How to Get Started in the Dirt

All of the best motorcycle riders I’ve ever met started riding in the dirt. If I could turn back time, I would give my younger self a dirt bike.

Riders who learned how to control a motorcycle in the dirt have a distinct advantage over riders who have never left the pavement: They have experienced loss of traction, and have ridden through the condition. In the dirt, losing traction doesn’t necessarily lead to a crash. Back wheels slide out, front wheels wallow, and a twist of the throttle combined with a touch of counter steering – no front brake – powers through. A street rider confronted with a slick patch for the first time often panics, grabs the front brake, cuts the throttle and winds up making things much worse. It’s all about having the right instincts – and dirt riders’ instinctual reactions to a loss of traction are better.

Does that mean that if you’ve never ridden in the dirt, you can’t become a better street rider? Absolutely not. You can practice and develop effective reactions to a loss of traction at low speeds in a safe, paved environment, like a closed parking lot, and build the reactions up to higher speeds. Or you can accelerate your progress by riding in the dirt.

There are two ways to go about getting some experience in the dirt.

You can buy or borrow a small displacement dirt bike (125 cc to 250 cc), find some dirt and start riding. Be sure to gear up properly, take it slowly, and ride with friends who can give you good advice about how to ride properly. If you’re already an experienced street rider, you’ll be able to concentrate on the dynamics of dirt riding rather than the learning how to ride in the first place part, so you’ll learn quickly. Don’t get overconfident and ride too fast – this is about engraining good technique, not racing. You’re going to fall down, but the good news is that dirt is much more forgiving than pavement, and you’ll be going slowly. Keep at it, and pay attention to how your bike feels when the dirt is loose. Notice how it responds to more throttle, less throttle, front brake, rear brake, and steering inputs on loose surfaces. Imagine how this translates to the street.

Alternatively, you can enroll in a dirt bike school.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation organizes two levels of their DirtBike School. Closed Range Exercises (CRE), a one-day class, held in a dirt lot, is for people who would like to learn how to ride and understand the characteristics of an off-road motorcycle. This is the class for absolute beginners, new riders who need to learn the basics of throttle, clutch, braking and balance. Introduction to Trail Riding (ITR) is more advanced instruction for graduates of the CRE or have the basic skills down. It’s a half-day class conducted on existing trails to provide learning experiences regarding proper dirt bike operation. Proper judgement is stressed to ensure that riders’ skills are adequate for select environments. Check out DirtBikeSchool to find locations near you, and for details.

Jimmy Lewis Off-Road Riding School is based in Pahrump, Nevada, near Las Vegas. Jimmy Lewis is an experienced pro off-road motorcycle racer and writer, and he runs this school with his wife, Heather, and a rotating crew of pro riders. They conduct a two-day course that includes one-on-one instruction, dirt riding and trail riding. The two-day course costs $700, and bike rental is available for $150 per day. Jimmy Lewis also conducts one-day classes at various venues around the country – check his website for details.

MotoVentures maintains an off-road motorcycle training facility in Anza, California, about 40 miles southwest of Palm Springs, and also holds classes in Snohomish County, Washington, about 25 miles from Seattle. They conduct classes from Level 1 (beginner) to Level 2 (intermediate) to Level 3 (expert), plus dual-sport and adventure bike training, moto-trials training and private one-on-one classes, as well as special Level 1 classes designed specifically for kids. Classes start at $185, or $225 including bike rental.

Those are just a few examples of dirt bike training schools. Many more can be found across the country.

If you’ve never ridden in the dirt, I think this is the best way to start. Whenever an adult asks me about getting started in motorcycling, I always suggest getting started in the dirt with a good dirt bike school. One of the scariest things you’ll ever see is an undertrained beginner taking a street bike out in traffic, whereas one of the biggest smiles you’ll ever encounter is on the face of a first-time dirt bike rider.

Get started in the dirt.