In this issue of riding tips we will take a closer look at starting, as it is the foundation for a good race and the first turn can make or break your entire moto! The most important aspect to remember is to be aggressive if you are leading or very close into the first turn and be cautious when near the back. Although this sounds mixed up, there is some method in the madness! The first turn more often than not will include some sort of funneling effect and can cause riders to go down and either get in your way, or worse, take you down with them. The key is to be in front and stay away from the bottle neck effect! Be very nimble, keep aware of who is around you and which riders are taking different lines.

On a sweeping start you can take advantage of backing off the throttle early going into the first turn so you can use the inside line rather than following the pack on the outside lines. Most of these sweeping style starts will drift wide, the reason for this is that if you are leading you want to break the latest to avoid being passed and in the process use the fastest flowing line, the majority of the time the pack will sweep around the first turn. If you are near the back of the pack you can use the inside to your advantage, but first you need to see the opportunity to take it! Following are a few tips to making sure you have what it takes to get the holeshot and keep it!

1. Watch as many starts as possible before your race. You will see a trend of how soon the gate drops after the starter has turned the 5 second board sideways. Count in your head and get a general feel for what the trend is. When it’s your turn to line up, use the time you counted and really focus your attention on the gate or mechanism. Watching the mechanism is a good habit as it’s the first sign the gate is going to drop.