Top tips for shorter riders
Height can sometimes make motorcycling difficult, but there are always ways around it!
Member for
54 years 8 months
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!
