How To Ride A Dirt Bike If You’re Short [3 Simple Tips For Beginners]

Are you short like me? Full size dirt bikes are tall, so it's easy to tip over if you don't have really good balance. I want to show you three simple tips on how to ride a dirt bike if you're short.

Getting on
Shifting weight to one side
Coming to a stop

Is it important to be able to touch the ground on a dirt bike?

As a new rider, being able to touch the ground with your foot can help boost your confidence right away. So yes, being able to touch the ground is important if you're a beginner.

However, as you become more skilled, being able to touch the ground easily is less important. Needing to touch the ground means that you have poor riding technique. More on this later.

How To Get On A TALL Dirt Bike Seat With SHORT Legs [3 Tricks]

Just getting on your dirt bike can be a hassle if you have short legs like me. If your bike has a strong kickstand then you can stand on one foot peg then swing your other leg over to get on the seat. However, I don't suggest that because you could snap the kickstand.

So, here's how I get on a dirt bike that's tall for me:

Stand on the left side of the bike and grab the handlebar with my left hand
Step towards the bike with my left foot
Swing my right leg up and over the seat while slightly jumping off the ground

How to sit on a tall dirt bike without falling over

Once I'm on the seat I can only touch the ground with one tippy toe. To be able to hold the bike up better, I shift my butt to one side of the seat. This way I can put more or all of one foot on the ground and hold myself up and the bike better.

Coming to a stop without falling

The real struggle is coming to a stop without falling, especially on a hill or uneven ground. I've fallen many times because I couldn't touch the ground after stopping. So, what have I done to prevent this from continuously happening?

It's similar to the previous tip on shifting your weight. When you're coming to a stop, shift your butt and body over to the side that has the highest ground.

How to become a confident rider THIS year!

The real key to riding a tall dirt bike is balance. But why not just stay on a small dirt bike? You'll have more confidence riding a bike that you can touch the ground on, but a short bike isn't always better.

There are more advantages to riding a tall dirt bike. Suspension and ground clearance are the biggest factors.

To easily and confidently ride a tall dirt bike, you must master the skill of balance, and that's one of the basic techniques that I teach in my Dirt Biking Made Easy [For Beginners] mini-course.