It’s one thing to hit the tracks and trails like a motocross pro. But can you speak the lingo also?

Look, we’re not going to call you a poser if you don’t know motocross slang, but you’ll sure find it easier to understand what people are saying if you’re familiar with some of the most common jargon!

Here’s a quick crash course in motocross slang with some of the most common terms you’re likely to hear around other fanatics.

• Barkbusters: This is a type of equipment add-on that’s ideal for riding in woodsy areas. It is a metal piece you add on to a set of handlebars to protect your hands from trees.
• Blitzing whoops: The “whoops” are a part of the track where there are a few small mounds right in a row. “Blitzing” is one tactic a rider can employ to get over them. It involves riding over the tops of the whoops at high speed, which is usually faster than jumping them and always faster than rolling them.
• Casing jumps: If you come up a little bit short on a jump, that means you cased the jump. This can sting a bit, because it’ll probably result in a pretty hard landing!
• Crossrut: If you’ve got the front and back wheel in different ruts, this is what we refer to as “crossrut,” a situation in which you’ll find it very hard to maintain control of the bike.
• Dragon back: This is a type of jump on a track that has a few whoops on the face (the front side of the jump).
• Gap: The gap is the space between a pair of jumps that you need to clear to avoid casing the jump.
• G-out: If your suspension becomes fully compressed, this results in a G-out. The most common scenario in which this occurs is when you try to make a sharp turn at a high speed.
• Grind: You’ve got to grind if you’re ever going to achieve your full potential on the track! Grinding means putting in the work.
• Holeshot: This is the very first section of the track until you get to the first turn. There may or may not be a white line on the track at this point. “Winning the holeshot” is a great way to set yourself up for success, because you get to lead the pack at the turn and have nobody in front of you in the way.
• Kickout: To kickout is to swing the back tire sideways while your front wheel is still on the ground.
• Le Mans Start: If you get into racing, this is a type of start that involves riders running to their bikes to get started, rather than starting on their bikes.
• Loam: This is a kind of soil that is fluffy and well-aerated. It usually features a mixture of clay and sand. Great for riding!
• Low side: If a dirt bike loses traction while going around a corner and the bike lands on top of the rider, this is referred to as a “low side.”
• Pinned: If you’ve got the throttle wide open, you’d say it’s “pinned.”
• Quad: When there is a series of four jumps all in a row, you refer to it as a “quad.”
• Roller: This is a type of obstacle on a track that is a little smoother than whoops. You can either jump over it or roll over it, depending on your speed and how you want to approach that section of the track.
• Rutted: A rutted part of the track has a lot of ruts in it. This can make for some rough riding.
• Tabletop: This is another type of jump you’re likely to encounter on a motocross track. This one has the tap filled in, so there’s not the space underneath/between you’d find in other types of jumps.
• Whiskey throttle: If you turn the throttle too quickly and slide off the back of the bike, this is referred to as a “whiskey throttle.”

Study up on your dirt bike lingo so you can sound like an experienced rider the next time you find yourself out among other motocross enthusiasts!