- Dirt bike riding, whether for sport or recreation, requires wearing protective gear and clothing. A helmet is the most important piece of protective gear and prevents the head from suffering serious injuries. Purchase a helmet that fits snugly on the head. You do not want a loose helmet because the helmet can easily fall off during an accident. Make sure that the helmet is a full face helmet so that the face is protected. According to the Dirt Bike School website, a helmet should feature the Department of Transportation label, American National Standards Institute label or Snell Memorial Foundation label. These labels on a helmet indicate that the helmet meets or exceeds the state's safety requirement. Wear protective gear, such as goggles, knee pads and elbow pads. Goggles will protect the eyes from flying debris, or from being poked out by a tree branch.
- Always inspect your dirt bike before riding. Check your gas tank to make sure that you have enough gas for riding. Measure your tires for the right amount of air pressure and check for cuts or gouges that can cause them to leak. Make sure that your front light and tail lights are working. Check for any leaks of oil and gas. It is important to make sure that your bike is in proper working order, especially if riding alone. You do not want your bike to break down in the middle of nowhere.
- Knowing how to climb hills and descend hills is important when riding a dirt bike. There are hills that will be too steep for your dirt bike to go up. Use common sense when climbing hills. Make sure that your feet are firmly planted on your footrests when approaching a hill. Before ascending a hill make sure you shift to a low gear and then speed up. Descending down a hill requires keeping both feet firmly on your footrests. The dirt bike should point directly down hill while transferring your weight to the rear of the bike. Shift to a lower gear and go easy on the throttle. Apply your brakes if necessary so that you are not descending the hill too fast.
- There are other safety tips that you can follow while dirt bike riding. Ride with a partner so that you can assist each other if there are any problems. Take a first aid and tool kit with you in case an accident occurs or your bike breaks down. Make sure that you let someone know where you are going and what time you will be back. This will allow someone to know where you are in the event that you do not make it back home.
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