Anyone know why experienced/pro riders do this when riding?

HusqFan3
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HusqFan3
Edited Date/Time 3/3/2019 12:37am
This may be a dumb question(wouldn’t be my first nor last) and probably doesn’t warrant a new topic but not sure where else to ask it without highjacking a thread...

Anyways, here goes. I’ve noticed while watching videos and other riders(usually experinced) at the track that the majority of them seem to always blip the throttle while mid-air over jumps. Curious what the reason is? Os there some tangible/technical reason or benefit to it or is it more just for flash or possibly out of habit to maintain rhythem?

To be clear, I’m not referring to getting on the throttle right before landing which is obviously critical to smooth out the landing. This is just a quick but audible blip closer to the apex of the jump. Just a guesstimate but I’d say upwards of 90% of pros/A-class riders seem to do this which is why i felt compelled to ask...

Anyone care to enlighten the uniformed among us?
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flymoto
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flymoto 3/1/2019 7:55am
3/1/2019 7:55am
I’d say out only habit mainly. But it probably does help aswel just to level the bike out abit and bring the front up.

It’s like asking why c riders take there foot off and rub it up the frame over every table top. No need to do it, just happens.
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SmokinJoe439 3/1/2019 7:58am
3/1/2019 7:58am
Cuts down on gyroscopic effects of the engine and keeps the bikes trajectory more level especially with 4 strokes. Also helps keep the rpms up so when you land less likely to bog down and keeps you driving forward.

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White_Trash 3/1/2019 7:59am
3/1/2019 7:59am
Sometimes it's a little blip to keep the front wheel from dropping, as the rear suspension releases at the lip, it can cause the front to start to drop or the rear to lift, little blip is enough to get that rotation to stop. On larger jumps you'll blip the throttle a few times just to keep the bike pitched the way you want, as the engine rpm and rear wheel rpms drop, the rear wheel will lift, so a quick blip stops that.

Also keeps the engine ready to hit rpm when you smash the throttle before landing.

If you watch ronnie mac ride (extreme example) you will see when his jumps with the front end super low, he has the throttle pegged just so the bike stops rotating forward.

Pretty much everyone that regularly hits the larger jumps, right down through c-class throttle blips in the air for bike control.
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MOTO732
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MOTO732 3/1/2019 8:02am
3/1/2019 8:02am Edited Date/Time 3/1/2019 8:33am
Keeps the engine moving so when you land you have it in the right rpm range. You "generally" want to land with the power on.
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jeffro503
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jeffro503 3/1/2019 8:04am
3/1/2019 8:04am
flymoto wrote:
I’d say out only habit mainly. But it probably does help aswel just to level the bike out abit and bring the front up. It’s like...
I’d say out only habit mainly. But it probably does help aswel just to level the bike out abit and bring the front up.

It’s like asking why c riders take there foot off and rub it up the frame over every table top. No need to do it, just happens.
It's exactly that. Most of the faster guy's will blip the throttle at least once for correction , and to keep the rpm's up and then roll on the gas again before they hit. Just the opposite though when they have to land and stop quick for a corner. You can on purpose come up a tad short on stuff and use that last mound of dirt to help slow the bike down. No blip , come up short and if done right you can do some pretty tight maneuvering.
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fourfourone
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fourfourone 3/1/2019 8:12am
3/1/2019 8:12am
I am not a fast rider by any means but I do this on every jump. half way over the gap I blip the throttle. I don't like the dead sailor effect in the air. Make the bike feel more stable and makes me feel like im in control when I do it, if that makes sense. I do it just enough to bring the front end up a bit. To me its also good practice if you get in a sticky situation you know that you can hammer the throttle and bring the front end up.
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newmann
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newmann 3/1/2019 8:17am
3/1/2019 8:17am
4 stroke has more engine/ compression braking effect than a 2 stroke when the throttle is shut off.
Mit12
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Mit12 3/1/2019 9:41am
3/1/2019 9:41am Edited Date/Time 3/1/2019 9:41am
They want to make sure the engine does not stall while they are in the air.
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t_baum88
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t_baum88 3/1/2019 9:57am
3/1/2019 9:57am
newmann wrote:
4 stroke has more engine/ compression braking effect than a 2 stroke when the throttle is shut off.
This. First time I rode a four stroke I was like damn so you have to give it a blip in the air off every jump or we going to end up doing a front flip haha.
MOTO732
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MOTO732 3/1/2019 10:13am
3/1/2019 10:13am
It's called a panic rev. Followed by a scream and the sound of plastic hitting the ground.
rob162
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rob162 3/1/2019 10:32am
3/1/2019 10:32am Edited Date/Time 3/1/2019 10:34am
Watch the finish line at a supercross you will see very clearly why they do that. It's to keep the front end up over the jump. Depending on the jump and how you hit it (scrubbing,leaned to a side, gas off, dragging the rear brake off the face, not charging the face or 50 othere reasons) will give you a natural nose down pitch. Which is what you want when your trying to smoothly backside the landing. So since your in a intentional natural endo arc on the jump you blip the throttle once or twice to slow the rotation forward.

Like i said watch the finish line every week when they show the riders hitting it from the landing you can actually see the bike start off nose down and continue to go nose down until the blip it then you can plain as day see the bike pause and even slightly raise the front end. It's much faster then being nose high and having to brake tap the front down.
wsmille2
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wsmille2 3/1/2019 11:13am
3/1/2019 11:13am
Youll also see all pros dragging their rear brake all the way up the face of the jump they want to stay low on. This is so their rear suspension does not rebound on the face of the jump throwing them higher into the air. Pretty crazy how much physics plays into this sport.
omalley
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omalley 3/1/2019 11:33am
3/1/2019 11:33am
wsmille2 wrote:
Youll also see all pros dragging their rear brake all the way up the face of the jump they want to stay low on. This is...
Youll also see all pros dragging their rear brake all the way up the face of the jump they want to stay low on. This is so their rear suspension does not rebound on the face of the jump throwing them higher into the air. Pretty crazy how much physics plays into this sport.
Shit like that reminds me how average I am on a bike, lol....
If I can clear most of the jumps without looking like a tool, I’m stoked. Meanwhile you’ve got people doing stuff like you described, or like JS7 complaining of footpeg clearance issues while scrubbing, lol...
HusqFan3
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HusqFan3 3/1/2019 11:40am
3/1/2019 11:40am
All good/rational answers. I know you’re supposed to get on the gas if you need to raise the front end. This is just such a quick blip that i didn’t realize it was enough to make a difference in trajectory. GTK.

Appreciate the education gents.
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TriRacer27
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TriRacer27 3/1/2019 11:44am
3/1/2019 11:44am
Three reasons:

1. Habit from pre-injection days when jumps were a good opportunity to rev it and clear the carb so the bike doesn't bog when you land on the throttle. No longer really necessary but I think most riders are still used to it.

2. Feels faster

3. Gyroscopic effect, similar to why many riders turn the bars perpendicular to their trajectory arc.



I saw a guy ride once who NEVER let off. Not in the air, not going into corners, never. He would just pull the clutch instead. Formed my opinion of Suzuki riders for a while. GrinningDry
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jemcee
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jemcee 3/1/2019 7:32pm
3/1/2019 7:32pm
I'd say mostly habit (apart from if it's needed)

I say that cause I do it when playing MES, and there's definitely no reason to do that haha
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slideways
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slideways 3/1/2019 7:44pm
3/1/2019 7:44pm
Because it’s easier to land front end hi rather than low, and less pucker factor. I’ll never understand the practice of keeping it pinned in the air the entire time though.
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JWACK
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JWACK 3/1/2019 8:17pm
3/1/2019 8:17pm Edited Date/Time 3/1/2019 8:19pm
On top of front end leveling, I do it right at the moment you want to start bringing a whip back. A nice blip helps put the rear back under you.
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slideways
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slideways 3/1/2019 8:17pm
3/1/2019 8:17pm
Ask one of the kids who keeps it pinned in the air every jump. I think it’s fright. My bikes usually silent in the air off floaters since I’m in control of the got damn bike more often than not. Pfft. Let’s have a Vital ride day
slideways
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slideways 3/1/2019 8:20pm
3/1/2019 8:20pm
Gyroscopic effect resulting from centrifugal motion possibly?
slideways
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slideways 3/1/2019 8:28pm
3/1/2019 8:28pm
Rear breaking in the air isn’t annoying AF because of an engine next to your ear bouncing off the rev limiter.
SPYGUY
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SPYGUY 3/1/2019 8:55pm
3/1/2019 8:55pm
Same reason Harley riders rev their bikes at stop lights. It's just what you do
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Moto88
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Moto88 3/1/2019 9:07pm
3/1/2019 9:07pm
Mit12 wrote:
They want to make sure the engine does not stall while they are in the air.
^this. Even more so with 2-strokes.
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GuyB 3/1/2019 9:53pm
3/1/2019 9:53pm
Makes for an interesting blast of rotational roost when there's a lot of sand on the tire/wheel.


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slideways
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slideways 3/1/2019 10:08pm
3/1/2019 10:08pm
GuyB wrote:
Makes for an interesting blast of rotational roost when there's a lot of sand on the tire/wheel. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/03/01/328961/s1200_VMX_0197.jpg[/img]
Makes for an interesting blast of rotational roost when there's a lot of sand on the tire/wheel.


You’re right, it’s mostly for the photographers, but in this case it’s clearly an Alessi blinding tactic. Some sort of James Bond device.
shunter986
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shunter986 3/1/2019 10:27pm
3/1/2019 10:27pm
MOTO732 wrote:
Keeps the engine moving so when you land you have it in the right rpm range. You "generally" want to land with the power on.
Ding ding
Muscle-Milk-KTM 3/1/2019 10:42pm
3/1/2019 10:42pm
I wanna know why pro riders at sx keeping pulling tear offs when the track is bone dry & the bikes won’t even need to be washed after the race.
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SoCalMX70
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SoCalMX70 3/1/2019 11:35pm
3/1/2019 11:35pm
As a 30+ Vet C rider... If I am feeling real comfortable on a jump I tend to push into it more, meaning I'm over the front (how I should be anyway) and I "attack" the lip / maneuver the bike more aggressively and position myself to cleanly downside the landing. As the front drops I'll actively give a blip mid air to slow rotation, then again at landing. 2 stroke, btw.

I am having a good day when I can get this feeling on most of the jumps at the track. Seriously, it's quite a feeling to have that confidence knowing I am jumping properly (for my level) and I can throw the bike around at will. It's one of the many things that keeps me in the game.

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