Apart from Mucking about on local woodlands years ago on a tatty old Yamaha DT175 (used as a winter bike when I was a student in London), I have never had any pretensions of being an off-road rider of any sort despite 31 years on at least 15 bikes owned. I bought my present R1200GS because it was the best road-bike I had ever ridden, providing a grin factor that others (even much more powerful ones) simply could not offer.
So I thought it was time to try the real thing and have just returned from the above mentioned course. Somebody (God knows who....) told me it was quite an easy course
so I gleefully volunteered for the top group when told that my woodland excursions of yesteryear qualified as "previous experience"... I found the course more than demanding enough for a (off-road) beginner and was totally saturated well before the end of it. Indeed I missed the very last ride out while nursing an extremely sore shoulder which had kissed a boulder hidden in the grass verge after departing from my 650GS on a steep downhill exercise.....
The tuition was excellent (Guy called Jonty) and the atmosphere congenial; arriving not knowing anybody was no problem as everyone was extremely friendly. I would heartily recommend this course to anyone who has not tried off-road riding and/or anyone who might be nervous about it. At least you get to drop someone else's bike.....
Some questions for you seasoned off-roaders: I had mixed feelings about the 650GS (although it gained my respect by the end of the course). I found first gear a little tall for some of the downhill stuff ("Engine braking? Wot engine braking..... ") and the throttle control seemed a little vague at small openings: I think I would have found the clutch/throttle control on tight turnings easier on the 1200. Is it just me (or the sample of 650 I had), or have others found the same characteristics?
I would also welcome any recommendations for something cheap and cheerful I could practice on and cheerfully chuck around without worrying about damaging a £9000 bike.... Simon Pavey mentioned a Honda 230 (can't remember the prefix) Anything that I can get my feet on the ground on and preferably four-stroke. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading.
So I thought it was time to try the real thing and have just returned from the above mentioned course. Somebody (God knows who....) told me it was quite an easy course
so I gleefully volunteered for the top group when told that my woodland excursions of yesteryear qualified as "previous experience"... I found the course more than demanding enough for a (off-road) beginner and was totally saturated well before the end of it. Indeed I missed the very last ride out while nursing an extremely sore shoulder which had kissed a boulder hidden in the grass verge after departing from my 650GS on a steep downhill exercise..... The tuition was excellent (Guy called Jonty) and the atmosphere congenial; arriving not knowing anybody was no problem as everyone was extremely friendly. I would heartily recommend this course to anyone who has not tried off-road riding and/or anyone who might be nervous about it. At least you get to drop someone else's bike.....
Some questions for you seasoned off-roaders: I had mixed feelings about the 650GS (although it gained my respect by the end of the course). I found first gear a little tall for some of the downhill stuff ("Engine braking? Wot engine braking.....
") and the throttle control seemed a little vague at small openings: I think I would have found the clutch/throttle control on tight turnings easier on the 1200. Is it just me (or the sample of 650 I had), or have others found the same characteristics?I would also welcome any recommendations for something cheap and cheerful I could practice on and cheerfully chuck around without worrying about damaging a £9000 bike.... Simon Pavey mentioned a Honda 230 (can't remember the prefix) Anything that I can get my feet on the ground on and preferably four-stroke. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading.
