[Nitro41]

heres the deal, im 16 and my parents wont allow me to buy a sportbike untill i move out and blah blah blah, you know the story. i respect that, but is there anything i can do before i get a bike so i wont be super rusty when i do buy one? i know of the msf and was planning on taking that, but would riding dirt bikes help any? i heard dirt and street are different is some ways but also the same in some ways. any help would be great.

 

[RACER X]

yup, dirtbikes help alot........do it.

 

[pyrotek2k]

pocketbikes will let you "respect" big street bikes a little more, because crashing at 20mph on those hurts, and you can do the math for 60, 120mph etc.

You will learn countersteering, traction, mechanical upkeep and modifications, a little bike physics, all for about $200 capital cost on a cag.

I'd suggest a pocketbike, mid-bikes (types with electric and larger frames) are heavier, don't lean, and have the same engine in them ( = slower).

You can also have your full get-up of gear for a legitimate reason well before having the real deal. I'd suggest having a good set of GP gloves at the least with these bikes, rash your hands real good when wreck.

Dirtbikes are more dangerous than streetbikes in my experiences. WAY easier to gain false confidence, wreck, and usually while wearing less gear and in some nasty terrain. They definately help your skills, but it would be an oxymoron for your parents to let you ride dirt if they are worried about safety.

 

[Squid Killer]

Also, since you are new to driving a car, pay attention to how people drive. Learn how they react to situations and how it affects you. A HUGE part of riding safe on the street is knowing how things really work on the street with car traffic. Thats why younger riders are a higer risk. They lack streetbike experience and overall traffic experience.

 

[upslogger19]

pyrotek2k said:

Dirtbikes are more dangerous than streetbikes in my experiences. WAY easier to gain false confidence, wreck, and usually while wearing less gear and in some nasty terrain. They definately help your skills, but it would be an oxymoron for your parents to let you ride dirt if they are worried about safety.

Absolutly not. I have ridden dirtbikes since I was 10 (22 now) and I just got my first street bike last summer. Strett bikes are so much more dangerous because when you wreck, you hit concrete and poles and cars run you over and they go 150+ mph. When you wreck on a dirt bike, gear or not, you will not get hurt as much (in general). You land in bushes, dirt, and you are probably going under 30 mph. Go ride dirt if you haven't before. It is a ton of fun and you can learn at your own pace.

 

[JwH]

I'm also 16, but Im very fortunate enough to have a bike, gear, and the parents that will let me ride. Come March I'll be riding for the first time on a real asphalt track!

Dirtbikes more dangerous than sportbikes....are you kidding me.
Ive been riding dirtbikes since I was 5 and only have had one bad injury. Compound fracture to my wrist during a practice race before loretta lynn's...o i was angry. Out of all the hours spent on a dirtbike and years only one bad crash.

Ive been playing football not near as long and I've been hurt MANY more times doing that. Do you play any other sports?

Depending on your parents and how everything is I'd go for dirt bikes. California is covered with motocross tracks and learning the basics like throttle control, shifting, breaking, turning and control of a bike will come in handy on the shift to sport bikes. You will learn how to react to a bike when it hits something and be cool and ride it out.


Enough of my stupid babble.

I say try and get a dirt bike, it will do more for your riding than anything besides a streetbike in my opinion.

O yes probably one of the greatest and most important things you'll ever need to know: LEARN TO FALL !!! Knowing how to fall correctly will save you many broken bones and hurt. There was a crash video of last years motogp races..showed all the big crashes and if you watched the riders most of them were doing something to make the fall as bearable as possible.