How to ride sand and soft gravel on adventure bikes︱Cross Training Adventure

crosstrainingenduro.com How to ride in gravel or soft sand on an adventure bike or dual sport motorbike! Riding a motorbike through soft sand for the first time is a scary experience. But you will gain confidence quickly with lots of practice and good technique. First... motobike setup. Low air pressure in your tyres can make a huge difference riding in soft sand. You get a bigger tyre 'patch' on the ground so your wheels sink less into the sand, and get better traction. Welcome to Cross Training Adventure, we are into all things dual sport and adventure on the east coast of Australia. What tyre pressure for riding in soft gravel or sand? That will vary a lot depending on your bike's weight. Here is an air pressure guide. If you have rimlocks, you can lower your air pressure even more. So... how to ride adventure bikes in soft sand! If you are riding in sand for the entire ride, you can increase your suspension 'damping' to improve handling. An example is the Goldentyre 'Fatty' when learning how to ride a dual sport motorbike in soft sand. If you frequently ride in sand, avoid sticky chain lubes which will just attract sand and increase the wear of your sprockets. Riding technique for soft sand on adventure bikes? It will wallow and sink into sand at low speed. But at a certain speed your motorbike will suddenly ride on top of the sand. And stability generally improves as the speed increases. Body position is very important. When taking off you need to weight the rear wheel, and take weight off the front wheel so it can ride on top of the sand as soon as possible. Too much throttle and you might dig a hole. Too little throttle? You will never get the required speed to start 'planing' on top of the sand. It is counter-intuitive! Normally the best way to learn riding techniques is to ride slowly at first. But the slower you go in sand, the worse things get. You know how a boat 'planes' over the top of water with enough speed? It's the same with your motorbike. Trust your subconscious mind to deal with the immediate terrain. You need to focus on what will happen a few seconds ahead! If you think you are about to crash, it's often a good idea to jump clear, especially on bigger adventure motorbikes. Relax, let the bike move around and don't have a 'death' grip on the handlebars. You will get better traction and more stability. Cornering can be very difficult in sand. Ideally you should enter into the corner 'wide', clip the apex of the corner, then exit wide so you can maintain a good speed. It's similar for riding in sand, but you move your body weight back even further as the sand becomes softer. This keeps the front wheel light and staying on top of the sand, instead of sinking. Another counter-intuitive aspect of learning to ride in sand? On lighter motorbikes you normally move your body forward coming into corners to put more weight on the front wheel. But in sandy corners you keep your body weight to the rear. All three are equally dodgy. We are the 27th most watched dirt channel in Uzbekistan. We have won the polished turd award five years in a row. And we have a world record 25 class action lawsuits for inaccurate information. We think the whole motorbike scene is getting too commercial. So called dual sport riding reviews are just glossy ads nowdays.And it won't hold you back. We always want a light front wheel in soft sand. Braking is very different too. When learning, it's best not to use the brakes at all as there is so much 'drag' in soft sand. Don't 'cut' the throttle suddenly. Just decrease the throttle enough for the soft sand to slow the motorbike down. If you put a leg out and try to save the motorbike there's a good chance you will just injure yourself. What was your experience when riding in sand for the first time? Do you have any further tips for riding in sand? This is one of our three channels, there's also a Cross Training Trials channel, and a Cross Training Enduro channel. So the Cross Training Adventure focus is just get out there and have fun on two wheels. Instead of obsessing over the latest blinged out Beemer, which tyres to fit or spending a fortune on your suspension or billet alloy gas cap. So most of our adventure ridingvids will feature the much loved bush pig, the Suzuki DR650. Manufacturers make some really bad mistakes. and there is a lot of dodgy crap being sold out there. Instead of glowing dual sport reviews for kickbacks or free product, we will try to keep the buggers honest. So subscribe.
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#crosstrainingadventure #adventureriding #howtorideinsand #ridinginsoftsand
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[@Black70Fastback]

If riding in soft sand makes you scared that you will fall, remember that you're probably right but WHEN you fall, it will be into soft sand that is soft and sandy.

[@a-10warthog72]

Gravel mixed in the sand: "Bonjour"

[@GeertTheys]

I ride lots in sand and high speed impact still hurts :D

[@Wanderer1]

Soft sand with sharp rocks pointing out like you can find in deserts... Equals "Bonjour" indeed. As per the comment above haha.

[@bikersoncall]

'my pillow'

[@SD1Airsoft]

And then you have to pick up your 480lb adventure bike lll

[@eikskjold]

My Dad gave me some great advice on gravel: "Your looking at the corner as you take it. Whatever you see, believe me, it's too late to deal with it. Just look ahead like you do on pavement and you'll be fine."

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Whatever you see, believe me, it's too late to deal with it..... great way to put it.

[@cobrin6437]

You've hit the nail on the head, everything you've touched on is exactly what you should be doing/thinking. And you did it in under bloody 6mins....The Teacher (read Jedi) ''Force' is strong with this one... A+++

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Cheers Cobrin! I used to edit a magazine and our proofreader was always telling me to use less words to get the messae across. Videos I think the same should be. 😎

[@kipschwinger]

I love the comparison to a boat planing in water. Makes perfect sense!!

[@shanusays]

Riding in sand is the best feeling ever! When I did it for the first time, I was super scared. On my second opportunity, I kept the video by Bret Tkacs and Ryan F9 in my mind. Worked like a charm and I had the best experience ever! I never looked back after that! Here's what I gathered from my experience, everything you said is exactly what's needed. The biggest mistake we make the first time we ride in sand is to have a death grip on the handlebar. If we just let the bike do its thing, it will keep tracking straight without any issues.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Loose as a goose 😎

[@johncollinsworth6754]

Ppppp

[@dougjc2000]

The counter-intuitive approach to riding in sand (& mud) is what makes it hard. When the bike starts getting skittish or wallowing around your brain tells you to save yourself & slow down. Of course, the exact opposite action is needed. I have struggled thru sand so many times verbally telling myself to speed up, but fell anyway when I hit the brakes.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It's a tough mental hurdle to get over... the consolation is the landing is usually soft. As long as you jump clear and don't try to stay with the bike and get a leg twisted. Ugh.

[@rhllnm]

Best comprehensive sand advice I've heard (never knew about the 21 inch front fatty or the sag adjustment). This and Mototrek's idea of the weightless rider. Got yourself a new subscriber.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Cheers, Rojo. I've got about 100 training vids on our enduro channel, but very few so far here on the adventure channel. I might start making a few more for the dual sport and adv riders. 😎

[@michag738]

Great movie - very helpful. When you drive in Europe for a few days, for example on the Trans Euro Trail, you have a whole mix of surfaces - dry sand, wet sand, gravel, clay, mud, asphalt - every day. Most often we ride 700, 1000, 1200 cc bikes, so they are heavy. It is not easy to choose tires that will be good in all terrain.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

What's the best all round tire you've used to date, Michal?

[@michag738]

@@crosstrainingadventureMitas e07 (Czech), Motoz (Australia) Tractionator Adventure, or similar

[@michag738]

@@crosstrainingadventure There are a lot of asphalt roads in Europe and it is difficult to use typical off-road tires on heavy motorcycles.

[@barkeep25]

Steering stabilizers can really shine in these situations, especially if you're able to crank up the slow speed damping.

[@Andrew-sv3ck]

Who needs steering stabilizers when you can just clamp too many farkles on the handlebars

[@siulgonzalez]

Excellent summary! I may add: turn with the weight on your feet, not with your hands.

[@stlskybob]

well done! these techniques also apply to riding in deep loose gravel.

[@bryanreeme8584]

Where I live, deep sand is the only stuff besides greasy muck.. People hate & refuse it, I enjoy it as the challenge.. I tell people- the faster you go, the more it feels like concrete, but that's also true when you eat caca!.. your cornering tips are helpful to me, I normally try to drift the 90s, with mixed success!🤙Hello to auntie!

[@davelambardo6464]

A paddle tire with big bore 2stroke hp really makes for a great time in sand. It's possible to hydro plane very deep sections of water also. Been awhile.. .

[@johncopetti1253]

Always very good and helpful advice put simply. Thank s mate. Enjoy

[@housingcriminal]

Awesome video . New to offroading , picked up a DRZ400S about 2 months ago and my first time riding in deep sand i just remembered the tips from this video and despite being nervous managed to not fall/drop the bike a single time . Thank you!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great to hear!

[@-MORK-]

As usual - all fantastic points. I’ve also felt that acting like you are skiing - weighting the outside peg and turning with your heels can change the entire experience.

[@osimnod]

Barry, since I began watching you on "Find some balance in your life" with trials bikes, I've appreciated your teaching style and sense of humor. Keep posting these informative videos, please. Good on ya, mate!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Cheers, we'll keep plugging away!

[@justgjt]

Great share of knowledge and tips Barry. Great video. 👍🏻

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Thanks 👍

[@gab223334]

Slower setting on the forks are a must for me, adding 5mm sag, tires. Deep and ruff sand tracks are my favorite!

[@postmortemspasm]

One thing people dont seem to talk about is dynamic or 'real' trail. It refers to where the contact patch of the tyre is. In sand, the contact patch especially on the front, can be pushed forward, which effectively changes the geometry of the front end, reducing and sometimes even negating the self-righting castor effect, which is why the front feels vague at slow speeds

[@MrDavidfuchser]

Good point. Never even thought about that.

[@hoffmiermp]

This video is spot on gents, kudos. I remember my first time in the sand was out in the Imperial Dunes with my little KX125 and the more technical stuff out by hill 6 and china wall really worked the hell out of that engine. I will openly admit it, I wiped out quite a few times learning to ride in those dunes and absolutely loved it. I stepped up into a CR500 a few years later and holy shit, huge difference but all the principles, techniques and everything you talked about in your video still applies.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

The good thing with soft sand is the landing usually isn't too bad with a crash... unless the bike lands on you lol.

[@1MarkBevans]

Great thoughts Barry, solid advice 👍

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Glad you enjoyed it Mark!

[@abelaxen]

That closing quote, though....🤣🤣🤣

[@crosstrainingadventure]

😁

[@equalizer4633]

Had a trial by fire when i went to an organised offroad ride for the first time. 45KM's of nothing but sand and ruts of 300+ people who've gone before me. Once i started gripping the bike with my legs, lean back over the fender, relax grip on handlebars and stay on throttle, it's alright. But it's the most difficult thing ever to convince yourself to go faster when going slow is already likely to hurt you. Even if you fall, you have to get back up and go fast again instead of take it easy. Must say the really soft sand is much easier than the slightly denser dirt that builds perfect ruts for your front wheel to catch.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It is hard to fight your instincts to slow down... congrats!

[@john_anders]

i really appreciate your subtle and positive sentiment at the end of the video. wonderful to see the positivity in a world full of hateful judgement. thanks for sharing the love of your family with the world. p.s. i just bought a kdx220 and i cant wait to rebuild it! its my first REAL dirt bike. currently sporting a dr250s

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Cheers John!

[@gillesgenete9598]

Thank you for these advice 👍

[@crosstrainingadventure]

De rien, Gilles. Our pleasure!

[@aretee3]

Good info, thank you.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Very welcome

[@h.d.mech.mortenson2098]

The first thing to do is toss those factory DR tires ! Great video.

[@mohamedbenkartaba7389]

The most important advice that was overlooked in this video: Never ever feather the clutch in the sand, you'll fry it in a couple of minutes.

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

Agree with everything you said mate 👍, iv ridden the BIG and Little deserts in VIC ( ABD ITS SO THICK ) takes awhile to get the hang of a home different riding style , we also have a area near wodonga we’re I live “ the chiltern state forest 🌳 it’s sandy and small sand size gravel ( fantastic in the wet ) loss as in the dry , I enjoy some HATE IT .

[@BadgerMcblasty]

Never done sand, but I’ll take on board what you’ve said, and hopefully not break something in the process.

[@pilotdane1]

BADGER !!!!!! CHEERS MATE !!!!!

[@doneB830]

Nice vid thanks.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Glad you liked it, Deon

[@orpaztron]

I have about 2 miles of experience in deep sand riding. The main excuse for my poor performance is that there were a lot of bumps and it was impossible to develop speed. Hopefully by the end of the summer I will learn to do it right. and about your aunty ...-pics or it didn't happen😁

[@robertlee8042]

Thank you!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

You're welcome!

[@il6113]

Funny statement in the end 😂👍

[@bikersoncall]

Good tips, one that caught my attention was; sitting back in corners (sand) as opposed to leg out (inside turn) and weight forward (mx), though I lean back, I always felt like maybe I shouldn't be, glad to know its not wrong lol.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It is weird when usually you slide forward for corners!

[@bikersoncall]

@@crosstrainingadventure Yeah, I'm sure glad you mentioned it in the video, now my mind can rest at ease..

[@sameenakausar1020]

Thanks a lot !

[@crosstrainingadventure]

No worries!

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Depends what geometry it's got. Two slow steering bikes I owned were 100% awesome. A DR500 Suzuki, and a Can Am MX6. On a twitchier bike it's a bit harder.

[@barrymurphy3554]

Nice funny at the last bit, my Son just says leave it in Third gear Dad & hold it flat. I am 60 he is 18 thanks for your video s there great

[@crosstrainingadventure]

That's great if you get to ride together. My brother and I have tried for years to drag our old man out but only succeeded twice... even though he's had road bikes for decades.

[@klantoon]

At least when riding in soft graven you can apply slight rear brake to help the rear to dig in a little while keeping the front light. I really felt it felt to keep a more stable course. Got the tip on a beginner gravel course.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Good point!

[@elgalloazul]

Ha ha. This video would have saved me a full day of trial-and-error when I rode from Perth to Darwin through the bush in 2005. I hadn't ridden offroad before, and didn't know what I was doing at first, but luckily my BMW R100GS-PD knew exactly what it was doing.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Must have been an awesome trip!

[@bikesandstuffwithjoe2215]

Hi Barry I’m planning to do the Simpson desert on a dr200r soon. Light bike and relatively reliable. I’m planning on running a 140/80 18”. Big tyre for a little bike. Have you heard of any other riders trying a profile similar for ultra fine , bull dust type sand. Cheers

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Unfortunately I have no idea, Joe. I do know a 'fatty' front tyre can be good (see our enduro channel) but no advice for the rear.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I've always run the widest hard terrain knobbies I could fit front and back. Some will argue, I don't care. My TTR230 ( regoed one) has a Mitas Terra Force 110/100 which I bought online .It actually measures 125mm across the knobs. Check how much clearance you have.

[@bikersoncall]

All this +, add many, many X's , a bunch more, and then some, hours of riding sand/slush/mud/silt.. its rewarding though when you get through a length of it.

[@easy4steve]

about it power on front light corner wide , enjoy , dont follow to close to your mate , cheers Steve/Geraldton

[@mattkeating7446]

In sand speed is your friend. But she's a fickle friend.

[@daleslagell617]

I'm 61 years old. I've ridden in sand all my life. I still struggle with the very real possibity of falling at speed, more so now that I'm older!

[@rhllnm]

@@daleslagell617 My fear also, I'm 69 and scrawny, usually on a heavily loaded KLR 650. I hate sand but can get through short sections with this advice. Also I ride alone out in the desert or mountains.

[@phuketbungalowinfo2757]

Great thx for sharing, i actually HATE sand now i am looking forward to try 😎

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It's a steep learning curve but a pile of fun once you get the speed up and relax at the same time!

[@prawns]

I used to hate sand - and everytime i hit sand id be wonky as trying not to crash. Visit your local sandpit and keep in mind "if in doubt - power out" works great on sand (if you get wonky - nail the throttle and things seem to settle themselves down.....if you "back off" when wonky the front tyre can dig in and throw you off in loose sand) DONT look at whats directly infront of the tyre else you will tense up on rutts etc - have trust that the bike will "plough through" everything. I went from absolutely hating sand - to the point i would turn around on a track that got too sandy and go home. These days i look for sand - its so much fun once it all "clicks" together for you

[@phuketbungalowinfo2757]

@@prawns hehe, looking forward to my next trip to a long beach, we have plenty of it here in south Thailand :) cheers and thx I will remember

[@phuketbungalowinfo2757]

@@crosstrainingadventure looking forward, THX a lot

[@martinharris8645]

Last time I rode in soft sand, instead of holding the handlebars loosely, or trying to keep them straight, I deliberately made small adjustments left and right. I need to experiment more but this seemed to give better control, possibly because it constantly weighed up one of the edges of the front tyre and made it less susceptible to being pushed around by the sand. Anyone else tried this?

[@TheNextThing]

👍🏻 Kind of like carving when skiing.

[@davealston3881]

Hi. I understand the loose grip on the handle bar. What about gripping the bike with your legs ? Is that ok or not ?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

You'll get different opinions on this, Dave. As per the vid, it's usually a good idea to relax and let the bike do its own thing to a certain extent in soft sand... I've always felt not gripping too much with the legs is part of this. But then this can take pressure of your upper body which is a good thing for reducing fatigue.

[@sarahdell4042]

I thought the fatty front will just make the bike follow every rut? All the deeper sand trails near me have lots of 4x4 tracks through them

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Some guys say they aren't good in ruts but everyone runs with these in our group and never noticed it. But then we are into hard enduro tracks too...

[@1DoctorMoo]

I enjoy sand riding. I'm not particularly good at it, but enjoy it.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It's impressive when you see pro riders tackling soft sand...either desert racing or motocross. Incredible speed.

[@L--Z]

@@crosstrainingadventure Especially impressive in the Dakar since the engine cc size was lowered...

[@simonturvey1493]

If your knuckles are white, you're holding too tight. Let it shake its head. Another great video Barry.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Thanks Simon

[@Erik-gg2vb]

Easy off on gas before the corner then add gas thru the corner to keep front end from knifing.

[@bobbellendovich6825]

Fast!!! Full-throttle!!! With half tread, or less.

[@abbasarandas8678]

How do you keep the front from tucking in?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

As per the vid.Weight right to the back. Stay loose and don't try to overcontrol the steering. Low air pressures.

[@arnandegans]

That homemade windshield though! 🤣🤣

[@crosstrainingadventure]

If there's a cheap nasty way to do something I'll find it, Arnan!

[@arnandegans]

@@crosstrainingadventure I didn't say it was nasty 🤣 Just noticed the not quite round top and remembered you mentioning cutting up a bin.

[@bigtrev761]

🇦🇺😎👍Your on the money, ride it like you just stole it 🧨😂

[@KeepItSimpleSailor]

And wash your bike super thoroughly afterwards - that sand and salt gets into everything. 👍🏻

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great point

[@tomg6284]

Next do a vid on riding in powder snow.

[@noelpuig]

I always get a death wobble, what am I doing wrong

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Could be a pile of things but the answer would probably be something in this vid, Noel

[@lostman65]

definitely more difficult and scarier, on a bigger heavier bike. if possible i would practice on a smaller bike until i get comfortable.

[@bigtrev761]

🇦🇺😎👍On the pipe ✌

[@biketayo7055]

Now palang makaka watch paps. :) RIDE SAFE SAYO IDOL Pa SHOUT OUT AKO SA NEXT VLOG MO IDOL SALAMAT 🤜🤛 Salamat sa maliwanag na videos parang nakapunta narin. Salamat sa pagbahagi, Bagong kaibigan kabayan Sana madalaw mo din ang bahay ko..Salamat🙋‍♀️.B1

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Walang anuman at mabuhay taga sa bansa ko lagi! Excuse the bad Tagalog. Hindi ko matandaan ng mga salita lol. I hope the Tagalog subtitles on the videos are okay...

[@prawns]

My locals stockton beach. I find virgin deep sand is easier to ride on than trying to stay in deep soft car rutts. Dont stop facing uphill. Practice jumping in and out of car rutts as cars always expect you to get out their way (rutt jumpings actually fun once you get confident). Always check your airbox once you get home (my TTR250 always has lots of sand in the airbox after a stockton run - i lightly grease my whole airbox before doing sand) I drop straight to 10PSI for stockton with rimlocks. If your mirrors dont bend in automatically when hit - take them off before sand or adjust them so they face inwards else you will lose mirrors dropping the bike (can see how my mirrors bent in here kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnWcmIWEmJ2Sra8 )

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Never ridden there, Daniel but I should drop in next time I visit family in Sydney...

[@nickhellen6303]

“Like a Father to me” - - - what about an Uncle as well? Talk about the genuine Noocleer Family.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

😂

[@davidvickers604]

Is that runners I see at 6.05 minutes. Great tips for riding in the sand but I doubt runners are the best choice of footwear 😉

[@davidvickers604]

Sorry at 5.09 minutes

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Adventure boots, David. I'm wearing over-the-boot pants though. Well spotted!

[@sebseb118]

Final tip: get good tires

[@septictankgaming3155]

do you like cucumbers?

[@PowderMonkey4Life]

When it doubt, throttle out

[@katherinesilvas5735]

When in doubt go flat out or when in doubt, rap it it out.

[@aaronswanderlandadventures9561]

I like turtles!!!!🤪

[@hazcat640]

He wants us to ride fast on sand, but won't that make quick sand?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

😂

[@VonKirda]

A diet also helps

[@crosstrainingadventure]

😂👍

[@mattman3495]

80/20 tires are not your friend in sand either.

[@danmanthe9335]

Get knobbies. I've seen tons of people on tires that are way too street oriented.

[@marcogonzalez7829]

So it is true? Is your aunt like a father to you?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

😂

[@syedenhammydude6196]

I appreciate the sentiment, but i had to work through SO many scenarios... was it an uncle that is now an aunty? When was he a father? was he BOTH a father AND an uncle? is he still a father now that he's an aunty? was it the other way around? it doesn't say! In the end i figured, it's not any of my business. I'm glad he's happy and glad OP's got an uncle / aunty / father ... 👍

[@rhllnm]

@@syedenhammydude6196 I have a grandson who is transitioning to female right now. It is very confusing from the outside, especially coming out of the blue like it has. I guess I'll get used to it over time.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

That would be very tough for the family... but I guess more so for the grandson. I do know that transitioning doesn't always lead to happiness. Sometimes it does, of course. But other times there can be all these other underlying issues going on as well. I hope it goes well in this case!

[@ancientrenegade9243]

Same as whoops, lean back back and give it everything

[@user-bd7yf5sr7s]

No Chinese subtitles

[@crosstrainingadventure]

There are Chinese subtitles

[@alanbentham5625]

I did not see a single "Adventure" bike in this video. It should have been labelled riding a dirt bike in sand.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Principles are the same. And the channel is dual sport and adventure. Don't like it? Go to other channels. 😊

[@alanbentham5625]

@@crosstrainingadventure Thank you for your advice. I will stick to other channels in future.