Jump Motocross Bike

If you're learning to ride motocross, it's absolutely essential you learn to jump your motocross bike to the best of your ability. Jumping takes a bit of finesse to do it correctly and safely. Consider practicing on a BMX style bike first to get the positioning down, then work through these steps to learn to work with the form and movement with the power of the bike behind it.

To jump motocross bike, you will need:

• Motocross bike
• Practice track
• All safety gear

1. Build Speed. You need to build speed as you approach the jump. If you can build enough speed the jump should be clean. The speed of your approach depends on the height of the jump.
2. Full Throttle. Open the throttle completely giving the motocross bike all the gas you can before you leave the jump. This is called pinning. It's also part of the pre-loading process. You need to compression the suspension as you pre-load to ensure the bike doesn't lose speed on the jump or push you forward.
3. Landing Placement. Next you need to find the exact place you'll land. This is dependent on a number of factors. In a race you need to note where the other motocross riders are, what the next obstacle is and how far away and where on the track is the best designed for landing. You can practice your jumps solo on the last three of these. Pinpoint your landing and point the bike in that direction. 
4. Foot Placement. As you hit the ground place both feet on the pegs to minimize the shock to your body and keep you in proper riding position. 
5. Body Positioning. The placement of your body as you land is essential. If your weight is not balanced you will crash. Your weight needs to be centered on the bike over either the front or rear wheel. Try to land on the back wheel first and bring your front wheel down. If there is a landing ramp, land with your front wheel first.