Learning to use a clutch on your dirt bike can be very intimidating especially if you are unfamiliar with motorcycles controls in general. Before jumping on a bike that is not an “automatic”, meaning just twisting the throttle, we want to make sure you have an idea of what you are dealing with. Knowing how the gearbox works, what the clutch actually does, where the brakes are and knowing when to shift (etc.) will put you on a successful path to learning how to properly handle your dirt bike. We’ll go over what you should do before getting on your dirt bike.
Learning the Controls
Being familiar where your controls are should be one of the first things you learn before even turning on your bike. You never want to turn the bike on and just hit the throttle when you don’t know where the brakes are. Know where the gear shifter is located on the left side near the footpeg, the clutch is located on the left side of the handlebars, the throttle is on the right side of the handlebars, front brake is on the right side of the handlebars above the throttle, and the rear brake is the right side near the other foot peg. Remember do not just get on a bike if you are unfamiliar on the controls!
Using the Clutch
The clutch is the part of your bike that disengages the power from the engine to the transmission. You will use your clutch when trying to shift gears or when you need to bring your dirt bike to a standstill so that your engine does not stall when it is not in gear. To use the clutch you will need to pull the clutch lever all the way until it touches the handlebar. The clutch will feel easier to pull in. Don’t be too hard on yourself if your bike stalls a lot when you’re first learning.
Braking
Some beginner riders think that you need to pull in the clutch every time you press the brake but you only need to do so if you are switching gears or coming to a complete stop. If you press the brake in so that you slow down and you’re going to slow for the selected gear, you may need to shift down to a lower gear. Your front brake should not feel anything like your clutch it should be tighter. Feel free to compare them so you know the difference.
Shifting Gears
Start off in neutral, to take off and put yourself in first gear you will hold in the clutch and push down on the gear shift with your left foot. Then release the clutch a little bit until you begin to roll and that’s when you’ll give it some throttle. Once you start to catch more speed you pull the clutch in again and push up with your left foot into second gear, then third, then fourth, etc. You’ll have to find the sweet spot of the clutch to shift smoothly otherwise your ride can be very jerky.
Practice
Before trying to learn jumps, tricks, etc, you need to master the clutch and changing gears. We do not recommend practice on a motocross track but instead a clear area like a straight, off-road lane is an ideal area to ride up and down on. Practicing in an area with no distractions will allow you to get plenty of practice and you’ll get to focus on properly using the clutch. There are also semi-automatic transmission dirt bikes that you could learn to ride before even learning about changing gears or using a clutch.
