ADV Myth Busting: To Sit or Stand When Riding a Motorcycle Off Road?

It's a question as old as ADV motorcycle riding itself: when to stand and when to sit when riding a motorcycle off road. Many out there teach that you should be standing the entire time when riding an ADV bike off road and while this new ADV rider advice comes from a good place, it also ignores several pivotal aspects of ADV riding, perhaps most importantly that ADV and dual sport motorcycle riding is something we do over long periods of time, day after day in many cases, and it's important for new ADV motorcycle riders to conserve their energy to ensure they are as safe at the end of a long riding day as they are at the beginning. So, I'm here to shatter the myth that you HAVE to stand when riding a motorcycle off road. The truth is, there are plenty of situations when new dual sport and adventure motorcycle riders SHOULD be sitting down on the motorcycle. Obviously you need to stand when riding off road when the terrain is sketchy and you need to get into the habit of standing on a motorcycle when you are unsure or nervous about the terrain you're riding over. There are a ton of advantages to standing on a motorcycle, but it's also very tiring. That's why it is important for new and veteran ADV motorcycle riders alike to take advantages of opportunities to rest while riding the bike, and sitting while riding is the best way to do that.