Knight School Lesson 2 - Hairpin Turns
Our massive Manxmanmountain teaches you the basics of how to handle sandy hairpin turns…
David Knight is considered to be a dirt-biking legend with two world enduro championships and two AMA GNCC titles to his name and because he’s such a sound bloke too the factory BMW star is kindly sharing his riding secrets with DBR readers! Each month the Manxman will run through an essential technique for everyone’s off-road arsenal – this issue it’s how to get around a sandy hairpin corner quickly.
“Loose surfaced hairpins like this one are quite common in off-road races and although they don’t look too difficult they’re the kind of turn that will change every lap – that’s what makes them awkward to get perfect every single time.
“In this particular sandy hairpin you can see that a small berm has formed but it doesn’t really hold up that well and this can create problems if you come in too fast because then you’ll probably blow right through it. On the flipside if you come in too slowly then you’ll struggle to get out fast because it’s quite loose and deep in there.
“I find the best way to get through a corner like this quickly is to enter it really smoothly. If you come in too hot and have to brake hard then you’re gonna tuck your front end into the sand and go over the handlebars. I approach the corner in third gear, brake early and snick down to second. As I drop into the berm I place myself just forward of the central position on the bike and then I’ll accelerate right around the corner, concentrating on keeping my leg high so it doesn’t get in the way or touch the ground and pick me and the bike up.
“You’ll see that in this sequence I end up trailing my leg which isn’t textbook style but it’s sometimes unavoidable – especially for a tall rider like myself. Ideally your leg wants to be outstretched somewhere near the front axle with your toes pointing forwards rather than facing up. This way it will skate across the ground rather than jar in the ruts and bumps.
“At around the mid-point of the bend I’ll start looking right the way down the next straight where I’m headed to and as I leave the corner I’ll get my weight back on the bike to get better traction as I accelerate hard but smoothly away.
“You’ll notice that I always cover the clutch and in a corner like this it’s sometimes handy to feather it a little to help build the revs up, especially if you’re riding a smaller capacity bike than my BMW which has more than enough grunt to wheelie out of a power-sapping situation like this.
“Remember that practice makes perfect, always wear the correct safety gear and ride well within your limits. If you do all that then you’re bound to have fun and that’s what it’s all about!”
