We all love dirt bikes around here; there’s no question about that. But, there’s something we love even more – unbelievable dirt bike tricks. We simply can’t get enough of them. We would sit and watch dirt bike stunts all day if it wasn’t for the fact that we have other things to do.

And sometimes we don’t.

While it’s a lot of fun to do tricks on any bike, there’s something special and unique about getting your dirt bike up in the air. When you get on the back of your dirt bike, you are already in for an adventure. Between the trails, dirt mounds and water forging, there’s no limit to the places you can explore.

With that said, it’s time to look at some of the coolest tricks you can do on your dirt bike. We want to tell you not to try them at home because it’s the right thing to say. Chances are, you are not going to listen to our warning anyway, but it’s been said.

Without further ado, these are 8 of the craziest stunts of all time and professional advice on how to do them. Tell us your favorites in the comments!

8 Insane Dirt Bike Tricks and How to Do Them

1. Shaolin Backflip

We have to wonder who the first person was to attempt this crazy stunt. Most people credit Adam Jones with the creation. He performed the feat during the X-Games 13 Moto Best Trick in 2007. What we want to know is how much time did this guy have on his hands to create such an intricate stunt?

Also, how many times did the guy screw this up before getting it right? It doesn’t seem like something you just go out and do. It looks extremely dangerous and definitely not something we feel equipped to try…yet.

Let’s take a closer look at the stunt with the help of Levi Sherwood. In this video from Red Bull Moments, he breaks down the action well.

You clearly start by doing a backflip with your bike. That’s nothing new, I do that all the time. Sure.

Then, as you are mid-air, you have to extend your feet and legs under your arms and through the handlebars. What could possibly go wrong? He talks about what could happen including not getting enough air off the ramp, getting your feet stuck between the handlebars or ending up upside down on the ground. Short answer: death.

Either way, no one can deny that this dirt bike stunt is awesome, hard, and not for the faint of heart.

2. Double Front Flip

If you can do a front flip, you’ve got something special going. There aren’t nearly as many riders that can perform a double front flip, which makes that single flip look pretty wimpy. Watching this dirt bike stunt is far easier than actually attempting to do it.

Back in 2014, one brave FMX rider set out to complete this trick. Bruce Cook gave it a go. No one can deny that it was one of the biggest nights in motorsports. When Cook attempted the stunt and fell, the world was shocked. The entire crowd got quiet as help rushed to him. Turns out, he was paralyzed from the waist down after that attempt.

It took another two years before someone wanted to give it a go. Greg Duffy showed off his skills at Travis Pastrana’s house and it looked like he would have no trouble nailing it. He moves forward with the next logical step; to try it out during an FMX competition.

If you haven’t seen the video outlining the events, make sure you watch that now. With practicing not going in Greg’s favor, some people weren’t sure he would actually get up the nerve to attempt the stunt during the competition. Shockingly, he landed it and took home the title of FMX Best Trick Winner.

Sure this looks like it couldn’t possibly be that difficult, but you need to think about the physics for a minute. You have to push yourself to go against the bike in this situation. That’s what makes a front flip so much harder than a backflip. It’s a different body movement altogether.

Even still, when it finally gets landed, there’s also no doubt that it is one of the coolest dirt bike tricks around. Still, we aren’t quite sure we would ever have the balls to attempt it.

3. Double Backflip

The next logical step from here is to look at the double backflip. While it might have been done more often than the double front flip, don’t think for a second that it is easy.

We have a deep appreciation for anyone that can pull off this unbelievable dirt bike trick.

It’s hard enough getting the bike to go around backward once, let alone twice. To do it, you will need to get some massive air time. The less air you achieve, the less time there is to complete the rotations. If you don’t get through the rotation, you aren’t going to land on your tires.

The first person we know who landed the double backflip during a competition was Travis Pastrana. Back in 2006, he performed this stunt during the X Games 12 in Los Angeles.

Take a look at the video for yourself. What’s most shocking is that he struggles with over-rotation, so to compensate, he wants to go short. What you see in the video is that he slaughtered this trick. They don’t come much more perfect than that.

Pretty much everything that Pastrana attempts to do comes across as seamless and perfect. He gives us the hope that even the regular riders could accomplish such a feat – although, we will probably never be quite that cool.

4. Indian Air Seat Grab Backflip

This trick is a mouthful to say, but awesome to watch. It relies on the ability to maintain control over the dirt bike and perform plenty of intricate footwork in midair. Even after you pull all of that off, then you have to land it, which is a feat in itself.

In our video, Jimmy Fitzpatrick, the Metal Mulisha rider, offers all the steps needed to perform this crazy stunt. We know just watching it gets our blood moving, and we can’t even imagine what it feels like to actually accomplish it.

As he explains in the video, you need to get a good amount of air, a straight pull on the bike and make sure you crank up your steering stabilizer for stiffer handling. Once you know the lift is good, then you can make the transfer to the grab. He also discusses missing the handlebars when you try to come back. Not ideal.

If this is a stunt you would want to try, make sure you check out the video.

Just keep in mind that this trick has probably been attempted by thousands who didn’t land it. It actually causes us to wince for a second thinking about all the falls that likely occurred from riders trying to get it right. Still, it’s plenty of fun to watch and dream.

5. Rock Solid Backflip

Backflips are a necessary staple with dirt bike stunts. They are popular and tend to draw huge crowds. What we really like are the flips that add something a little extra. It helps to set the rider apart from the numerous others that can turn their bike over in the air, and a midair upside-down plank is spot on.

If there is anyone that has mastered this skill, it has to be Taka Higashino. We’ve included a video of him perfecting it during Dew Tour San Francisco 2012. What makes this trick absolutely captivating is the fact that for a second, there are no hands on the bike at all.

So, while he is in the air, in the middle of doing the backflip, his body comes off the bike and then he takes his hands off as well. We aren’t sure how he can possibly end up back on the bike, but he does. Honestly, at what point does a rider decide that doing a backflip with a seat grab simply isn’t hard enough? What makes them try to go even harder?

Balls. Massive balls.

We don’t understand the balls these guys have but we are thankful for the entertainment they provide. They sure do know how to showcase some unbelievable dirt bike tricks.

6. Kiss of Death Backflip

What could possibly make a backflip even more interesting? How about the Kiss of Death?

These names are entertaining enough, but then the stunts are crazy too. There’s no doubt that your heart will not remain calm while watching this dirt bike trick.

Part of this stunt involves the rider’s face coming super close to the tire. Maybe that’s what they are trying to kiss and why this move is named as such.

To best illustrate the stunt, let’s take a look at Levi Sherwood during the London Red Bull X-Fighters 2010. This video is in slow motion which helps you to fully appreciate the moves he performs.

What we find most impressive is the way he bends his back. Many of us aren’t capable of moving in those ways on the living room floor, let alone while trying to do a stunt. Simply amazing if you ask us.

7. Triple Backflip

Everyone knows that Josh Sheehan is an amazing rider. There’s no question about it; the guy has mad skills. In 2015, he made history when he landed the first-ever triple backflip on a dirt bike.

Most people just assume that if anyone were to be the first to land the triple backflip it would be Pastrana. You would be wrong! Yes, he was the pioneer in the double backflip back in 2006, but he doesn’t get to hold this record.

Still, he did attempt it at a top secret facility in Long Beach, California back in 2011. While the monstrous jump that was created made for lots of amazing double backflips, he couldn’t get it around the third time. Still, he knew it was possible and knew it would happen in time.

That’s where Sheehan comes in. At Pastranaland, we find him performing the very first triple backflip in history on a dirt bike. If you can watch this video without getting entirely pumped up, there’s something wrong with you.

8. Paraplegic Backflip

Remember when we told you about Bruce Cook who became paralyzed while trying to do the double front flip? In 2015, he made history when he refused to be a victim to his circumstances.

Many riders would have quit after the accident he had and would have hung their heads in pity, but not Bruce. Not him.

While it might not seem like a big deal to many to see a dirt bike backflip, you can tell from the audience in this crowd that it is something special.

Cook modified his dirt bike to make it work with his body. Then, he strapped himself in tight and did a flawless backflip. Just watch the video for yourself and prepare to be fresh out of excuses as to why you can’t do it.

We don’t know anyone that’s been able to watch this video without feeling a sense of inspiration. It truly makes you feel like anything is possible, with plenty of hard work. Our hats are off to Bruce Cook. This is truly the best dirt bike stunt we’ve ever seen and it will be incredibly difficult to top.

Dirt Bike Tricks: Tips for Beginners

All beginner riders set out to tackle all of the biggest dirt bike tricks they can find. The trouble is, the dirt bike stunts on this list aren’t ones you are going to get on your bike and learn immediately. Instead, you will need to learn the basics safely and slowly. It’s why the pros have their own practice areas they spend hours and hours a day riding on.

That’s why you want to master some easy dirt bike tricks for beginners first.

As you learn the easier skills, you will gain more confidence. You will find yourself showing off all the tricks you learn to anyone that will watch. As you master each one, you will want to push harder into the more advanced stunts.

While we are sure you are a dirt bike master in the making, we still have to say this. Before you attempt to do any tricks, you must become an expert at riding your dirt bike normally. This gives you the necessary control required to keep balance when you start jumping.

Always begin by trying to do some small jumps before anything else. Once you perfect this skill, you can move on. We have a few suggestions for you to try out once you get the jumps down.

Take your feet off the bike

As you hit mid-air, try to take one foot off your bike. This is a basic skill you will need to move forward. Each time you jump, you can position your foot out a little more. Start slowly and don’t rush the process. You want to make sure you land safely.

Give it a try with your other foot as well. See which one is easier for you to master. Once you perfect taking one foot off the bike while in the air, you should be able to take them both off. This doesn’t take much more skill and is quite fun to do.

Eventually, you will be able to do some pretty impressive seat grabs.

Now take your hands off

Once you’ve gotten your feet off the bike, the next logical step is to remove your hands. You are going to start with the same process; use just one hand at first and keep it near your handlebars at all times. This gives you the safety you need to ensure you can grab the bar if you need to.

Once you get it with the first hand, try with the other. Practice with both until you can do it equally as well with either one. If you start to get really good at it, you can raise your hands above your head or hold them out the sides. That’s pretty impressive.

After lots of practice, you might even be able to learn a backflip with no hands. That’s a big leap forward. Day 2 at minimum.

Just kidding. More like year 2.

Try a fender kiss

Your next assignment is to learn the Fender Kiss. This is exactly what it sounds like – your face coming close to the fender. Why would someone want to do this, you ask? Because your dirt bike always deserves your unending appreciation and love.

Nah, that’s not why. It’s simply cool and a fun trick to learn. This requires lots of patience, practice and skill. Once you master it, however, you will feel pretty good about yourself.

Basically, you want to bring your face to meet up with the front bike fender while in the air. You could bring the fender to your face, but that movement is more difficult. Just keep in mind while you are learning that any change in bike position leads to a different action while in the air. Your bike will not be where it started.

Plan to fall a few times before you master this stunt.

To do it safely, consider just moving your face slightly towards the fender. Then, with each success, you can move a little closer. Eventually, you will kiss it.

Here’s a great example of what a superior Fender Kiss can look like. Just imagine you getting good enough to perform this dirt bike trick with ease.

Find your own advanced tricks

Once you’ve been able to dominate the simple maneuvers, it is time for you to create some of your own unbelievable dirt bike tricks. Who knows, maybe you will be the next innovator like Travis Pastrana.

If so, don’t forget to give a shout out to your friends at Dirt Legal who offered you the advice that got you started!

In all seriousness, it’s vital that you build a solid foundation before you move onto anything hardcore. We know how exciting it can be to jump right in and push the boundaries, but it’s not much fun when you end up with a broken bone or worse. Take your time to perfect and hone your basic skills before attempting to perform any of the craziest dirt bike stunts you see.

And if you ever get the urge to perform some dirt bike stunts on the road, that’s where Dirt Legal comes in. Visit our Dirt Bike Conversions page to learn how we can make your dirt bike street legal with a title, license plate, and registration so you can master the art of riding before moving on to the tricks.

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