540

A 540 is a BMX trick where the rider spins one and a half full rotations in the air, so they take off facing one way and land facing the opposite way. It is a step above the 360 and is mostly done on ramps, big jumps and in park or vert riding.

Overview

The 540 builds on the 180 and 360. It needs more air time than a flat hop can give, because you must finish an extra half turn and still spot your landing. As a result, the trick lives on quarter-pipes, hips, spines and large dirt jumps.

Riders often practise 540s off a small ramp into a soft landing before taking them bigger.

Flatspin versus upright

There are two main styles.

	Upright 540	Flatspin 540
Bike angle	Roughly vertical	Close to horizontal
Body position	Upright, over the bike	Bike laid out, rider tucked over it
Look	Fast, tight, clean	Stylish, wide, floaty
Difficulty	Hard	Harder, needs height

An upright 540 keeps the bike vertical as it rotates. A flatspin lays the bike flat as it spins, a bit like a tabletop that also rotates. Riders choose based on ramp, height and style.

How to do it

You need a solid 360 in both directions and strong control off a ramp. Start small and pad up.

1. Pick a small, safe transition. A modest quarter-pipe or a soft landing works best.
2. Ride in with controlled speed. Enough to clear the lip, not so much that you lose control.
3. Pop at the lip. Jump with a clean pop and begin the spin with your head and shoulders.
4. Commit the turn. Rotate your upper body first. The bike follows.
5. Keep the spin tight. Pull your knees up and keep your arms close.
6. Spot the landing. Find the ground when you are around the last quarter turn.
7. Finish and land. Stop your shoulders, square up and land with bent knees.

Bring it up gradually. Practise a 360 off the same ramp until you can add the extra half turn.

Variations

• Barspin 540. Add a barspin during the rotation.
• Tailwhip 540. Rotate the frame around the bars while you spin.
• Tabletop 540. Lay the bike out flat. See tabletop.
• Fakie 540. Start rolling backwards.
• Switch 540. Spin in your non-natural direction. See switch.
• Bigger spins. Rotations such as 720s and 900s build on the same foundation.

Learning progression

Move up in stages and only add the next step once the current one is reliable.

1. Confirm your 360s. You should land them clean in both directions, on the ramp you plan to use.
2. Spin further on each try. Practise a 360 with extra shoulder turn and height, so you feel what a longer rotation needs.
3. Add the last half turn. Pop higher and commit your shoulders sooner, so the spin finishes before you touch down.
4. Move to a forgiving landing. A foam pit or soft landing helps with the first attempts.
5. Repeat on the same ramp. Consistency matters more than switching to a bigger ramp.

Wear a helmet, pads and gloves. Rotation tricks that go wrong at height can hurt, so choose a safe place to practise.

Common mistakes

• Not enough height. The most common problem. Pop harder or use more ramp.
• Letting the bike lead. The spin starts with your head and shoulders.
• Looking away from the landing. Spot early, then commit.
• Under-rotating. Landing sideways because you did not finish the half turn.
• Over-rotating. Landing with the bike pointing the wrong way, often a sign of too much shoulder.
• Skipping the 360 first. If your 360s are not reliable, a 540 will not be either.

History

Larger rotations came along as ramps and parks got bigger and riders pushed air time. The 540 became a standard park and vert trick through the 1990s and 2000s, and it shows up in contest runs, including at events such as the X Games. Who first landed it is debated. For context see bmx in the 1990s and vert.

Related tricks

• 360
• 180
• Tabletop
• Barspin