7 Safety Tips for First Time Dirt Biking by Sheryl Wright

Photo by Roger Lagesse from Pexels

Dirt biking is one of the great pleasures of the outdoors; it’s exhilarating, relatively inexpensive compared to other hobbies, and gives you good exercise. That being said, dirt biking can also put you at greater risk of injury, especially if it’s your first time. To keep the activity enjoyable for you, your fellow riders, and spectators around you, here are seven safety tips that you should be aware of.

Wear the Right Sized Helmet

Too big of a helmet and can easily fall off your head whilst performing certain maneuvers while too small of a helmet can restrict blood flow to your head. Wear a helmet that fits comfortably on your head. When shopping for helmets, look for options that bear the DOT label on them. The label indicates that it has been manufactured and designed by the US Department of Transportation and passes high-quality standards.

Wear the Right Clothing

In addition to your head, your body should also be adequately covered and protected by the right gear. Put on long sleeves and pants, close-toed shoes, and gloves to minimize the bare skin that can get peeled, grazed, or cut when you fall off the bike. For better protection, you should also invest in knee, shoulder, and chest pads. This will protect your joints from falls and collisions.

Master Your Bike

Simply knowing how to ride a dirt bike isn’t enough to stay safe while on the tracks. You should also know what every button activates, where every line or wire connects to, and what data every gauge outputs. Your bike owner’s manual is an informative and, not to mention, free resource for getting to know your bike in greater depth. If you don’t have access to your bike’s owner’s manual, you can usually download a digital copy of it on the manufacturer’s website.

Attend a Safety Course

A safety course on proper dirt bike operation is another good way to stay safe behind the handlebars. These courses typically include safe techniques for steering, handling, and stopping. It may also cover general maintenance tips for your bike and ways to diagnose potential mechanical problems that may require professional repair. You can find more information about these safety courses on your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website or the Parks and Recreation Department website. You can also try searching for private dirt bike training programs in your area.

Inspect Your Bike Before Every Session

Before you ride, check the bike’s condition including the tire pressure, brakes, controls and switches, and so on. You don’t have to pull your bike apart every time you want to ride, but quickly checking these controls and visually inspecting your bike’s individual systems takes only a few minutes. If you detect any issues, you can look for DIY solutions and order dirt bike parts online before you rush to your local mechanic. When ordering bike parts, prioritize quality over price. Think of these parts as a long-term investment and one that will save you from injury and expensive medical bills.

Know Where to Ride

Avoid driving your dirt bike on the main road, including neighborhood streets and highways, unless you need to cross them to connect to another off-road trail. By design, dirt bikes are not meant to be driven through these paved roads. They often do not have the proper safety or lighting features to be properly operated in these terrains. Some states also declare it illegal for dirt bikes to be ridden on public roads and city sidewalks.

Choose the Right Sized Bike

Similar to wearing the right-sized helmet, you also want your dirt bike to be of the right size otherwise you’ll find it difficult to stay in control of the bike at all times. Driving one that is too big will make it physically strenuous for you to steer and control while too small of a bike can make it difficult for you to gauge how much power to give it. As a general rule of thumb, the right-sized dirt bike is one that allows you to access all controls with ease.

These are some of the safety tips you should remember the next time you go dirt biking. Not only are they beneficial for you but also for the people you share these off-road trails with.