You see them everywhere on Marketplace or Instagram. Blurry, backlit, or just plain sad. Most pics of a dirt bike look like they were taken by someone running away from the bike while falling down. It’s a shame. Whether you’re trying to sell your CRF450R for a decent price or you just want to show off your new graphics kit to the guys on the forum, quality matters. Honestly, a bad photo makes even a $10,000 factory edition look like a clapped-out basket case from 2004.
Taking a decent shot isn't actually about having a $3,000 Sony Alpha camera. Most of the time, it's just about moving your feet and not shooting directly into the sun like a rookie.
The Lighting Nightmare Most People Ignore
Light is everything. If the sun is directly behind the bike, you're going to get a silhouette that looks like a black blob with wheels. If the sun is directly above you at noon, the shadows under the fenders are going to be so harsh they hide the engine detail. The "Golden Hour"—that window right before sunset—is a cliche for a reason. It works. The light is soft. It's orange. It makes your plastics pop without that weird glare.
If you have to take pics of a dirt bike in the middle of the day, find some shade. Not "dappled" shade under a tree where the leaves make weird spots on the seat. Find a big, solid shadow. Consistent lighting helps your phone's sensor actually see what's going on with the aluminum frame and the chain.
Angle is the Difference Between Pro and Amateur
Stop standing up. Seriously. If you take a photo from eye level, the bike looks small and toy-like. It’s a perspective issue.
Get low. Kneel down. Get the camera lens roughly at the height of the fuel tank or even the front axle. This makes the bike look aggressive and powerful. It’s a trick used by professional moto-journalists like those at Racer X or Cycle News. When you look up at a bike, it gains presence.
Also, turn the handlebars. Don't leave them straight. Turn the front wheel toward the camera. It shows off the tread, the forks, and gives the bike a sense of "lean" that feels more dynamic. It’s a tiny detail, but it’s basically the difference between a snapshot and a "photograph."
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Cleaning Isn't Optional
You wouldn't believe how many people try to post pics of a dirt bike for sale with mud still caked on the swingarm. It sends a message: "I don't care about this machine." Even if you aren't selling it, dirt hides the lines. If you want that crisp, factory look, you need to use something like Maxima SC1 or Motorex Silicone Shine.
Just a heads up: keep that stuff away from your brake rotors and the seat. Nothing ruins a ride faster than a slippery seat and zero stopping power. But on the plastics? It makes the colors deep and hides those fine scratches that make a bike look old.
Backgrounds That Don't Suck
A cluttered garage is the worst place for a photo. Your old lawnmower, a stack of tires, and a half-empty bag of oil-dry do not make for a "cool" backdrop. Find a neutral wall. A brick building, a clean garage door, or just an open field. You want the viewer’s eyes on the bike, not wondering why you have three broken weed-whackers in the corner.
The Technical Stuff (For People Who Care)
If you're using a real camera, open that aperture up. We're talking $f/2.8$ or $f/4$. This creates that blurry background—bokeh—that separates the bike from the trees or the track. If you're on an iPhone or a Samsung, use Portrait Mode, but be careful. Sometimes the software gets confused by the spokes and tries to blur them out, which looks "AI-ish" and weird.
If the spokes start disappearing, back up a bit and use the $2x$ or $3x$ lens instead. Optical zoom is always better than digital zoom. Digital zoom just crops the photo and makes it grainy.
Action Shots are a Different Beast
Static shots are easy. Action shots? That's where people struggle. If you're trying to get pics of a dirt bike in motion, you need a fast shutter speed. Usually $1/1000$ of a second or faster if you want to freeze the dirt flying off the rear tire.
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But if you want to show speed, try a "pan" shot.
- Set your shutter speed lower, maybe $1/100$ or $1/160$.
- Follow the bike with your camera as it passes you.
- Keep moving the camera even after you click the shutter.
If you time it right, the bike will be sharp, but the background will be a beautiful, streaky blur. It's hard. You'll miss 90% of the shots at first. But the 10% you get will look incredible.
What to Show When Selling
If the goal of your pics of a dirt bike is a sale, you need to be honest. People hate driving two hours to find a cracked engine case you hid in the photos.
You need the "Hero Shot" first—the full side profile. Then you need the "Hour Meter." People obsess over hours. Show the meter clearly. Take a photo of the tires to show how much life is left. Take a photo of the underside of the frame; it tells the story of how hard the bike was ridden in the rocks. Clean headers? Great. Grimy, oily mess under the engine? Not so great.
- Front 45-degree angle: Shows the silhouette.
- The Cockpit: Show the bars, grips, and triple clamps.
- The Goods: If you have an FMF pipe or Recluse clutch, get a close-up. Don't make people squint.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't use the flash. Just don't. It reflects off the chrome and the plastics in a way that looks cheap and harsh. Natural light is your best friend.
Also, watch your "tangents." That’s a fancy photography word for when things in the background look like they’re growing out of the bike. If there’s a signpost in the distance that looks like it’s sticking out of the seat, move three inches to the left.
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And for the love of everything, keep your fingers off the lens. Dirt bike environments are dusty. A thumbprint smudge on your lens will turn your high-def photo into a hazy mess that looks like a dream sequence from a 1990s sitcom.
Why This Still Matters
In a world where everyone has a high-def camera in their pocket, the bar has moved. We're flooded with content. If you want your bike to stand out—whether it’s a vintage Bultaco or a brand new KTM 300 TBI—the effort you put into the presentation reflects the effort you put into the maintenance.
People assume a clean, well-photographed bike is a well-maintained bike.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Ride
Next time you’re out at the track or in the woods, don't just snap a quick photo while you’re sitting on the tailgate.
- Wait until the sun starts to drop a bit.
- Find a spot where the background isn't distracting.
- Get down on one knee.
- Wipe your lens with your shirt (it's better than nothing).
- Turn the wheel toward the camera.
Take more photos than you think you need. Vary the height. Move around the bike. You’ll find that one specific angle where the light hits the tank just right and the bike looks like it's doing 60 mph while standing still. That's the shot you want.
Once you have the raw images, don't over-edit. A little bit of contrast and a slight boost to the "warmth" is usually plenty. If you push the saturation too high, the orange or red of the plastics will look nuclear and fake. Keep it grounded. Realism sells, and realism gets more engagement on social feeds because it feels authentic rather than manufactured.