So you’ve started off doing this dual sport/adventure bike thing. Inspired by Mondo Enduro andits sequels(or their less-interesting cousins, the Long Way series), you’ve determined to take your motorcycle past the Starbucks parking lot, past the highway, past the twisties, past the potholed farm lanes, into the world of off-road. Errrr, sort of. You start on gravel fire roads, and you figure those out. You figure out two-track skills. And then, you hit sand? Wait, what?

Turns out the rules are different. The skills you just developed on easy gravel, or even on hard-packed trails—really, your whole riding career—don’t necessarily apply on sand. SoCal riders, or motorcyclists from other places with lots and lots of sand, might not get it. If you grew up riding the dunes, the beach, or on riverbeds, you take this skillset for granted, perhaps. But, for those who don’t, here are some different approaches to the secrets of riding on sand.

First up, the Cross Training Adventure channel. Barry Morris, as always, uses small-bike techniques translated to larger motorcycles to give an idea of how to behave in the sand:

Another take, from Cross Training Enduro, Barry Morris’s sister channel. Remember that the techniques in the video below are aimed at small-bore bikes, and they might work on your small or middleweight duallie, but you might not find the same success on your 600lb, loaded-down GS:

‘Course, as with all motorcycle skills, it’s worth listening to more than one instructor’s ideas:

What if you run into wheel ruts? Bret Tkacs has some tips here!

Are you a sand-riding pro, with tips on your own? Share ’em below!