Jumping an off road bike is fun, exciting and exhilarating. It can also be dangerous and that just adds to the fun factor. Jumping a bike over something really pumps up the adrenaline factor so hitting a double, triple or even a drainage ditch is as exciting as it is scary. But there are a few things you can do to minimize the risk and ensure things go as safely as possible when leaping tall buildings in a single bound.

Cap 1.The Approach
The basic approach is your standing attack position. Standing on the bike, knees slightly bent and gripping the seat / tank area, head over the cross bar, fingers on the controls and looking exactly where you want to take off from. Have the bike in a gear and rev range that isn’t too peaky or laboring in a gear to high. As you get closer, it is always good to have a quick look over the top of the takeoff ramp and view the landing. This will assist you in judging the speed and distance you need to clear the jump.

Cap 2. The Ramp
As the bike hits the base of the ramp, stay forward on the bike and then let the bars come up to your chest as the front wheel starts to rise up. Ensure that you don’t shut off on the ramp, in fact give it some throttle and this will allow the bike to take off exactly as the ramp determines.

Cap 3. Airtime
If you have done everything right on the approach and the ramp, then there isn’t much to do except enjoy the freedom. Take a deep breath and pin point your landing spot. If the landing ramp is well shaped a front wheel landing will be best and smoothest. You can also get on the brakes and wash off speed faster if a turn follows. If it is a bland ramp, then maybe touch down rear-wheel first to take the impact.

Cap 4. Touch Down
Roll the throttle back on, keep your weight over the front of the bike and accelerate away on landing. By having the throttle on it means the bike won’t land as a dead weight and it is also far easier to control the bike.

BASIC POINTS

-	Take off from the smoothest and most consistent part of the ramp.
-	Don’t chop the throttle on take off but rather leave the ramp as an accelerating force and keep it smooth all the way until after lift off.
-	Stay over the front of the bike. If you fall behind the bike, it will take off and fly front wheel high
-	When in the air and the bike is under control, eye off your landing and get ready to get back on the gas.
-	Stay relaxed on landing and keep elbows and knees slightly bent. Land with the power on.

IMPORTANT TIDBITS

-	How do you know if you can jump a double or gap? If you can ride up to the take off ramp and coast off the jump and land at the base of the landing ramp, chances are you could clear the jump.
-	My advice to those thinking about a jump is; if it was a table top jump would you try and jump it? If you honestly answer yes, then maybe you should try it, if not, then don’t think about it again.
-	The longer you take to clear a jump, generally means to is beyond you. As a racer, I always jumped things quickly because the longer it took to clear, the more excuses I could come up with for not doing it.
-	If you’re going to make a judgement area, look for the safest alternative. Generally speaking, jumping a double or triple long is far safer than coming up short and slamming the up face of the landing ramp.
-	If the front wheel is high, you have let you weight fall behind the bike on tale off. Push your weight as far forward as possible, pull the clutch in and hit the back brake. The front wheel will drop a little, it won’t send you into a nosedive and it also takes plenty of timing.
-	If the front wheel is low, chances are you have hit the ramp decelerating and the bike takes off front end low. Get your weight back, swing the throttle wide open and the spinning mass of the rear wheel might help balance the bike up.
-	If you are coming up short, never bail off the bike. Stay relaxed, open up the throttle to help less the impact and use the bike suspension to absorb as much of the landing as possible.

Chris Urquhart
Y-Aim QLD Agent

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