all about your head
All of you people are great, helping each other out with what is probably the most difficult trick to do. It would take a long time to point out every bit of a BR. There are literally a 100 parts to it.
First off, I like to drink but in no situation should you drink while attempting this trick. This trick is all about the head, dont mess with it.
An important thing is the set up wave, no doubt, I perfer the wave last drawn(not the boat wave) this is important. everyone is different, figure out what works for you. Make your wave and turn around and just watch it, figure out where it is the highest. 99% of the time hitting a wave at a angle instead of straight on is better, but try it your way. Get that down first, make it consistent. You wouldnt practice ice skating on ice one day then gravel the next.
Forget the BR, work on an invert sub where you rotate enough that you complete the roll under water. Get these 2 steps down perfectly, less chance of body damage if you take it in steps.
Get video of yourself doing this. then compare it to what you see others doing.
quick steer is very important, make it happen, aftermarket or weld an extension on the stock turn plate. Lifters are also important.
While watching yourself on video compared to others, take note of the major body parts. Where are your hips, where are you shoulders, and most important is.... where is your head?
Ask any gymnast, freestyle bmx person, etc... they will all say "your body follows your head" read that again "you body follows your head"
look back at the video of the guy behind the boat. Watch what his head does. Almost all newbies do the same thing. This guy is awesome for trying it being a newbie. As he approaches the wave his body is in text book form (perhaps not the best angle to his the wave). He is turning in the right way he is crouched as he goes up the wave he is leaning to his left and turning the bars all the way. Watch carefully, his head. As he is going up the wave he is leaning it to the left (perfect) as he lifts off the water his body catches up to his head and he then straightens out his head and actually leans it to the right. his rotation stops because his head stopped leading his body. He looked at his landing and his body followed, by trying to stop the roll. This is the biggest hold back of this trick. the proper way would be to continue to lean his head to the left and look for what should be his landing. In this case it should be over his right shoulder... if he was rotating in the air .Imagine ducking a flying beer bottle by leaning to your left and as it goes by your head you want to read the label, you would be looking over your right shoulder.
Another important thing is to keep your centre of of mass close together. your machine weighs 300 ish you weigh 200 ish, if you were super glued to the hood you would spin faster than if you were 3 feet apart. Watch Malone do a no hander. YOu wont see him lean his head because he has experience and power and his own technique. But look where the handle bars are... they are at his waist or knees. He is keeping his centre of mass together. You will also see his body ahead of his machine in the lead of his rotation.
Now back to you... after mastering the invert sub with a completed roll under water. Look at your video , I'll bet your head leans untill you are in the air and then straightens out as you enter the water. This is because your body is following your head. your head told your body to turn for a bit then stop and enter the water. Think of what would happen if your head asked your body to keep turning? When you do summer salts on the ground you dont tuck your head and then look up as you touch the ground, no you keep it tucked. I recommend doing this in steps .figure out YOUR speed, how much YOU lift the front(which usually isn't much), how much YOU lift with your feet. TAke it slow and safe, in steps, each time try a little faster or turning sooner or leaning quicker. But don't go out and try a BR. Your Barrel Roll will more than likely be different than the next guy.
Let me know if this helps .