Riding on sand is something many people fear. Any time you are riding off-road though, encountering sand is at least a possibility if not a certainty. Fortunately, there are some tricks that will improve your ability to ride through sand safely and enjoyably. These tips will help you get started riding your bike on sand.
Balance
Maintaining good balance is always essential while riding, but it is especially important when you are riding in sand. The less balanced you are as a rider, the less control you will have over the bike. Ideally, you will want to be balanced, centered over the bike, and holding the handlebars loosely. This will give you the best control in sand.
Throttle
Continuing to increase the throttle will ultimately lead to a situation where you crash because you are going too fast. Backing off the throttle when you start to lose traction in sand will often result in an increase in speed as the tire again gains traction. A short twist of the throttle may sometimes help with balance, but avoid doing this continuously.
Clutch
In some riding situations, slipping the clutch can help to avoid losing traction. Riding in sand is a bit different though. You will usually achieve better results by reducing the throttle when you start to slip in sand.
Tires
Riding in sand with street tires is likely to be nothing but frustrating. The smooth sides on street tires guarantee that the tire will not be able to maintain traction in sand. Tires that work well in sand have open block treads along the sidewall of the tire to help with traction while driving in sand.
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