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Getting into dirt biking - best way to try it out?

C

CBear

New member
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Location
San Francisco
Moto(s)
Speed Triple
Hey guys! I'm looking for suggestions or advice on how to get my toes wet in riding off road and getting into dirt biking :ride. As someone who has no dirt biking gear or equipment, what's the best way to get out there and try it out?

Do I need to buy a full set of gear and used bike, or is there an alternative that doesn't require such an investment?

I'm an avid street and track rider, but have never wandered off pavement. I have a feeling I'll absolutely love getting off road, but ideally would like to find some way to try it out before beginning to purchase a bunch of stuff.

Thanks for your input!!
 
CBear said:
Hey guys! I'm looking for suggestions or advice on how to get my toes wet in riding off road and getting into dirt biking :ride. As someone who has no dirt biking gear or equipment, what's the best way to get out there and try it out?

Do I need to buy a full set of gear and used bike, or is there an alternative that doesn't require such an investment?

I'm an avid street and track rider, but have never wandered off pavement. I have a feeling I'll absolutely love getting off road, but ideally would like to find some way to try it out before beginning to purchase a bunch of stuff.

Thanks for your input!!
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Be sure to post your question on the South Bay Riders Forum as well. Just about everyone on that forum rides in the dirt in one form or another.
 
I am going to move to dirty barf where the dirty crew hang out.

Good luck and it is a great way to increase your skills.

Garaahan has option for schools that I think include a bike and gear.
https://garrahanoffroadtraining.com/
 
Do you have any friends who ride dirt bikes?

How much money are you willing to spend?

How long is your inseam?

Would you feel comfortable controlling a motorcycle that often loses traction?

How's your sense of balance?

Do you have good throttle control?

Does crashing frighten you?

Do you enjoy working on motorcycles?
 
WFO said:
Do you have any friends who ride dirt bikes?

How much money are you willing to spend?

How long is your inseam?

Would you feel comfortable controlling a motorcycle that often loses traction?

How's your sense of balance?

Do you have good throttle control?

Does crashing frighten you?

Do you enjoy working on motorcycles?
Click to expand...

A lot of questions!
  1. Not really, unfortunately.
  2. Depends on how much I like it, ya know? I spend more money than I care to really account on my track riding. Before I started spending all that money though, I tried it out with my street bike, found out how much I love it, and started investing more over time.
  3. I'm 6'1 and haven't found a bike that's uncomfortable for me to handle. I know dirt bikes have higher seat heights, but wouldn't imagine I'd have too much of an issue with it. I've sat on a few at various dealers.
  4. I think so - that's part of the draw for me to want to check out riding in dirt!
  5. I'd say fairly good for someone who doesn't ride dirt. I typically manage to keep my track bike upright on those occasions I accidentally go dirt tracking at the track
  6. Again, a fairly subjective analysis, but I feel that I do. I've set up a bluetooth OBDII reader on my track bike to record my inputs, and can my throttle control be better? Yeah, sure it can. But it is fairly smooth and progressive.
  7. Not particularly. I've had my share of "ah shits" at the track, and it has never particularly bothered me.
  8. That I do! I do most of my maintenance myself, but will seek out a shop for the most complex issues. For instance, my track bike is having some transmission issues, and I don't really feel up to inspecting and servicing the gears and input/output shafts and shift forks, but had no issue dropping the engine out of the frame and just taking the intact engine to Catalyst Reaction.
 
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Take the class and get a rental bike. That way you can learn and correct your bad habits right away.

Like with everything dirtbikes are covid priced right now.

I say do a few classes over the next year and see how you like it!

The good dirt riding happens in winter/spring when there is no dust and the traction is there.

Keep us posted on what you end up doing
 
I am 6-1" too and always felt fine on a DB. Some deep ruts can provide a challenge, but those come when your really seasoned typically.

Dirt bike skills really enhance your track riding in my experience.
On the dirt bike traction is hit and miss and the sliding the rear gets comfortable pretty quickly plus just a fricking hoot!!

Ride a buds bike is the best cost effective way, but however you do it just do it.

Expect to fall down more often, but it just comes with the sport if you like to push.
 
Hollister OHV offers an intro dirt biking class, it's basically the MSF course in a dirt lot. You have to be a member which is around 40 bucks, but they can provide everything you need including a bike and gear. It'll give you the chance to put around on a dirt bike and get a feel for it.
 
HHORA http://www.hhora.org/hhoramsf is really an intro/ beginner class, methinks.
Garrahan will put you on a real motorcycle. You could probably do something private and get a real taste. Sorta. Ya gotta go to StonyBARF to find out how absolutely bitchin dirtbiking is.
 
Get a KXF450 and aim it at the nearest triple jump.....
No seriously, call Garrahan off road. My friend took the beginning class. They supplied her bike and by the end of the day she was doing jumps

Mad
 
Mike told me that he's going to start renting dirt bikes at Moto Java. Go easy on the 230 :wink
 
I think you might do well with a used KTM 500EXC. It's mellow and you won't run out of power. It will stay together and be relatively easy to maintain and sell if you want a change. You can basically ride it anywhere anytime of the year.

Buy cheap gear and upgrade as you see fit.

Check out SouthBayRiders.com. It's not as good as it used to be as most guys have splintered off into various Facebook groups but it's still probably the best way to get your name out there if you're looking for other people to ride with in the dirt.

The Stonybarf thing is really good too. It seemed to me there were these intermingling subgroups there. I got to know most of them through a couple of Baja trips which were incredibly kick-ass. If you like to ride, camp and party with like-minded people, you'll have a great time hanging out with the Stonybarf people.
 
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Thanks for all the input everyone! I'll be signing up for one of the Garrahan intro to dirt courses and see where I go from there!
 
I've been watching Hawk Mazzotta race and raced against him for a couple years now and he has a motorcycle training camp he does called the Hawk Mazzotta Motocamp at his ranch in Cottonwood, CA. He teaches children and adults how to ride in the dirt. He rents bikes out too like minibikes. I was racing in one of his backyard races yesterday and thought of this post. I'll probably make a separate post about it but here's the website.

Learning on a minibike is great too, it's great to learn the fundamentals on and it will translate to a bigger bike. Hawk is a very good rider, he literally races all the supermoto classes and wins so you'll get coaching from a professional. Like I mentioned he also hosts races at his place too adults and children race on a dirt track with minibikes. You would be surprised how well those little kids ride.

Also if you want to learn supermoto he teaches classes at the Supermoto USA races as well. So you can get learn to ride on a kart track and a dirt section.

https://hawkmazzottamotocamp.com/

https://hawkmazzottamotocamp.com/about/
 
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Hey all, I went to one of Brian's intro to dirt classes the other weekend and want to say thanks for the suggestion! As expected, it was a f'in blast!! Now begins the adventure of shopping for a dirt bike and looking into where to go riding...
 
CBear said:
Hey all, I went to one of Brian's intro to dirt classes the other weekend and want to say thanks for the suggestion! As expected, it was a f'in blast!! Now begins the adventure of shopping for a dirt bike and looking into where to go riding...
Click to expand...

Woo-hoo!! :party
Welcome to the best thing ever!
 
Nice! Glad you had fun!
 
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