Yamaha off road experience (long)

Discussion in 'UK Motorcycles' started by Andy Bonwick, Sep 4, 2010.

  1. Andy Bonwick

    Andy Bonwick Guest

    That was an absolute riot and I'd strongly recommend everyone has a go
    at this at some time in their life.

    Four of us had decided to go after Burnt did a day earlier in the year
    and loved it so Thursday evening saw myself, Champ and Ogden drink too
    much beer and eat too much curry for our own good and retire to bed
    sometime after midnight pretty well pissed.

    Burnt arrived soon after 9am on the Friday morning and we all headed
    off to the farm to get kitted up and decide which of the shiny blue
    Yamahas we wanted to torment/crash for the day. The organisers give a
    pretty thorough briefing then explain the merits of each bike so you
    can have a good guess at which one will suit you best.

    We headed off up a hill on a track that soon became covered in really
    horrible looking loose shale that didn't inspire any confidence at all
    but wasn't actually as bad as it looked then pulled off to roar around
    a fairly basic circuit involving the original track and a decent sized
    chunk of field. That was fun because if you're like me and have never
    thrashed the **** out of a bike on wet grass it soon becomes apparent
    how much grip you can actually get on that stuff.

    After a few circuits we were all pulled over for one of the
    instructors to demonstrate how much easier it is to ride if you're
    stood up on the pegs and then we did a few laps of a slightly longer
    circuit that was basically more of the same but with some bigger bumps
    involved.

    A quick ride around a few tracks with different surfaces and gradients
    then took us to the 'practice track' where they'd built a few berms
    and banked corners with differing surfaces and we were let loose for
    about 10 minutes. We were then shown how to actually corner properly
    and sent out for another practice where the instructors had a word
    with everyone and gave them a few tips. Much improvement all of a
    sudden...

    We were then given the opportunity to split into two groups with one
    doing more technical stuff and the lightweights going out on easier
    tracks at a slower speed. Ogden & I went for the lightweight group
    with Champ & Burnt preferring to play with the big boys.

    It didn't take me too long to realise that some of the slow group were
    very slow and I promptly threw my bike into the weeds when the guy in
    front slowed down more than I'd expected and I had the option of
    smashing into him or getting off. No harm done to me, bent front brake
    lever on the WR250.

    Lunch saw a couple of sandwiches thrown down and a new front brake
    lever fitted to the bike then off we went again.

    Ogden and I stayed with the slow group after lunch (I wanted to ride
    on the fire breaks and get used to riding on shale & gravel rather
    than play in deep mud) so we split again and set off for a longer
    session in the forests with the pair of us making sure we were at the
    front of the group. It didn't take long for the first incident which
    was Ogden falling off right in front of me on a heavily rutted track.
    I laughed like ****, rode around him then got about 100 yards before I
    was into the bushes for another lie down. I'd just about got the bike
    up when the **** went past laughing.

    It didn't seem more than 5 minutes before Ogden went for the big one
    and threw the bike up a 2' high bank leaving it facing the wrong
    direction and fairly well wedged in the weeds. It actually took 3 of
    us to haul it back down to a position where riding could commence
    again and off we went.

    more fire tracks and occasional rides up narrow trails took us to the
    best bit of the day which involved a muddy, bumpy loop through the
    forest that had pretty much something of everything on it. We did a
    couple of laps then waited for the other group to turn up. After what
    seemed an eternity they appeared and we sat there discussing how
    entertaining the afternoon had been before being told that the fast
    group were going off to do some laps and we could follow but they were
    going in front so we didn't get in the way!

    Cheeky ****. I was off as soon as they were and promptly spent two
    laps demonstrating to the ones in front that they weren't actually any
    faster than me and generally terrorising the moving road block
    directly in front.

    The ride back to the farm saw me having a close look at the scenery
    again after a large rock launched me up a bank but all I did was
    gently lay the bike on its side, pick it up and **** off again.

    Friday evening saw Champ heading off for some unspecified reason (ha!)
    and three of us drinking beer and upsetting the waiters in the Indian
    restaurant for the second night running. We also received a visit from
    Borg who exchanged beer vouchers for a Sidewinder that had been
    cluttering up our shed but he declined the offer of beer due to
    unfriendly plod where he lives.

    Would I do it again? Too right, it was great fun and I certainly
    learnt a lot more about how shit I am off road.

    Would I change groups? Probably but I did want to ride on the shale
    this time and I probably gained more for choosing that option.

    Do I ache this morning? **** yes, my legs feel as if they're gradually
    seizing up but that was expected.

    I'll be going back for more of the same because at £190 it's pretty
    good value considering you get the bike, the riding kit, some very
    good tuition and probably about 5 hours of riding bikes. They don't
    even complain when you break the bike and they have to fix it for you.
     
    Andy Bonwick, Sep 4, 2010
    #1
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  2. Andy Bonwick

    ogden Guest

    Amen to that.
    Possibly the most valuable bit of the whole day. It was hilarious the
    way they just let us loose on the track with no idea what we were doing.
    Every time I got to the big flat sweeper at the back I bricked it and
    wobbled my way round. That nasty rutted bastard of a corner near the end
    was evil too.

    Then we had the five minute lesson and ten minutes of doing figure-of-
    eights on the gravel and it was a whole other story. Bike cranked over,
    back end spinning up and showering gravel, second time out on the track
    was a revelation. With the exception of that nasty rutted bastard, even
    the instructor said that bit was horrible.

    I realised with hindsight I should've been sitting down with my feet out
    to catch it when it went over, rather than standing up on the pegs ready
    to somersault my way clear. Riding away from that, I felt my confidence
    dent a bit. And then I saw you do exactly the same thing right in front
    of me, and a glance behind showed someone else a bit further back doing
    it as well. Confidence restored, I was back to being invincible...

    I'm sure that was down to me not having enough weight on the front. It
    hit a bump, bounced, landed, rebounded and went showjumping while I
    tumbled backwards and gave my knee a lovely twist.

    Best crash I saw all day. Proud to have been a part of it. And those
    Renthal unbreakable levers definitely seem to work.

    It was streets ahead of the day I did in Fuerteventura last year, where
    I basically turned up, got into the kit and went to play without a word
    of advice. There was a real emphasis on teaching you how to do it on the
    Yamaha day, and the lessons worked.

    Well, mostly worked. I crashed twice (and had one very near miss where I
    managed to ride up another two foot bank and narrowly avoid a tree) and
    did my knee a mischief. I saw you come off at least three times in front
    of me, and I was informed Champ fell off a couple of times. Still, as
    they say, if you're not crashing, you're not trying.

    It wasn't all shale though - that rutted track where we all fell off was
    a bit tricky, and the loop at the end was nuts. Mud, puddles, ruts,
    jumps, rocks, roots, the whole shebang.

    I got a bit of a shock when I took the knee support off this morning and
    tried to walk to the shower. Getting in and out of the car was awkward
    but I'm meant to be going for a ride tomorrow so I'll have to see which
    of the bikes I can fit on.

    Other than the knee and my shoulders aching a bit, I'd happily have gone
    back to do it again today.

    I think my total bill including food, drink, accommodation and petrol
    was about 450 quid. Still worth every penny.
     
    ogden, Sep 4, 2010
    #2
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  3. Andy Bonwick

    Andy Bonwick Guest

    Hmm, £190 for the bike, £70 for the hotel, probably about another £80
    for 'sundries' and that's it. Obviously not paying for fuel makes a
    big difference to the cost.

    I'm rather tempted to buy an OS map of the area and try and work out
    where exactly we went and whether piracy is an option.
     
    Andy Bonwick, Sep 4, 2010
    #3
  4. That sounds rather good VFM. I'd be up for that.
     
    The Older Gentleman, Sep 4, 2010
    #4
  5. Andy Bonwick

    Andy Bonwick Guest


    I'll not be going until next year because it's getting late in the
    year for the normal day and they run proper race schools in the winter
    months.
     
    Andy Bonwick, Sep 4, 2010
    #5
  6. Andy Bonwick

    boxerboy Guest

    Its on my to do list and is getting near the top. If we had a big
    group do you think they would be flexible on price?

    Boxerboy
     
    boxerboy, Sep 4, 2010
    #6
  7. Andy Bonwick

    ogden Guest

    They only accommodate 12 per day. How big a group were you thinking
    of?
     
    ogden, Sep 4, 2010
    #7
  8. Andy Bonwick

    cat Guest

    Possibly a silly question: do you need a licence to do this? Do you need
    to use tarmac to reach the bumpy bits?
    I'm forgetting what a gear change feels like, besides which I've been
    fascinated by offroading since I was a child.
     
    cat, Sep 4, 2010
    #8
  9. Andy Bonwick

    ogden Guest

    No and no. Ideally you already know how to ride a bike with gears but
    they can accommodate total beginners with enough notice.

    No licence is required and the whole day takes place off road. The
    only bit of tarmac used all day is the farmyard.
     
    ogden, Sep 4, 2010
    #9
  10. Andy Bonwick

    cat Guest

    "YAY!"
     
    cat, Sep 4, 2010
    #10
  11. Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, cat
    Yebbut, it's in the arse end of nowhere so you'd need someone to take
    you there, and bring you back. With an overnight stay in between.

    I can't imagine that there'd be many around here keen to offer to do
    that.

    <wanders off, whistling innocently>
     
    Wicked Uncle Nigel, Sep 4, 2010
    #11
  12. Andy Bonwick

    ogden Guest

    TTR230. Half the power of the 250R, a third of the power of the 250F.
    Great for 12 year olds and women but god knows why one of the chaps on
    Friday took one out.

    To put it in context, the 250R makes the same power as a DR-Z400 and
    weighs the thick end of 140kg, the 250F makes about a third as much
    again and weighs 25kg less. An astonishing bit of kit.

    The weekly oil changes sound a bit of a pisser though. And as for tank
    range... 8 litres! No wonder they had to refuel them at lunchtime!
     
    ogden, Sep 4, 2010
    #12
  13. Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ
    You seriously think any of them will live longer than a week?
     
    Wicked Uncle Nigel, Sep 5, 2010
    #13
  14. Andy Bonwick

    wessie Guest

    according to this http://loston.com/site/?p=1184 the service interval is
    4000km for the WR250R. Yamaha market as a pukka dual purpose bike suitable
    for commuting.
     
    wessie, Sep 5, 2010
    #14
  15. Andy Bonwick

    ogden Guest

    Bit wanky compared to the F though.
     
    ogden, Sep 5, 2010
    #15
  16. Also, in my experience they don't have problems filling the groups so
    little incentive for them to be flexible.
     
    stephen.packer, Sep 5, 2010
    #16
  17. Andy Bonwick

    Andy Bonwick Guest

    Once the four of us had booked I posted about it on here and nobody
    bothered so why would it be any different next time?

    Anyone who really wants to go will sort it out for themself if they've
    got any sense because I'll not post anything until we're all booked up
    and by that point there might only be a couple of places left.
     
    Andy Bonwick, Sep 5, 2010
    #17
  18. Andy Bonwick

    Andy Bonwick Guest

    I don't know why you say 'unfortunately' because it'll be fun.
     
    Andy Bonwick, Sep 5, 2010
    #18
  19. Andy Bonwick

    Andy Bonwick Guest

    Apparently normal practice is airfilter changed every day then oil &
    oil filter every other day. I'll not be using expensive oil if I'm
    changing it that often but at least they'll not be too worried about
    the environment so just crack the sump plug and run it out onto the
    sand. 5 minutes and the job's done.
     
    Andy Bonwick, Sep 5, 2010
    #19
  20. Andy Bonwick

    Ace Guest

    The most astonishing thing about this whole idea is that your childish
    attempts to persuade people to partake in this lunacy by goading them
    and calling them wusses if they don't back down seem to be succeeding.
    Clearly a dose of common sense is needed, and sadly lacking amongst
    certain people.

    Remember, promises made on the rebound don't count.
     
    Ace, Sep 5, 2010
    #20
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