Answer Racing Moto Tips | Standing Through Turns

Presented by Answer Racing

Welcome to the new Answer Racing Moto Tips feature! Answer Racing has been producing the highest-quality motocross and off-road gear since 1976, and this month launched its new line of 2020 apparel. With riders like Alex Martin, Kyle Peters, Ryan Villopoto, Nick Wey, and Mike Sleeter flying the Answer flag, there is a wealth of knowledge and know-how when it comes to riding a dirt bike efficiently and effectively in the Answer camp. Each week, Answer will bring you some riding tips to help you become better at the sport you love! Have a specific skill you’d like to improve? Comment below and we will cover it in a future post!

Some of us view turns as an unofficial area to relax on the track. With no big obstacle to brace for, many opt to sit down, take a moment to relax, and regroup while going through curves. But sometimes that’s one of the worst things you can do, especially in a high-pressure race situation! There are instances when standing through turns can shave substantial time off your laps and allow you to keep better control over the bike as you encounter chop, ruts, or other imperfections in the racing line. And it looks awesome!

During a recent ride day at the track with the Answer Racing guys, we watched as the always flawless Nick Wey got up on the pegs and powered through a slightly banked turn. Since there’s a purpose to all that NYK does, we asked him to break down the technique and the benefits of standing up.

Standing up allows your body to act as suspension, so even though it puts more force on your body, it allows you to have more control. If you sit down and hit a braking bump, it’ll jar your back and throw you completely out of sorts.

That line was the outside marker of the track. Generally, the shortest way around the track is fastest, but this is another skill set that you can learn to use in a race when the inside gets a little rough or the ruts there have a hook to them and don’t arch properly. The inside will get rougher first too, so the outside is another thing you need to practice so that you know how to move around the track as the conditions change. 

The goal is to keep the throttle steady, look ahead, and keep a hold of the bike with your legs while standing.

In a corner like this, where the traction is not always consistent, it’s important to not go too fast in your entry because it’ll put too much weight on the front. You still want to come in at a good rate of speed and open up the entry of the corner to as far outside as you can, but not so fast that you have to stomp on the brakes to adjust speed. This will keep you from being less susceptible to the front-end washing out because you put too much weight on the front.  

You need to keep consistent traction at the rear of the bike, that way you’re not totally relying on the front-end to grip in parts that are slick, like that small shiny part behind me. 

In a fast, sweeping section where you can stand up like this, you want to be in the proper gear. If your speed and gear selection keep the bike from pulling due to revs, it’s best to go for a gear higher so that you can stay consistent on the throttle and maintain momentum.

The more you keep your foot on the pegs, the less likely you are to dab or get your foot behind the footpeg. It’s hard to accelerate too hard when your foot is like that because in that postion the next step would be falling off.