Australasian Dirt Bike — September 2017

146 | SEPTEMBER 2017 http://www.adbmag.com.au

LINE SELECTION

REAR GUARD

KIDZ TIPS

HOW TO RIDE / ADB GARAGE / WE RECOMMEND / TECH / KIDZ KORNER / USED RIDE /

GOOD LINE SELECTION can improve your racing ten-fold and often can be the difference between winning and losing a race. Line

selection isn’t just about fi nding the fastest route. It’s also about conserving energy, setting up passes and preparing for the next turn or

obstacle. Of course, as the track changes during a race and rider fatigue sets in, line selection becomes even more diffi cult. Here, we run

you through three different line choices on the same corner. Which one will you choose?

2

UP THE GUTS

This line starts with a similar entry. You start wide but square up three-quarters of the way through and cut back to the inside. This

line involves a sharper turn so you need to compromise on entry speed. It’s also a little harder to get the rear wheel to hook up as

you accelerate off the berm. The benefi t is that you can avoid the acceleration bumps and conserve energy, while still maintaining speed.

3

INSIDE LINE

A rut has formed on the inside of this turn, away from the berm. The berm is the most obvious option here as it allows for maximum

speed and momentum, but the rut is the shortest possible distance through the turn. The rut allows you to be aggressive on the

throttle but your entry speed will be slower and you’ll have trouble generating enough speed to clear the tabletop. This line could be used

for cleanly passing a slower rider or setting yourself up for a pass on a faster rider in the next corner.

1

OUTSIDE LINE

This is the longest route around the corner, but by using the berm you can use higher entry and exit speeds than the other two lines.

The corner leads into a tabletop, so this line will give you a better chance of negotiating the jump cleanly. There are some acceleration

bumps on the exit that could lead to fatigue in a long moto.