A Weekend of Off Road Skills Training...

[J.P]

So I spent Friday & Saturday in the Brecon Beacons in Wales at the Off Road Skills training course sponsored by BMW. http://www.offroadskills.com/courses-2/level-1

The course is run by 8 time Dakar rally vetran, Simon Pavey, who's known as one of the best off road teachers in the world. Really, really nice bloke. We also were lucky enough to have Charley Boorman join us for the training as he's known Simon for many years and he helped train Charley & Ewen before their round the worl bike rides. The course is designed for complete off-road novices, like me, and the more part time off-roaders.

Styled in a similar way to the California superbike School training I did, you learn different techniques step by step, then you're able to put them together as you head into the more difficult terrian.
We were based in a huge private forest with every type of surface I've ever seen, cravel, shingle, mud, rocks, puddles, fire roads, grass, you name it we had it and at some point went over it or through it.

Day one predominently learning the basics but mixed in with circuits of the forest.
Day two more time spent doing the trails but plenty of learning too.

I was brilliant fun, but,

[J.P]

Off Roading can be harmful to your health.
Let me just list some of the injuries I suffered,,,, :(

Pretty sure I've got one fractured rib after falling while decending what I can only call a narrow 40 degree, slate/shingle/bolder strewn track. Lost the front when it slipped on a rock and I hit the ground hard on my chest.
Also as the bike came down with me it landed on my left leg and I've got a pretty bruised shin to go with it.

Later in the day while trying to avoid falling into many stinking pools of deep water on very slippery tracks, I caught my right foot on the edge of a verge and feel like I've sprained my anckle there too.

On top of that it's just the normal muscle ache from two days of exhausting bike work. I'm not 21 any more.

[J.P]

Some picks

[J.P]

The other guys on the course were from all over the UK and a wide mix of skill levels.
The bikes we had ranged from the GS650 to the GS1200's and once you practiced the various skills the big bikes weren't as bad to handle as you would imagine, but they are still heavier to pick up.
That's why I picked the GS 650 and it was fine for the job.

[simon_g]

Looks great, and I've heard nothing but good things about the course. I'd love to do it one day.

Will the Multi be getting a set of TKC80s?

[J.P]

To quote Simon Pavey, 'The engine in the Multistrada is fantastic, but it's sh*t off-road' :)

[Shuffy]

Ouch! I can feel your pain from here (received similar injuries digging out conifer roots this weekend, the only difference being I used a spade not a BMW. Actually perhaps there isn't a difference?).

Anyway, despite the injuries, did you enjoy it? Dakar next, or something more dangerous, like Downham?

[J.P]

Dakar seems surprisingly easy, from a money perspective. Imagine my surprise to find out that if you want to go along as a spectator to soak up the atmosphere it's 10,000 Euro's, and the compete, it's the same ! So for me that would be 20,000 Euro's once Jeeves was included to push the bike. :)

Just reading the BMW brochure for the Trans America's trip with www.globebusters.com. 140 days over 24,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina for the rock bottom price of £28,995 or £22,995 if you want to share a room.

[J.P]

And to answer your question, yes I did have a good time. I did more than I thought I was going to be able to do and apart from the one bad off, I only fell off a handful of times which I think was bloody good considering the stuff we were riding through.

So, 'J.P's - Kent Greenlaning Tours' could well be a starter... ;)

[Xenocide]

Isn't Charley a bloody lovely chap? :)

[J.P]

Yes he is, and very normal. He spent a lot of time with us and helping out and air's or grace's at all.
We had a big dinner of Friday night and he was with us the whole time joking and having a laugh.

[Shuffy]

And to answer your question, yes I did have a good time. I did more than I thought I was going to be able to do and apart from the one bad off, I only fell off a handful of times which I think was bloody good considering the stuff we were riding through.

So, 'J.P's - Kent Greenlaning Tours' could well be a starter... ;)

I think we did some of those with you going to Belgium the other year...:rolleyes:

[scrapps]

Glad you had a good time and hope your aches and pains go soon. looks like a lot of fun and hard work.

[gary tompkins]

So, 'J.P's - Kent Greenlaning Tours' could well be a starter... ;)

I think we did some of those with you going to Belgium the other year...:rolleyes:

Think we've had a few round Kent already as well

I quite miss following the 'tractor trail' since J.P got to grips with his Garmin

http://www.free-jokes-online.com/thumb/funny-road-sign.jpg

[utopia]

A bit of off roading works wonders for machine control....recommended.
I must say that I wouldn't fancy a weekend of it on a modern, "off road" musclebike though.
I bet even the 650s felt very heavy after a short while.

[J.P]

I must say that I wouldn't fancy a weekend of it on a modern, "off road" musclebike though.
I bet even the 650s felt very heavy after a short while.

No luckily enough, and even the F800 wasn't too bad. You have to remember that I'm very strong !

[utopia]

Good point.
Me...I'm a bit scrawny.

[Mohawk]

Glad you're not too bashed about JP. I did an off road biking course in March in Yorkshire. As you say learn some good stuff on machine control which you can't try on the tatmac. Def' not for me though, far too physical! I was in agony at the end of the day :-(