Aras Rural HP2 Review Part 1 of 3

[Karlz]

I just finished the HP2 Advanced riding course in Aras Rural Spain.
Heres my summary of the trip and a few photos showing what it was like.
Its posted in 3 parts cause I dont know how to post pictures properly!

Day 1
Its just a meeting with the other particpants.
In this case myself, an Austrian and a German.
The instructor is also German with loads of experience in Motocross, Enduro, Supermotard and road racing. The hotel is quite comfortable, and the foods quite good. Theres not a real lot to do in the evenings apart from drinking a few beers and discussions over bikes. But the crowd made that very enjoyable. Arar Rural is just a village. Its real name is Aras de los Olmos, names after a tree that inhabits the area.
(See photos of hotel and HP2's)

Day 2
Marc our instructor takes us out the back to the training park, to warm up and a bit of instruction. He makes us drive slow around the course doing stretches (Marc's are stunts), and doing full-lock circles. Once completed we head away and into the mountains. The first day is really just forest trails on loose gravel and some elements of bitumen. Its fun to power slide the bike around corners.
(see bridge photo)

Noteworthy of the day was myself going a bit too quick on the bitumen locking up the rear wheel and almost saving the bike before I crashed. I can defintely say HP2's crash well. Its also very nice to crash someone elses bike.
(see head photo)

 

[Karlz]

Aras Rural HP2 Review Part 2 of 3

Day 3
Terrain is generally more difficult, mixed with loose gravel tracks as well.
We travel each day about 160km's, in about 7 hours. We stop half way for lunch somewhere in a Spanish cafe. Tapas always nice.

Day 4
This is the extreme riding day.
The terrain is very challenging and its amazing how the HP2 performs.
Everyone crashes today (except the instructor).
(see photos down1, down2)

We had the mechanic with us as well.
He proved handy when I crashed and broke the front break bracket.
Bush mechanic skills come into thier own, ands its amazing what you can repair with tape, cable ties and a stick!
(see photo repair)

There are lots of steep hills, going down is generally more difficult than going up.
(see photo bighill).

This day is very tiring, I was exhausted with an 1.5 hours to go.
(see photo tired)

 

[Karlz]

Aras Rural HP2 Review Part 3 of 3

Day 5
Relax in the morning or go and have another ride for 2 hours.
(see photo steep)

Me, I took it easy my leg was too sore and I couldnt hold the bike up with my knees to well anymore.
(see photo knee)

SUMMARY
The course costs 1450 Euros, and includes bike, fuel, parts, food, drink (non alco) hotel and transfers to the airport. I also spent 41 Euro on the bar tab.
I feel this is a very good price and its hard to belive BMW are making any money out of this. We went thru 2 rear tires each (Karoos). The terrain just demolishes them. The staff are excellent, very friendly. It was quite hot, I think the best time would be September/October or late spring. We didnt have any rain, but I would imagine it would make life much more difficult if were wet.

Its not an easy course, I wish I were fitter, the last day was very hard for me.
But I think I would like to do this again, probably later this year.
Highly recommended. - Im a better but battered biker

 

[Tsiklonaut]

That, sounds like some nice activity, good on ya

Me a bit jelous we don't have such pro training stuff going on around here.

Cheers, Margus

 

[MikeP]

They might sell a few more HP2's here if they offered this package in the price of the bike.

A question for HP2 owners.

With a few mods, screen, additional tank range and luggage, would the HP2 be any good as a tool to get you to the places that you'd want to ride it? (Morocco etc).

 

[Karlz]

Nothing to stop you from flying to Spain and doing the course.
Spain's not too far from Estonia!
Im a bit jealous of you, you probably have better offroad potential than here in England.

 

[Karlz]

I think you get a one day "free" course in Wales when you purchase the HP2.
I never did it though.
This course in spain, is the advanced one, supposed to be done only after you have done the "basic" course (2 days) in Hechlingen Germany.

Re: HP2 as a touring machine!
Well I sort of purchased it for that reason. I wanted a bike thats more capable offroad than the standard offroad/tourer. The trouble though with all bikes, is once you load it up with all your kit, fuel, spare parts etc... it becomes a dog offroad. The HP2 would be no exception. You can strap lugggage down to the back seat, i travel very light (without getting personal eg: 2 pairs of undies, 1 pair socks...) plus backpack and/or tankbag. Fuel tank is a bit of a problem, but only where fuel stops are more than 160km's apart (and thats not that often even in Morocco), even then carrying a cheap plastic cannister of 5 or 10 litres would probably suffice, and again you could strap that down to the back seat). But as I said, once you load it up, offroad potential becomes bad. The GS would even be worse. (imho).

btw, Ive already crossed the Sahara, but on a Super Tenere witha 26 litre tank. That wasnt enough fuel and I befriended a guy in a landrover who carries a jerry can of fuel for me. Maybe thats the answer!