DIRT LANDING SPECIFICATIONS


In the above sketch, the arrows illustrate the landing angle on the dirt landing. The beginner angle is derived from a low-pitched dirt takeoff, and the advanced angle is derived from a competition-style freestyle ramp. Notice the slightly angled 'safety' on the advanced landing. The reason for this is so that when the bike cases the jump, the rider has a somewhat sloped surface to help absorb the shock, and to prevent bucking the rider over the handlebars.

In the above two pictures, you can see a dirt landing built by FMXSchool.com pal Justin Cox in Oklahoma (notice the awesome Oklahoma red clay). The landing has a good and forgiving "beginner" shape to it, a little mellower, longer, and a long safety deck. However, one change this landing could use is to have the safety built up on the backside, to prevent being "bucked" when/if you case the ramp. It makes the landing much more forgiving if you are to make a mistake. In the below pic, you can see the minor change that would help stop the landing from bucking riders. Just a little dirt added to angle the entire safety deck downward a little, with a smooth transition to the main landing slope.

Below:  Here you can see what we call an "intermediate style" landing being shaped. The angle is in between the beginer and advanced landings, and this landing has a small safety (about 3-5 feet). The finished landing was about 9-10' tall. It's just a hair steeper then the above landing.

NOTE: If it's your first time on a freestyle motocross ramp, read the "FIRST TIME ON A RAMP" section.

Below you can see the finished intermediate style freestyle landing, It has a 4-6 foot flat spot on top, and a mellow landing slope.

Here is a picture I received of a landing built by an FMXSchool member. It is a great first landing because it is tall and long, giving a big target to hit, which makes it much easier to learn the timing on new ramps. The safety on this landing is par for an advanced landing, but less experienced riders should focus on making their safetys a little longer. The slope is also perfect for a first landing, but as you get more advanced, you may want to steepen the landing up a tad (which will also make it shorter unless you build it up as well).