OFF ROAD RIDER ABILITY LEVELS

Off-road riding requires a completely different skill set than street riding and knowing your true level is essential for safety, progression, and having a great time on the trail.

At Ride Moab Industries, we understand that many riders, especially those new to dirt, tend to overestimate their abilities. That’s totally normal, it’s part of the learning curve. But when it comes to navigating technical terrain, understanding your skill level can make or break the ride.

While there’s no universal grading system, we’ve created a clear and honest breakdown of how RMI defines skill levels. This helps us tailor your ride experience, choose the right trails, and ensure you're set up for success.

IDENTIFY YOUR ABILITY

Level 1: Beginner / New Rider

Who this is for:
Riders with little to no dirt bike experience.

What to expect:

Still learning throttle, clutch, brake, and shifting.
Balance is shaky and standing while riding feels awkward.
Often use feet to stay steady, especially in loose terrain.
May drop the bike or stall it frequently.
Not ready for narrow trails, hills, or obstacles.
Riding feels tiring and takes a lot of focus to stay in control.

Best Terrain:
Smooth dirt or gravel roads and wide open areas like fields.

Level 2: Novice Rider
Who this is for:
Riders with some dirt bike experience.

What to expect:

Gaining confidence and improving basic skills.
Can shift, brake, and use the clutch smoothly.
Able to stop and go without putting a foot down.
Comfortable riding in higher gears when conditions allow.
Able to stand in varying terrain.
Can handle easy turns and light trail features.
Starting to ride basic singletrack and ATV trails with small hills.
Still get pretty tired after 2–3 hours of riding.

Best Terrain:
Doubletrack trails. May still struggle with tight turns, roots, hills, and sand.

Level 3: Intermediate / Experienced Rider
Who this is for:
Riders with solid experience and growing technical skills.

What to expect:

Confident and consistent with bike control.
Practice technical skills like wheelies, tight turns, and slow-speed balance.
Can use throttle, brakes, clutch, and body positioning simultaneously.
Can wheelie over mid-size obstacles and control rear-wheel traction wel.
Comfortable on steep hills, off-camber terrain, jumps, and rough conditions.
Reads terrain well, chooses good lines, and recovers quickly from surprises.
Can handle a full day of intermediate and advanced trails.

Best Terrain:
Singletrack and doubletrack with rocks, roots, tight trees, sand, steep hills, quick turns, and whoops. Can safely navigate two foot ledges/logs with limited run up.

Level 4: Advanced / Expert Rider
Who this is for:
Highly skilled riders with full mastery of bike control on the toughest terrain.

What to expect:

Maintains focus, stamina, and precision over long, high-intensity rides without decline in performance or mental aptitude.
Expert use of throttle, brakes, and varying clutch techniques in all situations.
Can do advanced moves like pivot turns, wheelies, stoppies, cornering and jumps. Excited when confronted with extreme terrain.
Comfortable with steep climbs, descents, mud, snow, water crossings, low-traction surfaces and side hills.
Large ledges and drops with limited or no run up maintaining precision control.
Trains and rides at a race-pace level, pushing speed and precision.
Can self recover bike and provide guidance or support to less experienced riders.
Mechanically capable of handling any and all field repairs that occur.
Understands how to optimize bike setup (suspension, tires, gearing) for specific terrain and riding style.
Comfortably handles any bike in advanced terrain with precision and confidence
Aware of ride safety protocols and capable of responding to on-trail incidents or emergencies.

Best Terrain:
Extreme singletrack and doubletrack including ledges, cliffs, boulders, deep sand, loose steep climbs/descents and more.