Know your trail type - Riding MX Trails

Trail type recognizing the terrain
Wide-open deserts. Tight, root-twisted woods. Rock-strewn hills. Dry river sand washes and endless dunes. You name it, there’s a terrain for every type of off-road riding. Here are four of the most common you’ll find as you break in your new CRF.

Dirt
Given the wide variety of dirt trails available across the U.S., this is probably the most common terrain type you’ll find when searching for a local riding area. From loose silt and hardpack to dry lakes and gooey (really) clay, there’s a “species” of dirt for pretty much every region in the country.
Out west in the dry, desert areas of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and such, you’ll usually find a mixture of hardpacked dirt and sand; whereas in the damper Pacific Northwest and Northeast states, trails will tend to be wetter, muddier and often situated in forests and woods. Dry lakes, of course, will offer up flatter, faster surfaces; while in the deep South and Hawaii, clay—rich, loamy, bright orange-red clay—is king.

So you see, finding a dirt trail for your CRF to stretch its legs on won’t be difficult. The type of dirt, however, will naturally depend on where you live and/or where you plan to ride. They are all fun and present different challenges; and the greater the variety you choose to ride, the better all-around rider you will be.

Sand
When you stop to think about it, it’s possible to encounter sand almost anywhere you go riding; most often you’ll find it in dry river washes and dunes scattered across the Southwestern U.S. and up into Utah, Colorado and southern Wyoming and Idaho. One of the most popular and famous places to go sand dune riding are the Central California Coastal town of Pismo Beach, and Glamis, which is farther down southeast in California's Imperial Valley.
And while riding in sand is a blast, it also requires a certain amount of finesse and technique best summed up in this rule of thumb: Accelerate sooner and brake later than you would on surfaces with greater traction. Your bike will naturally “track,” or waver, in its path when riding in sand (don’t worry, this is normal if a little disconcerting at first), so keep the throttle on and shift to a higher gear if possible. You want to keep your speed up, which will then allow the bike to rise on top of, or “plane,” the sand. Also remember that your bike will stop much more quickly in sand than on harder surfaces, so adjust your braking accordingly.

If you happen to be riding in dunes or similar large areas of barren sand, be wary of hills or dropoffs that might be “hidden” by a lack of shadows. There’s nothing like a midday desert sun to mess with depth perception by making hills, holes and cliffs all appear the same color.

Rocks
When you stop to think about it, it’s possible to encounter sand almost anywhere you go riding; most often you’ll find it in dry river washes and dunes scattered across the Southwestern U.S. and up into Utah, Colorado and southern Wyoming and Idaho. One of the most popular and famous places to go sand dune riding are the Central California Coastal town of Pismo Beach, and Glamis, which is farther down southeast in California's Imperial Valley.
And while riding in sand is a blast, it also requires a certain amount of finesse and technique best summed up in this rule of thumb: Accelerate sooner and brake later than you would on surfaces with greater traction. Your bike will naturally “track,” or waver, in its path when riding in sand (don’t worry, this is normal if a little disconcerting at first), so keep the throttle on and shift to a higher gear if possible. You want to keep your speed up, which will then allow the bike to rise on top of, or “plane,” the sand. Also remember that your bike will stop much more quickly in sand than on harder surfaces, so adjust your braking accordingly.

If you happen to be riding in dunes or similar large areas of barren sand, be wary of hills or dropoffs that might be “hidden” by a lack of shadows. There’s nothing like a midday desert sun to mess with depth perception by making hills, holes and cliffs all appear the same color.

Woods
There’s something especially exciting about working your way through the woods. Maybe it’s the tight, twisty trails this type of terrain offers, with its demand for precision and quick, side-to-side transitions. Or maybe it’s just the idea of enjoying the best of both worlds: a great trail ride in a postcard-like setting.
Whatever the reason, woods riding is one of the best “classrooms” for honing your technical riding skills. It’s also great for practicing obstacle (roots, stumps, rocks, branches, fallen trees, you name it) avoidance.

Some of the best off-road racers grew up riding in the woods, and we highly recommend taking your CRF out on this type of terrain. It’s great fun, and an even better learning tool.


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