Off-Road Motorcycle Riding Techniques

When riding a motorcycle off road, you must consider the change in terrain. With the variations in the ground underneath you as well as the surrounding obstacles, you must employ different techniques than when riding on hard-top surfaces. While the riding might be more challenging, you can take your bike to more remote locations, making the trip rewarding in the long run.

  1. Posture

    • Posture is one of the most important parts of off-road riding. Good posture will aid in stability and lead to greater safety. Sit straight and keep your weight close to the gas tank. Put your feet on the foot pegs with your legs facing straight forward. You do not want your knees hanging out any further than necessary as they could bump close objects on a single-track trail. Bent your elbows slightly outward in order to give your upper body more support when absorbing the shock of the ride.

    Turning

    • Shift your weight to the inside peg to prep the bike when heading into turns. This weight gets the motorcycle facing the correct angle and direction, improving traction. As soon as you get into the turn, shift your weight back to the outside peg to counterbalance the bike. This weight will keep you from falling during the turn and help straighten the bike out when the trail straightens back up. During the turn be certain to keep the throttle steady as sudden changes in speed can cause you to lose traction.

    Hill Climbing

    • Before you attempt a hill, be sure you are staying within your skill set. Climbing hills can be one of the most challenging areas of trail riding, as well as the most dangerous. If a hill is too steep you can fall all the way backwards or overpower the bike so that you lose control. On any hill see if there is a good way out if you get in trouble. Traversing a hill is always possible as long as it is not too overgrown. When you traverse, you will go from side to side, slowly angling up the hill instead of straight up the climb. This gives you a better angle if you are not ready to take the hill on full force.

      If you do hill climb, keep both feet firmly on the pegs. Be sure to shift into a low gear and speed up before you begin the climb. Depending on the steepness of the hill, you will either slide forward on the seat or stand on the pegs and lean significantly over the front of the bike. For steeper hills you will want to stand and for more moderate hills you can just slide forward.

    Getting Down the Hill

    • What goes up must come down, so when heading down a hill keep both feet on the pegs. Shift into a low gear and give the bike little to no gas. As you point the bike directly down the hill, transfer your weight to the rear. If the hill is steep, bend at the waist as far as you can so your buttocks is well over the back of the seat while you keep a firm grip on the handlebars. Remember to use your brakes, but be careful with the front brakes so you do not go over the handlebars.