KTM Motocross experience with mxDubai
One of the unique attractions for Dubai is the outdoor experiences of riding a bike on the endless sand dunes of the Rub Al Khali. A dirt bike is a special motorized vehicle which makes the adrenaline rush though the veins like petrol through the injection pump.
The experience a motorcycle gives you is incomparable to anything else. With this vehicle you can go anywhere: overcome mountains, dirt roads and dunes, rushing from one adventure to another. High-quality and reliable equipment requires large financial investments. But if you want to get a taste of this adventure, you can rent a motorcycle.There are different companies, which deliver the services of motorcycle rental in UAE.
When selecting an operator you want to make the best choice to be safe and have a fun motocross experience. You should make sure that the operator is licensed and has qualified instructors as well as high-quality and well maintained equipment. At mxDubai you get your “iron horse” shaped in a brand new 2016 KTM 450, that is in excellent working conditions and always ready for the dunes. You can choose the motorbike that fits you most no matter if two or four stroke. If you don’t have the experience in this field mxDubai specialists will help you out with advise.
You start by getting to the meeting point, a desert remote farm – with lots of camels – where you will be welcomed by the instructors and get geared up with all the protection needed, head to toe with the best available helmet, goggles, boots and suit. Safety is essential when riding a motorcycle, so the necessary equipment and knowledge is valuable to protect you from any injuries. According to your experience, you can choose the best option, there are tours for every level and taste, the tours include a professional instructor. If you have never ridden off-road or in the sand, you start the tour with the basic training for the bike. You don’t need a motorcycle license but you should know how to use the clutch and change the gears, to keep the paint up and the rubber down. For those who have advanced motorbike experience, there are advanced KTM motorbike tours but you should know how to drive stable in the sand and be able to pay attention to the changing sand and dune conditions.
After being geared up and the initial briefing, you’re good to go and hit the dunes. The best time to ride would be in the morning when temperatures are low. Good conditions are after a humid night when the moisture sets on the sand creating a superficial crust, best felt on new formed dunes. The softer the sand the harder it gets to drive the dunes. Don’t forget to stay hydrated, they are providing camel backs and plenty of water during the tour. Like all the outdoor activities, hydration is very important especially in summer and helps you to enjoy the full thrills of the motocross. Now, the soft sand is the one you have to fight with, meaning if you don’t hit the gas on time the bike has the tendency to sink in or when you’re rear wheel will dig in the sand. So you need some speed and momentum to be able to drive stable. Keep the grip, it’s all about traction, when you get some speed go to the 2nd or better 3rd gear to have a more accurate feeling of the sand. Here is when you start feeling the adrenaline pumping.
As a beginner, once your confidence grows, you will start increasing the speed, taking more daring turns and of course maybe trying some jumps. I fell a couple of times when riding and this is how I found out that the equipment really protects me and that I feel almost no discomfort when hitting the sand, but more like falling on a mattress and then being able to laugh about it! My instructor Corne, who was always riding next to me, would come immediately after a fall or a driving mistake and give me on the spot tips on how to improve my technique. Going for the top of the dunes and beyond is a little bit more challenging, let go of the gas at the top and hit it after the crest or the front wheel will sink and you might tip over. Same thing applies if you’re going along the dune in straight lines if the bike starts to shake or wobble when crossing other tracks, hit the gas so it straightens up itself. Only practice makes better! I believe that this is one of the adventures with the risk of addiction: you start with a ride that you will never forget and you always want to come back for more. The adrenaline and excitement is overwhelming, you will feel the freedom that many of us are looking for. Not only men can ride a motorcycle, women are enjoying the experience too.
I think that for the start, the 2 hour tour is perfect for adjusting your motorcycle skills to the dunes and get to enjoy your first ride. The bikes, the equipment and the instructors are outstanding, I am happy with the experience, planning to do the motocross more often and also challenging myself later on with the advanced tours that can go from 4 hours to multi-day tours.
mxDubai provides off-road motorbike rental, Buggy Rental, Quad bikes rental and Jet Skis for rental in Dubai.
For more info you can visit mxDubai.com or contact them at +971 55 209 0832 or info@mxDubai.com
Words by: Catalin Anghelescu
Photos by: Nela Macovei
