Off orad tis and hints please.

King Rat

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jI have ust checked my tyres on the little 650, they are Mitas Enduro E 07 front and rear.

I also tackled my first muddy lane! It is only about 600 yards each way, I soon learned that coming back up is much easier than going down. The front was sliding around all over the place on the grassy, peaty, muddy middle but flat section. Then I got into the side rut and it was much better from a slithery aspect, but was very much bumpier. I did manage to not fall off or drop it, but I had to stop about half way and gather myself, I was getting tied up in knots and had to sort myself out and get things back under control.

Coming back up I just stayed in 1st gear and came up gently, but it pulled straight up no problem and with no sliding around. I could see the tyre tracks from on my way down where they had slid and there was no tyre tread marks, just scoops where the tyre had gone forward aand sideways at the same time. I was relieved to see the tarmac again! My first 'green lane' completed without mishap.

Any hints and tips greatly received. I did a day with Skygod, but it was about Christmas before last and I have forgotten it all. To be fair, I had forgotten half of it by the time we got back to base to warm up.......my retention ability is serverely restricted now, but I am keen to have some idea of how to do easy lanes. I cannot buy a 'proper' off road bike, Iam not going to be climbing rock walls! Just farm track type stuff, so the Xcountry will do me fine.

Should I let the tyres down between road and track? Or are the Mitas tyres OK at one pressure, if so what sort of pressure should they be pumped up to. I did the same as stanard on the 1150 36 front, 42 rear but someone said that was too hard so I let them down to about 28 / 30 respectively. Seems OK on the road.

Please be understanding and gentle with me. :thumby:
 
Drop the tyre pressure to around 22psi (still ok on the road) as for the rest of hints and tips, it's pointless via the written word.
There's thousands of YouTube vids just to start with but nothing in this world will substitute hundreds of hours practice.

Step away from the computer, you will not learn to ride from it!
 
Drop the tyre pressure to around 22psi (still ok on the road) as for the rest of hints and tips, it's pointless via the written word.
There's thousands of YouTube vids just to start with but nothing in this world will substitute hundreds of hours practice.

Step away from the computer, you will not learn to ride from it!

No, but I can have some ideas to help before I go.....rather than going in blind.
 
No, but I can have some ideas to help before I go.....rather than going in blind.

Well you obviously know better....book yourself at the Yamaha offroad school with Geraint Jones's lads, use a small bike and perhaps you'll listen to them :)
 
Alternatively, you're 1 hr 40 mins from me ....see you in the morning at 9.30 sharp :D:beerjug:
 
Listen to Tim....Been there done that and broke the bike..no amount of YouTube will prepare you for dealing with a lack of grip and the wrong tyres.
 
Only one rule for off-road. Look up, look ahead ...


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Well you obviously know better....book yourself at the Yamaha offroad school with Geraint Jones's lads, use a small bike and perhaps you'll listen to them :)

I don't know what you mean by that...al I want to start with is a few things to use when I do go to try it for real - IfI try and ride like I do on the road I know from the 600 yards I did yesterday I won't get that far. I do not want to drop the bike because I will be months saving for the repairs. The tyres on it are what I have got and will have to last me until they wear out. We don't all have a bottomless pit of money to draw on to get stuff as and when.

Someone mentioned sitting back...when do you do this? It might sound simple to you and obvious, but to me I sit on the back seat on a long ride when I need to stretch my legs, say 400 miles in on the one day and got another 200 miles to go....

The look up and look ahead thing - how do you see what your wheel is going to hit and avoid rocks and stuff? I don't quite understand how to do this.

If I had a few pointers I feel at least I would have the first things to try. What I am getting worried about you would probably think is a pavement.
 
Then stick to fairly dry and simple lanes and build up from there because there's one thing for sure and thats you'll either give up or hurt yourself using inappropriate tyres on a fairly heavy bike.
It takes time before you can ride in slippy conditions without them.

Why not go out for half a day riding just a few lanes over and over, then you'll be in a position to ask something more specific and the answers you get may then seem more relevant :)
 
I don't know what you mean by that...al I want to start with is a few things to use when I do go to try it for real - IfI try and ride like I do on the road I know from the 600 yards I did yesterday I won't get that far. I do not want to drop the bike because I will be months saving for the repairs. The tyres on it are what I have got and will have to last me until they wear out. We don't all have a bottomless pit of money to draw on to get stuff as and when.

Someone mentioned sitting back...when do you do this? It might sound simple to you and obvious, but to me I sit on the back seat on a long ride when I need to stretch my legs, say 400 miles in on the one day and got another 200 miles to go....

The look up and look ahead thing - how do you see what your wheel is going to hit and avoid rocks and stuff? I don't quite understand how to do this.

If I had a few pointers I feel at least I would have the first things to try. What I am getting worried about you would probably think is a pavement.

Here you go

 
Thanks Johnny Boxer, but there are no instructions on that video. I won't be going that fast, I can tell you. That had me cringing and my heart rate has gone up.

Is there a video anywhere that tells you what to do and when?

Where can you find out about 'easy, dry lanes'? The one I tried yesterday is only about 1/2 mile from home, is right next to the school where both our lads went and yet I didn't know it was there, well, I did, but I thought it was just a footpath. I can't afford to join the TRF just to see if I can do it. Besides which they seem to go on much more difficult routes than I feel I could do.

Timolgra - I thought my tyres being Enduro tyres were off road types? I am just getting more and more confused by it all.
 
Practice is your friend but if you want early starter tips I'd say...

Look ahead and not at that twig in front of you
Have confidence in your bike and it's tires (now at 22 psi)
Keep your weight on your feet and not on the bars

On the slippery downhill bits plan riding sections at a time, rather than reacting to that twig or when your confidence flinches - look ahead see that in 20 feet there is a sensible place to reach, stop and recompose and just let the bike go there - keep practicing
 


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