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Any tips for riding in sand

eel125

eel125

Husqvarna
A Class
I haven't ridden off road in 20 years . I was out for a little ride this afternoon and found a small area to ride off road . I felt fine until I got into about 4 inches of sand . It felt like the front end wanted to wash out . I slowed down and took both feet off the pegs and I felt like a total dork . Any tips ? I'm 49 and already have 1 total knee replacement . I'm not looking to kill myself or set any land speed records , but I don't want to look like an idiot either
 
Stay on throttle and keep a loose grip with the bars. Fight it ant you're going down eventually. Have you adjusted your suspension?
 
LandofMotards said:
Stay on throttle and keep a loose grip with the bars. Fight it ant you're going down eventually. Have you adjusted your suspension?
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I'm 240 lbs and the suspension seems fine the way it is . I like a stiffer ride and it feels pretty damn stiff
 
Run 15 PSI in the tires front and back, no more. a little less is OK. Set the race sag to 1/3 of the total travel or less. (100 CM- 4 inches). set the compression dampening as high as is comfortable. Then try to keep your speed up and enjoy.
 
As has been said keep the front end light by keeping speed steady or accelerating. As soon as you back off the front end will want to wash out. Because of this I find turning is easier under acceleration. Keep your weight back and be very light on the front brake, especially if the wheel isn't straight.
 
I like to run a psi or two more in the front versus the rear, it helps keep the front higher/lighter... throttle is your friend, keep the bike tight with your legs, but stay loose up top and realise that the bike is going to move a lot more in the sand. It is natural, but correctable with the throttle often.
 
The key to beginner sand riding (I was there not long ago), in my opinion, is letting the bike move around and not fighting it. When I started riding sand I wore myself out trying to fight the bike, in sand you really have to let the bike move ride loose.

Some of the other suggestions are great too. You don't need to pin it, but staying on the gas helps, if you chop the throttle or hammer the brakes, you're probably going down.

The fun thing about sand is that there isn't a hard "edge" to traction like there is on pavement or hardpack. You can get real sloppy in sand and not go down because it's so forgiving, it doesn't feel like it but you have a ton of traction.
 
Do the Sahara Sands Hare Scramble. You will learn all about sand haha. I just did today.
 
K5PL5 said:
Do the Sahara Sands Hare Scramble. You will learn all about sand haha. I just did today.
Click to expand...
I'd actually like to try something like that next year . I need to get a little more seat time first . I rode trails a few weeks ago in the Poconos that I haven't been on in over 20 years , I was going at about 3/4 of the speed I used to ride . Sux gettin old
 
I hear ya.
I started this dirt thing late in life. I got my first dirtbike in 2004. Subtract about a year and a half due to a deployment and then throw in the creation of my now 4 year olds haha. I love it tho. Man all the years of my life I was missin this!
 
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