I would have thought there would be a thread on this already but my search came up with nothing so I thought it would be good to start a discussion. I've watched everything I can find on both of these techniques as well as read through threads when I can find them and I am still very unclear on what a zap is and how it differs from the db. The db makes perfect sense to me. I can see how it functions and have seen it in slow motion. The zap from what I can tell is basically a db on steroids. More throttle with a clutch drop in the second blip. I have read somewhere that it is important to turn off the power as the rear wheel contacts the obstacle. If this is the case is it just momentum that gets you up the last part or do you feather a bit of throttle back in? Anyway if someone that has both techniques dialed and can give some detail it would be great.

i still ride around any obstacle that requires either

Haha, I might be wise enough to do that in a few years

yeah il settle for wise

I ride around any obstacles higher than my bash plate as well... at this stage. My mini "trials dream" is to double blip as smooth as silk over a 2ft log.

I will get there eventually but at the moment its practice lifting wheel and placing it down on a target.

Isn't the zap used when you are more confined and cant get a little run up?

Mags

The Jap Zap requires some commitment. It is not needed unless the ledge is undercut and too tall for a double blip. ( anything most riders ride does not need anything but balls and momentum) The Zap is a upper level type of obstacle. The idea is to hit the front tire and collapse both the front and rear suspension and at the same time use the clutch to cause a sudden burst to explode up. This seems the same as other techniques, but you drop the front tire lower than you ever thought possible. So the outcome is a great lift or a nut crusher.

Ok, so what I'm getting for differences is the following..

1) front tire is aimed lower on the obstacle.

2) compress both ends as much as possible

3) more throttle combined with a clutch dump

4) distinct possibility of nut crushage.

Did you see this one?

Yes, that's one of the best I've come across. The RY dvd's are on my list of things to buy

The first one is a proper zap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdwNZdNJtUw&feature=player_embedded

That's a great specimen there. I wish they had left the audio in. It's going to take some amount of courage to convince myself to drive the front straight into the side of a rock face like that.

Courage can be tough, I tried courage in a bottle once, turns out it only works when asking ladies out... didn't help in trials at all - be careful out there .

I suggest to middle aged newbies to not think about trying to zap until you have a few years experience under your belt. You can get up huge rocks with just the double blip and roll up. I've been riding 30+ years and can only get a couple of inches of back tire lift when trying to zap so I just place a kicker on undercuts to make it easier with the double blip.

Very good advice. Just understanding the mechanics of how this works is my goal for now. I believe how you think about things like this will have an impact on everything you do on the bike.

This is a good thread & discussion!

Man, Lineaway, that guy (Albert Cabestany?) in the video you linked to got some MAJOR lift of the rear wheel in that Zap. I also liked how you could see his clutch hand working when he double blpped the second & third efforts shown in the vid. You could also observe how his rear wheel seemed to stay more "hooked up" to that rock with his second double blip than it did with his first attempt. My efforts usually have the back wheel slamming into the wall or rock face too hard, rebounding back instead of hooking up or going up, and then the aforementioned nut crushage.......

I still have a the most horrible time slipping & dumping the clutch at the correct time & amount for either of these techniques. Anyone know any good practice drills to learn this clutch slip/dump deal?

Jimmie