Trees

[KDX Butterfly]

Okay. So help me out here.

What are your suggestions on how to maneuver around trees that are pretty close together? Obviously, I didn't get it right the first time.

[Rick]

Slow down, pick out a good line, take your time, (feather the clutch if need be) . Going slow is a good idea. The more you ride, you will be able to manuver trees and such at alot faster pace. Be patient. Remember, experience means faster crashes!

[marco220]

Carefully!

I tried going straight at it pretty fast thinking it might jump out of the way but that didn't work (broken front plate and headlight) so you probably don't want to try my method either.

[KDX Butterfly]

should i lean the bike or turn the bike? from my one (so far) tree venture, i think i should have leaned instead of turned cuz the tree certainly didn't do a darn thing....except get a couple of holes in it!

[scheckaet]

usually i point the bike on the faster line where I KNOW it'll fit; as far as my body position: mix of keeping enough balance to manoevre and tree avoiding skill (very feline like if that makes any sense).
Just ride the bike it'll be natural after awhile and fo god sake DO NOT FORGET YOUR PROTECTION GEAR!!! (helmet, knee pad, boots, chest protector...)

[Rick]

They kinda go hand in hand. Leaning the bike to one side, should in turn, turn the bike in that direction. You can just turn also, at very low speeds, but it takes alot of practice and balance. Best case would be going at a steady speed, leen if need be, and try to be smoothe. Its kinda hard to give advice about something like this. Its kinda the "Ride by the seat of your pants" theory. Only you know what your doing, and can tell what your doing. Some trees i can fly between. Others, i have stood up, and actually leaned the bike over, to clear the trees, with my body still straight up. It just depends on the situation. You'll figure it out. Just practice and take your time. Try practicing on some trees where you ride. Go at them from different directions and different speeds, to get a feel for it. Another thing i do fo super slow manuvering balence is, any time i get the chance, i try and keep both feet on the pegs. Ya know, when normaly going very slow, with a foot or both down, ill keep them on the pegs, to get balance practice. I even do it when first taking off. Start the bike, put it in gear with my right foot already on the peg, pick up my left while sitting still and put it on the peg, THEN take off! Not easy, but helps alot in the slow, technical stuff.

[KDX Butterfly]

Thanks. I will keep it all in mind over Labor Day. Should get plenty of practice then and will report on how it went.

[krazyinski]

First off you should be in a standing position with your chin over the top of the bars, legs bent, knees clinching the tank, butt a couple of inches off the seat, feet in a position so you can shift your weight from foot to foot and still operate the shifter and break.

Picture your self as a slalom skier going between the trees, you will shift your weight much the same using the brakes to steer the bike at times, also leaning into the tree with your upper body, At times through really tight slow trees I will touch the trees with my shoulder as if i am pushing through a crowd.

Practice with cones in an open area or on a dirt road try controling the bike in a slow 180 brake skid doing a Z pattern with out putting your foot down. It is all throttle and brake control, the pegs must always be weighted as soon as the weight is off the pegs control is lost one foot must always be putting pressure on a peg. SITTING UNLOADS THE PEGS CHANGES THE CENTER OF GRAVITY. The OEM KDX seat foam not only is to low but squishes at least an inch with a sit on.

Watch a group of riders in a technical section notice as soon as the feet depart the pegs control is lost. The handle bars are only there so the controls are handy to use. not for holding on to the bike.

I promise if you master this, you can smoke some of the best riders no mater what they are riding if they cant handle the tight then they are toast.

there is some physics involved, the bigger you are the harder it gets the tighter it gets.

[wanaride]

One thing I'm learning is DON'T look at the trees, look at where you want to go.

For example, when I am approaching a trail section with trees on each side of the trail, I look past them and down the trail to a point I want to reach. In this way my gaze is between the trees, and not on either of them. I do NOT focus on either of the trees I'm approaching. Of course, if the trees are so close that you have to stop and duck walk the bike between them, this point isn't too helpful.

If you look at something, you will probably steer towards it.

I suggest you try this slowly at first. It takes some practice, but it is working well for me so far.

And ditto what everyone else said about standing up. It is so much easier to quickly shift your weight when standing, and this is a big plus when you need quick mobility.

[Green Hornet]

should i lean the bike or turn the bike? from my one (so far) tree venture, i think i should have leaned instead of turned cuz the tree certainly didn't do a darn thing....except get a couple of holes in it!

Most of the time you will have to lean & turn together. Use the rear brake to slide into the turn. The slower you go the harder to turn.........Also, becoming a Brunette will allow you to turn easier

[Wazowski]

I recently read about this in Dirt Rider mag (I think it was).

The advise was to get the front end light and turn the bars to make them narrow enough clear the trees on either side.

Granted this is an advanced technique, it assumes you have that kind of complete control over your mount, which I would not attempt quite yet or without at least practicing it in in an area where I can control the circumstances.

The theory seems sound and the physics are right and if one could master this technique it would be the prefered method IMHO.

[KarlP]

I assume your bars are cut down from the standard 32-36" width. If not they really need to be. I run mine cut to 28", with the barbbuster ends I end up at a width of 29.
All of the above advice is sound. I try not to brake slide in the tight woods and try to keep my bike upright as much as possible; it's narrower that way.

Practice, practice, and more practice. Feet on the pegs, body and bike upright, move your shoulders and squirm through the tights. What fun!

[KDX Butterfly]

Thanks to all of you. With all this advice, I should be a master in no time. (oh God!)

I will ask my husband about the bar width. Hadn't heard of that yet.

[2001kdx]

I'm sure he's gonna be just THRILLED when you know how to tackle a trail section better than he does

Don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but In all seriousness, wearing proper gear will protect you from tress and, at the very least, give you more confidence when you try to go flyin through. I believe you said you had some gear on order though - have fun!

[skipro3]

Geeze!
Put a girl on here asking a question and all of a sudden everyone is soooo helpful. Ha!! I don't recall ever seeing so many replies in such a short period of time.

I'm not going to take the time to read all these wrong answers. Instead, I'll just post you the correct answer and you can see if anyone else is doing it right from their posts.


To go through trees that are close together, you are going to have to do a couple things that will go against your basic instinct and reflexive reaction. First, you will have to go fast. By that, I mean at least 20mph. That will seem like lightspeed in tight trees but necessary in order to complete the next step. When approaching two trees too close together for your bars to fit, aim straight between them at speed, then at the last second, twist your bars hard left, then right. The front tire will scrub the ground instead of tracking like it would do at a slower speed. The moment your bars are turned left should be the moment you are going between the trees. Moving the bars back to the right will put you back in line. Going fast will keep the bike from actually turning with the twist of the bars. Reverse the left/right for a right/left when it's called for. It takes skill and skill is nothing more than practice. But once you master this technique, you will blaze through the tight woods.
Good luck and..............
wait.

I just read Wazowski's reply and it sounds like my method. Course, he's only read about it and hasn't actually mastered it yet. Don't be afraid to practice things outside your comfort zone. It's how you will become a better rider. Wasn't it you who wanted to rip anyways!!??

[KDX Butterfly]

YESSSSS! I WANNA RIPPPP!

My gear should arrive today or tomorrow, so maybe over Labor Day weekend, I won't be as conservative as I was WITHOUT the GEAR!!!

Thanks to ALL for the plethora of advice this 'girl' is getting. I NEED IT!!!!!

[Wazowski]

YESSSSS! I WANNA RIPPPP!

My gear should arrive today or tomorrow, so maybe over Labor Day weekend, I won't be as conservative as I was WITHOUT the GEAR!!!

Thanks to ALL for the plethora of advice this 'girl' is getting. I NEED IT!!!!!

Just remember this one thing...

There are old riders...

There are bold riders...

but...

There are no old, bold riders!

Be careful RRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIPIN'

Waz

[KDX Butterfly]

"Old" is how you FEEL. I am far from it!!!! But, yes, I WILL be careful. I have no choice....Vince and my hubby will be "babysitting" me the whole way....

[Wudscrasher]

I'm with skipro/Wazowski on this one as well. I like to loft the front wheel while turning the bars (again, advanced). Sometimes, the trees are just too tight to go 20mph. I just look where I want to go (NOT at the trees), mentally calculating whether my bars will fit, then do the left/right deal skipro mentioned, even at low speeds, if I'm unsure. Also, I rarely stand up in the tight trees (well, our tight trees - I don't know what yours look like), as the branches will take my head off or slap me silly! I'm short, so I stay low and duck what I can. YMMV.

-- C.J.

[KDX Butterfly]

Thanks. The trees I am dealing with for the most part have arms up high. It's their trunks that hurt... I am definitely going to try to think about this "it makes total sense" advice on Labor Day weekend.

I CAN DO THIS!!!!!