| The whine of the engine, the thrill of the race, and | | | | a muddy field or a sandy desert, a dirt bike has to |
| plumes of dust flying everywhere - it's a dirt bike race | | | | endure a good deal of bouncing and landing. |
| and it's so exciting! But what are dirt bikes and where | | | | Suspension makes all the difference in this regard. |
| do they come from? What makes them different | | | | Dirt bikes also have very little bodywork to them. Their |
| from street-legal motorcycles and why do the boys | | | | design is simple and hardier than with motorcycles. |
| go crazy for them? | | | | Ground clearance is important because of the difficult |
| Motorcycles started out as bicycles with an internal | | | | terrain these motorcycles might have to cover. Where |
| combustion engine strapped to them in a way that | | | | a motorcycle can be stylized for looks and leisure, |
| would turn the wheels. Unlike the more complicated | | | | these bikes are all about taking a beating and getting |
| trucks and cars of the early days, motorcycles were | | | | back up. Dirt bikes often end up rolling over or falling to |
| not hard to make. As more roads were made and | | | | their sides, hopefully without pinning their drivers to the |
| became paved, some motorbikes were geared | | | | ground. |
| towards street driving while others continued to be | | | | Dirt bikes can be used in many different ways. A rally |
| used in fields for personal reasons. These were the | | | | race or 'rallies' require the cyclist to travel long |
| first dirt bikes. | | | | distances on a bike that is street legal or nearly there. |
| A helmet should always be worn on a motorcycle. | | | | Fuel tanks on rally bikes will be bigger than on other |
| However, more than just personal safety is involved in | | | | types of motocross bikes. Motocross races will use |
| making a bike safe for street use, or 'street legal'. | | | | bikes that have no lights or indicator instruments, and |
| Motorcycles have important instruments, lights, a horn | | | | riders will run a course that includes many jumps. |
| and other things that dirt bikes don't have. This is to | | | | Track racing is usually done in an oval track and bikes |
| make them safer to ride around people. Even these | | | | will have no brakes, no real suspension and two gears |
| kinds of motorcycles need to be safe just for the | | | | at the most. Trials will push a rider's ability to balance |
| person who will be riding it. | | | | and ride with precision, rather than pushing the limits of |
| It's not that hard to turn a dirt bike into a street legal | | | | a bike's speed. Each of these race types has its own |
| machine. With a few attachments, these bikes can | | | | style of bike it uses. |
| easily adapt to the streets. That's an important thing to | | | | Enthusiasts follow the sport with glee. Riders often |
| be able to do, since they are so popular. But it's the | | | | seem like daredevils, even if they are typically well |
| things that can't be changed or rather, won't be | | | | padded and geared and guaranteed at least some |
| changed that appeal to the real enthusiasts. | | | | level of safety in the sport they choose. Dirt bikes are |
| The suspension that these bikes require is going to be | | | | not like motorcycles, though they aren't a far cry from |
| very different than what a motorcycle will need for | | | | the easy riders or choppers one sees on popular |
| traveling on streets. Dirt bikes are used on more | | | | television. The sport of dirt biking is intended for a |
| rugged terrain than motorcycles are, and the | | | | different breed of human and requires a thrill seeker, |
| suspension will be what keeps the bike intact as well | | | | someone ready to challenge the abilities of their |
| as makes the ride endurable for the rider. Whether it's | | | | vehicle. |