Rider training for BMW.

[2bjr]

#1861

😀  Well let us see how this one going to go. 😕

[2bjr]

#6606

I should rather ask if anybody can read. 👿

[David Yeo]

#6607

Hi saw this topic and wondered how many of you had off road training and if there are any guys who had training can some one tell me where to go exept to Auz ? I did a Intermediate BMW Off-Road Riding Course (won't say 🙄 ) in South Africa four years ago. Without training I lost my touch and whant to do the course again. I see courses advertised in Auz but not here in New Zealand Why? Is BMW Off-Road Adventure riding not big enough here in NZ. These Trainers in SA are trained at BMW Motorrad Rider Acacemy. Is there not enough interes among us that will trigger BMW New Zealand to get trainers trained here so that we can host our own training here in NZ on the North and South Islands on a quarterly  bases ? I hope you guys and girls aren't content  with your riding skills because I feel one can always learn some thing new at these courses. Especially things about your own bike and ability. Those of you who are interested lets see the hands. 🙂 Maybe we can start something on our own, some informal sessions some ware. Someone have a farm or know of one with available space?Cheers Hentie.PS. My hand is up.

[Clive Lawrence]

#6608

I'm all up for more training.. Like most of us, we have got a few k's under our belts and are comfortable with where we are at.  We can always be better and safer. Both on and off the road.I'm sure my other half would agree, the better I am the safer she is on the back looking at passing objects.Enjoy the ride.Dave 

[Anonymous]

#6609

BMW bikes are to big to start to learn how to ride off road on. A 250 trail bike is the only way to start with.I have had a load of fun on the big BMW bikes and have had no big off's on these heavy bikes due to a lot of luck and experience was on my side due to the many years of riding trail bikes.

[Anonymous]

#6610

I am keen but why do we have to limit to BMW trained teachers.  There must be someone around with sufficent experience to put something together.  I am in discussion with Ross Williams to see if we can do something based in the South Island. Will keep you posted.

[Dave Ross]

#6611

Colin Cooper did a good job with rider training during the Kaipara 200 event. Like Dean has mentioned, our bikes can be ridden off-road, but there are better options. If you do a training session, but don't follow it up with regular off-road riding you will not be getting the most out of it.In reality most of our riding will be on gravel roads or good tracks. It doesn't take long to get a bit of confidence and improve one's skills. After a few pointers you learn by doing, riding as often as possible. I fully realize that I have started off-road riding too late in life. I will never be able to wheelie and jump around on an off-road bike, like a talented 10 year old. However, I can keep a reasonable pace on a gravel road, while enjoying the scenery. Occasionally I get to scare myself on events like the CCA or on an easy Sunday morning ride across the Old Man Range.  It's all good fun.Alex

[Russell Taylor]

#6612

I've had quite a bit of training from the employer I work for. They have to provide it under the OSH stuff.It is awesome to learn that it is harder to go slow than fast. Close cone work is extremely tiring, especially after several days of it. It;s not just throwing an 1150RT around, it's the high level of concentration.What it does do is sit you back and realize how little you actually knew.I'd recommend anyone get whatever training they can, even if only to get a handle of their level of ability. Ka kite 😀

[Dave Ross]

#6613

I've heard about the cone exercises you guys do and apparently it's not all that slow either :-).The rest of us do not usually have the luxury of several day's training. Bronz provides a good training session out at Whenuapai. I've done it three times now. A lot of it is having a space to practice, now that shopping centres are open all weekend, it's hard to find an area to practice on. I've got a school car park in our street. I sometimes practice lock to lock turns there. Riding slow  is does require a lot of skill and being able to do a quick turn comes in handy quite often. I guess most people here seem to be interested in such things as water crossings, riding on loose surfaces, going up and down steep banks etc. I know we have some very capable riders in the register, it's just a question of whether they are interested and/or have the time for such a training session.

[Russell Taylor]

#6614

Some of our stuff is high speed, but that stuff is easy.I feel lucky to have the training I get, even though I fail an exercise now and again. We do a thing called a 180 degree decel, and that's the sort of this that sorts the men out from the boys. The other thing that is a monster is a clover leaf intersection exercise. It feels like an aerobic workout by the finish !!Remember that low speed training is very hard on brakes and clutches, especially given the weight of the 1150. We recently did a session in Christchurch (at Wigram AFB) on our 1200RTs, and found the clutch just as delicate as the 1150.My advice to anyone is to find a remote sealed area, and practice low speed, full lock u-turns. You can get around in under 5.5 metres, that's the standard. It means trailing the rear brake and feathering the clutch, but is a basic exercise you can learn a lot from. After you master that, do a figure 8 with a full lock left circle followed by a full lock right circle. Just another basic, high value exercise.Any of these things can be done in a remote sealed area with a couple of cones. I have had a go on my F800ST, and it's easy. Doing it on one of the big tourers is a work of art.For that reason I wish the factory would make an F800ST-P, it would make a great tool for city use.Great to hear that someone is thinking about training,most people just think they know it all.

[Russell Taylor]

#6615

As a P.S. I can add that we do some off road stuff on Honda 200s. The things you learn go straight back onto the road. Applying good off-road techniques to the road would make us all safer.

[Anonymous]

#6616

Some of our stuff is high speed, but that stuff is easy.I feel lucky to have the training I get, even though I fail an exercise now and again. We do a thing called a 180 degree decel, and that's the sort of this that sorts the men out from the boys. The other thing that is a monster is a clover leaf intersection exercise. It feels like an aerobic workout by the finish !!Remember that low speed training is very hard on brakes and clutches, especially given the weight of the 1150. We recently did a session in Christchurch (at Wigram AFB) on our 1200RTs, and found the clutch just as delicate as the 1150.My advice to anyone is to find a remote sealed area, and practice low speed, full lock u-turns. You can get around in under 5.5 metres, that's the standard. It means trailing the rear brake and feathering the clutch, but is a basic exercise you can learn a lot from. After you master that, do a figure 8 with a full lock left circle followed by a full lock right circle. Just another basic, high value exercise.Any of these things can be done in a remote sealed area with a couple of cones. I have had a go on my F800ST, and it's easy. Doing it on one of the big tourers is a work of art.For that reason I wish the factory would make an F800ST-P, it would make a great tool for city use.Great to hear that someone is thinking about training,most people just think they know it all.

The RT your tax collection office buys has the wrong gear box they should have the low gearing the 1200 adventure has. I can ride at 10kph with no clutch and be in 6th gear at 70kph. The tax collection office should buy the 1200 adventure P_version.

[Anonymous]

#6617

I am keen but why do we have to limit to BMW trained teachers.  There must be someone around with sufficent experience to put something together.  I am in discussion with Ross Williams to see if we can do something based in the South Island. Will keep you posted.

We are talking off road riding on big bike. There are not many who have experience riding these bikes off road. If you are just talking gravel roads then that's easy to teach how to ride gravel. BMW's are built for this stuff. There is also no tax collectors on gravel roads 😀

[Dave Ross]

#6618

You should become a diplomat, you have a way with words  :roll:.

[Russell Taylor]

#6619

Please leave the revenue collecting issue alone.

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