A Message To All Short Riders from Megs Braap

A message for short dirt bikers

Hello my friends,

I made this video to pass on a message to my fellow short short riders out there. Enduro riding can be challenging for anyone, but being on the short end of the scale definitely makes things tougher.

Not being big and tall doesn’t mean you can’t achieve high level skills on the bike, it just means you have to work harder. You can’t make up for lack of skill with size, strength, and leverage. You have to rely on skills and technique. So let’s get right down to it.

When I am in a position like this, I am basically at my greatest disadvantage. My hips are twisted and I have absolutely not strength or leverage from this position, It’s hard to have any control because I can’t weight the suspension well. But what I do know is that as soon as I get up onto the footpegs, I may as well be 6 feet tall. I’m in full control of my bike when I’m standing up on the pegs.
I spend a lot of time going out of my way to practice in the really extreme terrain because I know that’s what I struggle with the most. I still have many of hurdles but I have managed to figure out ways around lots of them.

We have no height or leverage over our machines! So whenever you are in a situation like this one, look for high spots to plant your foot on when you need to. Use the terrain to your advantage. Rocks, logs, you name it. Plan ahead and base your line choice around being able to put a foot down when needed.

If you’re small, you’re going to have to work harder to find traction. Exaggerate your body movements, make sure you’re always weighting one peg at the very least, and don’t be afraid to really put your weight into it when you’re compressing your suspension.

Work on your balance!! The less you need to rely on putting your feet down, the better. If you tend to sit down when things get gnarly, it’s time to change that habit. Start doing everything standing up, even if you feel slower or unstable. These feelings are temporary, I promise you that. You will be a faster, more skilled rider in the long run if you stand up through everything.

Good clutch and throttle control is a massive part of being able to do this kinda stuff. Many people try to tell me I can do this because my bike is light and nimble. But that has nothing to do with it. The bike outweighs me by over 100 pounds. This all comes down to skills and technique. Anybody can do it if they put in the work.