How hard is it to learn to use a atv/dirtbike Hand clutch?
- Thread starter muskeg
- Start date
sirkdev
Active VIP Member
If it takes you more than 2 minutes to master it quit and go back to an auto.
dezmitchell
Active VIP Member
Start with a 125 if you completely new maybe even a xr 100 or a crf 150/230. It can be tricky at first but eventually you dont even think about and is it ever a HOOT to rip thru the gears on a tight single track trail.
teeroy
Active VIP Member
can you walk and chew gum at the same time?
polarisdragon800
Active VIP Member
You get used to it fast.
Sent from my mobile telephone
Sent from my mobile telephone
Hold er wide open and let er buck.....on a more serious note, it is indeed like walking and chewing gum.
250 is a lot of bike. Better to get the hang of things on something a bit smaller, then get a big bike. Doesn't take long to catch on at all
250 is a lot of bike. Better to get the hang of things on something a bit smaller, then get a big bike. Doesn't take long to catch on at all
TheMuffinMan
Active VIP Member
250 four stroke or two stroke? 250 smoker would be a handful for a first timer. A 250 thumper on the other hand is very easy to ride and still packs enough punch to have fun on. You have to be honest with yourself about your mechanical aptitude before you decide though...modern high performance four strokes take a lot more care and they don't tolerate lazy owners very well.
Bandit_750
Active member
you will learn real quick the first time you dump the clutch and roll'er ha ha
it just takes practice. you will stall lots and miss gears. thats just how you learn. and like themuffinman said. understand your limits. 250 is a big bike it can/will hurt you.
it just takes practice. you will stall lots and miss gears. thats just how you learn. and like themuffinman said. understand your limits. 250 is a big bike it can/will hurt you.
Fallen
Active VIP Member
Can you drive a Standard car/truck? If you can then you'll pick it up easily. If not I would see if someone would teach you on a sport quad, that way you don't need to worry about dumping the bike. Once you figure it out on a sport quad get a bike.
- Thread starter
- #10
TheMuffinMan
Active VIP Member
Yeah a 150 four stroke (crf) would be too small. What bike you should buy would depend on where you want to ride. If you're gonna be playing on MX tracks I'd say get a 125 or ktm 150 two stroke. If trail riding/enduro is more your thing, you can't go wrong with a KTM 200.
- Thread starter
- #12
- Thread starter
- #13
mavrick
Active VIP Member
for a frist bike and u ride trails the 230 would be fine. low mantince bikes unlike the new 250's which are great bikes just more to maintain
northern bear
RIP May 30,2022
I got an old Honda xl 500 that's a good learner. Plenty of power. Low to the ground seat so it's easy to keep feet planted. Front wheel likes to stay planted on the ground, but can and will wheelie. Old school drum brakes so stopping can be a little sketchy sometimes. It's a damn fine scary ass ride lol
There is a big difference between being able to ride with a clutch and mastering it. Really to ride with one all you need to use it for is getting going from a start, then just back off the gas a little when grabbing gears.
Mastering it is another story and requires a lot of time and technique. The pro's keep the gas pinned in many situations and use the clutch to control how much power gets to the ground. Most guys are a lot closer to the first case. You'll want to learn to use it to help you loft the front wheel over a log or puddle. Go from there.
Its fun and you'll be fine. Keep in mind you'll become a better rider if you start on less bike and learn to "ride the crap out of it". You will be able to come out of corners wide open, not be scared of looping out, etc. Believe me it sounds cool to learn to ride a more powerful bike than you can handle but it will NOT help your skillset. Most guys would buy a 450 but would likely be faster on a 250. If you watch AMA Supercross on the weekend, you'll see the big bikes are only about 2-5 seconds faster per lap.
Mastering it is another story and requires a lot of time and technique. The pro's keep the gas pinned in many situations and use the clutch to control how much power gets to the ground. Most guys are a lot closer to the first case. You'll want to learn to use it to help you loft the front wheel over a log or puddle. Go from there.
Its fun and you'll be fine. Keep in mind you'll become a better rider if you start on less bike and learn to "ride the crap out of it". You will be able to come out of corners wide open, not be scared of looping out, etc. Believe me it sounds cool to learn to ride a more powerful bike than you can handle but it will NOT help your skillset. Most guys would buy a 450 but would likely be faster on a 250. If you watch AMA Supercross on the weekend, you'll see the big bikes are only about 2-5 seconds faster per lap.
ktm 13-44
Active VIP Member
how much do you weigh? that is a big factor in bike choice.
-LadyDirt-
Active VIP Member
Umm yeah.. one fiddy.. way too small. I ride the CRF 150R, and i'm 5" and I can touch both feet, You might want to consider a 125 2 stroke, or a 250 4 stroke. Ideally, ride someone elses first to get a feel of whats too big or too small.
Oh, and learning the clutch.. easy peasy, took me less than a minute to figure it out
good luck!
Oh, and learning the clutch.. easy peasy, took me less than a minute to figure it out
good luck!
If you understand the simple theory of
"With the bike running in neutral, Pull in the clutch, Shift into first, Apply a bit of throttle and slowly let out the clutch all the way, Now you're moving, once up to a speed where you can pick your feet up, let off the throttle, pull in the clutch and shift into second gear, again let out the clutch while adding a bit of throttle"
same goes for down shifting, pull in the clutch, click the shifter down into the gear you want, slow down and slowly let out the clutch,
Now you're set and off riding. When you are going to stop pull in the clutch and shift back down to neutral or 1st if you're going to get rolling again soon.
Every machine a bit different with how the clutch feels, like how hard the level is to pull and the "friction point" (that special spot where you let out the clutch lever to that point where you can feel the bike start to move).
Another nice part about learning to ride a dirt bike, take to a place with nice soft dirt. Not only for falling. But for the sake if you're a bit heavy on the throttle the back tire can spin without doing a wheelie. Then comes other great stuff about shifting your weight all around.
As far as the displacement of the bike being right for you. Pick the bike that you're comfortable with its size. Just like a big bicycle or a small bicycle. If you can ride 1 you can ride them all.
The only problem is within your right wrist. A big motor is going to pull hard & fast with a small twitch of your wrist. A smaller displacement bike with respond slower and in turn be deemed more controllable.
My grandpa told me something about a bike being too heavy or having a motor with too much power " Well you're not going to picking the damn thing up over your head are you? Well you don't need to be able to lift the entire weight. Just get it back up on its wheels when you fall, And you will fall ". Also " What does the bike do when you hold the throttle steady on the hiway? Nothing, you keep cruising. What happens when you twist the throttle wide open? You're going to take off fast".
Keep that in mind.
Have fun.
Most importantly, Don't be scared. You won't regret it.
"With the bike running in neutral, Pull in the clutch, Shift into first, Apply a bit of throttle and slowly let out the clutch all the way, Now you're moving, once up to a speed where you can pick your feet up, let off the throttle, pull in the clutch and shift into second gear, again let out the clutch while adding a bit of throttle"
same goes for down shifting, pull in the clutch, click the shifter down into the gear you want, slow down and slowly let out the clutch,
Now you're set and off riding. When you are going to stop pull in the clutch and shift back down to neutral or 1st if you're going to get rolling again soon.
Every machine a bit different with how the clutch feels, like how hard the level is to pull and the "friction point" (that special spot where you let out the clutch lever to that point where you can feel the bike start to move).
Another nice part about learning to ride a dirt bike, take to a place with nice soft dirt. Not only for falling. But for the sake if you're a bit heavy on the throttle the back tire can spin without doing a wheelie. Then comes other great stuff about shifting your weight all around.
As far as the displacement of the bike being right for you. Pick the bike that you're comfortable with its size. Just like a big bicycle or a small bicycle. If you can ride 1 you can ride them all.
The only problem is within your right wrist. A big motor is going to pull hard & fast with a small twitch of your wrist. A smaller displacement bike with respond slower and in turn be deemed more controllable.
My grandpa told me something about a bike being too heavy or having a motor with too much power " Well you're not going to picking the damn thing up over your head are you? Well you don't need to be able to lift the entire weight. Just get it back up on its wheels when you fall, And you will fall ". Also " What does the bike do when you hold the throttle steady on the hiway? Nothing, you keep cruising. What happens when you twist the throttle wide open? You're going to take off fast".
Keep that in mind.
Have fun.
Most importantly, Don't be scared. You won't regret it.
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