09-15-2015, 09:34 PM
Dirt bike riding, or motorcross, is without a doubt a great way to improve your riding. Top MotoGP racers do it regularly, and not just for fun! As mentioned earlier, it allows you to learn how the bike reacts when it starts sliding, and you can then learn and understand what you need to do as a rider in such a situation with little danger to serious injury.
For me, track racing on two or four wheels has also helped a lot for a number of reasons. My focus in general has been considerably improved, but I think above all it is the possibility to be able to relax properly on the bike. I find that nothing messes up my riding more than being tense, and I think it is safe to say that every down I have had has been the result of getting tense on the bike. Being on a track taught me that I can actually carry considerably more sped through corners and I can also brake considerably harder. As a result, in difficult situations on the road now I can more easily keep my focus, not get all tense, and go about riding around the problem at hand. Add to that an increased awareness to the need for a safety margin when off the track (as well as being able to get rid of that speed demon on a track instead of on a public road), and for me the track has probably been the biggest benefit.
Well, that and experience too...
For me, track racing on two or four wheels has also helped a lot for a number of reasons. My focus in general has been considerably improved, but I think above all it is the possibility to be able to relax properly on the bike. I find that nothing messes up my riding more than being tense, and I think it is safe to say that every down I have had has been the result of getting tense on the bike. Being on a track taught me that I can actually carry considerably more sped through corners and I can also brake considerably harder. As a result, in difficult situations on the road now I can more easily keep my focus, not get all tense, and go about riding around the problem at hand. Add to that an increased awareness to the need for a safety margin when off the track (as well as being able to get rid of that speed demon on a track instead of on a public road), and for me the track has probably been the biggest benefit.
Well, that and experience too...