Casing options.....?

[thumper4life]

Sooooo......all of you motocrossers out there, you know as soon as you leave the face of a jump when you are not going to make it and case it, so what do you do? I've found out after reviewing my cases, that if I had put my nose down, I probably could of made the landing. But I would like to know some things to do to save yourself from being hurt really bad, I'm sure others would appreciate some input from all you VERY SMART *wink wink* racers/riders out there.

[BMC1]

OUCH. I hate when that happens. It depends on how peaked out the landing is and how short you are comming up. For the most part a good panic rev and staying on the balls of your feet so you can soak up as much as possible with your legs is a good start.

You just want to make sure you come down with the gas on so you carry forward momentum. Squeeze the bike real tight with your legs and hold on with whatever it takes, and pray.

Some landings are hopeless and you have to think fast and decide if bailing out is better. Like you said sometimes you just know on takeoff you are gonna be short, so get out quick.

There is alot of impact comming up short, about 2 years ago I came up short on a pretty big double double and broke my radius in my arm, but still held on without crashing. Next to going over the bars... comming up short is the worst feeling.

[Shawn_Mc]

Coming up short has got to be one of the worst things since menstration. Or the lack of, depending on your situtation ? Any way, RC came up tad short in Anahiem 1, dropping the front end didnt work out so well (read concussion). My advise would depend on how high in the air you are and what gear you took off in. But who in the hell is gonna remember advice with that level of panick? Not me, Im gonna crash. I just accept that. My body dont like it, and I think my cusses at me for it, but its mother earth and me gettin cozy.

[sirthumpalot]

I'm not a pro, but I have come up short more times than I care to remember. From what I have seen and experienced, if you're going to come up short then land any way you can except for nose down! Stay on the gas, stand up and brace yourself for a hard landing. If you can land wheels first (without casing it) then all of the energy that the bike soaks up is energy that your poor body doesn't have to soak up. If you're gonna case it then I guess just hold on tight and stay on the gas (ouch!). I personally prefer the middle of my feet to the balls of my feet as I have landed hard enough to not be able to keep my feet extended and it hurt my ankles. That landing made my whole body tingle, didn't like it at all.. heh.. Well that's the limit of my expertise, hope someone else has better info than I do. ?

[herbski]

Just reading this thread makes my wrists hurt!

[bassr_#186]

Although it depends on how short your are talking, If I am coming up a little short on a double (i.e., hitting on the top of the landing as opposed to the downside), I try to get my weight back just a little off center (without lifting the front tire too much) and accelerate the bike. This has saved me from going over the bars on numerous occasions. If I am way short, I just panic rev and pray. If I am coming up short on a long table top, I panic rev so that I land on my back tire first. Maintain acceleration so that the force is immediately transferred forward instead of straight down.

[DaveJ]

Well, this is going to sound a little scientific, but many painful experiences have given me plenty of time to think this over.

In nearly all cases, I stay with the bike. The cushion provided from the suspension and seat can save your life.

In all cases, I at least try to get the front wheel over the jump face in which I'm casing into. This usually sends me flying over the bars, but at least the deceleration forces are absorbed slower.

The only time I would fully toss the bike would be if I think the deceleration forces, even with consideration to the suspension, would do greater damage than trying to get my body over the face of the jump, so that I roll-on and my bike stays behind. About the only time that happens is when my bike stalls or I make a serious mistake on the take off, and I'm trying to clear a long triple.

I would like to think my learning days are over, but when I see the pros get into trouble every now and then, I know my days are numbered.

Good topic to bring up.

DaveJ

Btw – just for the record, don’t let my articulate words ever mislead anyone here to believe that I’m some sort of super star rider. The fact is, my riding skills are middle of the pack. I can clear the triples and the like, but with little or no grace. My landings are nearly always hard and I fear for my life every time I’m setting up. I have a lot to learn about getting fast by being smooth. Need I dare mention how dysfunctional my cornering skills are.

[Kirtwell]

After reading the posts here I too prefer to panic rev. I open that throttle all the way up just before impact. It really helps. However, if I see that I'm going to case the backside of the jump I pull the front up high and lean way back with my knees slightly bent to eliminate the possiblility of an endo. It makes for the worst impact and almost always racks your hacky sacks.

If you see your bike nose diving quickly...get the hell off......simply let go of the bars, lean back on your bike like a bare back rider...just before impact put your right foot on the crossbar and simply walk off the bike and turn to your left or right like a matador and let the bike go by...It's as easy as that. ?

Of course I've never done it but I've always considered myself a good source of advice.

[John_H]

Originally posted by DaveJ:

My landings are nearly always hard and I fear for my life every time I’m setting up.

Boy that sounds familiar. I cased a double a while back and really don't have too much desire to do it again anytime soon. I'm no MX'er, but I do like to catch air. I'm glad I'm old enough to use that as an excuse. Great topic for me to learn from.