How To

Straightening Up For Mid-Turn Jumps With Nick Fahringer

September 16, 2014

Story And Photos By Shan Moore || From the March 2014 issue of Dirt Rider Magazine

“Off-camber slick corners need throttle and clutch control!”

To go fast in any off-road situation, a rider must be well versed in multiple techniques and be able to perform them almost simultaneously to get through certain tricky sections smoothly and quickly. Here, Nick Fahringer negotiates an off-camber turn that has a jump with a kicker on its left side. This turn is long, nearly a full circle around, and most of it is completely off-camber and made of gritty, slick soil. Since this is a special test in the Sardinia ISDE, it has been ridden several times, so the berm is pushed out and some whoops and holes have formed.

1. “After braking in the straightaway, I begin the turn by sweeping the outside, but I avoid railing this powder berm because it squares hard into a kicker mid-turn.”

2. “I square up early enough to go inside of the kicker to maintain speed and control. I am in attack position, weighting the outside peg with elbows up and head over the bars. I dig for traction to cut to the inside while putting some power down with smooth throttle—off-camber slick corners need throttle and clutch control!”

3. “Avoiding the kicker, the bike is still in contact with the ground. You can see me adjust a bit for over-turning as I crest the rise. It is important to not drift off sideways here and risk going off line or, worse, high-siding.”

4. “With both tires on the ground, I am back on the gas and back into the corner. I’ll pick up some speed and work my way outside toward the berm to sweep this last bit and get set up; then I’ll square up again and exit the corner on the inside.”

Want More?

To keep up with Nick, check out his website at nickfahringer.com.