Need help learning to stand up!!

Not knowing a darn thing about much of anything, i find that a softer rear spring helps standing. without any load on the seat, when I was trying to stand the rear kicked a lot, I went two springs down and found that the bike just sticks now. That was for both the KTM 300xcw and the EC300. And that is for trails with lots of roots, jumps haven't been a problem, but if you are hanging fifty footers, ignore this advice :) Oddly, when I first made the change, I could not tell a big difference in speed, just felt better, the two guys I right with asked, "what happened to you? @#$@, you got faster!"
 
Find a good used 2007 model GG and keep the stock seat.

You will learn to stand in no time!
or a KDX or an XR and ride with guys on new bikes - with their 1980's suspension technology you will learn the hard way how much better the suspension (read: reduced risk of falling to your death without any warning!) is when you stand. If you sit you will either end up paying serious road tax or finish the ride on your own!
 
Recently i asked a local older pro for some tips. He rode behind me for a bit and then pulled me over and threatened to take my seat off the bike. I was forced to ride a whole lap standing 100%, i rode one more for good measure. My legs were killing me but i stand much more now, that was after just two laps. When i pulled over he said "we just made you 50 % safer" by standing and keeping my feet on the pegs. Now I'm always trying to stand.
 
Recently i asked a local older pro for some tips. He rode behind me for a bit and then pulled me over and threatened to take my seat off the bike. I was forced to ride a whole lap standing 100%, i rode one more for good measure. My legs were killing me but i stand much more now, that was after just two laps. When i pulled over he said "we just made you 50 % safer" by standing and keeping my feet on the pegs. Now I'm always trying to stand.

Same thing happened to me, but this wasn't an older pro. The guy that told me to stand I don't ride with very much even though I should ride with him more, but it's very intimidating. He pulled over during a ride tore his goggles off and looked at me and said, "your gonna have to stand up if you wanna get faster"! Now I feel weird if I dont stand up and when I do sit all I can picture is him saying that to me.

Learning when to stand and when you need to plant your butt on the seat comes in time and riding a varied mix of terrain. Watch some of these enduro vids, you will see the pros sitting at times and standing as well. It's just knowing when to do which.
 
I just read this whole post and you guys have given some awesome tips and training info. I'm more of a MX rider and trail (read lazy,slow) rider but I'm going to start putting what you guys have said into my riding. I just hope at 53 it's not to late for me LOL. Thanks!
 
too funny ... this thread keeps coming back to life!! 5 years and still running!! For the record I have gotten better at standing up but still not super comfortable with it all the time. my biggest problem now is my thighs burn up after only so loong ... hten it back in the seat for some recovery. I'm thinking I may raise the bars a bit to see if that helps.
 
I've found that with proper cockpit setup I can stand for much longer when riding. Technique goes a long way, but is aided greatly with setup. Seat to peg, bar height, etc. I had my previous orange scoot set up about as perfect as I ever had a bike and could transition from sitting to standing and visa versa with ease. Not quite there yet with the gasser.

Speaking of standing for moto, a few years back I had the pleasure to observe Stephan Everts racing a Unadilla national. He stood more than anyone I had ever seen in a moto, carrying more speed and just railing around guys in the corners. I was so impressed it prompted me to start practicing standing in corners that I'd normally be looking for a berm to hammer. I never got real good at it, but I look way cool doing it. :D
 
too funny ... this thread keeps coming back to life!! 5 years and still running!! For the record I have gotten better at standing up but still not super comfortable with it all the time. my biggest problem now is my thighs burn up after only so loong ... hten it back in the seat for some recovery. I'm thinking I may raise the bars a bit to see if that helps.
That will open up a whole new debate, there are so many differing views regarding bar raisers with pro's not doing it and the age old question about whether you ride like a pro. All that said I believe that if you are not comfortable on your bike (suspension, jetting etc) you will not enjoy your riding and I do enough things that I don't enjoy so will do all I can to keep biking enjoyable

As for stefan everts he really is a machine when it comes to skill. He is supposed to race the harescramble at erzberg this year (not only the prologue) I am interested to see how he handles the extreme stuff
 
I couldn't comfortably ride my old KTM standing up for anything. After the last couple weeks on the GG(tall bars, tall seat). I put both on the KTM, and pushed it back into a corner. I like the taller bars, but the tall "Ceet" allows me to hold on with my thighs(for me, compfy). I haven't had a serious case of monkey butt since.
 
A couple of people have mentioned the fear of falling whilst standing, and a few replies have been to treat it as part of riding (the falling, not the fear.)

I have spent most my adult life practicing Aikido, which I found really handy when I got back into trials (which, btw, is the best bit of advice that's been on this thread ~ Get a trials bike and live on it for a year)

The first thing I was taught all those years ago was how to fall without hurting myself. How to roll etc.
But more importantly to think about falling, for it to be a continuation of the action your performing (in this case riding)

I don't mean plan or decide how to fall as it happens.
There wouldn't be time at full speed, although when trials riding you are quite often stood still during or just after a move, and can actually decide where to go if you can't get your balance back.
No, I mean in the same way that a a novice road rider might panic if the back wheel stepped out and an experienced off roader is almost always in a controlled drift, regard falling (or tumbling ;) ) as part of the whole process and your reaction changes from "Oh s**t to "Lol, here we go again"
 
I am currently re learning my skills. I have had alot of experience when I was younger standing up and handling my bike. Apparently my shift to sport bikes messed with skills more than i knew. I am also heavier which leads to getting tired alot faster. Mostly I am able to ride almost anything and handle most obsticles by sitting/hovering over my seat. Standing Is definately where its at though.. but I am also struggling with the front wheel washout fear. The biggest difference I have noticed with standing is my ability to change my body position faster as well as being able to pre load my suspension for various situations. Hopefully I will regain lost skills and re learn standing while using my controls.
 
I've got the opposite problem - I haven't ridden on the road for many years, so I went to a refresher lesson last week.
The instructor got me to do some tight turns and I instinctively stuck my inside foot out & forward. Then on some super slow twisty turns I stood up on the pegs (which frankly looks ridiculous on a GN125!) :eek:
 
I've read to weight the inside peg...... Seems mostly new idea to me. I always thought same as you...especially when running tighter fast turns with no berm.

There is no hard and fast rules in it. Weighting the inside peg tips the bike over nicely, but I'm sure its something we all do almost unconsiously to initiate a turn. Another way to change your thinking and help remember to get the weight back to the outside peg is to think that you are pulling up on the outside grip (instead of pushing the inside down). Your weight is almost always constanlty transferring left and right up and down back and forward. As the rider you want to remain neutral to the forces of the bike and somewhat at right angles to the ground in turns. If you tip the bike over you need to shift your weight to you can still sit up. This only really leaves the outside peg to stand and pivot on.

Seat time seat time seat time. The more time you spend feeling what works and learning what doesn't, the sooner your body will start just doing its thing. I find the worst days for me are the ones where I'm riding crap and need to think about what I'm doing. The good days it all just comes together effortlessly.
 
Seat time seat time seat time.... Or do you mean feet time lol. Anyway you look at it you couldn't be more right.
 
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