Yamaha Schools, Red Earth Farm, off-road experience day

[Charlie]

Regarding this thread...

Alarm goes off at 8 am, maybe going to bed as late as I did wasn't the best idea. Spend half an hour on the mothers day responsibilities, quick shower, make lunch and off I go.

Managed to find my way there after going to the wrong way once. The plantation road starts off as a tarmac and gradually forms into a gravel road. Was going quite well on the Hornet, however the last up-hill had loss stones and I decided if it got much worse it wouldn't be wise to take my bike much further. So I left it down there, checked the time on my phone to realise that I was running quite late

Appear at the van, grab the gear from one of the guys (forgotten names), and wondered into the wood and found the wooden shed where the base was. 4-5 bikes lined up, a 125, and 4 250's, two had been modified to have smaller wheels on and looked like they might have been lowered.

After getting changed and meeting a couple of the people, he gave us a bit of talk, what you expect. Then he came to the bikes; explained them to us all, gave us advice for getting on and off. I watched someone who had never ridden a bike before go round and was amazed at how easy they picked it all up. A 14-16 year old girl (who had apparently ridden the bike once) went out with Barry on the back of it. A couple of laps after that he jumped off and let her have a go. Unfortunately she dropped after the first couple of bumps. Her and her 11 year old brother then spent the rest of the day in the field getting use to the bike.

Now my go, first time to do an off-roading (apart from a go on a beach when I was about 9), first time on a proper off-road bike. It was great, zipping around, gravel flying every where, mud splashing around. After a few laps, got use to it all, leg out round corners and the rear gives it first twitch as it kicks out and I nail it around the corner feeling immense.

Swap over with the other group round the same lap, gaining more confidence the second time round. I had noticed that my bike had been spluttering a lot, every time you put the power down it would bog down, seemed like over fueling. I told Barry about this and he said I needed not to rag the throttle open basically... it let proved no matter what I did it would still bog down

The lap changed and now we had a decent sized puddle to go through, bit cautious about this. Never really down water this size when not being able to see the unknown bottom (tarmac is alright most of the time). Get use to this after a few laps and I am totally ripping around the circuit, can leave the other two people I am out with fine.

Go round one lap and wonder where one of the Yamaha guys is, it is revealed around the next corner. Helping one of the guys pick his bike of the trees. After the session I get told I am not sitting far enough forward. In fairness I had moved my weight over the back trying to keep the back end down over bumps as it kept leaping around. But the told me to sit further forward (so I did). I had a different bike this time round and it worked some much better, you opened the throttle and it started moving instead of spluttering, much better.

Go out on the next session and they have changed the course, bit move difficult this time, the deep puddle was now done in reverse (so a sweeping right instead of a left). It took me a while to get to grips going this round it, much preferred the left-hander.

All was going great until I bin it on the corner at the end of the straight, too fast. Not sure what happened think the front went and I went down. No fuss I was fine, only the rear peg was bent. Barry was telling me that was what would happen if I go that fast into the corner. Meh, slightly knock to my confidence and after a few laps I am racing round again (on the spluttery bike again! ) taking it slightly easier on that corner.

Watch a couple of people struggling getting onto the bike and dropping when the get off. God I am glad I am a lanky streak of piss sometimes. The staff didn't offer as much encouragement as I'd had imagined. Which was fine I enjoyed catching people up and with one of riders trying to keep up, think someone said he had done ralley driving at some point , but never bikes. Last time out. I am feeling tired now, however one of guys made a comment about me being 'too good' for these bikes now still I had the spluttery 250. I enjoy my last lap, wasn't as fast I could tell, and didn't get into it as much as I did in the middle of the day.

All in all I had a great day, and would recommend it to anyone that wants to try, seems like a great way to get into it. It was a shame to have the shit bike, but I learnt to change up earlier to avoid it. I really enjoyed nailing it around corners with the back squirming around and having to use my leg to keep it up. Great fun!

I am sure people who do quite a bit of off-roading would enjoy it, although the might find it quite expensive and a bit easy.

I am pretty sure I want an off-road bike now, one for use on green lanes. However I definitely want a road bike too, they are good fun however I enjoy roads too. Now to find some money for a bike, insurance, gear etc.

Anyway enough wittering and I shall be surprised if you read all the way down. Thanks for reading.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Charlie]

I didn't take any videos or pictures, however Stelmer who did it a couple of years a go did... here are his videos (he informs me he had never ridden a bike before going here).

Video 1
Video 2
Video 3

Oh and I forgot to add, after the second lap my forearms where bulging, but after that they where fine, and I didn't feel it as bad as I expected. Although it is physically demanding and everyone was feeling it.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Stelmer]

I managed to get the Toyota up that gravel road in 2006, wonder how bad it is now...

Yeah, them videos were shot after learning to ride an 80cc crosser on Geoff Mayes MX tryout 2 weeks earlier. Nowt like fulfilling a 25 year old dream...

I thought I mentioned it was my 2nd time ever on a bike. a month later I did my CBT.

I did go way faster on the straights. Tried getting them to film it but they wouldn't.

Oh, DS55, if you want to go on a Trail Riding weekend, try https://www.trailrides-wales.com. I'm planning on going on a return trip later this year and make it into a Week long bike holiday as I will be going on the GSX.

[Charlie]

Looks good, although I doubt I will be able to afford them. I am going to be saving all my money for my own off-road bike and gear etc...
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Charlie]

Okay I am aching today... more than I thought
____________________
Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Shelley]

So, did they teach you how to ride off road?

Sounds to me like you were left to your own devices - an expensive day out for what was in effect a day of bombing around a muddy track trying out some off road bikes...

[Charlie]

Only instruction was

careful on with the brakes, only use one finger as they are sharp. Sit forward on the bike to put weight over the front wheel. Put the foot out to go round corners as you won't lean like you do round corners on the road. Don't bother with the clutch it will change gear if you close the throttle and dip the throttle. And always look ahead.

Erm can't think of much else; I think I ended up not doing a lot of these, over bumps on the straight I was putting my weight back over the back wheel trying to keep it down... got told to sit forward so the back doesn't hit my arse.

By the end I was using brakes (although still mainly engine braking), the clutch (I think I did any way, it seemed un-natural not to), using my foot to catch the bike when it slipped out to far, I was sat forward-ish a lot however on big bumps it felt very un-natural not to be.

Can't think of much else to be honest; you are right though they didn't do much in the way of tuition. Not sure there is much they can teach you until you are pretty confident on the bike and can go fast.

You are right, it was a lot like that, but it was worth it to be me. I didn't need to worry about insurance, riding in the right place, make as much noise, not worry about damaging the bikes and being learning with people similar to my skill.

It was also a good christmas present when I couldn't think of anything I wanted.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere