I could use a little advice...

Message

drbowtie · #1 Post by **drbowtie** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 1:15 pm

I am loving the Speed that I own... However, everytime I try to do some jumping it just never works out too well...

The landings are so rough.

I don't jump that far maybe fifteen to twenty feet. I had my suspension on it's lightest setting and I bottomed out big time. Ripped my hand right off the handle bars. I thought I broke it.

If I crank the suspension up to the next highest setting (ohlins) then the ride is so rough.

What am I doing wrong? I would love to launch this thing but I'm afraid I won't live to tell about it...

Can someone give me some technique on how to land this thing without crushing my body and breaking my wrists?:confused:

Ryanstones · #2 Post by **Ryanstones** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 1:26 pm

try to land back wheels first. ALWAYS be on the gas at touchdown, this transfers some of the downforce forward.

drbowtie · #3 Post by **drbowtie** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 1:29 pm

Hmmm,

Okay that's one thing because I am never on the gas when I land! NEVER! I saw somewhere that I'm suppose to pull the clutch in when I take off? Is this true? If so... How the heck am I suppose to hang on to the damb handle bars and work the clutch at the same time?

Ryanstones · #4 Post by **Ryanstones** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 1:40 pm

You only need to pull in the clutch if you are nose high and want to hit rear brake to bring her down. Even then, you want to be back on the gas when you land. I wish i was better at controlling the bikes attitude, but i'm not. it doesn't much matter how far you jump, just how high and what kind of landing ramp.

drbowtie · #5 Post by **drbowtie** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 2:51 pm

When I jump if the nose is high I don't get on the gas so what typically happens is the rear hits first and then causes the nose to slap hard. Which is generally when the pain comes in.

What should I do when leaving the ramp? Smooth and coast or be on the gas for the push? Does it even matter?

CowsBitePeople · #6 Post by **CowsBitePeople** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 3:02 pm

If u want to bring ur nse down in the air tab the rear brakes

justfine · #7 Post by **justfine** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 5:14 pm

Stay up off of the seat a little bit, and relax your arms and legs a little bit. Use them to soak up some of the landing impact. Try this, go buy a Huevos video, and watch the guys in those videos. Pay attention to posture and what they are doing. Don't do anything you are uncompfortable with. Work up to bigger jumps. If you have never jumped before a 20 foot jump is a pretty nice size one.

MXMIKE · #8 Post by **MXMIKE** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 7:37 pm

It sounds like you need to put a little body english in your jumping.I try to avoid useing the break,You can stall it if not done perfect.If you do hit the break or it stalls in mid air PULL IN THE CLUTCH!! You dont want to land the bike with it stalled and clutch out.It WILL hurt!!!

On most jumps you want to position yourself to were you can land on the gas.

Others on the break.If you land on the break pull the clutch in or it could stall.

On jumps that have high steep faces and landings(The ones that through you more up than forward) I like to power up them and pitch my weight forward to bring the front down as soon as I leave the face.If it starts to go over to far tap the gas alittle to adjust. Landing with the front alittle more down than the front.<----This takes practice.

On the high speed ones with the flatter landings I try and keep the front up a tad higher on the landing,BUT not so high I cant be on the gas when I land.

You can jump just about anything useing body English and throtal control.I weigh about 150 and I do.I very seldom have to break check in mid air.These cdales are very responsive to body English.

Good luck,be carfull and practice allot thats the key.

Ryanstones · #9 Post by **Ryanstones** » Mon Jul 28, 2003 7:44 pm

great tips Mike! Thanks! :clap:

Now if it will quit raining i'll go practice them!

drbowtie · #10 Post by **drbowtie** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 1:31 pm

Oh, my...

Sounds like I've got a lot to learn...

One of the places that I ride has a jump that excellerates up a man made ramp to the top of a mid 80's caprice roof line. The idea being that the ramps angle of attack will propel an individual and his motorcycle over the caprice plus an additional fifteen feet to an awaiting down ramp that has a wall face facing you as you are in the air (you do not want to come up short!!!) You will land traveling down the other side.

The motorcycle guys all jump this toward the top of fourth gear on their CRF450's to land mid-way down the landing ramp. One guy hit it in fifth gear and found that he nearly overshot the entire landing ramp. It was a rough landing!!!

Now... I don't know how that transfers to Cannondale world in order for me to determine how fast I should be traveling in order to clear the steep face but not over shoot the landing and lose the comfort of a downhill landing ramp.

I do know this... NO ONE HAS EVER TRIED TO CLEAR THE JUMP on a quad!!!!! Even though it's not that far it scares the crap out of everyone who looks at it because if you come up short it will be severly painfull! And if you overshoot it it's going to be a spin crusher!

I want to be the first to jump that sucker!

Sounds like I have a lot of practicing to do...

Cannondaleriders

I could use a little advice...

I could use a little advice...

GET UP!!!!