| Article Index |
|---|
| Buggy Freestyle |
| The basics |
| Flatland tricks |
| Slides |
| Reverse |
| Wheelstands |
| All Pages |
Buggy Freestyle - Basic, landbased moves.
Safety:
Safety should be an issue for extreme riders. Even the most experienced riders' crash and injuries from hard core riding have been plentiful.
The helmet:Motorcycle, Bicycle, Ice hockey, Ski, Kayak and Skateboard helmets are all used. They are essential.
Padding / body armour: Some people wear it every time they go out, others don't own any. Skate pads, football pads, mountain bike body armour are all suitable. 
Riding alone:There is a rule about always diving with a buddy. If we had the same rule for kiting chances are that most local riders would never go out. It's not always possible to have a buddy out with out with you so make sure when you do go out, let someone know, take a mobile phone with you. If you arrive at a beach and decide to try some moves, try and learn the tricks near where someone will see you, not just for showing off but if it goes wrong, there is someone who will see it and help you if needed.
Kite killers / Quick release system: If you aren't wearing a harness, it's a good idea to use kite killers. This is more for the safety of others than you. If you bail after a bad trick you have the option of letting go of the kite in the knowledge that it will be OK. If you use a harness, make sure your quick release system is working and that you can get to it if upside down!
Seatbelts: Required if doing aerial tricks. Not recommended until you have a firm grasp of land based tricks. If a trick goes wrong while strapped in to your buggy, it can go very wrong, very quickly! Make sure you have a good quick release system on your seatbelt and you are able to activate it when upside down with a buggy on your back.
This material appears courtesy of "the Guide to Western Circuit Hard Core Kite Buggy Riding" Copyright A kiwi kite NZ 1998 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
THE BASICS:
Of all the moves performed in a buggy there are about 20 fundamental techniques. The rest of the moves and tricks are combinations or variations. Learning these techniques will give you the skills and options needed to get on with the job.
Travelling forward and in reverse.
Forward down wind and up wind turns.
Reverse down wind and up wind turns.
Broad slide and Power slide.
Braking.
Classic and Kiteside wheelstand.
Backside / Frontside 180.
Backside and Frontside Revert
Uphill and downhill riding.
Jumping.
FORWARD DOWN WIND TURN: (Turn about). To turn around by turning down wind.
This is usually the first thing people learn after moving in a straight line and can be done as a turn or a slide.
If you can't turn down wind, it is probably not a good idea to start learning tricks quite yet.
FORWARD UP WIND TURN: (Tack). To turn around by turning into the wind.
This is a basic cornering technique and a sort of a trick.
M.O.Travel along pointing upwind, put the kite up quite high to reduce its power then turn around into the wind. When completely around power up and ride off. You need only enough speed to turn around without any power. Once you can tack competently it is possible to do so with more power and with the kite down lower. Tacking obviously does not involve moving down wind so it is a good technique when trying to make ground upwind. The problem is that it can be hard to come out of a tack with good speed. If you can get the timing of the kite right then the exit speed can be improved but if the kite position is bad you may stop and have to wait momentarily for the kite to power up again. Practising tacking will help when it comes to frontside spin tricks and once you are familiar with the technique it is surprisingly easy and exit speeds will improve.
BRAKING: To use the power of the kite as a brake.
This may sound silly to some but it is a common technique for slowing down or making situations slightly less extreme. Braking is used to avoid too much speed on downhill runs and can be used as a radical interchange between forward and reverse.
M.O. The technique is simple. If you are travelling forward, fly your kite back behind you. This makes the buggy pull against the kite and slows you down. Proceed with caution however, if you do this too quickly the kite can pull you out the back of the buggy resulting in an O.B.E (Out of Buggy experience!).
If you are travelling in reverse then fly the kite in front of you.
This material appears courtesy of "the Guide to Western Circuit Hard Core Kite Buggy Riding" Copyright A kiwi kite NZ 1998 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The terrain:
Flatland tricks are normally performed on sandy beaches and grassy parks.
Timing:
Timing is very important for trick work. The turning of the front wheel, the turning of the kite and the motion of your arms, torso and legs must all be co-ordinated to perform a trick. A lot of failure is caused by one or more elements being out of time with the rest. Tricks are just a series of actions thrown together. If all actions are on time then tricks will look and feel good.
Fusion:
Fusion is when tricks are fused together. The common fusion moves are 360s and 540s but it is fun to mix up your tricks. A few examples; a spin trick followed by a wheelstand, powerslide to spin trick, slapping to power slide to slapping.
Joining tricks together involves very good use of kite power. Timing is crucial and it is easier if you think through the whole move before starting.
The tricks:
Slides - Probably the first trick most riders learn.
Reverse - To ride backwards.
Wheelstands - To ride along on the front wheel and one back wheel.
Spin Tricks - Rotating the buggy while travelling along.
This material appears courtesy of "the Guide to Western Circuit Hard Core Kite Buggy Riding" Copyright A kiwi kite NZ 1998 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
SLIDES are integral part of buggy riding and play an important role in trick riding. It is probably the first trick that most riders learn.
It is so easy to do that it happens almost automatically and the majority of riders will have mastered big sliding corners within a few sessions.
Slides are used to scrub speed and make cornering fun. Nearly all the spin tricks involve 180 slides. Broadside, Fishtailing and Power sliding are all within the capabilities of the average novice.
It is important to remember that when sliding, turning the front wheel in the direction of a slide will reduce the slide and turning away from it will increase it.
As with most buggy moves there are two fundamental methods.
- Back wheels slide toward the kite (Power Slide)
- Back wheels slide toward the wind (Broad Slide)
BROADSLIDE: To slide with the rear wheels sliding away from the kite.
This is commonly done when turning down wind. Broad slides involve turning the front wheel towards the kite and sliding the back wheels toward the wind.
M.O.Travel in a straight line at a reasonable pace, over time you can increase the speed you try this move. Turn the kite around, then when turning the buggy around turn the buggy sharp enough to slide instead of rolling. It can be helpful to lean into the corner to avoid wheelstanding or high siding. To get the most power from the kite you can try and down turn it rather than taking it up over the top of your head. Down turns produce a larger amount of pull than up turning so be prepared for the extra burst of power that you will have when turning.
POWERSLIDE: To slide with the rear wheels sliding toward the kite.
M.O. Travel in a straight line, turn away from the kite with enough force to start sliding. When sliding, turn the front wheel in the direction of the slide to keep control of it. Dialling in some serious power will help to do long sustained slides.
Power slides are a very enjoyable method of scrubbing off speed after a speed run and can often be turned into a frontside 180 at the last moment.
FISH TAILING: To slide the back end from side to side as you are travelling along.
M.O. While travelling straight, turn sharply and straighten up quickly a few times. This will result in the back end sliding out then back into line then out as long as you have a good amount of power up.
It is fun to swing the back end both sides of the front wheel. Fishtailing can be done when cruising on many angles and when turning on many different angles. When being hauled down wind it can be used as a tool to get back on to an up wind line. Fishtailing is a great way to finish a combination move.
SLIDING IN REVERSE: To slide the buggy while moving backward.
Sliding in reverse is very good fun. There are no definitive instructions as it can happy in many different circumstances.
M.O. Simply overpower yourself when the kite is behind the buggy and then try to control it with the front wheel. Some riders use this method to start from a stationary position.
This material appears courtesy of "the Guide to Western Circuit Hard Core Kite Buggy Riding" Copyright A kiwi kite NZ 1998 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
REVERSE: To travel backward.
BACKWARD: To travel in reverse.
Travelling backward can be very exhilarating, especially at speed. A lot of tricks involve travelling in reverse or interchanging between forward and reverse.
When moving fast it is often possible to get better upwind angles than when going forward. This can be very handy as trick riding involves being dragged down wind on occasions.
Important note: When moving backward the steering is reversed.
M.O. There are 3 basic ways to start moving backward.
- From a stationary position: Start with the buggy facing across the wind, put the kite in the park position (above your head) then turn the kite so it flies behind the buggy. The buggy should move backward then you should concentrate on getting the angles right to keep moving.
- Braking to backward: When moving forward turn the kite so it flies behind the buggy. This should result in the kite's power, braking the buggy in to a stop then pulling backward. Do it gently the first few times so you don't end up getting pulled out the back of the buggy, resulting in an O.B.E (Out of Buggy Experience).
- The 180 spin. This is dealt with in the spin tricks section. Travel forward, turn the front wheel sharply and turn the buggy around resulting in travelling off backward on the original line.
When using reverse or doing tricks, riders cruising in reverse will often revert to riding forward before turning around at the end of the run. This is completely unnecessary, as buggies will turn around corners backward as well as forward.
Reversing around corners is one of the easier tricks. It looks great for an audience and is an efficient cornering technique, as upwind position is not lost as easily. The amount of time spent in reverse is only limited by your personal fitness.
REVERSE DOWN WIND TURN:(Frontside Back to back) To ride backward, turn around frontside then ride off backward in the other direction.
This is easier to do as a turn but if done right can be done as a slide.
M.O. Ride along backward, turn the kite 180 degrees, as it is coming around, turn the front wheel toward the kite so the buggy turns down wind, pass the lines over your head and keep on turning until you head off in a straight line again. This should result in travelling off backward in the other direction. This can be done slowly with a turn or fast with a spin.
REVERSE UPWIND TURN: (Backside Back to Back) To ride backward, turn around backside then ride off backward in the other direction.
This is the easiest tack to learn, as you don't have to turn away from the kite.
M.O. Cruise along backward, turn the kite 180 degrees, as it is coming around turn the front wheel away from the kite to do an upwind turn. As the power comes on again set up your line and head off backward on your tack. Make sure the kite is turned early so there is power once you have turned.
WHEELSTANDS: To ride along on the front wheel and one back wheel.
Standing your buggy almost always involves a sharp turn of the front wheel.
There are two fundamental methods and lots of tricks.
- The Classic: Leaning towards the kite (The common style)
- The Kiteside: Leaning away from the kite.
Classic Wheelstand: The wheel away from the kite is in the air and the rider is leaning towards the kite. Can be started from a corner or while riding in a straight line.
M.O.
- While riding straight (Snatching)
Cruise along in a straight line, kick the front wheel sharply away from the kite and straighten up. If done correctly the wheel away from the kite should rise up.
Little power is needed to start the stand, some people practice their stands with no kite by rolling down hills or with a push from a friend, this can help gain confidence before trying it powered up.
- Standing up while cornering (Popping)
Turn around a corner, as you start turning across the wind lean toward the kite and turn the wheel sharply. The inside wheel should pop up. Give the seat frame a shove with your hip if need be.
- Keeping it up
For sustained stands it helps to have lots of power. Some people blow their wheelstands by not concentrating enough on the kite and they end up with no power and no speed. If stands are done with plenty of power and good kite position, good speed or tricks can be achieved. Often the angle to the wind will have to be adjusted and tracks from wheelstands are rarely straight. It is possible to wheelstand for hundreds of metres and in very rough terrain.
Kiteside wheelstand: Kitesides involve leaning away from the kite with the wheel facing the kite up in the air. These stands can be hard to learn buy they are most satisfying. There are 5 methods to start a Kiteside.
- The easier way is the Back Side Fade.
Start by doing a Classic, turn around down wind and head off in the opposite direction without dropping the raised wheel.