BMW off road skills level 1 - 3 & 4 Oct

[Keitht]

Don't suppose anyone else is booked for that date? Got a good deal from Vines for buying my GSA so took them up on it. Can't wait!

Also, any advice from anyone on what to wear?

 

[tanneman]

Have a look on the off road skills website. http://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/world-of-bmw/off-road-skills/what-do-i-wear.html There is guidance as what clothing you need to have. They insist on proper off road boots with good ankle support as being important. I think you can rent clothing from them but you have to book your size. Call and and ask. Have fun. What deal did you get on the course if I may ask?

 

[a485gag]

Don't suppose anyone else is booked for that date? Got a good deal from Vines for buying my GSA so took them up on it. Can't wait!

Also, any advice from anyone on what to wear?

A complete tossers suit

Sorry but just had too.....

Graeme

 

[Taff]

.... Also, any advice from anyone on what to wear?

Trust me, you will sweat like a fat lass in a disco so take a couple of T-shirts or Polo shirts so you can change. Don't bother taking water, they will give you loads of it. The only other tip is cut your nails before you go, both your hands and feet. I took an old crappy helmet (as any spills will probably be at low speed) and rented brand new boots from them.

You will enjoy it, but be prepared to be mentally and physically exhausted.

 

[Keitht]

A complete tossers suit

Sorry but just had too.....

Graeme

Should have known

Tanneman - got a 50% discount. They had a summer offer on for a half price couse when you bought a bike from them.

Not sure whether to buy some body armour and wear my cheap 'n cheerful jacket or just wear my Streetguard 2 suit?

 

[Taff]

... Not sure whether to buy some body armour and wear my cheap 'n cheerful jacket or just wear my Streetguard 2 suit?

My advice is if you value it - don't wear it.

You will drop the bike at some time, because everybody does. Don't worry about it, the embarrassment wears off after you've dropped it 3 or 4 times and anyway I was told "If you don't drop it - you're not trying hard enough".

 

[Keitht]

My advice is if you value it - don't wear it.

That's what I though.
Good advice, and an excuse to go and buy some body armour - thanks!

 

[sockpuppet]

Some spare legs for when they break yours

 

[EggChaser]

Hmm would have been good if I had found this thread before last weekend, been off the site for too long. - Oh well I too late now as I ran into Keith (not literally) and others whilst playing in the mud on Sunday/Monday.

Great time was had by all, but judging by other stories about the course we obviously didn't push the bikes (again not literally) hard enough as they didn't have much to fix on the last day - just a few leaky 1200 cylinder heads and some overheating problems.

My highlights
1) Stalling on the slope into a river and knowing I was just going to be foot down in the torrent

2) Watching Mads from Denmark slide out in the mud, accidentally pull too much throttle and be magnetically attracted to a tree.

3) Watching David ( I think ) take too wide a line on an uphill hairpin, and end up climbing the slope above it - my brain was already running through the predictable result before it happened.

 

[MayaMonkey]

Was then when Mads headed up that bank? I remember coming around the corner and thinking "how the f**k did he get up there!???"

Great weekend blast - loved every minute, apart from my allergic reaction to my knee/shin guards. Got some quality blistering on my shins now!

Got to admit, riding on the road now seems pretty mundane by comparison...

 

[Keitht]

Yeah, it was a great couple of days. Plenty of rain on the Sun morning but didn't seem to matter once we got going.

My highlight:

Watching Eggchaser stall on the slope into a river and knowing he was just going to be foot down in the torrent


Anyone got any pics yet?

 

[EggChaser]

Was then when Mads headed up that bank? I remember coming around the corner and thinking "how the f**k did he get up there!???"

Yep I was right behind him when he did it, the back end slid one way in the mud then bounced around and slid the other just as Mads accidentally applied throttle which shot him up the bank - he only just missed the tree and only just stopped going over the bank into the woods.

My highlight:

Watching Eggchaser stall on the slope into a river and knowing he was just going to be foot down in the torrent


Anyone got any pics yet?

At least I was prepared for the foot down and strangely not for the first time - I flooded my R1100S in a deep ford before I owned the GS.


I do have some video however as Simon asked for it not to be published in a publicly visible way on the web - those who are interested will need to meet up with a large USB pendrive handy if you want copies. Would suggest Newlands Corner/Bahnstormer/Loomies one weekend - or for the person who lives Finchampstead/Arborfield area I could drop round on way home from work.

I would just post it but I might want to do another course

 

[Dahoum]

I do have some video however as Simon asked for it not to be published in a publicly visible way on the web -

so is that part of the contract you sign then??

there was never a problem with loads of pics and some phone quality video when I did the course

 

[EggChaser]

so is that part of the contract you sign then??

there was never a problem with loads of pics and some phone quality video when I did the course

Well having done a few seacrhes it seems that loads of video exists in low quality on the web already here is a low quality sample
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GrD82dZ_h1w?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GrD82dZ_h1w?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>


Note: the original is high quality 1080 HD and I think Simon was concerned that it's actually BMW that own the permissions due to the contact he has with them.

 

[MayaMonkey]

GREAT VIDEO!!

It's great to see it captured - riding through that huge puddle was awesome. And it's good to see how Mads ended up that bank after all...