Just looking for some basics to work on while going through the ruts.

Thanks

ajcjr, on 26 May 2012 - 04:56 PM, said:

Do you have even a small idea how to go through ruts, or do you not know anything about it at all?

Edited by kx910, 26 May 2012 - 06:16 PM.

The best thing I can tell you is hit them faster, it makes them SO much easier.

asd

Follow the rut around with your eyes and look where you want to go out of it. Do not look down at the rut in front of your tire.....Sit on the tank, foot out forward and giver !! For straight ruts, same thing, scan the rut and then focus your eyes on the end of it. You will go where you look. If you get a little off balance and can't correct with your shoulders then turn the wheel(if rut is deep enough) toward the direction you are falling and it will straighten you back up. More speed the better and remember, you will go where you look. If you look down, that's probably where you will end up.

Edited by Thumper35, 27 May 2012 - 11:22 AM.

ajcjr, on 26 May 2012 - 04:56 PM, said:

Riding ruts (berms) well is an advanced technique. When dealing with these deep rutted lines in the track there is little to no room for error.  To do it correctly you have to have all the basics down and have a lot of seat time under your helmet.  Some of the keys to pay attention to are; getting lined up ahead of time for the entrance of the rut, controlling the front and/or rear brakes until the transition (where you go from braking to accelerating) then controlling the clutch and throttle and controlling the lean of the bike.  Also try to look ahead up around the berm a little ways not just in front of the fender.  Stay loose with your upper body so you can quickly and easily move from side to side in order to keep your balance. These key points should help but remember it does take a lot of practice to get good in berms.  In July 2011 I released a new DVD called Motocross Bermed Corners from my 2011 Volume 3 Series. See a free preview, order a DVD disc or download at; http://wp.gsmxs.com/...ner-techniques/[/font][/size]

In corners, If the ruts are small and I am coming out of them, I find a little front brake to drop the front end helps me stay in them... but I have a stiff front end...

Sometimes it helps on really tight turns with shallow ruts is to aim a little on the inside and let your tire slide down into the rut rather than trying to land perfectly into them only to have your front tire walk out. On deep ruts in tight turns you want to have not too much lean and a loose upper body controlling the bike with your legs and let the deep rut do the work acting as a rail. In these corners throttle/clutch control is everything.

I always like to drag my front brake slightly to keep my front tire in the rut

wheelie over them, pin it, and stay loose dont be afraid to let it do its thing under you.

For corner ruts the faster you go the sooner you have to do everything, and obviously lean over more. It's best to be as SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE going through ruts. I find I go the fastest when you come in really fast and have the clutch in so there's no engine braking. The faster you go the sooner you have to lean over, so if you want to carry decent speed through there and nearly drag your bars often times you have to be half way leaned over before you even start really turning in the rut. Once you get to the apex I find my eyes usually jump to the exit of the rut and at the apex I generally let the clutch out and ROLL on the gas. The key is to be smooth. If you pin it the bike will stand up.

You know that feeling you got when you landed on that jump perfectly and landed sitting down and then got on the gas? Well that exactly what you should be aiming for when you go into a rutted corner. You should feel yourself getting sucked into the bike and be going fast enough so that when you lean over you feel the tires grabbing into the dirt. The traction should be coming from the bottom (flat part) of the tires through the majority of the rut, but you will probably be on the edges of the tires on the early transition and initial lean.

You know how the ride the bike the MAIN THING is to teach yourself to learn the feeling it gives you and to be able to THINK FASTER. Yes, even if you are coasting through a rut at 1/3rd throttle in 2nd gear, if you are dragging your bars time seems to fly by because you are accelerating so hard through the corner (physics definition not on the gas accel..)

I find it often helps to slightly drag your brakes front and back. This may sound weird but it's almost like it pulls the tires close together (weird I know) but it will really make the bike feel more secure and like it has more traction if you do it properly.

Again the most important thing is to begin leaning over way sooner than you are and be as smooth as possible. Coast into the rut with clutch in, slightly dragging breaks, at apex let off brakes, look ahead, and roll on the gas easy.

+1 on DONT look at your front tire!! Ive had bruised ribs for 4 weeks because we rode a very dry track that had not been prepped since its last race so the ruts were really deep and hard as concrete. I made the mistake of looking down on a very fast corner and it high sided me. Launched me like a rag doll! Got the wind knocked outta me cause I landed with my arm under my ribs. Nothing broken....just sore as hell for the past few weeks.

thanks i was actually practicing them this weekend, starting to get the hang of it.

I was riding a really rutted track (high clay content) recently...and I am horrible at ruts.  As the sun started to go down...the visibility got terrible.  I was literally blind on some corners. I started riding those corners so much better.  Basically...being blind stopped me from looking too close in front of me.  I just tried to slot the bike in parallel to a rut...then got on the throttle...and looked way ahead.  I was basically looking at the EXIT of the rut just as I was getting into it.  You are looking at the rut entry when you are still 15' from it.  By the time you enter it...you can barely see it in your peripheral vision.  Your focus is way ahead...at the point in the rut where you want to pull the front wheel to the inside.  Yeah...I fell over a few times....but the worst that happened was I did a face plant and got the bike muddy.  For learning, I think a 2nd gear tight corner is best for safety.  You can really get some G forces going..without going too fast.  Err on the side of too much lean...  You will lay it down...but no big deal...that is how we learn.  Grips are cheap....

Learn and practice the techniques above, especially   from comments "8" and "11". Spot on.

Gary's DVD MX Corner Speed-Beyond the Basics helped me a ton with cornering. Cut my lap times a few seconds a lap. I have no problem with ruts now and getting faster thru them all the time.

gscx, on 26 May 2012 - 06:26 PM, said:

I second this.  When i try going through straight ruts at a normal speed i usually get squirrly.  Twist the throttle alittle more the next lap and problem solved

Wanna get really fast through them? Learn to ride em standing. It developes trust and balance. Learn to lean the bike and blance it. Once you do that then sitting you'll rail corners. My son use to hate this exercise but now loves it.