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Riding dirt bike with what gear?

If you stay off of the motocross tracks, avoid the hill climbs, and generally stay in sections where you're comfortable riding, the chance of crashing the bike isn't that much higher than for street riding.

What generally happens is the bike gets dropped but the rider - assuming they're at all coordinated - just steps off of it and doesn't end up on the ground. I've taken many teenage new riders to Carnegie and crashes were quite rare. At least until they thought they were getting good and started trying tougher stuff... :laughing
 
Gawernator said:
Medium shirt

32-33" waist

43 euro 9.5 American boots

Helmet size medium in bell, 48" head circumference
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The jersey you will probably want a bit larger so you can put safety gear underneath it. I have the safety gear and a large or xl jersey which will fit you.
I have pants that will fit you as well.
You missed on the boots though. I have just under and over your size and you want well fitting boots.
 
canyonrat said:
Don't use your leathers. A buddy of mine did that a few years ago and he never did get all the red dirt stains out of his boots, which had some blue color and the palms of his gloves always staid brown even years and several washings later. Suit had same problems plus he put a few scratches in the suit.
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Can't imagine how uncomfortable it would be riding off road in leathers.
 
I went through a dual-sport phase with severals trips to Carnegie and Metcalf. If you really want to have fun dirt bike riding, protect your joints. A lot like street, the more gear you have the more you're willing to get some good thrills or test more boundaries. Dirt bikes are a different world, this is my priority:

Helmet
Goggles
Tall Boots with Shin Protection
Elbow & Knee Pads
Chest Protector
Gloves
 
Hey Andrew, get Bilt gear at CG, then return it if it gets torn up. Win win!
Bring LOTS Of liquids, Water, Gatoraid...it gets HOT out at Carnigie in the summer.
Plan on falling so I'd for sure bring knee pads and shoulder pads. If you can find a chest protector even better. Lots and lots of rocks out there.
 
Gawernator said:
Carnegie Park? I'm 5'10" 32-33" waist and wear a 50/Medium in most alpinestars stuff

So the cheap stuff at cycle gear is A-ok for dirt bike riding?

I have some nice goggles I use for snowboarding.. Would those work or will they get beat up dirt riding?
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I am about 1 size bigger than you all around, unfortunately.

Carnegie is a good place to first ride a dirt bike and get used to how they feel, but if you head up any trail you will be thrown straight into very steep terrain (both up and down). The flat part is good with a lot of loose sandy/rocky parts as well as endless whoops :D

I would steer clear of using your snowboarding goggles, as others have said they will get scratched and ruined quick.

I am already predicting that you will LOVE dirt riding... so if you end up buying all of your gear, keep in mind that you will soon be riding again and don't be surprised if you get the bug and start looking to buy a bike! I wouldn't go out and buy the top of the line anything yet, but check out the mid level stuff as durability is a huge improvement over the baseline entry level stuff at CG.

As a dirt rider, I typically go through an average of 2 sets of gear (shirts/pants), and a few sets of goggles and gloves each season. Boots last until I wear holes in the soles, which is about 2-3 seasons and helmets about the same.. just to give you an idea of how rough dirt riding is on gear (and I hardly ever crash anymore).

A GOOD set of base gear is much better than a bunch of cheap gear all over your body, looking like a dysfunctional Iron Man :laughing
 
Gawernator said:
My girlfriend's girl-fren wants to take her dirt bike riding and invited me too... Closest I've been to dirt is driving a big golf cart. Lol. I have rode on the street for one and a half years and have a good complement of street gear... Do I need to buy some specialized stuff or can I get away with what I have now? Not sure what to wear on a dirt bike .... I've been wanting one or a supermoto but had to wait due to lawyer fees :twofinger:teeth
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The "riding a dirt bike" is too broad a phrase....

There are extremes, extremely slow and mello, and Extremely Intense.
We did just fine, at a reduced pace, with a variety of common boots and levi pants.
Get more serious on the bike, get more serious on the gear.

First item to go top shelf on, is Helmet.. Chest Protector/shoulder pads, Knee pads. Elbo pads.

Gear costs nothing compared to injuries...
 
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what bike you will be riding plays a big part in how much gear you need.
crf 50 = minimal gear, crf 450 = all of the gear you can beg borrow and steal.
 
It's prolly ben said... what do you value most? head, hands, feet, knees, elbows. Someone here can prolly set you up.
 
ScottRNelson said:
If you stay off of the motocross tracks, avoid the hill climbs, and generally stay in sections where you're comfortable riding, the chance of crashing the bike isn't that much higher than for street riding.

What generally happens is the bike gets dropped but the rider - assuming they're at all coordinated - just steps off of it and doesn't end up on the ground. I've taken many teenage new riders to Carnegie and crashes were quite rare. At least until they thought they were getting good and started trying tougher stuff... :laughing
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You aren't trying hard enough if you aren't crashing a dirt bike. Not climbing Hills? Stay off the tracks? How are you supposed to get better if you aren't pushing it?
 
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corndog67 said:
You aren't trying hard enough if you aren't crashing a dirt bike. Not climbing Hills? Stay off the tracks? How are you supposed to get better if you aren't pushing it?
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er,some of us of us are old and crashing is the alternate (to be avoided) in the equation.
 
But brother, crashing my KX250 (2 stroke, oh yeah) is much more preferable than throwing my KTM 950 Supermoto down the street (and losing 3/4 of it's value), not to mention the injuries that happen on the street. I can honestly say that in the dirt, I've only hurt myself maybe once or twice (more than a body slam or some bruises) since I started in 1971.
 
Not Sure said:
Carnegie is a good place to first ride a dirt bike and get used to how they feel, but if you head up any trail you will be thrown straight into very steep terrain (both up and down).
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They give you a trail map when you enter the place. You can look at it ahead of time here: http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1173

Any of the green ones and most of the wider blue ones are appropriate for a new rider. Even a few black diamond sections like Los Osos at the very bottom middle, if you're headed down it rather than up, isn't that tough.

You're really exaggerating saying that heading up ANY trail will through you into steep terrain. It's pretty easy at Carnegie to stay out of the real tough stuff.

Still, there was that one time I followed OldFatGuy on that narrow black diamond trail and realized too late that I was on the wrong bike to be going there. :laughing
 
Thanks for the tips. She has a 80cc dirt bike which sounds slow and small to me... I'll take that CRF450 :D

I have some time so maybe I can swing one of the many many closeout deals on revzilla right now or checkout the classifieds
 
80cc 2 stroke? Please, oh please say yes.

First time out? Dirt is another whole beast. Take it easy and wade around a bit. Then decide how deep you want to dive because it can be a deep, deep... DEEEEEEEEEP glorious hole. :wow A hole so warm and inviting that some men (and awesome women!) never ever leave.

But just like everything else in life, the more you prepare, the mobetta the experience.:ride

:afm199You might hurt yourself on the street but you will definitely hurt yourself in the dirt.

Street gear doesn't breath enough and you'll probably be really, :mad really hot.
Gear up and take that worry out of the equation.

Cheap shitty gear is still WAY better than no gear. :thumbup

Mechanics gloves work in a pinch and besides, you should have a set or two of these already.

Having a set of dirt gear isn't a bad idea for a "real" motorcyclist... amirite? C'mon now people! CAN I GET A-MEN!? :gsxrgrl

Bring water, food, first-aid kit... This time of year I'd be prepping for heat with moisture wicking gizmos as well as hydrating thing-a-ma-bobs. :thumbup

Assume whatever you take out there is gonna get dirty and scratched up.:(

Don't go out there thinking you're gonna know how to ride because you have a couple of years riding street. :x IMO mountain biking experience plays. :thumbup

:afm199 Dirt riding is great when it's great and blows when it blows.

Imma put a :rofl and a :twofinger to round out the emotion usage
 
corndog67 said:
You aren't trying hard enough if you aren't crashing a dirt bike. Not climbing Hills? Stay off the tracks? How are you supposed to get better if you aren't pushing it?
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:thumbup :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup

Absolutely Positively.... Crashing (get offs) teach... And there is so much to learn,
with different surfaces and speeds (weight in motion) and turning. :ride
 
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