Motocross racing starts
Posted on June 25, 2008
Filed Under Technique |
The pro’s
If you’ve been following the 2008 AMA motocross season so far you would have seen Mike Allessi grabbing the holeshot in nearly every moto. Mike is the second fastest motocross rider in the championship and puts himself well ahead of the pack week after week. Not far behind but a little less consistent in getting to the front of the pack in the first corner is James Stewart.
Gate drop reaction
In order to get the jump on your competition at the start of a motocross race there are a few things to remember which will help you get the jump on the other riders.
Body position
Make sure you keep your weight as far forward as possible and evenly balanced on the bike. If you have trouble touching the ground with both feet you can use starting blocks which are required to be certain dimensions set by various racing governing bodies. If you are not balanced correctly the bike will jut to the left or right and you may lose control.
Gear selection
Choose the highest gear that you can get your bike momentum up as quickly as possible without shifting through the gears. Some riders start with their feet on the ground in front of the footpegs and shift up a gear with their heal when they are moving their feet to the pegs.
Throttle and clutch control
You should use a smaller amount of throttle the higher the gear you start in. Try your starts in different gears and amounts of throttle until you are happy. When you start, use the clutch to control the lift in the front end rather than backing off on the throttle.
Chain tension
Keep your fingers on the front brake and slightly engage the clutch in order to put tension on the chain so when you release the clutch the bike will start moving forward instantly.
Gate drop
Some riders watch the pin on the side of the gate, some watch the gate itself. You should be aware that you will react to something you look at indirectly using peripheral vision, quicker than looking straight at it.
First corner braking
One thing is for sure, if you watch Alessi and Stewart you will notice that for most start they are not very far ahead of the pack along the straight before the corner. It is the last 15 meters or so before the corner that they split away from the rest of the riders in the field. This happens because the brake a lot later then the other riders in the race going into the first corner.
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