Here's a decent freestyle double
The above fmx dirt double has a 6 foot tall face and a 7 foot tall dirt landing, at about a 60 foot gap.
FREESTYLE
JUMPS
COVERED
IN THIS SECTION:
basic
jumping techniques
Tips
for building your own dirt jumps
FIRST TIME ON A FREESTYLE RAMP? <Click Here>
Jumping
For beginning riders the jump used should be a table top. The reason for this is of course, safety. If you feel comfortable jumping doubles then it is advised to begin with a smaller setup, and gradually work your way up as you get comfortable. At some point you may want to move to ramps. Ramps are an excellent way to learn tricks because they are designed to 'pop' the rider up in the air, creating a feeling of weightlessness for a short time. That brief feeling makes the execution of the major FMX tricks much easier. If you just wanna learn the basic moves, any jump you feel comfortable on that has a safe landing is good for starters. Keep in mind, if this size jump is above your abilities you should NOT just "GO FOR IT". Use a jump that you can jump comfortably and safely with ease.
Shape and make-up of a good freestyle jump
If a jump is too steep or too shallow, your bike will react
differently. For instance- A jump that is too steep will throw
your bike in a high trajectory. When a bike is moving up
(vertically) very quickly, it makes it harder for a rider to
get off the bike (something neccesary for certain tricks). The
reverse is also true. When a bike isn't moving fast enough vertically
(not that much pop), the bike will be hard to get off. Another thing
to keep in mind is the curve of the face/ramp. Jumps that curve
to much on the face of the jump tend to buck, or 'kick' riders over
the bars, and are called "kickers". A good freestyle
jump won't curve too much on the lip, but will curve the most towards
the bottom of the jump.
Here's
a decent freestyle double
The
above fmx dirt double has a 6 foot tall face and a 7 foot tall dirt
landing, at about a 60 foot gap.
The
above picture is an unfinished freestyle take-off. here you can see
the extreme angle of the lip, which was toned down before completion.
The curve in the middle of the takeoff was also hollowed out to give
deeper "belly" which compresses the suspension of the bike more.
Here
you can see the completed takeoff. Notice the hardpack line up the
center, and how the angle is gradual and curves more towards the
bottom of the jump.
The size and shape of the landing are also important. The landing should be of at least the same highth (if not bigger) as the take off, and not quite as steep. The landing should be smooth and free of any sudden changes in angle or shape. Generally the landing is at least eight feet wide, to account for any bike movements or changes in direction while doing a trick in the air.
You
can see above a good beginner/novice freestyle landing. the landing
isn't too aggressive, yet it offers a nice sized cushion to absorb
the impact of a 30-50 foot gap. NOTE - The landing is located on top
of a table top and is above the takeoff, , making this jump somewhat
of a step up. (This is the landing for the above takeoff).
Ruts are another thing to keep in mind when finding that first freestyle jump. Any imperfections on the face of the jump (or landing) will throw your bike in a way not desired if you are not careful. For beginning freestylers, ruts are not reccommended to play with. Jumping and doing tricks is hard enough as it is, without the dangers of getting cross rutted on the face of a big jump. Also, deep ruts can grab a bikes pegs and frame, throwing the rider over the bars and off the jump.
The traction of the take off and landing is important as well. Sand is not reccommended for a beginning freestyle rider, but once mastered, sand can be a very promising medium for anyone wanting to go big. For instance, sand can be moved very easily. I have personally shaped a 7 foot tall otherwise useless pile of sand into an awesome freestyle landing- and I did in in about two hours with a shovel. Sand is usually soft and forgiving to anyone bailing off or falling off the bike. Be forwarned, the softness and moveability of sand can work against you if you land in it wrong.
For those of you just starting out, I'll tell you that jumping a motorcycle is one of the biggest rushes in the world, and its not easy. Here i'll try to give you a few tips on getting started in freestyle jumping. Don't forget, when working your way up to any jump, patience is a virtue. Don't try something over your head. Staying safe and healthy is a must in this business.
Choose a jump for FMX tricks.
When you first start out, you should find a jump (or a couple of jumps) that you can practice on often. These should be small and safe, something for you to easily clear but will offer a challenge and a sense of accomplishment. When working up to any jump, you should first roll over the face and get a feel for the angle, while noting any drastic changes in shape and curve. The next step would be to "hop" the jump, cruising over it just fast enough to put your bike barely into the air, so that you will land close to the take off. When you have got your timing down to where you are ready to jump your new hit, get your take off run dialed in so you will without a doubt have the right speed. When approaching the jump, make sure you gather your speed with plenty of time to get situated on the motorcycle. The first time you hit a new jump, its usually good to hold the throttle steady and stay in the "attack" or nuetral position on the bike unless you feel there is another technique that would better suit the situation. For instance, if a jump has an angle that isn't steep, you may feel from past experience that you need to chop the throttle or lean forward on the bike to prevent from jumping nose-high. Once you are in the air you may need to correct your bike by tapping the rear brake[pitching downward] or grabbing some throttle (to pitch upward aka panic rev). Set the bike up horizontally (or slightly pitched up for a flat landing) and land with a neutral position on the bike be somewhat on the gas to lessen the load on the suspension.
TIPS
FOR BUILDING YOUR OWN DIRT JUMPS
*
find a tall face. usually at least 6 feet tall, upwards of 10 feet.
*try
to reduce any curve in the top portion of
the
face as possible. This will help
to
keep the jump from "kicking". CLICK
TO SEEIMAGES
*use
a pointed shovel for removing big quantities of dirt,
and
a square shovel or making your line.
*smooth out all bumps
*as
landings are hard to build with a shovel, find a hill to use as a
landing,
and base the location of your take off lip off of the landing.
*get rid of any sharp corners or 'kinks' on the runway leading to the take off.
Here
is a good example of a takeoff built by FMXSchool pal Justin. You
can see the shape better in the pic below - it has a very smooth and
gradual curve, good height (aound 8-10 feet tall), and a smooth lip.
Remember, a lip can be steep and still be smooth and gradual. This
one isn't too crazy steep, but it is a good intermediate lip, and
since it's built on a hill, the possiblities for this jump are
endless. It could evolve into a hip, or if a big landing was to be
built on the hill itself, it could be a slight step-up with a huge landing.
