Dirt Bike Safety
for Motocross, Off-Road and FMX
Dirt bike safety is something that needs some thought whether you're new to the sport of riding dirt bikes, or you've been twisting the throttle for a while on a motocross track, off-road course or at the FMX ramps, knowing something about dirt bike safety before you run out and get your adrenaline fix behind the bars of a dirt bike is a pretty good idea. So, before you sling your leg across the seat and take off it would be wise to review this page as it's going to provide you with a little information about dirt bike safety and can save you some pain and money later, as these tips here are sure to help you stay safe and possibly keep you from getting wadded up on a motocross track, in the woods somewhere or even prevent a case of "Rolling Down the Windows" across a sick gap.
Dirt bike safety is one of those things that is a real good idea to give some attention to, no matter if your the slowest lapper on a track or trail, "Commonly known as a Rolling Chicane" Or your blistering fast like an "A", "AA" or Pro rider, although if you're fast you likely already know all this. It really doesn't matter if you are the fastest and smoothest or slowest and most out of control rider known, pain has no discrimination and some dirt bike safety tips could certainly save you some pain and enormous bills from the crash house AKA "The Hospital"
If you've been riding for a while and have been known to get a little out of control at times, and you happen to have some dirt bike crashes on video, such as from a helmet cam or someone else filming, here's a place to share your motocross, off-road or FMX crashes with others.
Now, before continuing, here are a couple dirt bike safety tips to remember and they're pretty simple...
And
"Dress for the Crash, Not the Ride"
If you are going to be heading out in the woods and riding off-road disciplines but you're not real familiar with what's out there, you may want to take a look at the off-road elements you're sure to encounter before you throw a leg over a dirt bike and take off into the woods.
Before you even have a chance to get in over your head you may want to review the list of dirt bike safety gear below to make sure you have the proper safety gear. Also, don't forget that proper hydration while riding is important as well as being a safety concern.
The list below is fairly complete and you really should have all that is listed below so there is a link to each product for your convenience, although where you get your dirt bike safety gear is not important, what is important is that you have it.
"The Gear"
- A Helmet
- A helmet is not where to be cheap, as the helmet is what protects your most valuable asset so be sure to get a quality helmet that fit's properly and wear it with it properly secured every time you ride. - Goggles
- When purchasing goggles, you may want to get "Tear-Off's"that are compatible with your goggles, as having tear-off's can provide you with a new field of clear vision if you are behind someone and get a face full of roost.
- A Neck Brace
- Neck donuts were once considered the best thing for neck protection but nowadays, neck donuts are no longer considered an adequate means of neck protection, and having a quality neck brace is something that is just about as important as a helmet, and the "Leatt Brace" was the first neck brace that started a revolution and is still an excellent option when shopping for neck braces. - Chest / Back Protector
- There are many of these available and use of one is highly recommended as a chest / back protector (also advertised as a "Roost Deflector") can help dissipate the energy generated in a crash and help protect internal organs and other body parts from impact damage when you end up in a yard sale. - Drinking System
- A hydration system is a must if riding off-road or cranking out long moto's, as a drinking system can carry fluids that are easily consumable when riding and critical for survival.
although if you're interested in shopping for the items individually, they are listed below.
- Jersey
- Gloves
- Pants
- Under Gear Shorts
- Under gear shorts are good to have as they help prevent chaffing and irritation when riding, as well as sparing others from having to see you in your underwear around the camp or pits when changing between riding gear and street clothes or vice versa. - Knee Braces
- Knee braces are another product designed for dirt bike safety that anayone who rides a dirt bike should have, as most who ride on a regular basis, won't ride without knee braces after a 1st use and knee braces are an excellent piece of protection to be wearing every time you sling your leg across the seat of a dirt bike. - Moto Socks
- Moto socks are a great invention and something to have as they help prevent chaffing and irritation from use of knee braces, as well as providing a little extra padding and comfort around your foot while wearing motocross style boots. - Boots
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A pair of quality motorcycle boots are highly recommended as using these in place of a standard boot can offer a lot more protection to your lower leg, ankle and foot area and should not be left off of your list.
Alright, Once you have all the dirt bike safety gear that you feel is adequate it's almost time to go tear up the neighbors yard to try everything out (After all, It's better their yard than your own isn't it?) then it'll be time to take it to a track, off-road area or sick FMX compound and log some seat time or hang time, but before you do that, you may want to check out the dirt bike safety tips below.
Some Dirt Bike Safety Tips that will keep you Relatively Safe
One of the number one dirt bike safety tips that is also the easiest to remember is to never ride alone, especially if you are riding off-road type of disciplines. Additionally, as mentioned above, "Don't Ride Over your Head" is another good one, and "Dress for the Crash, Not the Ride" is still another, but still yet, another excellent dirt bike safety tip would be... Don't sit around watching "Jump Videos" such as Nitro-Circus then go out and try to duplicate what they are doing. Pain may be temporary, but it is real and you'll likely get a painful reminder of that if you try what is done on these type of videos.If you plan on spending any time practicing your skills on a motocross track and you're not comfortable on the jumps and you hear a faster rider approaching from behind, do NOT try to "move over" to get out of a faster riders way when rolling a jump, as this can get you landed on, or cause the other rider and yourself to collide and both of you end up on the ground. If a faster rider is coming up behind you at a faster pace than you are riding, just remember: You're in front of the faster rider so he or she will see you and plan his / her line accordingly to safely pass you, and the same goes for any other slower rider and the best thing you can do is simply hold your line. Additionally, If you are a slower rider, you may want to stay on the right side of a motocross track's lanes, and hold a straight line so as to prevent being run in to by a faster rider, or even prevent a faster rider from making a mistake that could injure someone due to having to avoid somone moving into their line.
If you are planning on riding off-road type of disciplines or simply trail riding with friends and / or family, be sure to stay on well marked, and / or frequently used trails so as to prevent any occurrences with fencing and avoid any unforeseen surprises such as holes, abandoned mines, well pipes, debris, ditches or drop offs, all of which could be disastrous if encountered suddenly at speed.
If you are looking for some hang time, and you're thinking about hitting some FMX ramps or dirt to dirt jumps, be sure that you start small and gradually work up to the larger jumps with more height and distance, otherwise you may find yourself in a rather painful situation.
If you are new to the sport of riding dirt bikes, and you've been around plenty of muscle cars and things of the like, or you're just power hungry, it's recommended that you do NOT run out and get the most powerful CR500 or fire breathing 4 stroke you can find. Not yet anyways...
A CR250 2 or 4 stroke has more than enough (if not too much) power for pretty much any use or rider that is average sized. If you're considering these tips for a younger rider, it is pretty much dependent on their size and age as to what size dirt bike to put them on, but a local motorcycle dealer should be able to direct you in the right direction as far as this is concerned, and if you are considering purchasing a used dirt bike to get started in the sport, there is an article on things to look for when purchasing a used dirt bike that is recommended reading.
If you'd really like to go about the whole dirt bike safety concept wisely, you may want to contact the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) by calling (800)-446-9227 and find an instructor in your area, then arrange for some entry level lessons on motorcycle safety, as well as if you're not certain about what size bike is best for you or a family member, you may want to ask a motorcycle safety foundation instructor which size bike they feel would be most appropriate for you or the person you plan on sending off on a dirt bike.
