Lame but trying..

Warlord

Warlord

Do Not Resuscitate
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I've always been a road rider, but slowly going to explore off-roading with my GSA.

Booked into BMW Off Road School Level 1 at end of this month.

But does anyone know of any EASY offroad trails around Midlands whereby its legal to take a motorcycle (or four) and not be shot by farmers. I don't know the bylaws but are Forestry Fire Tracks available? Any ideas?

I want to start easy and not wreck my bike first off within it's first year of life.
 
Join the TRF, but please let us know when you go on your first ride with them, so we can pitch up and film their faces :D
 
….as a novice, I wouldn't be using a big bike.

There are plenty of threads on here explaining why not and even advice on what to get…
 
Ok thanks, I'll keep looking.

Maybe new bike excuse haha
 
As said above join TRF. Money well spent. A CRF250L or similar is a good option to start on. I have an AJP PR5 which is similar and I can abuse on the small trails without worrying about. I take the GSA on the bigger trails but it’s much harder to pick up when you fall off. That’s ‘when’ you fall off!
 
Enjoy your level 1 its good fun and will help in showing how to pick the bike up amongst other goodies :D
 
Fullchat said:
So where is that track? Clearly Hawes was the destination. Or is it a secret? :augie
Click to expand...

No there not secret, there just a few small BOATs in and around north yorkshire, you just have to study OS Maps and experiment, I will put a post up next time I am up that way on the big bike anyone is welcome to tag along

You can not beat a good paper map to give you ideas :thumby:
 
Just been on trf weekend suppose Ktm most common , but all sorts there anything over a 100kg is heavy when it's on top of you in a hedge, or you're picking it up for the fifth time, very pleased with my fantic 250 not very common but very easy to ride , uses same engine as gas-gas and ajp , lot cheaper than Ktm and less racey which is prob better for novice .
 
Buy a local OS MAP or use the View Ranger App
Look for Byways ( we can discuss other options later)
If you see a Byway you know from walking the dog, MTB etc that you therefore know does not end in a muddy whole try that one first.

But maybe 1st..
Do you know of a local transport cafe or any large gravel bumpy car park area? If YES pop along to that, pick out a few visual markers on the ground and ride loops and figuars of eight around them - you are not looking to rip up the gravel, you want slow and ever tighter turns

Big bikes on road tyres down dry lanes are fine
Join the TRF
 
If you do take the GS off-road, as obvious as it sounds, make sure you get some decent off-road based tyres, unless it's very dry. I took the Rallye down some muddy tracks on Saturday, and on the Anakee 3's it was sliding around all over the place.
 
I bought myself a Honda CRF250L, I ride it round the shitty lanes during the winter and also round local enduro tracks on saturday practice days, £45.00 for more riding than you will have the energy to do. Enduro circuits are a great way to learn as you get to ride the same piece of ground again and again, so having the chance to try different things.
I did join the trf but it is not for me as I have never been a team player and thrive on a more competitive enviroment.
If you want to go off road, do it light, don't take £15,000 of precious metal off road as it is just plain hard work and one good 'off' on anything with a rock in it will cost you more than the 2 to 3 thousand it costs to buy a decent starter offroad bike.
Riding off road is very physically demanding and is great exercise, picking up 140kg of bike half a dozen times is hard work when you are tired let alone whatever a GSA weighs (260kg)?
I think that light weight dirt bikes are just plain more fun.
 
Two TRF events this week may be of interest;

Both are on Wednesday 27th

1. https://www.facebook.com/events/256637554845473 Big bike ride - professionally led suitable for adventure bikes including those on road tyres. professionally led by Trail Ride Wales http://www.trailrides-wales.com/ £30 fee to the professional guide.


2. TRF members ride from Hemel Hempstead covering Herts /Beds /Buck. A very easy light run led by senior TRF Roads Conservation Officer Trevor Judd on his BMW. This is a members run , so let me know by PM is you would like a guest invite.

I will be going on the (1.) Wales run this Weds on my 1200 and will be happy to lead an open to no TRF members/ beginners ride NW London /Herts based ride if sufficient demand either this month or beginning of October before the winter Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO's) shut some of the trails in the area till March.




Mario
07721480000
www.trf.org.uk
 
Check your local county council website , they will have an online definitive rights of way map showing ALL legal trails within their area, from there transfer the details onto the equivalent landranger maps.

Unless they are different down south up here Forestry Commision Land is a definite no no and they will prosecute unless it is an official organised event (To access Forestry Commision Land and tracks with our vans to in order to go training with the dogs we had to have valid exemption passes) .

Join the TRF and buy a lighter weight 250 to start off with and you will always get your money back if you decide to upgrade/ pack in off road riding at a later date
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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