Off road for begginers

[cyril]

Can anyone reccomend an off road experience suitable for 1st timers South uk please.
Been riding for years but off road only by making errors.

 

[GreatScott]

There is loads of people better qualified than I on here to give advice. This isn't a recommendation - I did the ORS in Brecon but you cannot go far wrong with someone of the quality of Patsy Quick at Desert Rose, just north of Heathfield near Wessons if that is a little nearer for you

http://www.adventureridingacademy.com/INSTRUCTORS(1511404).htm

http://www.desertroseracing.com/

 

[Nutty]

There is loads of people better qualified than I on here to give advice. This isn't a recommendation - I did the ORS in Brecon but you cannot go far wrong with someone of the quality of Patsy Quick at Desert Rose, just north of Heathfield near Wessons if that is a little nearer for you

http://www.adventureridingacademy.com/INSTRUCTORS(1511404).htm

http://www.desertroseracing.com/

+1 for the ORS course Plus, if you go in March 2013, you can be one of the first people to wreck one of the new watercooled 12's

 

[sullivt]

Ady Smith does sessions at Hellingly near Hailsham (A26) in the south.

KTM school had great fun and learnt a lot.

How knackering off road can be, How powerful two stroke off roaders are, Mud is a soft and welcoming surface when falling.

Seriously good day had by all on my day out and great fun.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Timolgra on here, does a bit of training on trailriding

 

[Mav]

Timolgra on here, does a bit of training on trailriding

Down South?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Down South?

Not unless you want to move Brecon and Powys, chap

 

[Mav]

Not unless you want to move Brecon and Powys, chap

Perhaps you should read the OP then...

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Perhaps you should read the OP then...

Perhaps he may be prepared to travel for the right tutor,chap

Oxford to Powys/Brecon isn't far

 

[Possu]

Can anyone reccomend an off road experience suitable for 1st timers South uk please.
Been riding for years but off road only by making errors.

If you've already got a trailbike, I'll take you out, there are plenty of lanes of all types in South Oxfordshire and on in to Wiltshire. If you're North Oxfordshire, there are Oxford TRF members in Brackley who will take you out.

PM me for ride details and joining the TRF, I'm the Membership Secretary for Oxford TRF.

 

[jasext]

Not unless you want to move Brecon and Powys, chap

I do the trailriding thing down South

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I do the trailriding thing down South

See, plenty of offers of help

 

[DollyRocket]

Go along to a TRF meeting, there are new members joining regularly - all of which get some useful advice and help from the more established members in the groups. Riding in a novice group will also help build your confidence as this is what you need before you go and take on the more complicated stuff.

I am chair of the Loddon TRF group which is Reading. Along with Possu in Oxford, either of us would be happy to take you along for a ride out on some novice friendly routes.

 

[Rasher]

either of us would be happy to take you along for a ride out on some novice friendly routes.

I would have though the recent rains means there would be nothing "novice friendly" until at least next July!

I quite fancy some off-roading, of both the gentle stuff on my own beast, and falling off someone elses bike.

Wales seems the place for me, there are a number of schools within a couple of hours or so of Oxford. I quite fancy an intro on a small light enduro type bike and to move onto something like the ORS (although I will probably use the Yamaha one as they can supply a bike identical to mine - quite handy for finding the limits of "my machine" without crashing my machine)

I think once I have had a couple of school days I may track down the TRF and find out what is near me, the only thing that puts me off is that most TRF folk are pretty serious with pukka off road kit and trying to follow them on 250kg of (expensive) road bike will only end in tears - I would rather just get the low down on the easiest routes and then try them at my own pace.

 

[DollyRocket]

If you look at the Loddon group website (www.lvtrf.co.uk). There are riders who take 1150 and 1200GS bikes on the trails (including up Water Lane in Alton).

If you want to ride a big bike to get the feel of it off road then taking it on the fire roads of Salisbury plain would seem to be one of the best things you can do. Just tricky enough to make you sweat, but something a relatively able road rider could do on a GS.

 

[Possu]

I would have though the recent rains means there would be nothing "novice friendly" until at least next July!

I quite fancy some off-roading, of both the gentle stuff on my own beast, and falling off someone elses bike.

Wales seems the place for me, there are a number of schools within a couple of hours or so of Oxford. I quite fancy an intro on a small light enduro type bike and to move onto something like the ORS (although I will probably use the Yamaha one as they can supply a bike identical to mine - quite handy for finding the limits of "my machine" without crashing my machine)

I think once I have had a couple of school days I may track down the TRF and find out what is near me, the only thing that puts me off is that most TRF folk are pretty serious with pukka off road kit and trying to follow them on 250kg of (expensive) road bike will only end in tears - I would rather just get the low down on the easiest routes and then try them at my own pace.

We've had this conversation before, if you know where to look, there are several easily accessible hard gravel lanes around Lambourn that are suitable for any bike at any time of year regardless of weather conditions.

As for the TRF being "serious folk" - they/we are no different to anyone else when it comes to offroad protective gear. Different members have their own idea of what's necessary and dress accordingly. Those that do invest in decent equipment do so because they've seen or experienced what happens when it goes wrong. Personally I'm not happy riding with someone who's a novice and not dressed accordingly. I've been there and it resulted in fraudulent insurance claims against a friend that ended up in court and all because someone was not properly insured, was wearing inapproprate gear and wouldn't take responsibility for their own actions.

Lastly I would not recommend trailriding alone, especially as a novice on a heavy bike. having been pinned beneath a 200kg bike myself and unable to free myself, I can confirm it's no fun. I was not injured but factor in an injury that leaves you unable to access your mobile phone, you're basically fu*ked and can only hope that a passing walker comes along to help out. Also, trailriding with others is not only safer but more enjoyable.

 

[Rasher]

What special gear and insurance do you need?

I would have thought once you leave the highway you are not insured at all, and are you suggesting what I use to protect myself on the road is innefective off-road?

And is falling off compulsory, this is where I get confused when people mention easy lanes - but then go on about you needing to have someone else with you and a load of specialist gear.

Maybe I should stick with Tarmac

 

[jasext]

No special insurance as you are riding unpaved or gravel roads, the reason you will need better body armour and more protection is that you are more likely to have a tumble due to riding on more chalenging terrain, same goes as riding with someone else is that you could get trapped under your bike or need help picking it up in a ticky situation.

 

[DollyRocket]

What special gear and insurance do you need?

Your normal road gear would be OK, but it is not designed for off road riding. Road use is designed to keep you warm when travelling at high speeds and to protect you if you slide at high speed

Off road gear is designed to keep you cool at low speeds and to protect you if you hit things such as trees. Trees jumping in front of you is a common occurence when riding off road, they are normally well behaved when you ride on-road.

I would have thought once you leave the highway you are not insured at all, and are you suggesting what I use to protect myself on the road is innefective off-road?

Byways (BOATS) or Green lanes are part of the highway network and they are maintained by local councils. THese are just un-surfaced roads. However, you need to ensure that your insurance allows for green lane cover. In fact, to be riding on a byway you HAVE TO HAVE insurance.

And is falling off compulsory, this is where I get confused when people mention easy lanes - but then go on about you needing to have someone else with you and a load of specialist gear.

Some byways are little more than gravel tracks. Ideal to start on, enough to give your bum a twitch when riding a big bike such as a GS if you're not used to it. Other tracks would be impassable on a GS and tackling them on your own would be foolhardy. If you got stuck you would struggle to pull your bike out by yourself. (assuming you aren't under it).

I started riding byways on an 1150GS 7 years ago. I thought it was easy and took my GS down a lane alone one evening in the summer - I decided the going was too tough and decided to try and turn around. Fell off the bike as the front washed away from me. Bike pinned me down and trapped my leg. Couldn't get the bike off me as I had no purchase against anything. I managed (after 30 minutes) to wriggle out by feeling my boot buckes and undoing them and yanking my foot out.

Once on my feet (with bruises and burn marks from the exhaust on my thigh) managed to get the bike upright and get it back to the end of the lane. It was at that point that I decided to get a smaller 'pogo stick bike' and join the TRF. If I was with other people, I probably would have been encouraged to continue and get through the lane - or- I would have had someone to lift the bike off me and we would have had a laugh about it.

I still ride alone at the moment, often I decide to take my off-road bike into work and do a few lanes on the way but now I have oodles more experience and a lighter bike.

You don't need special gear to ride off-road or even a special bike, but you'll have more fun and less injuries if you do.

 

[Possu]

What special gear and insurance do you need?

I would have thought once you leave the highway you are not insured at all, and are you suggesting what I use to protect myself on the road is innefective off-road?

And is falling off compulsory, this is where I get confused when people mention easy lanes - but then go on about you needing to have someone else with you and a load of specialist gear.

Maybe I should stick with Tarmac

The insurance I referred to realted to someone who was self employed but had no insurance in place covering them for loss of earnings if they were unable to to work. The person in question fell off and broke his arm, decent gear MAY have prevented it. The lack of insurance led to them concocting a fraudulent claim against the person riding behind them which was eventually thrown out of court but only after the innocent rider suffered a lot of grief and expense.

Re: road gear, it will work on the trails but is not suitable, especially boots.

Easy lanes: easy lanes can make you over confident, one ill timed twist of the throttle can have you off and headed to hospital. It's happened to me and most of the people I ride with. Most of the incidents I've been involved or witnessed haven't been big accidents, normally quite the opposite where you're not expecting it and are therefore unprepared.

If and when you start to trailride regularly, all of the above will start to make sense.