Off-Road experience

[zakkwylde]

Hi All

Was just wondering how much off-road experience everyone has before they set off on a big trip?

Do you do a lot of green-laning or go on off-road training days before starting these big trips?

[dave ett]

Before my trip to Morocco last year, I rode along the Ridgeway... once. Fell off a couple of times and nothing got bent so figured I was good to go!

[travelHK]

experience is always a plus but if you are smart enough to take your time and not overload your vehicule you can go pretty much every where, I myself didn't much experience before i went across africa and still made it OK , if possible use the right tires for the job ( help alot )

[PocketHead]

Find a quarry and ride in it. Practice hill climbs etc, you don't need to race but knowing how to go over obstacles helps. It's not uncommon to come across a blocked road or have to cross through a shallow river without your feet getting wet.

In regards to tyres I find the Pirelli Rallycross fantastic for both on-road and off-road.

[TravellingStrom]

Learn to lower the front tyre to around 20psi when riding dirt, this gives better control. Tale a small compressor(Slime) and a pressure gauge, practice using it to inflate and deflate your tyres.

Drop the back tyre 10psi lower than you have it for on road

You don't need experience like a motocrosser, but any type of dirt riding where you are now with freinds and family around is certainly going to help in the long run. At least you will have some idea of what the bike can do when it is on loose gravel. Ride slow and don't get overconfident, it will be your downfall.

Cheers
TS

[spooky]

yes.. to learn and training to rid some gravel road and soft wooded lanes is contrast gives you the confidence you need... I think most important is... get use to ride and control your bike standing on the foot pegs... to steer the bike with your knees taking the strain of your wrists, doing all the hard work and balance with your hip instead, gear down the sprockets a bit so you can ride slower without to stale the engine every time, toque is more important than speed you want grunt.
most standard sprocket gearing stetup for bikes are for fast lanes and is way to high for cross country needs. a good compromise is 16/45 all steel sprockets for a 600cc type bike, good for average travelling and ok for riding most unpaved lanes. additional I carry a 15-front sprocket to swoop just in case the 16 is to fast.

yes.. go having fun on small unpaved lanes on weekends to get use to your bikes behaver and you will be ok if fully loaded up.

may take a few weeks journey to Scandinavia first before hitting the harder stuff across else where, lots of long unpaved gravel roads all over the place, soft and slipy if wet, hard and dusty as concrete if dry.

don't worry, take your time and you gona be fin...