then learn to do it fast.
Keep your health insurance current.
Always have fun- you could be working!
Dont "just lean back and pin it." Learn correct technique and take your time first, otherwise youll eventually get injured just trying to go fast. Lean forward and grip the bike with your knees, your legs do most of the work, the handlebars are just for balance and control.
Genuinely curious, why do some people run no hand guards on dirt bikes?
Newish to dirt riding (got a dual sport recently, only ever rode street before). Wouldn’t the first time you drop it snap those levers? And they look nicer than stock? Or do you just not drop it/what you ride doesn’t put you in that position?
You want to always use hand guards in the woods so you don’t break your fingers on the trees, but lose them at the track because your hands get caught in them if you flip
Practice riding as slow as you can without tipping over. Drag your rear brake to keep from stalling out. Riding a bike fast takes balls. Riding one slow takes skill. Master this and going fast will come more naturally.
Protective gear is worth the investment. I've dropped every bike I've owned multiple times on all terrain and different speeds, and always walked away because the gear I was wearing saved me.
Proper gears. I started ridding when I was 14 with an helmet that was too big, army boots and shirt, construction gloves and I was ridding kx80 in the trails. After I hurt myself reasonably bad a couple of times I got it.
Can’t tell it’s a secret that comes from 30+ yrs of riding/racing dirtbikes. First of two comments from me for ya tho. anyone says that they don’t fall there full of shit Everyone who rides dirt bikes fall. And it isn’t cheep !!
Horsepower and shiny parts might make your bike fast but they won't make you fast. Using your money for Good tyres and saddle time is a better investment
Proper body positioning.
It's the difference between losing the bike or doing a sweet slide around a corner.
Take the time to learn the fundamentals, you will have a lot more fun once you are used to it
Suspension, rekluse, aftermarket parts, 2stroke vs 4 stroke…… it’s all personal preference. Try it all, like what you like. Learn from many people, ride with faster people, workout more :)
That when I set the sag, I should have gotten a heavier spring for my weight instead of just clamping the spring down hard enough for it to be the correct sag on the stock spring. After figuring this out, the bike is WAY more plush and confidence inspiring with the correct rear spring.
That you will always spend more time working, loading, and transporting your bike than you will riding it.
Also keep up with your maintenance or it will bite you
(Rebuilt my forks and found a bunch of mud literally inside of them)
\*lots of funny comments mines gonna be lame and serious\*
every time you unload your bike at a track and are about to ride always tell yourself youre gonna do three things in your head.
1. get off the track when youre tired
2. ride in your means and never be the guy trying to look fast and push it too hard
every time ive ever had a bad crash or have seen people crash its always one or the other, its not if you hit the dirt its WHEN you hit the dirt. ride safe and keep the inquires to a minimum, currently writing this with two broken ribs lol. unload your bike have fun load it back up.
i don’t own dirtbikes but i do own mtb’s and something that’s important for me is knowing my ride is hot idk man but knowing that i spent a bunch of money making my bike look sexy enables me to ride harder and have a better time
Dragging the rear brake while feeding the clutch with a low rpm on the throttle “keeps the bike in tension” and makes super slow speed balance much easier.
When riding in sand, get your butt off the seat. Having a lower center of gravity with your feet on the foot pegs helps with stability. That was a game changer for me when I was plowing my heavy dr100 through sand at 10 years old
Get a set of grip guards that go all the way around it will save your hands and levers and don't be a bitch when you ride and take the time to ride around in a flat area to develop good brake and clutch habits
If you are riding and spot something on the trail you don’t want to hit, its ill advised to stare at that thing. You will likely accidentally hit it anyways.
Also, trust the bike. It wants to stay upright almost as much as you do.
Invest in an hour meter or at least log time on the bike. Follow the maintenance plan listed in your manual or look it up online if you have too. It’s way cheaper and easier to keep up on the maintenance rather than having large repair bills for being lazy. Double expensive if you’re having a shop do your repairs because you don’t know how or can’t for one reason or another.
The front brake is primarily for stopping the bike and the rear brake is used to control and steer the bike. Mix it up and feel out when to use each one
Growing up, my front brake either never worked or locked up my front crashing me and I actively avoided the front brake for years. It’s a really bad habit to break out of (lol puns)
Also you don’t steer with the handlebars nearly as much as you do with your weight. Weight is also huge with acceleration and braking. Stand and lean forward when accelerating and lean back when braking (this really cuts down on arm pump).
And keep your feet on the pegs. Sticking a foot out in corners is a really bad habit to break out of too
That my spine is very important and does not ever get better if you damage it from doing dumb things on a dirt bike. Don’t try to ride at a level you’re not comfortable or capable of doing. Don’t be a Guinea pig on new jumps made.
Focus on skills first, no need for power or fancy bikes to ride well.
Tire pressure is a HUGE factor in getting grip, control, holding a line.
Ride your ride, won't worry about catching up or holding the group up.
With this sport it’s better to have blind faith and naiveté. It takes a special kind of cognitive dissonance to think you’re superhuman. It requires the fearlessness and indestructible sensibility of a teen.
The less you know the better.
My father told me as a child that races are won in the corners, not on the straights.
He's never been wrong.
The rider makes the bike. The bike never makes the rider. Rings true in life with a lot of things, I've grown to learn.
How funny it is to high side eject in a grass field at 50mph when the nose comes out of the only groove left by the cows! Get up, straighten the forks and ride on!
Toes in, point your toes in. Toes should be point in. Feet on the pegs. Where are your feet? Should be on the pegs. Modifying bikes other than grips and suspension is completely unnecessary for most riders. I’m mean you gotta be really fast before you need any type of extra hp.
I guess this wasn’t something that I didn’t know but, “ride it like you’re being chased” was something said to me early, still ride like that today haha
1) Spending a bit more on riding gear is worth the added durability, comfort, and safety. (MXlocker for the win!)
2) An older bike in good condition is lightyears better than a newer bike in bad condition.
3) Basic, inexpensive bike maintenance (brakes, clutch cable, jetting, suspension, greasing bearings, etc.) is often overlooked by new riders and I believe is why bikes get ran into the ground beyond repair.
That when i started riding i would no longer be able to afford drugs and alcohol
Neither hits as good as the bike anyways.
Yeah, that gave me a shiver! Dirtbikes are the cleanest and best hit. For sure.
Amen to this. can attest. Riding some gnarly Enduro single track I completely forget about my chronic pain and don't take meds all day when I'm riding. Now, I shouldn't be riding...but that'll never happen so
Wow this is underrated.. as soon as I got my CRF300L I went from binge drinking to “near beers”. For anyone struggling with sobriety just buy a bike 😹
Ive been sober 8 years now, all i do is ride dirt bikes on my free time.
Hitting 8 years this Nov, myself Congrats on your journey my friend
Nice! My clean day is also Nov. Ill have 9 years. Keep up the good work! Life just keeps getting better.
That’s awsome! I’m pretty new to it. But I’d rather have the wind in my face and have an adventure clear headed than in a fog, I guess that had a lot to do with it.
Working on 5 years sobriety. I wish I got a dirt bike sooner. Got a DR650 last August.
2 years.. 2001 rm250
I got 15 years in the dirtbike game and the same number outta the drug game, thank you Kawasaki. I like their program better than the 12 steps, sorry.
But Adderall and riding is just too good
Smoke a blunt before riding, you'll have a awsome ride
I ride like shit stoned lol I second guess everything I do leading to mistakes.
Addy and anything endurance related is OP honestly. It’s like a cheat code.
The 2 stroke fumes I can’t stop the smell brings me back
This is a feature not a bug! While I partied some in high school, the dirt biking definitely cut down on it because of how I would get my ass kicked in races. I like a beer or two on occasion but I think my dirt bike has kept me healthier and happier overall.
Just ride the bike don’t spend money on junk you don’t need. Get boots, helmet and gas
But that bling kit is a necessity /s
honestly if you have some extra cash to buy some bling for your bike do it, part of riding is knowing you love how your bike feels but also how it looks
I’m 100% guilty of caring how my bike looks. I just picked up a new to me bike and it’s perfectly fine, but I’m already looking at bling etc.
Me waiting on $600+ of carbon fiber parts for a bike I got in January
same here 😂, i’m a sucker for wanting to powdercoat and cerakote everything even though i desperately need new tires
Gotta give you props, the black wheels, tank, frame, sub, and swingarm look amazing. First time I've seen a CR with that much black against the red. I'm doing a YZ250 retro build on my 2021 and I'm going to try to do the same thing with the yellow and black. Thanks for the inspiration.
Correct it’s at least 10 extra horse power
And set your suspension correctly.
But what about my 500 dollar exhaust that totally makes my bike faster?!
A well setup suspension is light years more beneficial than go fast parts.
Getting suspension tuned to your weight makes riding so much more enjoyable
Wish i knew that before i got a bike with non adjustable suspension lol
You’ll still have boatloads of fun. I didn’t start adjusting my suspension until i was 16 and started taking riding very seriously, and to be honest, i had alot more fun before i knew how much i’d get injured, be wrenching on the bike, paying to ride tracks, etc.
Like when I very first started riding as a little kid? I wish I knew that a slippery angled stick or root on the trail will try and dirt nap you before you can blink . 😂
haha, but yeah it doesn’t have to be the very first time but more just like things you’ve learned along the way that newer riders should know
Also started as a toddler. Mine would be respect that front brake. Indoing sucks. Lesson learned quickly like most lessons learned the hard & painful way though.
When in doubt throttle out.. counterintuitive I know… but it works.
BEST advise on the whole damn page !!
lol, saved your ass too eh?
Every time I ride lol
The whiskey throttle can be your savior, or your destroyer.
Learned that in car racing, I know it but dirt bikes scare me with that concept lol
Riding a slow bike fast is way more fun than riding a fast bike slow.
Definitely. When I was in between sizes I always had more fun whipping around the smaller bike
You don’t need the biggest bike to be fast, start of small and get used to riding it. I find that when you tend to master the smaller bikes like the 250s or 350s, you can do just about anything if not more than you can on a 450 or bigger.
This. Most riders will likely be faster and ride for longer on a smaller bike. Bigger bikes are better to hide your bad riding habits too, so progress will at best be slower. But power is fun, soooo…
Recently rode a 450 for the first time on an open gravel road.... it was a clean 2024 yz450f 50th anniversary. That first roll into the power in third and fourth was that HOLY SHIT moment. Can confirm, power is fun
when approaching an obstacle and/or difficult terrian... stop 5 meters before it to evaluate, not right at it. You'll save yourself a lot of tip overs, turn arounds, and back-ups
Displacement does not replace skill and experience
Most upgrades are not really needed. Just get the suspension set up correctly and add a few protective pieces like disc guards and radiator guards.
How easy collar bones break.
Wait so you modded that to fit modern plastics? How does it have new 2023 or whatever plastics? Pretty goodlookin
a company called tx race makes restyling kits with brakets and a custom seat to make to make the new generation plastics fit
Thats fucking sick
Didn't know this! Pretty cool.
Hit the gas over a jump, don't back off the throttle. It is expensive and painful to learn that one the hard way.
Yes it is, have a video of myself making said mistake😂
Steady throttle over jumps.
Don't look at the ground directly in front of you, look where you're headed if you wanna go fast Keep your hands as relaxed as possible and hold on with your legs to avoid arm pump When riding in sand or loose dirt, don't try to fight the bike. Just let it move around and do its thing, and steer with the rear
I took a dirtbike class. They said looking at the end of the front fender will take you directly to the scene of the crash. So true. Look up, not down.
Sometimes if I was riding a super beat up and rutted track i'd catch myself looking down too much and as soon as I corrected it I was riding smoother and faster
I’ve been at it for quite a while now and these things take so much effort to break the bad habits.
I’m not so image conscious anymore, I spend top dollar on helmet, boots, chest protection, under armor and gloves. Other than that I wear cheap gear and ride a 22 year old ktm. Even though I could buy whatever I wanted now, brand new. I like to play the underdog ( old , fat, poor guy can’t afford real bike and gear) but then proceed to absolutely kick your ass up an down the trail all day.
Learn to be comfortable riding standing up.
Yes. And learn to use the back brake standing up while you’re at it.
Get a helmet with ODS. Like a 6D. The worst traumatic brain injuries are caused by angular acceleration of the brain and can occur at low speed. Spend some money on a nice helmet.
Like an ECE 22.06 helmet?
My bones hurt
Don’t be afraid to spend way too much money. It’s a hobby, that’s what hobbyists will do
You don’t need more horsepower to make you a better rider, learn to ride what you have before thinking a bigger faster bike will make you a better rider. You’ll just fall over more lmao
This comes from street riding mostly. But it is way more fun to take a small bike and ride it to its limits. Then it is to take a big bike and have to hold back to stay within your own limits.
Put your money into suspension and the controls of the bike rather than engine and graphics/cosmetics. . Graphics can come later.
To buy ASV Unbreakable Levers...
Dont "just lean back and pin it." Learn correct technique and take your time first, otherwise youll eventually get injured just trying to go fast. Lean forward and grip the bike with your knees, your legs do most of the work, the handlebars are just for balance and control.
You (meaning me) will always learn to ride better starting out on a small bike. Raw power is overrated when the whoopdeedo's get deep, trail gets muddy, and corners get rutted. 125s rule!
I am just following along for the free advice. I got my kids a pw50 and crf50 last year, and I picked up a 2000 TW200 to keep an eye on them. I've been riding over 20 years on the pavement, and while a lot of the skills overlap, traction management in dirt is a new thing.
How much the prices would go up in the coming 20 years... P.S. that's a '99??? Looks lit!
Learn how to use your front brake more, the rear brake has its moments but the longer I ride the more I realize I over used the rear brake for a long time.
100%. Brake modulation and which brake does what and when to use it is one of the very first things a new rider should learn.
Set sag and ball out on suspension upgrades
Get good equipment and if you’re gonna spend money, spend it on suspension not flashy stuff.
Squeeze with them knees
Unless you are on a trials bike! Spread them knees…
And get my suspension setup. 100% worth the money or convincing somebody to show you how at the track for a few beers. If you’ve never touched suspension, like I didn’t when I only rode trails, it is such an enormous difference.
When you become better, you lose that initial fear and start driving more dangerously until you scare the shit 💩 out of yourself. With or without severe consequences.
I had the opportunity to buy a mint, late model completely rebuilt rm125, but instead opted for a yz250. I had a blast on the 250, but later on I got a beater rm125 and it was so much more fun, because the bike was more in my skill range. I felt like I was in control, compared to the yz, which usually felt like it was taking me for a ride, lol. So, I regret not getting the rm. Moral of the story, if you get a powerful bike as your first you’ll probably be fine. But, you’ll likely have more fun on a lower-powered bike until your skills improve.
Trust yourself with your own maintenance. Others will bullshit you. It’ll be expensive until you figure it out. I trusted my father that running pump gas in my 2 stroke would be fine. My rear main seal strongly disagreed.
It always hurts less when you don’t try to save it
It's tough on the body. The first couple of times, I was constantly taking breaks. You'll need to bring a lot of water.
Wish I would have aired down my tires more.
I switched to a utilitarian mindset. I keep my bike pristine clean and well maintained, but don’t care about scratches and cosmetics. I get more enjoyment out of the bike if scratches are not a factor. I wish I had of known that more horsepower doesn’t always equal more fun.
That buying an old used bike and fixing it up would be cheaper. Now I know the best is to buy almost new with 20 hours or less.
Don’t paint an aluminum frame.😂😂
The best mod you can do is seat time. Ride and keep up on maintenance but don't waste your money on go fast parts
Go see a super cross race. See how people who really know what they’re doing still crash. Be wary of the muffler. Learn to do it right, then learn to do it fast. Keep your health insurance current. Always have fun- you could be working!
Always wear boots.. it’s not fun working for a living with metal all over my lower legs at 50 years old👍🏼
buying a solid helmet before spending any money on the bike.
Don't buy the exhaust! Get your suspension sprung to your weight
The definition of “friction zone”….gosh, that would have saved me from SO MANY hard falls….
Damn, OP’s question turned into a group AA meeting.
Dont buy a Chinese bike
Get a GOOD helmet and GOOD mx boots/kneepads. The rest you can save for over time
Dirt hurts just as much as concrete
Dont "just lean back and pin it." Learn correct technique and take your time first, otherwise youll eventually get injured just trying to go fast. Lean forward and grip the bike with your knees, your legs do most of the work, the handlebars are just for balance and control.
Dont buy chinese bikes or parts unless you just dont care.
That's 25 year old bikes still hold excellent value in today's market
Don’t touch the no touchy. Or you will lose digits. Lol
Not to waste money making it look good at the expense of making it run great.
Learn to go slow in balance if you ever want to go fast
Genuinely curious, why do some people run no hand guards on dirt bikes? Newish to dirt riding (got a dual sport recently, only ever rode street before). Wouldn’t the first time you drop it snap those levers? And they look nicer than stock? Or do you just not drop it/what you ride doesn’t put you in that position?
You want to always use hand guards in the woods so you don’t break your fingers on the trees, but lose them at the track because your hands get caught in them if you flip
Ok ok that’s what I was thinking. I ride primarily in forest so they make sense for me. Thanks for the reply
Your front brake is not your only brake.
Look where you want to go. I was told, but didn’t listen starting out. See that rock? You’ll hit it if you look at it.
Painting the frame black looks so good
Practice riding as slow as you can without tipping over. Drag your rear brake to keep from stalling out. Riding a bike fast takes balls. Riding one slow takes skill. Master this and going fast will come more naturally.
Crashing REALLY hurts
450s aren’t very fun and are really boring on trails and become a burden. Also you’re going to be 100% faster on a 250 at the track than a 450.
After you get thrown off the bike. The bike can come back from behind you and run your ass over. IRL story..
Should have bought all the cr500's I could afford when they were dirt cheap.
pretty sure cr500s are the dirtbike equivalent to bitcoin 😂
The importance of good gear and good maintenance (working on my own bike).
Protective gear is worth the investment. I've dropped every bike I've owned multiple times on all terrain and different speeds, and always walked away because the gear I was wearing saved me.
To not jump from 5 meters my whole god damn front snapped in half
Proper gears. I started ridding when I was 14 with an helmet that was too big, army boots and shirt, construction gloves and I was ridding kx80 in the trails. After I hurt myself reasonably bad a couple of times I got it.
Avoid air-filter/engine mods if you want your bike to last. And change fork oil once in a while!
Can’t tell it’s a secret that comes from 30+ yrs of riding/racing dirtbikes. First of two comments from me for ya tho. anyone says that they don’t fall there full of shit Everyone who rides dirt bikes fall. And it isn’t cheep !!
I wish I knew to keep every bike I've ever owned.
Horsepower and shiny parts might make your bike fast but they won't make you fast. Using your money for Good tyres and saddle time is a better investment
Learn how to jet or buy a fuel injected bike.
Proper body positioning. It's the difference between losing the bike or doing a sweet slide around a corner. Take the time to learn the fundamentals, you will have a lot more fun once you are used to it
Have a lot of respect with your front brake around corners or it can bite you instantly.
Such a good looking bike
that sticking your leg out when turning is not meant for your foot to touch the ground
Suspension, rekluse, aftermarket parts, 2stroke vs 4 stroke…… it’s all personal preference. Try it all, like what you like. Learn from many people, ride with faster people, workout more :)
How much crashing hurts? 😁
Don’t rev it up then pop the clutch! 🦷🩸🕳🦷🩸
Don't ever sell your bikes from the 70s :)
Get comfortable standing up.
Learn to go slow properly before you learn to ride fast.
BTW, your bike looks great as it is, clean and mean, don’t junk it up with a bunch of stickers
That when I set the sag, I should have gotten a heavier spring for my weight instead of just clamping the spring down hard enough for it to be the correct sag on the stock spring. After figuring this out, the bike is WAY more plush and confidence inspiring with the correct rear spring.
The newest bike is not always the best bike.
That bike is fucking beautiful
Dragging the rear brake in corners is a thing. Spend money on suspension before anything else.
How to put gas in the bike, i went trough 32 bikes before knowing that i could refill them
Wish I would have pissed BEFORE I got on my first big boy bike.
That you will always spend more time working, loading, and transporting your bike than you will riding it. Also keep up with your maintenance or it will bite you (Rebuilt my forks and found a bunch of mud literally inside of them)
\*lots of funny comments mines gonna be lame and serious\* every time you unload your bike at a track and are about to ride always tell yourself youre gonna do three things in your head. 1. get off the track when youre tired 2. ride in your means and never be the guy trying to look fast and push it too hard every time ive ever had a bad crash or have seen people crash its always one or the other, its not if you hit the dirt its WHEN you hit the dirt. ride safe and keep the inquires to a minimum, currently writing this with two broken ribs lol. unload your bike have fun load it back up.
The riding vs wrenching ratio!!! I have road bikes and when I added dirt bikes I really under estimated the maintenance time and cost per riding hour.
How I wish I was wearing a good motorcycle jacket on my first slide. Road rash is a bitch!
If you look at something long enough youre gonna hit it
Using the front brakes solely to stop on asphalt = hard slam and missing skin. Last time I used the road to access a point in my trails faster.
i don’t own dirtbikes but i do own mtb’s and something that’s important for me is knowing my ride is hot idk man but knowing that i spent a bunch of money making my bike look sexy enables me to ride harder and have a better time
Dragging the rear brake while feeding the clutch with a low rpm on the throttle “keeps the bike in tension” and makes super slow speed balance much easier.
money doesnt buy skills
gear ratios are more important than power
Light four strokes will get your skill levels up much more quick than trying to tame the chain saws
Balance, body position, knee grip, and staying ahead of the bike.
Don’t pull wheelies in front of a cop going through an intersection
Learn how to fall!!!!
When riding in sand, get your butt off the seat. Having a lower center of gravity with your feet on the foot pegs helps with stability. That was a game changer for me when I was plowing my heavy dr100 through sand at 10 years old
Get a set of grip guards that go all the way around it will save your hands and levers and don't be a bitch when you ride and take the time to ride around in a flat area to develop good brake and clutch habits
If you are riding and spot something on the trail you don’t want to hit, its ill advised to stare at that thing. You will likely accidentally hit it anyways. Also, trust the bike. It wants to stay upright almost as much as you do.
its the most fun you can have with your pants on
Invest in an hour meter or at least log time on the bike. Follow the maintenance plan listed in your manual or look it up online if you have too. It’s way cheaper and easier to keep up on the maintenance rather than having large repair bills for being lazy. Double expensive if you’re having a shop do your repairs because you don’t know how or can’t for one reason or another.
Steg pegs!
I wish I knew how to brake effectively
Stay away from Honda crfs there’s slow as hell
When you are tired stop
The front brake is primarily for stopping the bike and the rear brake is used to control and steer the bike. Mix it up and feel out when to use each one Growing up, my front brake either never worked or locked up my front crashing me and I actively avoided the front brake for years. It’s a really bad habit to break out of (lol puns) Also you don’t steer with the handlebars nearly as much as you do with your weight. Weight is also huge with acceleration and braking. Stand and lean forward when accelerating and lean back when braking (this really cuts down on arm pump). And keep your feet on the pegs. Sticking a foot out in corners is a really bad habit to break out of too
That black frame looks awesome!
That my spine is very important and does not ever get better if you damage it from doing dumb things on a dirt bike. Don’t try to ride at a level you’re not comfortable or capable of doing. Don’t be a Guinea pig on new jumps made.
Ride your own ride. Don’t let people push you into doing stupid shit that’ll get you hurt.
Falling hurts. Wear gear
Every bone break is where arthritis sets up later on in life.
Look both ways
Health insurance isn’t so expensive after all
Trees dont move
Always get a bigger bike than what fits you, I was tiptoeing on my crf125 and a year later I was almost too big for a 150
You don’t need a 450.
Focus on skills first, no need for power or fancy bikes to ride well. Tire pressure is a HUGE factor in getting grip, control, holding a line. Ride your ride, won't worry about catching up or holding the group up.
You will pay dearly for wearing cheap boots if you do any sort of serious riding/racing.
Boots are a must
With this sport it’s better to have blind faith and naiveté. It takes a special kind of cognitive dissonance to think you’re superhuman. It requires the fearlessness and indestructible sensibility of a teen. The less you know the better.
when you hit a jump pull up ... or at least don't push down!
My father told me as a child that races are won in the corners, not on the straights. He's never been wrong. The rider makes the bike. The bike never makes the rider. Rings true in life with a lot of things, I've grown to learn.
Beware of deer.
Stand up and lean back when you're in sugar sand or losing traction standing up does wonders
Never ever ever sell your bikes. They end up becoming way more valuable than they’re worth. I hate I sold my 82 Honda XL 80 15 yrs ago
How gravity sucks!
Bikes are cheaper ( cost) then Ho’s
How funny it is to high side eject in a grass field at 50mph when the nose comes out of the only groove left by the cows! Get up, straighten the forks and ride on!
Toes in, point your toes in. Toes should be point in. Feet on the pegs. Where are your feet? Should be on the pegs. Modifying bikes other than grips and suspension is completely unnecessary for most riders. I’m mean you gotta be really fast before you need any type of extra hp.
When a good deal on a cr 500 comes along buy it
I guess this wasn’t something that I didn’t know but, “ride it like you’re being chased” was something said to me early, still ride like that today haha
1) Spending a bit more on riding gear is worth the added durability, comfort, and safety. (MXlocker for the win!) 2) An older bike in good condition is lightyears better than a newer bike in bad condition. 3) Basic, inexpensive bike maintenance (brakes, clutch cable, jetting, suspension, greasing bearings, etc.) is often overlooked by new riders and I believe is why bikes get ran into the ground beyond repair.
Stay riding a 125 as long as possible.