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fatjames
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DMCpro
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Kradmelder
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 Posted: 12:41 - 13 Aug 2012  Post subject: Re: Intro to offroading - Groupon |
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| fatjames wrote: | I was bought a ticket to do this. It's this week so I'm getting quite excited! It's with "Trail and Offroad Experience Days" Has anyone done one of these? I've never had a go on a trails bike, nor have I gone offroad (well, since I was 15, playing on a mates monkey bike down the park!)
Any advice/things to note?
I've been told I'll get hot, so wear something sensible. I'll probably wear my kevlar jeans and textiles jacket as I'll ride there.
Thanks
FJ |
It will be a bit unnerving for you at first as you wont feel that grip on the road and the handle bars will wobble in your hand. Avoid abrupt movements, look ahead and pick a line, and dont lean. keep the bike upright.
Avoid the natural tendency to ride in the middle, which is the softest, and try stay in the ruts made by cages.
wear textiles. Dont you have textile pants? You jeans may be hot.
off road is much more fun and technical riding. It is also much more strenuous and tiring. Give it a chance and you will love it. I get bored on tar. I think it is easier to gro from dirt to tar, than the other way around, as things you do on dirt can still be done on tar, but not the other way around.
Good luck and hopefully you become a convert to the offroad riding scene...tar is only a means to the next gravel 
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fatjames
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ChrisC
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Kradmelder
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Kradmelder
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| ChrisC |
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ChrisC
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| Posted: 14:59 - 13 Aug 2012 Post subject: |
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| Kradmelder wrote: |
At a standstill or very low speed?
Most falls off road are topples, like losing your nerve and not accelerating up a bad batch, grinding to a halt and toppling etc.
You dont often get hurt in these unless bike falls badly on you. Unlike road riding, impact with cages is not your biggest threat. One of the most important pieces of gear is boots. Road boots just just dont have the protection and your foot being caught by the bike, a rock, or whatever is a big concern.
So have you crossed over to off-road ? |
All at low speed, or stationary. Trying to balance the bike during a slow turn, getting target fixation when trying to avoid large rocks, or stopping and loosing my footing. A couple of times getting off the f'king thing. Caught the back end with my leg and pulled the bike over. It was my first time off roading, and I'll be the first to admit, I was really crap at it! But, I absolutely loved every minute of it, and can't wait to go back. I've got a lot to learn, and it's going to be fun!
Luckily, I'm able to laugh about it now, and made this little vid to remind myself how much I have to improve ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihVWB5pcEQ8&list=UURVjp_o_W3RnT07UVTBpEQA&index=1&feature=plcp
Chris
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Kradmelder
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| Posted: 15:07 - 13 Aug 2012 Post subject: |
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| ChrisC wrote: | | Kradmelder wrote: |
At a standstill or very low speed?
Most falls off road are topples, like losing your nerve and not accelerating up a bad batch, grinding to a halt and toppling etc.
You dont often get hurt in these unless bike falls badly on you. Unlike road riding, impact with cages is not your biggest threat. One of the most important pieces of gear is boots. Road boots just just dont have the protection and your foot being caught by the bike, a rock, or whatever is a big concern.
So have you crossed over to off-road ? |
All at low speed, or stationary. Trying to balance the bike during a slow turn, getting target fixation when trying to avoid large rocks, or stopping and loosing my footing. A couple of times getting off the f'king thing. Caught the back end with my leg and pulled the bike over. It was my first time off roading, and I'll be the first to admit, I was really crap at it! But, I absolutely loved every minute of it, and can't wait to go back. I've got a lot to learn, and it's going to be fun!
Luckily, I'm able to laugh about it now, and made this little vid to remind myself how much I have to improve ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihVWB5pcEQ8&list=UURVjp_o_W3RnT07UVTBpEQA&index=1&feature=plcp
Chris |
You made that mistake I mentioned of not having the momentum to get over a slope. Once you stop, you topple.
It also looks like you tried to stop with the front wheel not straight. Very bad with a 21 inch front!
Are you too short for the bike?
Are the other vids worth watching, or just the short clip you linked
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ChrisC
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| Posted: 15:25 - 13 Aug 2012 Post subject: |
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| Kradmelder wrote: |
You made that mistake I mentioned of not having the momentum to get over a slope. Once you stop, you topple.
It also looks like you tried to stop with the front wheel not straight. Very bad with a 21 inch front!
Are you too short for the bike?
Are the other vids worth watching, or just the short clip you linked |
Yeah, the idea of that exercise was to stop at the top of the hill and try to balance the bike for a second before moving off. It was my first attempt and I tried to stop too early and messed it right up.
I'm only 5'8" and I did find the F800GS to be a tall bike, but the instructors did keep saying that size isn't an issue once you get the technique right. One of the instructors was only about 5'5" and was riding a 1200GSA, and he couldn't half rag that thing around!
I did take a ride on the 1200GS later on on the second day and much preferred it to the 800.
All in all, it was a great experience and I can't wait to have another go. And the guys that I was with were fantastic, and everyone came off at some point.
The other vids include two 10 min vids of day 1 and day 2. It was a birthday pressie (I only found out about it the week before), so I wanted something to remember the weekend (as well as the bruises, and a cracked rib!).
And yes, I'm converted. Off road is tons of fun!
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Kradmelder
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Posted: 16:14 - 13 Aug 2012  Post subject: |
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| ChrisC wrote: | | Kradmelder wrote: |
You made that mistake I mentioned of not having the momentum to get over a slope. Once you stop, you topple.
It also looks like you tried to stop with the front wheel not straight. Very bad with a 21 inch front!
Are you too short for the bike?
Are the other vids worth watching, or just the short clip you linked |
Yeah, the idea of that exercise was to stop at the top of the hill and try to balance the bike for a second before moving off. It was my first attempt and I tried to stop too early and messed it right up.
I'm only 5'8" and I did find the F800GS to be a tall bike, but the instructors did keep saying that size isn't an issue once you get the technique right. One of the instructors was only about 5'5" and was riding a 1200GSA, and he couldn't half rag that thing around!
I did take a ride on the 1200GS later on on the second day and much preferred it to the 800.
All in all, it was a great experience and I can't wait to have another go. And the guys that I was with were fantastic, and everyone came off at some point.
The other vids include two 10 min vids of day 1 and day 2. It was a birthday pressie (I only found out about it the week before), so I wanted something to remember the weekend (as well as the bruises, and a cracked rib!).
And yes, I'm converted. Off road is tons of fun! |
Ja size doesnt matter for riding, until you come to a stop and footing is bad!! I bend my knees a bit on the 1200 
The 800 I dont like. The front end is way to soft and you always feel like you are about to go over the bars. It is also too nippy at a start whereas the 1200 is torquey.
The 1200 is fine, but my KTM is even better especially on sand. But it is taller than the 800. The 1200 does all the normal off road stuff, like yoiu did, but is a real bitch in sand. The 21 inch front wheel of the KTM and 800 do better.
Off road, it is not if you come off, but when. I figure if I fall once a year, Im doing well and I do 40 000 km a year on bikes.
Dont worry about getting to grips with off road. You sports bikers will kick my arse on twisties as I dont lean: i push down on the peg opposite to the bend . Depends on the riding you are used to.
If you love riding, like for the ride, not a social thing, you will love off road due to all the technicalities and constant focus on road conditions. Off road is anti-social though as groups = dust and having to watch for other bikes, not just the road. It is also far less pillion friendly. You can take a pillion, but only on easier roads, and are limited since you cant easily stand on rougher bits, and the risk of falling. Also a pillion puts your weight on the back wheel, whereas off road techniues put weight on the front wheel.
I have tons of off road pics, and posted some in the show and tell section, but I have no helmet cam.
Enjoy boeta, and hope the second time off road goes better!
I will watch your vids
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 12 years, 361 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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