Tips for Riding Your KTM Bike

Your KTM motorcycle is a lean, mean, adrenaline-chasing machine. Much like man taming wild beasts, riding a KTM bike requires skill and determination to maintain control. If you are new to riding dirt bikes, it can seem a daunting task. But Langston Motorsports is here to help! We created the following guide to riding your KTM motorcycle below. If you have any questions or want to look at different models, visit our dealership. We proudly serve those in Temecula and Riverside, California.

Positioning

The way you sit on your KTM motorcycle affects your ability to stay in control. When you are traveling at top speeds on a machine full of raw power, control is everything! Start with your feet placed with your footpegs centered in the middle. This gives you more control of the levers.

Keep your knees bent so your legs fully grip the KTM bike. It may sound silly, but feeling one with the motorcycle helps you better steer it. Engage your core while curving your back a little. This aggressive and athletic position helps you quickly maneuver your motorcycle to respond to hazards on your route.

Finally, be intentional about where you place your hands. Always rest one or two fingers on the clutch and brake levers. At first, this made feel unnatural or odd. But keeping your fingers ready gives you quick response time so you can keep control of your KTM motorcycle.

Vision

Many riders find themselves fixing their gaze at the patch of ground directly in front of them. It's known as object fixation and is an impediment to successful riding. It's tough to resist the urge, but it's important not to fall into the habit.

As you ride your KTM bike, you encounter obstacles from divots in the road to rocks. It's tempting to look directly at this hurdle. This makes it easier to not hit, right? Wrong. Instead, you want to look ahead so you can process what lies ahead. You don't want to focus so hard on the immediate obstacle that you miss a larger one down the road and lack the time to adjust accordingly.

Practice

You wouldn't hit the freeway the first time you get behind the wheel of a car. You start slow on the low traffic residential roads first. Once you get used to accelerating, braking, and turning, you slowly head out on roads with higher and higher speed limits.

It's no different with riding a KTM bike. We know that it's tempting when you first get your ride. You want to unleash its full power and see what that baby can do! But it's important to never ride outside your ability. That's how collisions and injuries happen!

Start slow. Head out on easy, well-maintained trails with low traffic. You want to experience as few potholes, hills, and other motorists as possible. Practice engaging your brakes, turning, accelerating, and other basics. Only move onto more intense routes once you have mastered these fundamentals. As you build your skills, you can conquer new routes. When the confidence and skill set is there, you set yourself up well for an enjoyable and safe ride.

We hope you found our guide helpful! If your KTM motorcycle needs some maintenance, bring it to our expert staff. We operate a service and parts replacement department. Let us get your bike ready to conquer the trails! We also offer a range of new and used motorcycles for all budgets and riding levels. We proudly serve those in Temecula, Riverside, San Bernardino, the Inland Empire, and Orange County, California.