i have an 03 YZ125, correct springs for my weight, and forks and shocks are rebuilt.  I have just started riding MX this past year so im still a novice, but picking things up pretty well.  I am getting much more confident on the bike, im cornering much better than i was before, and im carrying as much speed as i can.

I usually ride Pala's vet track and am able to clear a handful of the table tops but not others.  i am learning to sit a little farther back to load the rear as im going up the face to get the height i need to clear the jump.  i know ideally i should be standing 99% of the time.  now when i stand, should i just ride the bike and let the speed carry me over the jump, or should i lean back and try to "pump" the rear down, like a kid standing on a swing, to try and help load the rear?

We should hook up sometime and I can assist with your issues at the track.

There is a lot you can learn from someone riding a similar bike and watching them in person.

Drop me a PM sometime if you wanna hook up. Do you ever ride Milestone? Here is a video of milestone's vet track. You can ask me questions about this video and I can tell you how I did everything.

i do goto milesstone every once in awhile.  i only ride weekdays though, right now i work fri-sun.  so if you ever do weekday rides i can probably make it happen.  II am always watching the faster guys on 125s when im at the track.  I make sure whenever i go out i park in a spot i can see 1 or 2 different tracks so i can see how the beg-int 125 guys are doing than i can turn around and see expert guys on the main track on their 125s.  ive actually learned a lot watching the two different skill levels and seeing little differences.

i will let you know the next time i head out.  i goto pala fairly often, only because its only 20 minutes from my house, but i havent been to milestone in a few months so its about due.

You really have to know your bike 100% before you try leaning back and really getting that pop out of the rear shock. You have to be absolutely positive your motor is going to continue pulling all the way until you are in the air. If you are leaned back off the face and then go to lean forward in the air (ideally the bike is going to jump nose high) you need to be 100% positive your bike isn't going to sign off or over rev. If it does then it's endo city.

It's more of an advanced technique and kind of dangerous because if your bike happens to bog then once again you are going over. Unless it's really muddy, very thick sand, or just a huge jump you rarely need this technique. If other people are clearing these jumps with ease then work on your overall speed and don't ride over your head trying to clear a simple jump.

A good rule of thumb is if the A class guys are really scrubbing the jump hard then go for it most people could clear a jump like that. If they are scrubbing it a little then you may be able to make it. But if they are not scrubbing it or are having to stretch it out don't even try it.

on that vet track, as long as there aren't a bunch of acceleration bumps leading up to the jumps, it's usually ok to sit on faces that are right out of corners. I haven't been to pala in 6 months, but it is the closest track to me. You should be able to clear all the jumps with out preloading. Are you jumping to the end and casing it or not really even going for it? If your corner speed isn't there, keep practicing, give it time and you will reach a point where you are passing people coming up to the face, then slowing down and somehow they are clearing it. At that point just follow the person another lap and see how fast they go.

As for the preloading the bike while standing, i wouldn't compare it to stand up swinging on a swing. When I swing, I'm leaning back with the swing-seat out in front of me and holding on to the ropes with my center of mass behind my feet. I would describe preloading more like a pogo stick. Depending on what you want the bike to do in the air, if you need to keep the front end up (like jumping backward on a pogo stick) you do lean back. If you aren't trying to effect the rotation of the bike with the preload, you try to preload strait down (like a pogo stick in one place), and trying to keep the front end down you lean forward (like trying to ride a pogo stick forward).

The new pala vet track has a very intimidating rhythm section that they put in about 4 months ago. I have actually yet to accomplish it because the jumps are short, but have tall lips and landings. They don't have much boost either, so its difficult to judge the speed and since the take off for the next jump is right after you land from the first one, judging body position can be difficult. So I understand where a question like this would come from because I haven't found the perfect speed through that section myself, all be it, I have yet to go there with a working bike... So I haven't put in a lot of laps at all, unlike the vet track at Milestone.

That section is odd to me because I haven't ever run into anything like it on any other track. I believe the proper method of dealing with that section is going to be sitting off the jump face and hitting it with a lot of throttle since there isn't much boost. Sitting will give you the added boost you need to clear the jump without preloading like you would when standing. I've tried standing and it just doesn't work anywhere near as well.

Anyway, looking forward to going back there with a working bike and nailing that section. The rest of the track is pretty simple, even the stadium rhythm section is easy in comparison.

bronkorob, on 02 July 2012 - 05:05 AM, said:

What you doin' wednesday the 4th? I'm for sure gonna ride somewhere...

bronkorob, on 02 July 2012 - 05:05 AM, said:

My favorite spot to pit is actually next to the main track, right next to the kiddy track, so you can see the quick guys rail through that section next to the start gate, its pretty sick.

Its very rare to see someone on a 125 hammering it out, usually all the 2 strokes are 250's of some kind.

so the track has changed at least twice in the last six months that i know of.  got rid of one of the straight aways, and a few other changes.  TYE i park in the exact same spot you do.  i can see most of the vet track, than turn around walk past the white fence i look down the length of the main track...really good spot i think.  last week there was a guy on a KX125 on the main track that was FLYING!  he was killing it and made it look so easy and effortless.  i am seeing a handful of 125s out there every time now.

there are 2 sets of 3 table tops on the vet track right now.  one set towards the entrance of the track, and another set closest to the bleachers for the main track.  i can clear the 3 by the bleachers.  I carry as much speed into the turn as i can, and sit an inch or two back on the seat and clear the first one, than i am able to stand and carry my momentum and clear the next 2 table tops.

the set closest to the entrance is the table tops I am having issues with.  there is a straight away, right 180 degree turn and an almost immediate jump face.  this one feels steeper than the other set, and it might be longer.  but im not sure if its speed or a height issue to get me over this.  when i am next to other riders, they seem to be much higher than i am, but they are not going significantly faster.  I come up a few feet short, and loose my momentum and i fall short on the next 2 table tops.  i do realize most of the bikes i am on the track with are 4 strokes, and they can put around the corner and just blip the gas and clear most anything out there with all their low end, so i dont know if comparing them to me is constructive.  im pretty sure speed is an issue, and getting better at cornering will help with that.  i only ask about the body motion because as i watched other riders i saw many people do the "pogostick" bounce and get some height out of their jump.  it looked like they did a short quick squat to load the rear as they went up the face.  i wanted more clarification on that.  would i be better off in the long run standing and doing that, or just sitting a bit farther back?  or does it even matter?

TYE, i was planning on riding pala on the 4th, than just noticed they are closed.  i have plans for that afternoon so i cant wonder off too far.  i am planning on heading to pala on Thursday though.  there is another member on here that is a pala regular and also a 125 rider, and if he can get his bike fixed he might be heading out too.  lets get a bunch of 125s together with all skill levels to head out to a track one day.

The jumps starting at 0:55? Either they added the extra lane that the strait away is on since i was there last, or moved the jumps over one lane, still going the same direction into that berm. There used to be a left hander going into those tables i think.

I haven't ridden the new set up, but i have ridden almost every set up at pala since they opened, and the vet track is like a safe zone. It's the first place i go after not riding in a long time. Are you trying to get out of the corner before it in third gear? it looks to me like i would go out side in 2ed gear, maybe 3ed if i could grab it, sitting over the first table (but not seat bouncing), shift in the air if i was in 2ed and stand up, and then third and standing over the next two tables.

Edited by Die_trying, 02 July 2012 - 04:28 PM.

0:55 thats the one.  yeah a few variations ago those 3 jumps were where the straight away is now, and you were going in the opposite direction.  you would turn left from the infield and straight into those.  the vet track has made a lot of changes this year compared to last year.

as far as me making them, i come off the straight away making sure i am in third and use the clutch to get some speed coming out of the corner.  ive never tried shifting in the air, not sure if im at that level right now.  maybe i will give it a shot next time im out there.

Yea, those are the jumps. The first table isn't so bad, its slightly longer, but you rail the outside line before it and its not a big deal. The second table is actually the problem because you come in it with so much speed, you have to scrub some off, but not too much. Yea it looks easy on video and perhaps they toned it down over the last 3 weeks that I haven't been there, but they weren't that easy when I was there! LOL

bronkorob, on 02 July 2012 - 03:53 PM, said:

Blast, that sucks! I was really hoping to head down there on the 4th.

I guess its gonna be pilestone for me sadly.

We'll hook up eventually. I can only ride thursdays during the week normally and I'm usually stuck riding milestone because its the closest track to me. But if you wanna come up next thursday and hang out, that would be fun. I've got a great group of people on thursdays and they're all experienced riders, so you might learn quite a bit.

bronkorob, on 02 July 2012 - 04:53 PM, said:

i think that may be your problem. By clutching it in third your not getting the drive you need. Use second, rev it out longer, if your not comfortable shifting in the air you can shift before of after the jump. Shifting in the air is really easy once you do it a few times. It is common for beginners to not ride high enough in the rpms.

tye1138, on 01 July 2012 - 10:49 PM, said:

Tye!!! found some more speed!!!     Lets see ya clear that back table in the shade!!! (you got seventh gear on that Sunkist cruiser right? lol).
Looking good . Track looks fun. Most tracks here in MI. are sandy and sketchy except for about 2 tracks.  We need some vet tracks here.

dogfish, on 04 July 2012 - 08:23 AM, said:

LOL!!!

I got it dialed today, almost cleared it... haven't watched the video yet, but I bet in the video it will look like I did! LOL

This is the first time I've ridden the 144 this well since putting it together. It brings back memories of last year (before my bad crash) where I was hauling ass on the 125. Funny enough, the trick was a small jetting change and an updated CDI. BOOM, SOB started to work! I've never felt so in-tune with the bike, everything just works like its suppose to on a smooth track. Can't wait to see the video from today, should be epic!

Thanks for the kind words..