Loud? well then you should get the Muzzy... (shameless Muzzy endorsement) hahahaha

 

This is a very interesting topic for me latchki because I made the switch from street to dirt; opposite of you and I have noticed several important differences.

I find that there is a significant attitude adjustment required to go from street to dirt & vice-versa. My dirt riding buddy critiqued my off-road style by saying, “man, you need to quit over thinking your line; just pick your general direction and go for it!”. In your case latshki, when you get on-road you may want to begin picking your lines more deliberately than you are used to off-road.

I have also found that while weight transfer on the street is more of a side-to-side activity, in the dirt, it’s more about front-to-back.

The philosophy of tire traction is also quite different with dirt riders ‘floating’ over the riding surface while street riders have traditionally preferred to be ‘hooked-up’ (although the practice of drifting is now common place on road course riding).

On the road, you will also want to shift your field of view a lot further down the road than you normally would in the dirt while trying to negotiate obstacles. In particular, when on-road look deep into the apexes of oncoming curves.

You'll also want a proper set of street riding gear if you want to do it properly.

Perhaps the biggest difference on the road however, is that you are surrounded by others who do not ride, and indeed may actually be hostile to riders. Be aware that in this regard, you are an ambassador for the sport and you’ll be constantly judged by those who are looking for reason to legislate & restrict us. As others have said, assume that all other traffic is aiming to hit you & ride defensively!

 

Wow! That was the best way to put it that I have ever read. +1 on looking through the curves and looking where you want to go. On the trail you Can only look as far as you can see, on the street you need to look ahead a lot farther, and every cross road needs to be instantly evaluated. I force drivers to make eye contact with me, and if they don't I then imagine that they are going to pull out at any moment and I make a plan on what to do.

Its really important to make sure you know if someone is right behind you so that if you stop either in traffic for lights or crosswalks that you can tell if the person is slowing down. Also, and I know that others will disagree, but if you come up to a crosswalk and someone is waiting to get across the street and there is a car behind you closer than 3-5 car lengths, DO NOT STOP! Most accidents happen because people follow too close and don't pay attention. That being said, I always stop at crosswalks when its safe to do so. I would rather get a ticket for not stopping than ending up in the hospital or worse for stopping when the idiot behind me is not paying attention.

 

awesome guys, this is exactly what I was hoping for, I always hear to drive like everyone is out to get you but I never really found info on the body positioning and such

thanks

 

Another difference is the old ‘seat’ vs ‘pegs’ distinction that often gets drawn respectively between street & dirt bikes which I argue is only half true.

There is no doubt that a dirt rider generally spends much more time on the pegs than a street rider but if you’re only steering a street bike with your upper body, you’re only applying half the possible leverage. If you engage your legs & core to take some weight off your butt and redistribute it to the pegs, then lean on the pegs while cornering, you’ll find a street bike becomes much more ‘flicakble’. So effective is this technique that you’ll find it’s possible to corner without applying any pressure to the handlebars at all! The extra leverage generated by your feet is particularly important on high-revving in-line fours which have a much greater rotating mass tending to keep the bike in a constant plane.

I also feel it’s worth emphasizing the different riding gear. Asphalt is VERY abrasive at road speeds and breathable MX gear is simply not up to the task of saving your skin. Road gear is also designed with aerodynamics in mind which helps prevent fatigue and lets you focus on the ride!

 

yea i dont ride any mx Im just a rec trail rider


just a thought, I go camping in new hampshire every few years and would I be crazy to drive 12hrs there, other then having a sore butt?

 

oh another thing, what speeds can you go up to in a mx helmet before it gets really noisy / uncomfortable as I don't want to bring my street helmet when im heading to the trails and am already strapped with gear

 

It's subjective. But I think the answer is...a lot faster than this bike will go. You can always wear earplugs if the noise is an issue. The only reason I wear my full face (FX-37 adventure-bike style) is for additional wind protection in cold weather riding.

 

Yeah, people are more likely to hear a loud bike. But they're not any less likely to drive like jackasses, or even recognize what or where you are.

On the other hand, loud things annoy people. People who are annoyed by something will do all they can to make it go away. This has led to lots of riding opportunities shut down, and kept many new opportunities from opening up.

Please be considerate of other people. I'm not saying don't get a loud pipe. But if you must have loud exhaust, consider your surroundings before you crank the throttle.