What Level Rider Am I?
Most of us tend to over-estimate our abilities – at least as relatively new riders.
On our website, we use a rating system between one to five – with one being the least challenging (novice) and five being the most difficult (solid intermediate). You should fully understand and be honest about your level. If you are unsure, choose the category lower than you think you may be. This will insure you have an epic experience rather than a week-long SufferFest.
The Bytown Motorcycle Association (our founder Dallas’s first off-road club) has developed a well thought out and accurate document that helps define your current level of riding. But how is a beginner, novice, or intermediate defined? While certainly not a universal definition, here is the best we’ve found.
You are a beginning rider if you …
Are just beginning your riding experience, and may or may not have ridden a motorcycle before
Have uncertain balance control
Are still working on throttle, clutch, brake, shift control
Expend a lot of energy to maintain a sense of control over bike and very tired after a short period of riding
Experience a number drops, falls, and/or stalls each ride
Would not be comfortable on single track trail, ascending or descending hills, or encountering obstacles
Tend to use sitting riding position vs. standing position
Are most comfortable riding in open spaces such as fields, or on gravel roads used by cars
You are a novice rider if you …
Are comfortable operating throttle, clutch and brake controls, and with shifting while riding in the standing position
Are comfortable using front brake alone in slowing down
Can come to a complete stop and then continue forward without putting a foot down (dabbing)
Are able to ride in third and fourth gear off-road when safe to do so
Do not experience stalls or over-revving while using the clutch
Initiates and controls all but tightest turns with legs in standing position
Comfortable and relatively certain of traction on easy, ATV trails, or easy single track trails with short ascents and descents
Expend a fair amount of energy riding, quite tired after riding 2-3 hours
You are an intermediate rider if you are …
Comfortable on tight single-track, (intermediate) level 3 trails which includes fairly sharp ascents and descents, often with rock, water, loose stone and/or roots present.
Wheelie from a stop and not have the bike move forward much, and can wheelie from moving in a sitting position. Can comfortably wheelie over obstacles higher than axle height
Comfortable using both brakes in stopping, and braking to control skids and change/initiate direction.
Comfortable and effectively using multiple controls simultaneously
Can do full steering lock turns and tight figure-eights, can balance without dabbing at very slow speeds
Comfortable sliding rear wheel and able to produce and control the slides
Comfortable riding the bike off-road in higher gears when safe to do so
Can read the terrain, select and maintain a line most of the time, and can recover quickly from deflections off obstacles
Not intimidated by different soil conditions and obstacles (sand, mud, loose/rolling stones, large rocks, logs).
Not intimidated by steep uphills and downhills or off-camber slopes and hills
Comfortable jumping the motorcycle and riding in rough conditions without bottoming the suspension unexpectedly
Able to ride a day of intermediate level trails (level 3/4) including short sections of level 5 trails