Easiest way to improve skills?

[blue fluff]

I cant add much that hasnt been said, but I would stress the comment about the throttle being your friend. I have seen many newer riders shy away from the throttle because a racing motor sounds intimidating to them. Once I convinced my girlfriend of this she immediately became a better rider.
Challenge yourself every time out.

TRUE! Ducky told me when I bought his wife's sled "when in doubt throttle out" and that has gotten me out of several spots I thought for sure I'd get stuck. (course it also helps upgrading my sled from the 550 Cougar with the 136 track, but like Mafesto said, skill or lack thereof is also a factor)

Thing is looking at you boyz crashing into trees and such, sometimes I'm a little shy on the throttle boondocking. Need more confidence there (and staying away from tree wellls)

 

[H20SKE]

Ride-Ride-Ride-Ride-Ride-riderideriderideriderideriderideriderideriderideriderideriderideriderideriderideriderideride

and then ride some more!!

H20SKE...

 

[blue fluff]

Another thing that will help tremendously is to look, and think ahead.
Same with a motorcycle, you should be looking as far ahead as possible, so the terrain you are currently riding on, you have already "procesed"(sp) in your mind.
"procces"(sp) information ahead of time... Conditions change, so the same obstacle may need a different aproach depending on snow conditions etc.
More importantly, store this information in your head... For instance... Say you start out early in the day, hard snow conditions, good traction... But you hit a drift, that is wind blown and get stuck. The next drift you come to, remember the first instance, and use more power/speed to get through it.
The same can be said for any obstacle... See it ahead of time, try to figure out the best way to aproach it, then afterwards, ask yourself if you aproached it the right way, or how you could of done better, and try to remember so the next instance you will be more prepared.
If you "think" more, you will ride better.

Also a great point. I remember when I almost rolled my sled going up a steep slope in the powder, thinking I could make that last three yards to the road, I learned real quick to think first and be prepared to turn out. Now it's second nature, but I get nervous when I can't see over a ridge or around a corner that my reaction time won't be fast enough to deal with the unseen. Guess that's just experience.

Thanks guys!

 

[blue fluff]

Here is a little video for you to watch. Sidehilling on an Apex. It's is much easier to sidehill in presh powder than it is on hard pack snow.

http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj120/yamadoo04/

OMG! That is SO COOL. It's poetic, breathtaking, gave me GOOSEBUMPS, made me HUNGRY for powder! Do you know how long it took him to be that good!

 

[ARCTIC DUCK]

aw c'mon now fluff. u tryin to git free tidbits and hints on how ta ride?? lol
yep, ride w/ more experienced riders
ride as often as you can
git in the trees, scattered first, then into the thicker stuff

most important to me....................when u git a good dump of fresh, git out there n play in an open area, whip that sled around, countersteer, whatever, BUT RIDE HARD AND WAY PAST YOUR COMFORT ZONE, when you fall off or flip the sled its no big deal cuz the pow will protect u and your sled

u post got a lot of attention nicely done

 

[blue fluff]

aw c'mon now fluff. u tryin to git free tidbits and hints on how ta ride?? lol
yep, ride w/ more experienced riders
ride as often as you can
git in the trees, scattered first, then into the thicker stuff

most important to me....................when u git a good dump of fresh, git out there n play in an open area, whip that sled around, countersteer, whatever, BUT RIDE HARD AND WAY PAST YOUR COMFORT ZONE, when you fall off or flip the sled its no big deal cuz the pow will protect u and your sled

u post got a lot of attention nicely done

Yeah, you boyz are always willing to help us girlies out. Fortunately the times I've been bucked off or flipped the sled it was fairly powdery. We still have a month or so of spring riding though Three rides this week alone ought to help out...wish I could do that all season.

Did you see me give you props below

 

[Yamadoo04]

OMG! That is SO COOL. It's poetic, breathtaking, gave me GOOSEBUMPS, made me HUNGRY for powder! Do you know how long it took him to be that good!

That was me riding. I have been riding since I was 8 yrs old and am now 26. I have really only been riding like that for that last 6 years or so. I have only riden the Apex for about 350 miles. I have riden a REV 800 since 04.

Like many have said just get out and ride & practice and don't be afraid of the throttle. Especially in deep powder.

 

[MARCUSO]

What I have found..

Find a nice flat meadow and practice carving. Start with a small lean and gradually work into a full lean that requires more throttle and you will be dragging your shoulder on the ground. Don't be afraid to fall off, because like slalom waterskiing, the only way to learn is to push yourself and fall.
To finally master this will make your confidence higher... then take it to a slope. Practice like Depsnolovr mentioned, go down a slope, and carve upwards, and remember to practice both sides.

As the track spins, the centri***al or "gyro" effect will help keep your balance.
It will give you confidence to do it in a sticky situation that might require this as an only option.

 

[blue fluff]

That was me riding. I have been riding since I was 8 yrs old and am now 26. I have really only been riding like that for that last 6 years or so. I have only riden the Apex for about 350 miles. I have riden a REV 800 since 04.

Like many have said just get out and ride & practice and don't be afraid of the throttle. Especially in deep powder.

SCREAM!!!!! You must be famous!!!! If you ever come out to Missoula/Lolo area will you PLEASE teach me how to ride! You're my new hero

It's amazing to me how much skill I've seen some of the little dudes on the hill show! Prolly more like 10 than 8, but WOW is all I can say!

 

[sky7051]

Ok so this is my first year of actually getting out there and trying new things (last year was my first on my sled and got it late in the year). Seems really hard to tip it up when playing around in the meadows, maybe not enough throttle but I'm curious if its because its an older (sled in my sig line) sled and will help me in the future when I upgrade to a newer, non-trailing arm style, sled. Hoping to get more riding time to play and practice this year (dang people keep packing sleds up and giving up on the year already).

 

[Storyboy]

I always preach to my wife to lean into the turns and/or get on the inside of the sled, Always get on the uphill side of the sled, And try to look ahead far enough to get on the proper side of the sled before you get there so your ready for any terrain change. She usually has problems with the sled diving in on the down hill side. And addmits she was on the wrong side of the sled because she couldnt move fast enough to get to the other side. Very important IMO. to look ahead and be on the proper side before you get there. Just my .02 worth.

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

If you want to push yourself to get better you may have to do stuff that you don't know if you can make or not, so if you are unsure of a hill or something always make sure you have an "out". If you don't know if you can make it to where you want to go make sure you have an alternate route out. Take some time to think about where to go incase you don't make it to where you thought you could go. Just take time to think about where you will go and pick a line and try to follow it.

I have seen my friends end up smashed into a tree because they didn't make it across the hill as far as they thought they could and were left with only one option, turn downhill and smash a tree.

Snow conditions are very important. In certain snow conditions you may not be able to do the same things as in other conditions.

Try things in the open before you try them in the trees. Pretend a track in the snow is an obsticle to avoid instead of a real tree. You'll get a feel for how your sled handles before the tree bites you in the butt.

Right on!

 

[Boondock]

i went to the duke1n snowmobile school... I think i lost most my skill riding with him, except in the parking lot aspect

lol

 

[Dbook]

i went to the duke1n snowmobile school... I think i lost most my skill riding with him, except in the parking lot aspect

I cant believe you fell for his "This one only hurt a second." Line.

 

[daron800]

i have a common problem of sidehilling and go to turn up hill and crank it too much can i fix this with not countersteering as much or what do i have to do

 

[Weekday Warrior]

you mean the track washes out and you spin around too hard and get stuck?

alot of that has to do with your running boards "skiing" on the snow, unloads your track.

just need to find the balance point (different in each snow condition)


boondocker type tunnels will help, shorter running boards