First (proper) off-road today

OscarIndia · Apr 19, 2011

Aware of own ridiculousness here, I assure you, but still on a high after getting the GSA what I regard as "properly" off-road today.
Up a dirt track heading for the Berkshire Downs - legal route. Few gentle runs up and down the undulating, pot-holed bit and through the gravel, few almost-dropped-it/calf muscle stretching three point turns, then up a hill which suddenly became very rutted.
I have no idea how to ride ruts, or indeed anything else mucky, so I fell back on the technique I've used for gravel and water on the GSA so far - more throttle.
God knows how but got up and down. Vastly more luck than judgement and, having stuck the bike in "normal - off road 1" mode, discovered the hard way on the way down that if I have to stop on anything other than flat ground only one of my legs reaches the ground. Luck dictated it was the right side. :augie

Any day now I'm going to go over and be stuck there until muscular passers-by arrive, take photos and send them in to Superbike et al.
Can't get enough of it though.

Wish I could find somewhere easier to learn, albeit the hard way. :thumb2

Spent years going fast on roads - why did nobody tell me dirt's 10x more fun?

Phil Reynolds · Apr 19, 2011

Well done matey. It gets easier (eventually) :augie

if you really want to learn quickly then I would heartily recommend you get yourself booked into the BMW Off-Road course run by Si Pavey. This will give you all the tools you need to go off-roading with confidence.

Cheers,

Phil

Deleted account 231002001 · Apr 19, 2011

Good stuff.

I would keep taking every opportunaty to shoot up little tracks and you might enjoy booking into a B&B for a night and taking a map and exploring the plain which isn't far for you. Bakermans Hograost is also a great weekend for beginners to explore the plain in the company of others.

Stretchamus · Apr 19, 2011

Well Done

OscarIndia · Apr 19, 2011

Phil Reynolds said:
Well done matey. It gets easier (eventually) if you really want to learn quickly then I would heartily recommend you get yourself booked into the BMW Off-Road course run by Si Pavey. This will give you all the tools you need to go off-roading with confidence.

Cheers,

Phil

Thanks Phil. Well up for this, if I can get the time and expense past SWMBO

JohnnyBoxer · Apr 19, 2011

Word of advice, lose the panniers, for offroading - you'll shed 20 kgs of wieght straight away

OscarIndia · Apr 19, 2011

Trippy said:
Good stuff.

I would keep taking every opportunaty to shoot up little tracks and you might enjoy booking into a B&B for a night and taking a map and exploring the plain which isn't far for you. Bakermans Hograost is also a great weekend for beginners to explore the plain in the company of others.

Really want to. Have laid my hands on the Definitive Map for my county. Real worry is I'm a 5' 9" novice on a GSA and if I keep going out on my own eventually I'm going to get stuck - don't care about hurt, can do hurt, just don't want to be unable to get the thing up myself...
The Hogroast looks brilliant, and various Tossers have suggested it. Problem is Mrs doesn't ride, or even pillion (and won't drive down with nipper/dog for the weekend either) so it's hard to negotiate a pass.
Amazingly, I have got one for the Touratech event in May, so will be solo camping tere and heading out on their "Big Trailie" event, where i will crash a lot, laugh, and then crash some more (or go to A&E, obv...) :beerjug:

OscarIndia · Apr 19, 2011

JohnnyBoxer said:
Word of advice, lose the panniers, for offroading - you'll shed 20 kgs of wieght straight away

Thanks Johnny. Issue for me is height and therefore leverage, rather than body strength - I can wrestle tigers, so long as they're not standing up...

To be honest, I kept the boxes on because I expected to go down and thought they might save me and, more importantly, the bike a bit of damage. Daft idea?

OscarIndia · Apr 19, 2011

Stretchamus said:
Well Done

Cheers - know it's nothing compared to some of what I see done on here, but I still feel fecking great..

OscarIndia · Apr 22, 2011

Slight update, and a question...

Booked onto the L1 course in Wales end of June. Still not sure how I've got it past SWMBO but there we are.
Going up to Touratech Travel Event in May with the tent and will try to go out on one of their led trail rides for big trailies...hopefully fairly gentle/non-technical.

Anyone going who knows their arse from their elbow off-road? Always up for advice, hearing from those who know etc.

In the meantime, I bought a pair of Tech 8s off another Tosser, which have hardly been worn (need them for L1 and wanted the protection anyway). Once on (after 40 mins of swearing, sweating and pulled muscles to do the clasps up :blast

) they're fine, but I reckon I'll need to wear them a lot before end May/June else they'll be a liability.

Presume adjustment of the both brake and gear levers is pretty easy on a GSA (will have a look later today)? Need to do both I reckon for the Techs to work.

JohnnyBoxer · Apr 22, 2011

OscarIndia said:
Thanks Johnny.
To be honest, I kept the boxes on because I expected to go down and thought they might save me and, more importantly, the bike a bit of damage. Daft idea?

Panniers are quite weak, drop them on a rock and they'll bend

Whilst I admire your tenacity, I would only ride easy, wide gravel/hardpack trails on a big GS/GSA either in company and most certainly on your own..........single track is out

Many experienced riders do more challenging stuff, but come unstuck at some point and you need a lot of bodies to wrestle a 250-300kg bike

I've been offroading since I was 11 and I certainly don't take my GSA offroad (apart from a gravel track in high summer) - too heavy, too cumbersome, too expensive & easy to damage :blast

Timpo · Apr 22, 2011

OscarIndia said:
Anyone going who knows their arse from their elbow off-road? Always up for advice, hearing from those who know etc.

Don't ride the trails alone...... :nono

JohnnyBoxer · Apr 22, 2011

Timpo said:
Don't ride the trails alone......

Listen to him

Mav · Apr 22, 2011

JohnnyBoxer said:
Listen to him

Just be clear - don't ride the trails alone when you're learning or don't know what's ahead.

And as for the GSA off-road - have taken mine off-road plenty and had great fun with it, even two up. There is something very rewarding about handling such a bike on some single track or over some rocks. So don't listen to the nay sayers

JohnnyBoxer · Apr 22, 2011

Mav said:
Just be clear - don't ride the trails alone when you're learning or don't know what's ahead.

And as for the GSA off-road - have taken mine off-road plenty and had great fun with it, even two up. There is something very rewarding about handling such a bike on some single track or over some rocks. So don't listen to the nay sayers

But he ain't done it before, you have :blast

Each to their own, you would.................I wouldn't

Just a difference of opinion, that's all..........................if he wants to fine, just don't :tears

when it goes tits up

Mav · Apr 22, 2011

JohnnyBoxer said:
But he ain't done it before, you have

Each to their own, you would.................I wouldn't

Just a difference of opinion, that's all..........................if he wants to fine, just don't when it goes tits up

Each of us having our own opinion is what keeps life interesting :thumb2

Hustler · Apr 22, 2011

Timpo said:
Don't ride the trails alone......

I do, but on a light trail bike.
Although if I'm not sure I turn the bike round and go find something else.
And I only do easy stuff anyway.
And good luck with it all Oscar.

JohnnyBoxer · Apr 22, 2011

Mav said:
Each of us having our own opinion is what keeps life interesting

I know

OscarIndia · Apr 22, 2011

Absolutely see the logic of not riding alone - like climbing. Problem is I don't know other trail riders around here and, even if I get involved with the TRF and others, I can't see them moderating their routes for a tubby novice on a LWR wannabe bike. :ymca

Solution is to buy a shagged old bike for trails, but I have to fight pretty hard domestically to be a one bike family, never mind two.
All of which means that if I wanna learn, I need to ride. Ideally I'll stay upright until I learn to pick the bugger up, of course....
If I could find some long, easy trails that would be perfect.
Anyway, all of this could be for nothing as I've just adjusted the gear lever to operate with these Tech8s on and I reckon it's now physically impossible for me to change up, and I can only stamp down. :blast

Mav · Apr 22, 2011

There's some lovely easy trails in the Cotswolds, just North of Cheltenham. Would be happy to show you around :thumb2

First (proper) off-road today

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