I'm new to riding dirt bikes and I know it's never good to lug the engine. I often find myself doing this when riding trails and sometimes even on the street, I'll put it in 2nd or 3rd gear at too low of RPM's and have to switch down to a lower gear. If this continues will it damage the engine?

 

Sometimes it's unavoidable. The key is to try and avoid it frequently. The odd time here and there won't cause too much grief.
The main thing is that at least you are aware of it.

 

Yeah that happens to me alot as well. Usually up hills and stuff.

 

It's better to keep the bike in a gear where you are higher in rpm's than to lug it.

 

When on trails, and going slower than the idle speed of the gear you are in, you just feather the clutch, or basically keep the rpm's up, while letting the clutch out when you need the power to the wheel. Not like dumping the clutch, but "feathering" it out just a little. Then your bike dosn't lug, and it's a much smoother (less jigging back and forth)ride, annd you get better balance from the higher rpm's from the centrificul(sp?) force of the motor spinning. Helps especially when going really slow at slower than walking speeds, or almost not moving at all.

 

Uhhh....just avoid it...happens to us all.

 

Its best to try and avoid it. But if it can't be helped, just feather the clutch some. When cruising, I try to keep the rpm's above 4k to avoid the luggness.