Traction tips when you are stuck︱Cross Training Enduro

Traction tips when you are stuck! There's a lot of wheelspin out there, which is fine if you are into that sort of thing. But it can tiring, and even work against you if you are stuck on a log, rock ledge, wet tree roots or in deep holes. First, a quick refresher on traction as we watch top extreme enduro rider, Ben Hemingway, in an extreme hill climb event. Roll back for a runup. This seems so obvious but we often forget. When stuck, often the easiest solution is roll back a little bit then use that run up, instead of wasting energy pushing the bike over with your legs. Stuck? It's usually a good idea to look down first and make sure there aren't any rocks or other obstacles your rear wheel will spin on. This uphill rut is perfect for this technique as there are various tree roots and ledges to get stuck on. If you do a lot of technical terrain, it can also be handy to put some tug straps on your bike too. As mentioned earlier, traction involves a pile of different techniques, here are links to our training vids on the key skills. As you can see on these trials bikes, as you bounce the rear tyre flattens out and creates a bigger tyres patch for a split second of extra traction. You can also do this from a standing position by bouncing on the footpeg. Stuck? Traction is a combination of many techniques such as weighting and deweighting over uneven ground, body to the rear but coming forward on steep slopes, precise throttle control and controlled dropping of the clutch when needed, paddling with one or both legs in the toughest bits, slipping the clutch to avoid unnecessary wheelspin and excellent balancing skills throughout. Stuck? We have all seen guys stuck on these types of obstacles and trying to wheelspin their way out but usually just digging a deeper hole for themselves. We will look at a few easy ways to get traction in these situations and make the bike do all the work instead of wasting your energy and making the track even more impassable. It's surprising how quickly you can use up all your energy trying to manhandle the bike past an obstacle, instead of taking a moment to think it through then pick the best way to make the bike do the work. Bounce on the bike. If you can't rock the bike through, another option is to get over small obstacles especially on steep hills is to bounce on the seat just as you take off. Rock the bike out. What if you can't move the bike back for a run up? A great technique is simply rocking the bike out. You use little bits of throttle and clutch to rock the bike forward and backwards against the obstacle, then give a final controlled drop of the clutch to get over. Remember to keep your weight on the seat, or on the footpegs if standing. The brilliant thing about rocking the bike through is the bike does all the work, and you aren't wheel spinning and wrecking the track. Just pull the bike through. There are times we just opt to pull the bike through, instead of digging unnecessary holes or trenches in the track. The tradition seems to be grab and pull the upper fork, but we've found rolling the front tyre is often an easier way. A controlled 'drop' of the clutch. In some situations, a controlled drop of the clutch and weighting the bike will give you enough traction to get over an obstacle. Going from a seated to a standing position puts extra weight on the back wheel for extra traction. For more details, we've covered this in these two training vids already. Stuck?
Weighting & deweighting
Body positioning
Throttle control
Dropping the clutch
Leg paddling
Clutch slipping
Balancing
Music by Atch:

[crosstrainingenduro]

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[owenregan]

Great videos, you are a first class professor of the dirt!

[gnccrace]

...And I thought I was the only one who stared at my bike.

It's funny how life experience can affect your riding technique. Growing up here in Alaska, in the '70's I learned to drive in our family pickup truck, a two wheel drive '68 Dodge half ton with a slant six and three on the tree (straight six engine and three speed steering column shift manual transmission). Two wheel drive in snow, you learn about traction fast! My dad was the master, I have to say. We didn't have our first four wheel drive until '78, and I think Dad was disappointed. He could get any car or truck unstuck, and the 4x4 was too easy! LOL!!

Many of the techniques you mention carried over instinctively to bikes for me. Don't sit and spin, the roll back (amazingly effective, no matter how slight), rocking. Weighting of course is unique to motorcycles, but once you develop an instinct for traction, you get creative about finding it.

The number one lesson about traction, driving in snow and ice with two wheel drive, was not to lose it in the first place. It's a rule that translates directly to dirt bikes and is a hallmark of my own technique to this day. Momentum is a key element, and when coupled with techniques of weighting/de-weighting, clutch and throttle control, can be a powerful tool. It is in fact what the pro's are doing when we see them conquering impossible climbs.

When we first moved to Alaska in 1969, my dad was a teacher and school administrator in Homer. Among his duties was tending to the families schooling on correspondence (today it's called home schooling). One of those families was the Kilcher family, who lived on a ranch far outside of town, way down a steep mountainside from the road. The Kilchers are the subject of the Discovery Channel program "Alaska: The Last Frontier", and the brothers, cousins and other relatives of singer Jewel Kilcher (this was five years before she was born). Back in those days the family truly lived off the grid with mail service being their only connection, besides the road, to the world outside the ranch.

Dad had to meet with Atz, the patriarch of the clan, and so it was arranged that Atz would meet us at the top of their miles long, steep, icy driveway and take us down to the house. Dad brought my brother and I because Atz was famous for his driving technique on that icy hill and Dad knew we would enjoy it. We did! Oh my goodness, it opened a whole new world for my 9 year old brain! Atz drove then rare Subaru's, but that was before they were four wheel drive. They were front wheel drive, which helped of course. But what a roller coaster ride it was! Sliding and speeding through snow and ice, splashing through creeks that would be frozen solid if they weren't flowing so fast. It was crazy! But momentum was Atz's great effective weapon in the battle for traction.

Momentum comes in many sizes, and as you point out in this vid, even a few inches of rolling can develop the modicum of momentum required to tract over an obstacle. So momentum doesn't have to mean great speed (though it can!).

Great video Mr. Morris, I enjoyed it very much. Thank you sir.

[jamesfreshwater]

Im no pro and like to think im quite skilled in the art of not falling off, yet i watch these vids because every day is a school day and i think watching other riders is the best tuition anyone can learn from there wins and fails on the trails.Good to see im not the only bloke tackling some snotty stuff on the good old drz shes a go anywere machine

[darrenfitzpatrick]

simple but practical, good stuff mate, have a xt660r which is not light and carry luggage , and from your tips and birch tips in your videos it's got me out of tricky places as its always muddy and wet over here in the hills , thanks 👍👊

[JagLite]

Excellent tips! I see a lot of riders standing next to their bikes pushing with the wheel spinning...
With no weight on it the spinning isn't doing much at all so the rider gets exhausted.

I was glad you showed tug ropes at the end since I think every bike should have them if any riding puts them in the situation where they need help.

I like simple soft-loop webbing tie-down straps. They are inexpensive, come in various lengths and colors, are super strong, and are sewn with a loop on each end (actually they are one loop sewn closed in the middle).
Pop the top triple clamp off and drop a loop over each fork leg and bolt the top clamp back on.
The rear loop may be a bit more challenging to mount depending on the frame layout but should be easy to figure out a good way to fasten it on if you want one. The front loop is going to be used a lot more than the rear.

[metlmuncher]

Great vid that bears revisiting every little while to remind us of the basics of TM

[spencer]

The trick I use for getting over giant logs in one I learned somewhere is go in maybe 1st or second gear, stand up while you are leading up to it, compress the suspension and a blast of throttle will propel you over off camber logs that are slippery and big diameter logs or rocks that would otherwise slow you down and wear you out...

[jamesmcguire]

If you’re a short rider and can barely touch the ground; you are highly motivated to maintain momentum.

[regin]

This video is so much helpful for newbies like me... Thanks a lot!

[MARKMAN-qtup]

I smile when ever I see that white drz we need more of that bike in future vids

[NBP]

Following your videos for some time now. We took your advice, and bought every family member a trial bike to practice!

[hendikaf]

Moto therapy, always make me smile to watch those video …. and a bit envious too..

[moisespinete]

Another cool video i just aplied the tecnique of rocking and trail with awesome result thanks alot and keep going best regards from mexico

[bast]

Nice vid again !
Wow 4;39, i never see this technique, look like really nice !
Thx for your advices, and your good humour !

[Belicose]

Great video! Traction is a huge concern when you get half of a dirt bike stuck in muddy water holes. Over here in Florida we have sugar sand and 1 to 2 feet deep dips that fill with water when it rains. Those dips retain water extremely well and can be there for weeks and weeks after a storm. When I ride through them I either launch the bike from second gear enough that that front wheel is about 2-3 feet off of the ground, come at it with some speed from the get or pop the clutch in first so that front wheels is up and when it comes down land/ on the other side of the hole outside of the muddy water so I don't flip over the bar. I would LOVE to hear your break down on getting over muddy water holes that often come about in trails. I see and hear of people flipping over the handle bars all the time.

[docwatsonn]

Hello my gumby friends. I wanted to thank you for the vids they have really helped me improve my technical skills as well as basic stuff. thanks again!!

[TaskSwitcherify]

You're the calmest biker I know. You probably meditate daily :D

[johnnyturbo]

I used to get stuck a lot, so i bought a DR650... problem solved 😁

[nedt]

another great video. also very nice job on that log where you weight and deweight to the standing position land and then stop