Top tips for shorter riders
Height can sometimes make motorcycling difficult, but there are always ways around it!
UNLESS YOU'RE six foot plus with legs like tree trunks, chances are that at some point in your riding life you'll find a bike too tall, too heavy or just downright unwieldy.
Certain styles of bikes are far taller and/or heavier than others, but you shouldn't let your height hold you back (within reason) from giving it a go.
In the above video, enduro pro 'Megs Braap', herself on the diminutive side, gives her top tips for riding dirtbikes when you're vertically challenged.
Meg's tips:
1: Work on your balance!
- Practice low speed skills including figure of eights, static balance and weaving between trees.
2: Keep an eye out for places to plant a foot.
- Look ahead in technical terrain and find somewhere safe to stop
3: Use your legs rather than upper body.
- If you need to manoeuvre your bike, Megs recommends leaning the bike on to your legs as they are far stronger than your arms and torso.
4: How to dab the floor with your foot
- In order to touch the ground, Megs recommends 'side slipping' off the bike in order to get one foot fully on the ground.
5: Have confidence!
- Last but not least, the enduro expert says: 'Don't let your size, or the size of the bike, deter you from becoming a better rider'.
Admittedly these tips are tailored to dirt bike riding, but the skills are revelant across all aspects of motorcycling.
Happy riding!
