Off Road Training

[Sharribee]

I would be interested to hear of what other members have done off road. Either formal training, or self taught.

Where did you go, what was the training like good and bad bits, over how long. How much did it cost and would you recommend it and why.

[Annette]

Well, thought at least one of you would have answered Sharri's question by now

Sharribee I first went off road in Italy just after passing my test. I had no "training". Just joined a bunch of Italian guys on the @'s around the Colles in Northern Italy. Their laid back attitude and "no hurry" ethos certainly was a benefit as I didn't feel like I was holding anyone up. They also appointed me 4 personal "minders" for the day who stayed with me.

Following Breeze up a mountain, as he's standing up on the pegs, sure aids concentration.......................not sure what it did for my offroad riding skills though

As for getting up on the pegs, Breeze must have told me 4 times it would be easier if he stood up..................turns out he was right.

Oh, and there was ABSOLUTELY NO MUD, which really helped.

[StumpyFingers]

My training came from the Army, "Oh you have a bike licence there you are take that for the exercise."
Worst part was the offroad at night without lights.

[Sharribee]

My training came from the Army, "Oh you have a bike licence there you are take that for the exercise."
Worst part was the offroad at night without lights.

sounds like a laugh in a maniac "I'm gonna die" type of way

[Whealie]

Just went to Salisbury Plain and fell off a few times. Listened to what people said and tried to copy what they were up to. Started to stay upright (well not horizontal, anyway) more often.
MotorMolly wants to go back to Tony Moto's again and wants me to ride with her. I might ask them if I can have a lesson and ride round some of the track with Molly but that's only one set of skills.

[Sharribee]

Just went to Salisbury Plain and fell off a few times. Listened to what people said and tried to copy what they were up to. Started to stay upright (well not horizontal, anyway) more often.
MotorMolly wants to go back to Tony Moto's again and wants me to ride with her. I might ask them if I can have a lesson and ride round some of the track with Molly but that's only one set of skills.

Minimabel wants to do that as well, may be an idea for the easter kids meet

[Paul-S]

Hi Sharri

Did not see this thread but I thought we did a tick box poll thingy last year

Anyway, no formal training. I do a lot of mountain biking so am ok on trail and lines etc. Followed a guy round the Peak District on DRZ400 Enduros, the only part of me that didn't ache at the end of the day was my rucksack !!, went to Morocco last year and did some pistes and rode some dunes between Merzouga and Zagora - buried the front wheel a few times, fell off once (spectacular over the handlebars dismount when the front wheel sunk up beyond the brake discs as I crested a dune) and got the back bogged down several times, went on the National and rode with your hubby on my Transalp (blue and silver) on some offroad section but thats about it.

Since the National have done some fireroads around Wales

Regards

Paul

[Whealie]

Minimabel wants to do that as well, may be an idea for the easter kids meet

I'll enquire about a price. It was £50 for the kids last time (for three hours) and, I think, £125 for adults. This includes all the gear and a bike plus instruction.
I'll see if we can get some kind of group deal where the adults don't go off on their own. If we do have to go off for a little bit of teaching in another part of the ground, I can always get my wife or grandparents to be there to watch over the little 'uns.
They do do a cheaper price for letting you ride your own bike around, so if you just fancy riding round on dirt and falling off with a load of XRVers who will not take the mickey (oh sure!) and will help you pick up your bike, that could also be an option.

[YEN_POWELL]

I rode a bit on my own and had a lot of trouble extracting the bike from the sticky essex clay when stuck, then one xmas day I got really stuck in a deep puddle with inch thick broken ice banging against my shins. I decided there and then to join the TRF, just so there would be someone to push or pull me if I got stuck. Learnt a lot following 50 and 60 year old men as they rode things like XT350s about the trails. These men have been riding for years and have no spare energy for getting stuck so watching them is a great aid to learning. Then I went to Derbyshire and watched in amazement as the local in front of me rode his bike straight up a line of foot high rock steps without a moments hesiation. I discovered that my bike could do the same with lots of hesitation and a lot of sweat and occasionally trying to stand vertically on it's back wheel. It got easier as the day went on and that's the main thing, plenty of practice in as many different types of terrain as you can.

[Paul-S]

That's interesting Yen

Did you ride your Africa Twin when you went out with these guys from the TRF? One of my friends joined up with a local branch of the TRF but said they were a bit territorial towards him. Whilst they were good riders and of a similar age that you mention, they were not very friendly or helpful so he gave up eventually.

I am trying to apportion my offroad riding now accounting for about 50% of my time on the bike - nothing too technical yet but I feel I'm progressing

Regards

Paul