Mud Buster!

 A lot of people battle to ride in wet, slippery and muddy conditions. We recently raced Harding WFO Enduro in the rain, and a lot of people struggled in the conditions. If you use the correct techniques and a bit of throttle control it is possible to finish these mud monster races.

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Muddy ruts require 100% commitment and bike control. Before you enter the rut make sure your braking is done, stand in a neutral position with your legs open, so you do not restrict your bikes movement and you can counteract any slides or sudden movements your bike could get in the rut. Look to the end of the rut, because where you look is where your bike goes. Once you are in the rut keep accelerating, if you decelerate or brake your front wheel will start to climb out the rut and pull you over.

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Here’s how not to do it, “tire kicker” Wild Will looked down and got cross rutted.

Always look ahead!

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 Mud ruts in corners.

To set yourself up for the rut, make sure all your braking is done, and you are in the correct gear. Make sure you are sitting on the front half of your seat, looking to the apex (middle) of the corner, once you reach the apex turn your head and look past the exit of the corner. Accelerate the whole way through the rut, do not tap off! Get your inside foot up, this automatically puts weight on the front wheel, if your foot touches the ground your bike will climb out the rut.

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Make sure that you are still looking ahead to where you are going, your inside leg is still up, your throttle is still constant and you are getting ready to give it full throttle.

Make sure you are weighting your outside footpeg because when your bike leaves the rut you will slide out if you are not weighting the outside footpeg.

Also run your front wheel to the highest part of the rut so that your rear wheel will drive perfectly in the rut, this will also prevent your front wheels inside knobblies from getting traction in the rut and pulling your front wheel downwards towards your inside foot.

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After you have left the corner and you are on the slippery straight, or even on an uphill, get your weight to the back of the bike and push up and down on the footpegs with your body weight so the suspension compresses. This is the same as traction control, except the rider has to do it on a dirt bike. Also make sure you labor your bikes motor, stay one gear high, shift gears before your bike revs out and breaks traction. If you have ever watched the top international riders Like Taddy and Andreas Lettinbichler, you will see them use this technique often. It can also be applied to steep hill climbs and anywhere you battle for traction.

 Using these techniques will get you up most trails in the wet, all that’s left is going downhill. Remember when going downhill, keep off the main racing line which is normally shiny and slippery. On a steep downhill I always follow the line less traveled.

 Remember keep it safe and use Hyde Hand Guards.

WILD WILL