9 Best Dirt-Riding Tips for Street Motorcyclists

The motorcycling world must understand that street riding differs greatly from dirt riding. Being an experienced street rider doesn’t mean you can go off-road without the right training and skills.

Even if you are a skilled street rider, you will always hesitate to go off-road. It is not as simple as it looks. You cannot switch to off-road terrain someday while riding on paved roads. You will require an off-road capable bike, like a dual sport or adventure bike.

Taking your street bike or roadster for dirt riding is a bad decision. It can cause damage to your bike. Therefore, for a street motorcyclist, there has to be a proper plan to start dirt riding.

Firstly, you must know the basic difference between a road and a dirt bike. Secondly, you will require off-road training. Thirdly, you require a lot of practice. Continue reading this article to learn about the best dirt-riding tips for street motorcyclists.

Dirt bikes are very different from road bikes. They are designed and built to be ridden on dirt tracks and overcome off-road challenges. Several unique characteristics of dirt bikes make them suitable for dirt riding. The major ones include:

Off-road motorcycles have bigger ground clearance to ensure safe operation while overcoming off-road terrains and challenges. As we know, off-road terrains are very uneven. While overcoming dirt tracks, you may face obstacles like logs, rocks, and potholes. For this reason, having a better ground clearance is essential on dirt bikes.

Knobby off-road tires are the features that create the most difference between a dirt bike and a street bike. If you have observed the tires of different motorcycles, street bikes have considerably smoother tires.

Meanwhile, off-road bikes have knobby tires for better grip and traction. A smooth pair of road tires will fail to provide enough traction and grip in off-road conditions.

Off-road bikes have small-displacement engines compared to road bikes. The priority and focus are not more speed and greater horsepower. Nonetheless, torque plays a crucial role. The torque delivery has to be on point for an off-road motorcycle to ensure better traction and control.

To start with, you will need an off-road capable motorcycle. According to a study conducted by MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation), riding a street motorcycle on off-road terrain can put your safety and motorcycle safety at a greater risk. It increases the chances of getting your motorcycle damaged. Street bikes are not at all suitable for dirt riding.

There are many off-road motorcycle options to choose from. You can either pick a bike for off-roading that is purely an off-roader. You can also choose a bike that can go on- and off-road.

First, we have dirt bikes that can only ride on the dirt. These bikes are mostly illegal to be used on roads in most states. However, with certain modifications, you can make them road-legal. These additions include:

• Headlight

• Turn signals

• Side mirrors

• License plate bracket

Dirt bikes are the lightest of all off-road capable motorbikes. These are very easy to use on dirt tracks. They are small and have low-powered single-cylinder engines with knobby tires, slim construction, and plastic parts. You will not mind if you drop them while learning to ride in the dirt

Dual sports bikes are built for both on- and off-roading. They are versatile and quite capable of overcoming even challenging off-road terrains.

Dual sport bikes are road-legal. They are slightly heavier than dirt bikes. However, they are the lightest dual-purpose bikes, ideal for beginners.

Adventure bikes are among the trendiest and premium dual-purpose bikes. They are also quite capable of maneuvering on both paved and unpaved terrains. However, they are more biased towards road performance.

Above all, they are also quite heavier than dual sports or dirt bikes, making dirt riding a tough job.

• Considering you are new to dirt riding, the best option is the dual sport bike. You can use the same bike for both on- and off-roading. Also, they are much lighter than adventure bikes. A lightweight motorcycle can help you become a better dirt rider.

• Again, it depends on your preferences, purpose, and budget. Adventure bikes are also a better option if you primarily want to use them for road traveling and rarely want to use them for dirt riding. If you want this option, you must look for lightweight adventure motorcycles.

• However, you should go with a dirt bike to become a professional dirt rider and acquire specialized motocross skills.

Do not take off-road riding lightly. Always gear up smartly with the right equipment. Off-roading may not require speeding, but getting into an accident while off-roading can be dangerous.

Even scratches and falling while off-roading can injure you badly. Therefore, always be responsible and learn about the right gear for dirt riding.

It is your first time on the dirt track. So, don’t just kick things off with extreme-level dirt riding. You may ride a street motorcycle on paved roads for years, but off-roading is completely different. It is wiser to start slow.

You must get familiar with the off-road bike and find a less challenging terrain. Initially, you should only focus on learning how the traction works on gravel and dirt.

Learn about the clutch operation, gear shifting, and, most importantly, how to keep the bike stable and planted.

Keeping the bike planted while dirt riding is among the most fundamental dirt riding skills. Over time, when you keep practicing, you will develop muscle memory. It will help you maneuver the bike skillfully on dirt tracks.

It is alright to be a student again. No matter how experienced a street motorcyclist is, you are considered a beginner if you haven’t ridden a bike before on dirt.

For your motivation, becoming a pro dirt rider will take less time. After all, as an experienced street motorcyclist, you have a sound knowledge of motorcycles and how they work.

As a street motorcyclist, if you are used to pressing the front brake to slow down or stop completely, you must change your approach while dirt riding.

Braking, for the most part, is different from dirt riding. There is no traffic or turn signals while you are off-roading. Most skilled off-road riders use braking for turning and improving traction.

For this purpose, the rear wheel brake has a key role. You may need to slow down while dirt riding, but it is rare when you have to stop completely during the ride.

Also, you may need to change the direction of the bike abruptly without stopping the bike. This is when the rear brake helps the most.

Applying the front brake with full pressure while off-roading can be unsafe. It will not only lock the front wheel, but there are better chances that the front tire will get stuck, causing the bike's rear end to lift.

Like braking, turning is also not the same in dirt riding. 

Street motorcyclists are used to leaning the bike in the direction of the turn. They are also used to countersteer the bike.

• Left Turn: Countersteering a bike is a concept required to take a turn on a motorcycle. If you have to go left while riding a motorcycle, the rider will need to pull the right side of the handlebar slightly and gently push the left side of the handlebar. You do not need to turn the handlebars while taking a turn on a motorcycle. Just apply a slight pressure.

• Right Turn: Meanwhile, to take a right turn, the rider needs to gently pull the left side of the handlebars and gently push the right side of the handlebars.

Turning a dirt bike while off-roading requires a different approach. There are two techniques you will need to learn while off-roading.

As a street motorcyclist, you must be familiar with hanging off  a motorbike while leaning to take a sharp turn. Hanging off means shifting your weight in the direction of the turn.

Meanwhile, while off-roading, riders must shift their body weight in the opposite direction of the turn. If you don’t shift your weight to the other side, you will likely fall off. It is also referred to as the “Counterweight Technique.”

In dirt riding, taking a sharp turn requires expertise. You will need to have good braking control. Rear wheel slippage is considered to be very helpful in dirt riding. It is widely used by off-road riders to take tight turns.

When you apply the rear brake while turning a corner, it will cause the rear tire to slip. As it slips, you need to ensure you lock the front wheel by turning the bar in the opposite direction of the turn. Also, use the traction to slow down and turn.

You can learn this technique through practicing and watching videos on the internet in slow motion.

Rear wheel slippage or skidding the bike is not a very pleasant experience as you ride on roads. Your heart can skip a beat if your bike skids even briefly while riding on paved roads.

However, you must enjoy it and get used to wheel sliding and motorcycle skidding while dirt riding. It is an essential technique to learn if you want to become a pro at dirt riding.

You must have heard about it from someone who is experienced in motorcycling. Whether riding on paved roads or off-roading, we have always been told to stay flexible and not stiffen up our muscles. This is especially true for off-roading.

You need to be active, responsive, and flexible while dirt riding. The off-road terrain is so much unpredictable and challenging. You will face a lot of sudden obstacles that can unbalance your motorcycle. If you hold the bike too tight, you will fall off your bike.

You need to loosen up your body if you want better control, stability, balance, and maneuverability. Every muscle of your body is more responsive when it is flexible.

For dirt riding, almost the whole of your body plays a key role in safely maneuvering the bike. Whether it is your arms, legs, feet, thighs, back, shoulders, or hips, every muscle plays a role in off-roading. Most body muscles act as springs/suspensions to ensure better off-roading. If you keep them stiff, every bump or shock will be painful for your body.

Standing up on the pegs is one of the most essential techniques while dirt riding. More than half of your off-road adventures involve standing on the pegs. You cannot become a good dirt rider if you don’t learn this skill.

Standing on the pegs while off-roading provides several advantages. It substantially reduces the center of gravity as most weight centers on the pegs. The bike becomes more stable and easily balanced when standing on the pegs while off-roading.

Another major advantage of standing up on the pegs while dirt riding is weight shifting. Shifting your body weight is another important skill for off-roading. It helps you control and maneuver the bike the way you want.

You are in better command of your bike if you know how to shift your body weight according to riding conditions. You can shift your body weight as you stand up on footpegs.

Most riders, while riding uphill, not only stand up on pegs but also lean forward to shift the body weight on the front wheel. It helps in avoiding the front wheel lift while riding uphill.

If you have seen skilled dirt riders doing off-roading, you must know that standing on the pegs is a specific posture. Off-road riders usually have bent in their knees. They don’t lock their legs in a straight position. It allows off-road riders to hold the bike tight between their knees, providing better bike control.

On top of the handlebars, riders can also control the bike's direction using their knees. It helps in maneuvering challenging off-road terrain.

When you stand up on the pegs while off-roading with a slight knee bend, your legs act as springs or suspensions. It helps in keeping your body safe from bumps and jolts. It is the best off-road technique to avoid back pain due to dirt riding.

Most off-road riders don’t consider tapping a leg on the ground while off-roading. They probably don’t want other riders to consider them a newbie.

Some riders also think they will go against the self-devised motorcycling rule if they tap a leg on the ground while off-roading.

It is merely a myth and a wrong perception. There is nothing wrong with tapping a leg on the ground while dirt riding. It is a technique to overcome the most challenging obstacles while off-roading. Almost every motocross rider does it.

If you ever feel like the bike is falling off on one side while dirt riding, tap a leg on the ground to balance the bike and continue riding.

The best way to get better at dirt bike riding is through practicing hard for it. As much as you practice, you will continue learning new things about dirt riding. Your muscle memory will start developing to help you with even the most challenging off-roading situations.

The skills and techniques below can help you get better at dirt riding. However, you will need to keep practicing to polish these off-roading skills.

• Learn how and when to stand up on the pegs while dirt riding.

• Learn the counterweight technique to take turns.

• Get familiar with how the traction works in off-road conditions.

• Get used to sliding and rear wheel slippage.

• Keep your eyes ahead and your head straight.

• Learn how to distribute the weight to balance the bike while off-roading.

Dirt bikes are not designed for the street. They are built specifically for off-roading. They lack adequate safety features to be ridden on roads. They do not have adequate lighting and braking power to keep up with road traffic.

You can make a dirt bike street-legal by installing lights, turn signals, license plate brackets, and side mirrors. However, you will still be compromising your road safety.

If you want a motorcycle that is good for both on- and off-roading, it is better to go with the dual sports bike.

It is comparatively easier to wheelie on a dirt bike due to its low weight and small size. However, you still need to practice until you become better at it.

People love dirt bikes because they are among the most fun motorbikes for dirt riding. They are lightweight, slim, affordable, and easy to work on. You can easily learn dirt riding on these bikes.

Off-roading is becoming very popular and common among motorcyclists. Many people have started learning dirt riding. Dirt bikes provide a perfect beginner platform to start dirt riding.

Also, the biggest advantage of dirt bikes is that you will not even mind if you fall, which is very common on dirt tracks.

Dirt riding is more fun than street riding. It is among the best type of recreational motorcycling activities. You may be riding a motorcycle for years on roads, but dirt riding can still be addictive if you haven’t ever tried it.

First, learn the essential off-roading skills to be safe and enjoy dirt riding to the fullest. Don’t just go directly from roads to dirt tracks. There is a complete process you must follow if you want to start dirt riding.

We suggest you review this article if you want to start riding on the dirt. The dirt-riding tips mentioned in this article can help you become a better off-road rider.