Brilliant advice Adam. I did the exact same thing when you deliberately dropped yours in Thailand. i was flying down a footpath at the side of Burry Port harbour doing 50mph with a sharp turn coming up to cross a footbridge. I suddenly realized I had no brakes so I steered onto the grass and dropped it down digging in the footpegs and the handlebars while bouncing sideways towards the edge of the harbour and a 25 foot drop. I stopped with 5 yards to go. Got my brakes fixed very quickly after that one. I was 18, nearly 60 now. I love your videos, stay safe and keep them coming please
Instincts mate. What you can't see in the video is that those CRF300L's (as fun as they are) were pretty heavy with very spongy brakes. No way I was turning inside that tractor blade.
One dark winters night I had to lay my Aprilia Pegaso down to slide underneath a truck trailer unit jack knifed across the road. Couldn't see it until I was close enough for the candle on the front of the bike to show me the trailer rails. Not a lot of thinking done to be fair, probably only got as far as FU, slide.
100% nailed it. Never have been a great dirt bike rider but the learned instincts have served me well on the ADV bikes. Still not fast, but muscle memory kicks in when needed.
Adam, I don’t know if you remember a quote you made a long time ago on one of your early videos, but I do, I copied it onto my Finke jersey… I thought it was 100% accurate at the time I first heard it and I thought it was relevant here too… you said “THERE IS NO ROOM FOR CONSCIOUS THOUGHT … ONLY IMPULSE REACTIONS BETWEEN MUSCLE AND STEEL! Absolutely brilliant description of what riding fast is. Thank you.
I 100% agree with this. I have ridden road bikes since I was 16. I'm now 54. I consider myself a competent rider with bags of experience. Last year, I did what thousands of other riders are starting to do and converted to adventure. I was (and still am) like a fish out of water. I've had training and been on countless rides, but it still feels alien to me and not natural. I said right from the beginning of my adv journey, that to come from an off road background has massive advantages. I wish I had, but it was just the circle of mates I had when I was younger that determined my road path. I love every minute of my adv riding, but it is a very steep learning curve.
I agree with Adam 100% and in hindsight I should have bought a dirt bike first to learn those basic skills. I thought I was too old to start on dirt bikes and wanted to enjoy adventure riding from day one only to find that it was harder than I thought. I am in exactly the same situation, been riding road bikes my whole life and got attracted to adventure bikes later in my 50s. I too have attended number of trainings which helped but will never replace dirt bike experience. Although I would love to have a dirt bike but I do not have the time to ride both. All I can say is investing time in practice especially slow speed obstacle course is well worth it. I wish there were more options for those of us that come from the road background to learn and build fundamental offroad skills.
This is the reason I bought a CRF300 Rally as my first adventure bike. It is an adventure bike AND a dirt bike in 1. I am treating that sucker like my KTM 450 exc I had 7 years ago. Most fun I ever had on a bike and it only has 26hp, weights 140kg and has a 400km fuel range with just a 12.8 liter tank
Downhill mountain biking helps a ton too. Picking the line, body positioning, all that stuff carries over a lot. And my weaknesses on the mtn bike became my weaknesses on the ADV and dirt bikes, like cornering in loose gravel.
On the MTB if you're doing a right hand corner keep your left pedal down, pushes the tyres into the ground for grip....if your right pedal down you'll slide
This is really good advice. If you don't go crazy with mods you'll get most your money back after you sell your offroad bike but you'll get to keep all the skills.
"When riding the bike becomes the least of your worries you can open you mind up to all kinds of experiences" How perfect is that statement. You've nailed explaining motorcycle riding in one sentence.
No truer words have been spoken!! The muscle memory I've acquired riding offroad have rewarded me even when riding on asphalt! Reactions that don't require a thought to make a decision have helped me stay upright through the years, with a few scenarios that could've been catastrophic!
Thanks! You are the best mentor I could dream of. I bought a cheap chinese new rxb250 just 3 weeks ago to do what you just said in the video... To develop the off-road skills I need for the T7. I am super happy to know that The Master agrees with me! There is also a fuel bladder in transit from Adventure Moto Australia to New Mexico. I told them..."If Adam uses it, it must be good".
You are so right about this. I started on a dirt bike many years ago and easily transitioned to a adv bike 4 years ago. My instinct and memory muscle easily converted over.
Totally agree. Trail biking through my childhood and tennage years left me yeaars ahead in road handling skills when I started riding road bikes. The trail bike skills got used again when I got into mountain bike racing. Then I bought an adventure bike, but knowing something about riding in the dirt I bought a small 390 adv to get a light bike. Last year I started riding in the bush with local mates and after plugging the 390 through the bush I went out and bought a ktm450 - right tool for the job - and you are right - it will greatly advance my ADV skills, which is definitely something I'm still doing.
Very helpful video and so true! It took me 2 years to realize I wasn’t learning anything off-road on my big Ducati, as I have no dirt bike background. Got my self a cheap 250cc dirt bike hopng to learn transferrable skills without breaking expensive spare parts. I wish more people would tell the ‘hard truth’ of learning ADV skills. Hat off 👍
You ain’t lying buddy! Sooooo glad I did the dirt bike/woods riding a few years before getting my ADV bike. Thanks for what ya do Adam! Hope you and the family has a great Christmas and have a happy new year! 🙏🏽🏍️💨
Bang on the money, I also believe that anyone who rides on the tarmac would also benefit from riding a smaller bike offroad, when a sudden change in road surface could catch you out, the instinct reactions that come from offroad riding can make the difference between going down and staying upright. I've had times when things have gone wrong and thought "how the hell did I save that", I didn't even think about what I was doing, it was just reactionary.
As a 40 year trail/enduro rider I find it astonishing really that any offroad newbie would start off with a 200kg+ behemoth. At 50 years of age I'm just starting to get interested in the ADV scene and I'm looking at a 690/700/701 as my next purchase because I want to be able to take it pretty much anywhere without fear of dropping it and potentially having issues getting it upright again.
Same here. I can't afford 2 bikes. And there's just not enough space where I live to ride a small dirt bike. Very restricted. I need to do highway miles before I can go off road. That's why I opted for the 690 with a rally kit. It takes me everywhere without a problem and it's 50 kg lighter than a T7 or similar.
701 is a fantastic bike and I'm a strong middle aged bloke. But picking even a 701 up in less than ideal circumstances is hard going. I deadlift 200kg for 5x5 a couple of times a week. My 701 with all of its kit weighs 165kg. I've picked it up on nasty cambers on isolated trails, in 40 degrees Celsius and I'm shagged out on pick up #4. Maybe I shouldn't drop it so much. I've opted for the 501. 120kg. I can pick that svelte girl up all day, and she doesn't get bent out of shape as dramatically as the 701 in my less than expert hands.
@@TheIdlesurfer That's good info thanks. I'm a strong middle age bloke too but not to your level by the sounds of it. I've got a Beta 300 for the technical stuff, a Beta 480 for a bit of everything, and a 690/700/701 will be for ADV work. I don't plan on taking it anywhere too gnarly, I have the other bikes for that. But it'll be nice to know that I don't need to fear exploring the unknown particularly as someone who rides solo quite a bit.
@@Karel.C I strongly considered a T7 but given that I like to ride solo quite a lot I decided it's not for me. I'm fortunate I live very close to good riding suitable for smaller bikes so I have a 2t 300 and a 480 too. Spoiled I am 😁
@@bushybill7189 mate, you've got a cracking garage. You'll pick the right bike for whatever you're doing. The 701 has a bit of a vicious headstock angle. The SM sells a lot better than the enduro so the frame is a Supermoto. I've got a steering damper on my 701, which helps. I've also found a bigger rear sprocket helps as the engine braking doesn't kick in until about 20 kph on standard gearing. I had a Rekluse but bloody hell, that tightened up my butt on snotty downhills as my bike ran away at 40 kph. But it is a brilliant dual sport. Not perfect but pretty close.
Funnily enough I did exactly that and bought a dirt bike 3 years ago before I was planning on getting an adventure bike. (Despite having 20c years on road bikes) But because of exactly what Adam was talking about I am now. Looking at a trials bike to get better progression skills for my dirt bike 😂 Motorbikes they have just been sucking me and my money for 30 years and still loving it.
WOW. I wish I'd seen this a year ago! Still helpful regardless. I started with big Indian cruisers and touring bikes then gave it all up for adventure riding. So I bought a Tenere World Raid. Amazing bike especially for touring. But with no off road experience, I quickly learned that I needed something smaller to hone my off road skills. So then I went to Tunisia to ride off road and in the sand dunes of the Sahara desert. We rented KTM 350 EXC-F ENDURO bikes for the 5 intense days. Wow. What a learning experience. That solidified my realization that I needed something smaller than the World Raid. So when I got back to Portugal, I bought myself a used 350 EXC-F and it's been absolutely EPIC! Thanks for the great video.
You are exactly right! I went down this road, just like I see so many others doing. Even when they are told so by an experienced rider whose been riding for decades.
A lot of that dirt bike instinct comes in handy on the road as well, even more so when traction becomes an issue. Rain, sudden bit of oil, leaves, etc. Knowing what it feels like to tuck the front or slide the rear, and having that muscle memory of recovering from it has saved me multiple times. Good stuff!
60 year old who grew up in the dirt. I've got a fully modded CRF300L to do most tasks. It will stay in my quiver till I can't ride anymore. Thanks for your dry humor and frank truths. You are a .... legend.
You are completely right!! I am right now in north Thailand and doing the same as you did but not in the same area. And what I know now is that you are completely right, you have to practice on a smaller bike first to be able to concur a big bike and have fun. Thailand riding is fantastic!
Perspective - it's what is needed for ADV riders, and you delivered it in spades, Adam! The fall to save yourself from taking yourself out on the tractor, is what we used to train playing ice hockey - the how to fall, how to take a hit, what to look for, keeping your head on a swivel, putting your body in the right position, and embedding that into muscle memory - the same applies to any sport on the more extreme side of the ledger!
Adam you are a huge inspiration for all of us!! You inspired me to get a T7 and just send it. i come from a enduro background so totally understand what you saying. actually been a off road rider made me a overall better rider, not only on ADV bikes but also on my street/cruiser bikes. You are the master and we all look up to you, thank you!!!
Been riding 3 years no dirt bike background , not interested in street bikes just off road adv riding. Had a convo with you about this at an event in ‘23…took your advice & borrowed a mates KTM 350 exc f - best decision. And now wish I’d spent my youth dirt biking because it’s awesome too 👌
Thanks Adam and that makes total sense. I,m not from a dirt bike background but have done lot mountain biking which has helped me on my 890R a bit. Was thinking of taking my ADV on training days but you've persuaded me to use their dirt bikes instead.
Your advice is gold. As a kid, I did some BMX (bicycle dirt riding, light racing). I think every motorcyclist must know how to do a powerslide and ditch the bike as safely as possible, as you did, and as I did when I was a kid on my BMX bike. I've owned a Loncin 250 Adventure in Ecuador for almost 2 1/2 years. I ride the bike regularly for transportation, and also have taken some short adventures traveling on several 5-hour trips over the southern Andes, traveling into the Amazon region, and navigated all the uneven roads, potholes, dirt trails, and mud, and crossing a few shallow rivers, which has been a good "basic" training ground. Ecuador's roads are similar to Thailand's. There's chaos built into every journey even to the store to get dinner 5 minutes away... You never know when a horse, donkey, cattle chicken, is waiting around a blind corner, or a dog is chasing knipping on your leg, trying to bite you! It keeps me on my toes. I upgraded my 250 cc with a racing carburetor, camshaft, and chain, but it's still less than 25 hp and weighs more than a motocross eduro bike. There's a motocross track literally one block away from my home but my bike is too slow to attempt that. I've been telling myself I must get a proper dirt motocross bike to train my skills, neuro-muscular memory, and instincts so when I upgrade, to a heavier more powerful bike, I'll be confident. Dirt is the way to go. It's the same with cars. I used to take my Volkswagen 71 Sunbug into parking lots in the winter in NY and practice doing powerslides, controlled spins, and turning by pulling the emergency brake in the snow and ice. Great emergency training that saved me many times. And, at 15 years old, it was a blast! Thank you, Adam. I love your videos. You rock man!
As a street rider first with 10’s of thousands of miles under my belt, I didn’t ride any off-road until in my 40’s. Maybe not the smartest but started in the Mojave in sand. Two things have stood out for me personally. Wrapping my head around more gas gets me out of trouble….a lot and second is suspension setup makes a world of difference. My little WR250 has made me a much better pavement rider and given skills to reduce worry when pavement ends on a Multistrada. Great video - thanks!!
Iv been preaching this to every rider i know, 90% of youtube adv riders seem to buy the biggest bike and struggle on gravel road, this video could be first 24 seconds, sums up pretty much everything
Great advice. This is why I opted for a little farm bike for my 'adventure' bike. It has been a very long time since I previously rode, either on or off road. Small enough I can pick it up (dropped it on my third ride), can do the open road speed limit, unpowerful enough to keep me out of too much trouble. It can carry enough of a load, me plus 25kg. I'm absolutely loving it.
I have a bmw gs 310 and is my first motorcycl I’ve taken that thing Off Road and I’m learning a lot but with your video it just confirmed to me that I have to buy a dirtbike to learn more 🙏🏽👏🏼
I totally agree. After watching your videos on the 2017 KTM 1090R I bought one for fast pavement and easy off-road trails. But for difficult and technical off-road adventures and training, I ride a 2023 Beta 480 RR enduro.
I’ve recently bought a 21 plate AT more for medical reasons so I can keep on riding a bike,I do want to take off road so I’m selling my busa to get a 250 dirt bike to practice on before I commit to taking the big AT off road,this video just confirms that I was on the right track,cheers for that.
Essential advice. I started on a Suzuki ag bike exploring the bush as soon as I had a licence. Progressed through trail bikes, trials machines and ended up on KTM EXCs. My transition to a BMW GS to tour the country was seamless and reactions instinctive. I can’t imagine going straight to a big adventure bike. The coaching is important too, I did an excellent course to sharpen my road riding skills. Huge fan of all your videos and loving the vibe of the Thailand series.
you motivated me to try and ride offroad and today i just came from a 160km full gravel trip on my 250 chinese dualsport and i reallly had scary momentts thhat taught me a lot! Thanks man! You are a legend!
You're 100% spot on Adam!! Light dirt bikes teach you so much. I've always said, if you wanna ride any motorcycles, start with a dirt bike. As a kid i was lucky enough to grow up in Country Australia and was riding dirt bikes from a young age. As i got older living in the city i only had road bikes, after riding many different road bikes over the years and still owning them, i have an interest in ADV. I thought to myself, I'll get a little dirt bike before i go 'full adv'. Grabbed myself a CRF300L and ive been loving it. Have tweaked the bike to perform better and suit my needs. I've sold some of my road bikes and am looking at getting an ADV this year (2025) hopefully. Still have a Honda Fireblade, of which gives me a few aches and pains as i approach 50 lol... Love the vids mate... keep up the great work and i really enjoy your 'informative' vids of how to ride better, bike maintenance etc etc... Thanks mate 👍
that worked fine for me as well til i reflexively tried to prevent my t7 from lowsiding with my leg just like i would my xc bike, with predictable results 😁
As a past downhill/enduro mtb rider who bough an adv bike as his first motocycle, this couldn't be further from the truth. There is not much technique that transfers between the sports. Body language is different, motorbikes just handle so much different. Throttle and clutch control is super important, you don't even have that on a mtb! I eventually ended up buying a motocross bike, learned to ride a 250f on mx tracks, that helped immensely with my skills. Later learned some enduro technique on the mx-er as well, learning to synchronize body movements with gas and clutch control was a bitch, I'm still not very good at that. The cardio does transfer pretty well, would've never thought that MX can be more exhausting at times than MTB, lol.
I started out riding a dual sport and really took it to its limit, I then progressively got bigger heavier adventure bikes, at first I road them like dirt bikes but overtime my skills got worse, the weight was difficult, worry and fear set in after a few crashes. I’ve since taken an off road class and I learned so much and started to get my confidence back. I’ve also purchased smaller bikes to ride from time to time.
As much. as i agree with your advise, the one thing i am questening is the insane speeds with which you propel yourself on open thai roads,as if you are on a closed circuit. . Your skill helped to safe you and the lesson is not lost on me, keep to your side of the road and drive as if there is a tractor around the next corner. Thanks for the inspiring videos
When riding at the rear of a group, you should be getting a clearer trail as those in front should be warning other traffic there are more bikes coming. It's the reason I will sweep ride with a less experienced group, I shut the gates and catch them before the next gate.
Fully agreed! I started riding in the woods at 13 years old, been on a two stroke most of my life, got my first adv bike at 31 years old and i took to it like a duck to water. Those skills have saved me several times and makes it so much more enjoyable!
Absolutely the best advice for today’s ADV riders, thankfully I cut my teeth in my teens on 2 stroke dirt bikes 💙 By the way, Thailand series is fantastic, so much so many of my UK buddies want to come here and ride with me now. 💙🇹🇭
So true, Adam is top g watching you’re videos is reason I’ve bought a T7 and never ridden a big adventure bike I love it more than my Wr450f. (Yamaha owe this man some shares) Watching from the lovely land of Wa - Perth.
Wise words AR Kind of like Bob and Marg buying a 20 ft off road caravan with no towing or four wheel drive experience. Let’s be honest though, many of these adventure bikes are used to go to coffee shops and never see the dirt.
Started on a 50cc step-through 45 years ago. Followed by TC90, TS250, XT550, KDX250, TY250, KX250, YZ125, CR250, YZ490j, DT250, YZ490S (still have it), TE511, Tenere 660, now a Tenere World Raid. Over the years dirt racing and road trail riding has set me up well for an Adventure bike in my later years.
As a 40-something that just bought a KLR a couple of years ago, I'm very glad I grew up on even an XR100. When I get the big bike into a sticky situation, I definitely remember feeling the same way I did when I was barely tall enough to ride the XR--and I at least keep my head.
Spot on Adam,that's exactly why I bought myself a little XT250,to be able to ride my adventure bike better.However,I have found myself seriously distracted,oh what fun it is.I'm lucky that I live only an hours drive from some lovely State Forests.Having a light dirt bike has enabled me to go riding in the bush where I would not ride my adventure bike,and it is so much fun.Let's face it,the only reason we ride bikes usually,is because it's fun,so up the fun factor with a little dirt bike,250 is plenty.
Absolutely true! I started on a small 100cc enduro bike, can’t count how many times I dropped it. Then 10 yrs of motocross racing took my riding skills to a new level. So when I bought my first adv and went off road all the dirt skills came back into play!
I concur. 67 years old road rider since wedding 43 years ago, no dirtbike opportunity or experience as a kid, and been on 250 dual sports with knobbies for 44 days over last 13 years to learn off road and trail riding. My 1200GS isn't for big gulleys, deep mud etc. but I really enjoy dirt roads even with grass down the middle on the GS now, sometimes two-up.
I wholeheartedly agree. I went from a large ADV bike down to a smaller plated 2005 KTM exc and I'm in love. I should have saved myself a lot of money and just gone straight to the exc.
your dead on. only problem is you educating the adv bike posers makes it harder for me to buy a craigslist world raid with seven hours on the meter. awesome video. dammit.
I've been racing fast bikes most my life in ireland, england, and i considered myself pretty fast i had no issues spinning the rear tyre out of corners those days we didn't have TC and i loved leaving black lines on the tarmac. Skip 15 years and come to australia and got fooled like a lot of people to get the big adventure bike and boy was i in for a shock, i had never been on dirt on a bike in my life and i was absolutely shite couldn't ride around a corner to save my life. i understand everything you say and its 100% correct, i love riding in the dirt now wish i was given a dirt bike when i was a kid.......
Definitely agree with everything said here. For me having come from Enduro and trials it took a long time to recalibrate the weight . Changing lines in ruts for example because of the weight of the adv bike you can’t just flick over big ruts. You’ve got to pick your battles on these bigger machines. Still ride trials now through winter to keep the skill set up, the big one for me is that the answer is not to know where there is grip but more importantly where there isn’t grip and to stay away from those lines .
It helped me a lot that I rode my eMTB off-road at too high a speed. ;) Thank you for your detailed explanations. They are helpful and, above all, true.
Done a few BMW Offroad courses, fun, had a great time, but - this guy's spitting facts. It was painfully obvious that I just didn't have the chops for it, and it was equally obvious that though the bikes were impressive, they were not what pretty much everone bar the instructors would choose to "go off-road".
Outstanding video Adam. You hit it on the head mate, words I have being saying for years. that dirt set of skills has saved me lots of times on the road and dirt. You lonely have to look at any pro rider GP, etc and they all started in the dirt. Ride safe , Cheers
You're so right, I was almost three decades away from riding dirt bikes, last was a 77 DT400 monoshock. Eventually, family & building a business left the bike in the shed until I finally I gave it away (dumb). So a three years back, @ 63yrs, I decided it was time, while I still can, to get back into the bush that I so missed. I researched & a KLX250 was my reentry, reasonable suspension, somewhat sturdy & light. A few months later, wanting a bit more grunt an older KLX300 with pipe came up for a good price. After I got it running well, good power & good fuel economy, it wasn't long before I laid down a grand to have the suspension done by a local specialist. Big improvement, SC seat, IMS tank. So two years on that before I could say I was ready for a bigger, I hate the term, "Adventure" style ride for the long trips. It took me longer than I thought it would to gain the muscle memory back again, the brain knew sort of, but the body had forgotten. Being older, I was also cautious, so it took a while to learn how to fall off again without breaking anything. So I now have my Himmy set up & can load her up to the hilt and ride thousands of Ks (downunder), being safe & having fun. Also have a KLX400r, I like green. Cheers my friend, love your work & have a great New Year 👍
So right, I started on a DR650, stepped up to a Tiger 1200 🤦🏻♂️ lovely bike but too heavy, brought a 300 2 stroke, best decision ever….. Sold tiger, kept the DR and 300 and have now purchased a Husky 501, yes I have 3 bikes, which is a luxury, but each has a job!!!! Getting that 300 has taught me so much!!!!
Haha the amount of dirt I ate when I got my T7 in 2022 as my first bike that I would do offroad with is unreal. Sold it after a year and got a CRF300L. Best decision ever. Merry Christmas everyone and rip to us in the northern hemisphere.
Awesome advice, I have done this after owning a 1200 Tenere! I had an off in sand on the Tenere where I felt I was a passenger! After that off I purchased a DRZ400 to give myself more off road experience and like you say in your video it has given me some skill to manage the Tenere better! Mind you the DRZ gets more outings than the Tenere as it’s making me relive my teenage days! Cheers for the awesome content & Advice Steve🍻
Hi Adam, I agree 100% with you. I used to race RM125 back in 1977 upwards did a lot of trolls riding did a lot of flat track racing with Jawa 500 but I’ve been off motorbikes for a long time now and just riding road bikes at the moment. I’ve lost my right leg above the knee and I’m riding a can am Ryker 900 and having a fair bit of fun on that but it’s nothing like two wheels and I don’t think I could ever do it again. I’m now 65 and a bit over the hill anyway thanks for the video really enjoyed it. Cliff from Logan city, Queensland Australia. I’m on the big island
I grew up riding dirt bikes then switched to street bikes when I was 18. I recently bought a T7 (im 25 now) and went offroading with a friend of mine on his Vstrom650 thats had it and went offroad for 3 years now but it is his first offroad capable bike.... Our skill difference offroad is insane, he struggles to keep up and I havent been in the dirt in over 6+ years. The muscle memory and minor movements you make is VERY different than on the road.
Funny thing is… what really transformed my dirt bike skills was a trials bike. I went from bashing through things to finessing obstacles with technique.
I agree completely. But in my case it was the change from an Africa Twin to a T7. I started offroading on an 1100 Africa Twin (I am a very tall bloke). It was much better than expected (no crashes at all). Offroading seems to suit me well. I loved my AT but I decided to take things much further. Now my T7 almost feels like a dirt bike. Perspective. Due to the fact that I live in Germany a lighter street legal adv bike makes things easier because you don't have to find closed tracks to practise. I will buy a second bike though: I will get a DR-Z4S to let things fly even more. Will never sell my T7 World Rally though. I love this thing! ❤
All awesome points Adam and the exact same way I think, love my little CR250 and 500 but my 1090 complete opposites! I have a guys in my area that BEAT their ADV bikes to see where they can take them and I just shake my head like what for! 😅
😎😎😎👍👍👍 been arguing this scenario with my wife for nearly a year because she thinks I’m talking BS to have 2 bikes. Now a few minutes in to the video she said ‘this Adam guy is making sense’. Cheers Adam, not only does he have good riding tips, he can assist in minor domestic disputes 🤣🤣🤣
I rode dirt bikes too and I didn't have any skills on those either. 😂 Seriously though, having a lightweight bike meant for the dirt definitely helps hone the basic skills needed for adventure riding. Now that you mention it, I should buy another dirt bike, ... 'to hone my skills more.' 😉
Been riding (somewhat) bigger bikes all my life. Klr650, dr650, 620adv... I improved more in a week with a 500exc than I did all the other years with the bigger ones. What you're saying is 100% true
I ride with a former MotoGP rider on adventure bikes. I am a former enduro rider, and not a very good one. My MotoGP mate took quite a while to get confidence on dirt, and really struggled to keep up with me. He struggled with the sensation of the wheels moving around underneath him on the dirt. I totally agree with AR on this.
This is the perfect video, very applicable to myself. Just about to get a transalp 750 and I’ve ridden only naked and sport bikes, currently on a streetfighter V2. I will definitely get the dirt bike to make the adventure transition more seamless. Awesome vid, thanks!
Perfect! Just bought an FE450 the other day to go alongside my T7WR - vindication 😎 My main reason for getting one was in fact to become a better rider on my T7; I wanted something lighter that would take less energy for repetition, hopefully be more forgiving if (when) I screw things up and that would not cost a fortune to fix after a weekend at the tracks 👌
Very nice recommendations in this video, I totally agree, I learned riding a motorcycle on a CR500, and at the time, I couldn't start it, so I had to make sure it didn't stall it 🙂
Thank you for your advices, really appriciated, i was waching the warhorse story so many times, im ended up buying myself a suzuki dr650, and already swap the front fork for a yamaha yz450. The ultimate goal is to build a motobrike, what will last, my offroad skills are very basic, coming from a downhill enduro dirt bicycle, but i wanna learn more, so thank you, it was a pleasure to watching your videos :) Greetings from Hungary, europe.
So glad I started on my DR650. While it clearly isn't a sharp and lightweight dirt bike, it helped build these core instincts a lot quicker than my current T7
Love it mate!!! Grew up on dirt bikes and it definitely makes adventure bikes easier to ride. You definitely have to compete with the size of the adventure bikes off-road but dirt bikes helped me get a good grip on things 👍
Brilliant advice Adam. I did the exact same thing when you deliberately dropped yours in Thailand. i was flying down a footpath at the side of Burry Port harbour doing 50mph with a sharp turn coming up to cross a footbridge. I suddenly realized I had no brakes so I steered onto the grass and dropped it down digging in the footpegs and the handlebars while bouncing sideways towards the edge of the harbour and a 25 foot drop. I stopped with 5 yards to go. Got my brakes fixed very quickly after that one. I was 18, nearly 60 now. I love your videos, stay safe and keep them coming please
Instincts mate. What you can't see in the video is that those CRF300L's (as fun as they are) were pretty heavy with very spongy brakes. No way I was turning inside that tractor blade.
@@MotologyFilms what modifications had those 300's other than the front Ohlins.. rear suspensions?? exhausts??
Yeah that's it. Online shock, fmf muffler. Stock fork
I could feel the horror reading this. Had a close call with a cliff when I went skiing on a mountain for the first time. Never again
One dark winters night I had to lay my Aprilia Pegaso down to slide underneath a truck trailer unit jack knifed across the road. Couldn't see it until I was close enough for the candle on the front of the bike to show me the trailer rails. Not a lot of thinking done to be fair, probably only got as far as FU, slide.
100% nailed it. Never have been a great dirt bike rider but the learned instincts have served me well on the ADV bikes. Still not fast, but muscle memory kicks in when needed.
You are 100% correct sir.
Adam, I don’t know if you remember a quote you made a long time ago on one of your early videos, but I do, I copied it onto my Finke jersey… I thought it was 100% accurate at the time I first heard it and I thought it was relevant here too… you said “THERE IS NO ROOM FOR CONSCIOUS THOUGHT … ONLY IMPULSE REACTIONS BETWEEN MUSCLE AND STEEL! Absolutely brilliant description of what riding fast is. Thank you.
I 100% agree with this. I have ridden road bikes since I was 16. I'm now 54. I consider myself a competent rider with bags of experience. Last year, I did what thousands of other riders are starting to do and converted to adventure. I was (and still am) like a fish out of water. I've had training and been on countless rides, but it still feels alien to me and not natural. I said right from the beginning of my adv journey, that to come from an off road background has massive advantages. I wish I had, but it was just the circle of mates I had when I was younger that determined my road path. I love every minute of my adv riding, but it is a very steep learning curve.
I agree with Adam 100% and in hindsight I should have bought a dirt bike first to learn those basic skills.
I thought I was too old to start on dirt bikes and wanted to enjoy adventure riding from day one only to find that it was harder than I thought.
I am in exactly the same situation, been riding road bikes my whole life and got attracted to adventure bikes later in my 50s. I too have attended number of trainings which helped but will never replace dirt bike experience.
Although I would love to have a dirt bike but I do not have the time to ride both.
All I can say is investing time in practice especially slow speed obstacle course is well worth it.
I wish there were more options for those of us that come from the road background to learn and build fundamental offroad skills.
This is the reason I bought a CRF300 Rally as my first adventure bike. It is an adventure bike AND a dirt bike in 1.
I am treating that sucker like my KTM 450 exc I had 7 years ago. Most fun I ever had on a bike and it only has 26hp, weights 140kg and has a 400km fuel range with just a 12.8 liter tank
Downhill mountain biking helps a ton too. Picking the line, body positioning, all that stuff carries over a lot. And my weaknesses on the mtn bike became my weaknesses on the ADV and dirt bikes, like cornering in loose gravel.
You must be one of those bum chumfers?
On the MTB if you're doing a right hand corner keep your left pedal down, pushes the tyres into the ground for grip....if your right pedal down you'll slide
This is really good advice. If you don't go crazy with mods you'll get most your money back after you sell your offroad bike but you'll get to keep all the skills.
"When riding the bike becomes the least of your worries you can open you mind up to all kinds of experiences"
How perfect is that statement. You've nailed explaining motorcycle riding in one sentence.
No truer words have been spoken!! The muscle memory I've acquired riding offroad have rewarded me even when riding on asphalt! Reactions that don't require a thought to make a decision have helped me stay upright through the years, with a few scenarios that could've been catastrophic!
Thanks! You are the best mentor I could dream of. I bought a cheap chinese new rxb250 just 3 weeks ago to do what you just said in the video... To develop the off-road skills I need for the T7. I am super happy to know that The Master agrees with me! There is also a fuel bladder in transit from Adventure Moto Australia to New Mexico. I told them..."If Adam uses it, it must be good".
Thanks for the support champ!
Dude, you are based! I always appreciate your honesty and humility and expertise. Thanks again.
You are so right about this. I started on a dirt bike many years ago and easily transitioned to a adv bike 4 years ago. My instinct and memory muscle easily converted over.
Totally agree. Trail biking through my childhood and tennage years left me yeaars ahead in road handling skills when I started riding road bikes. The trail bike skills got used again when I got into mountain bike racing. Then I bought an adventure bike, but knowing something about riding in the dirt I bought a small 390 adv to get a light bike. Last year I started riding in the bush with local mates and after plugging the 390 through the bush I went out and bought a ktm450 - right tool for the job - and you are right - it will greatly advance my ADV skills, which is definitely something I'm still doing.
Very helpful video and so true! It took me 2 years to realize I wasn’t learning anything off-road on my big Ducati, as I have no dirt bike background. Got my self a cheap 250cc dirt bike hopng to learn transferrable skills without breaking expensive spare parts. I wish more people would tell the ‘hard truth’ of learning ADV skills. Hat off 👍
You ain’t lying buddy!
Sooooo glad I did the dirt bike/woods riding a few years before getting my ADV bike.
Thanks for what ya do Adam!
Hope you and the family has a great Christmas and have a happy new year!
🙏🏽🏍️💨
Bang on the money, I also believe that anyone who rides on the tarmac would also benefit from riding a smaller bike offroad, when a sudden change in road surface could catch you out, the instinct reactions that come from offroad riding can make the difference between going down and staying upright. I've had times when things have gone wrong and thought "how the hell did I save that", I didn't even think about what I was doing, it was just reactionary.
As a 40 year trail/enduro rider I find it astonishing really that any offroad newbie would start off with a 200kg+ behemoth. At 50 years of age I'm just starting to get interested in the ADV scene and I'm looking at a 690/700/701 as my next purchase because I want to be able to take it pretty much anywhere without fear of dropping it and potentially having issues getting it upright again.
Same here. I can't afford 2 bikes. And there's just not enough space where I live to ride a small dirt bike. Very restricted. I need to do highway miles before I can go off road. That's why I opted for the 690 with a rally kit. It takes me everywhere without a problem and it's 50 kg lighter than a T7 or similar.
701 is a fantastic bike and I'm a strong middle aged bloke. But picking even a 701 up in less than ideal circumstances is hard going. I deadlift 200kg for 5x5 a couple of times a week. My 701 with all of its kit weighs 165kg. I've picked it up on nasty cambers on isolated trails, in 40 degrees Celsius and I'm shagged out on pick up #4. Maybe I shouldn't drop it so much. I've opted for the 501. 120kg. I can pick that svelte girl up all day, and she doesn't get bent out of shape as dramatically as the 701 in my less than expert hands.
@@TheIdlesurfer That's good info thanks. I'm a strong middle age bloke too but not to your level by the sounds of it. I've got a Beta 300 for the technical stuff, a Beta 480 for a bit of everything, and a 690/700/701 will be for ADV work. I don't plan on taking it anywhere too gnarly, I have the other bikes for that. But it'll be nice to know that I don't need to fear exploring the unknown particularly as someone who rides solo quite a bit.
@@Karel.C I strongly considered a T7 but given that I like to ride solo quite a lot I decided it's not for me. I'm fortunate I live very close to good riding suitable for smaller bikes so I have a 2t 300 and a 480 too. Spoiled I am 😁
@@bushybill7189 mate, you've got a cracking garage. You'll pick the right bike for whatever you're doing. The 701 has a bit of a vicious headstock angle. The SM sells a lot better than the enduro so the frame is a Supermoto. I've got a steering damper on my 701, which helps. I've also found a bigger rear sprocket helps as the engine braking doesn't kick in until about 20 kph on standard gearing. I had a Rekluse but bloody hell, that tightened up my butt on snotty downhills as my bike ran away at 40 kph. But it is a brilliant dual sport. Not perfect but pretty close.
100% agree Adam. Getting skills on the small bike is the way to go.
Funnily enough I did exactly that and bought a dirt bike 3 years ago before I was planning on getting an adventure bike. (Despite having 20c years on road bikes) But because of exactly what Adam was talking about I am now. Looking at a trials bike to get better progression skills for my dirt bike 😂 Motorbikes they have just been sucking me and my money for 30 years and still loving it.
Brilliant call. I have a trials bike to improve my hard enduro skills, they are little bastards, but man, they teach you how to ride!
WOW. I wish I'd seen this a year ago! Still helpful regardless.
I started with big Indian cruisers and touring bikes then gave it all up for adventure riding. So I bought a Tenere World Raid. Amazing bike especially for touring. But with no off road experience, I quickly learned that I needed something smaller to hone my off road skills. So then I went to Tunisia to ride off road and in the sand dunes of the Sahara desert. We rented KTM 350 EXC-F ENDURO bikes for the 5 intense days. Wow. What a learning experience. That solidified my realization that I needed something smaller than the World Raid. So when I got back to Portugal, I bought myself a used 350 EXC-F and it's been absolutely EPIC! Thanks for the great video.
Well.. now i need a dirt bike😀
You are exactly right! I went down this road, just like I see so many others doing. Even when they are told so by an experienced rider whose been riding for decades.
A lot of that dirt bike instinct comes in handy on the road as well, even more so when traction becomes an issue. Rain, sudden bit of oil, leaves, etc. Knowing what it feels like to tuck the front or slide the rear, and having that muscle memory of recovering from it has saved me multiple times. Good stuff!
60 year old who grew up in the dirt. I've got a fully modded CRF300L to do most tasks. It will stay in my quiver till I can't ride anymore. Thanks for your dry humor and frank truths. You are a .... legend.
You are completely right!!
I am right now in north Thailand and doing the same as you did but not in the same area. And what I know now is that you are completely right, you have to practice on a smaller bike first to be able to concur a big bike and have fun.
Thailand riding is fantastic!
Perspective - it's what is needed for ADV riders, and you delivered it in spades, Adam! The fall to save yourself from taking yourself out on the tractor, is what we used to train playing ice hockey - the how to fall, how to take a hit, what to look for, keeping your head on a swivel, putting your body in the right position, and embedding that into muscle memory - the same applies to any sport on the more extreme side of the ledger!
Adam you are a huge inspiration for all of us!! You inspired me to get a T7 and just send it. i come from a enduro background so totally understand what you saying. actually been a off road rider made me a overall better rider, not only on ADV bikes but also on my street/cruiser bikes. You are the master and we all look up to you, thank you!!!
Been riding 3 years no dirt bike background , not interested in street bikes just off road adv riding. Had a convo with you about this at an event in ‘23…took your advice & borrowed a mates KTM 350 exc f - best decision. And now wish I’d spent my youth dirt biking because it’s awesome too 👌
Thanks Adam and that makes total sense. I,m not from a dirt bike background but have done lot mountain biking which has helped me on my 890R a bit. Was thinking of taking my ADV on training days but you've persuaded me to use their dirt bikes instead.
I agree. I grew up on Honda trail bikes in the 70’s and all the skills and experience has helped me on my 2017 AT when adventure riding.
Your advice is gold. As a kid, I did some BMX (bicycle dirt riding, light racing). I think every motorcyclist must know how to do a powerslide and ditch the bike as safely as possible, as you did, and as I did when I was a kid on my BMX bike. I've owned a Loncin 250 Adventure in Ecuador for almost 2 1/2 years. I ride the bike regularly for transportation, and also have taken some short adventures traveling on several 5-hour trips over the southern Andes, traveling into the Amazon region, and navigated all the uneven roads, potholes, dirt trails, and mud, and crossing a few shallow rivers, which has been a good "basic" training ground. Ecuador's roads are similar to Thailand's. There's chaos built into every journey even to the store to get dinner 5 minutes away... You never know when a horse, donkey, cattle chicken, is waiting around a blind corner, or a dog is chasing knipping on your leg, trying to bite you! It keeps me on my toes. I upgraded my 250 cc with a racing carburetor, camshaft, and chain, but it's still less than 25 hp and weighs more than a motocross eduro bike. There's a motocross track literally one block away from my home but my bike is too slow to attempt that. I've been telling myself I must get a proper dirt motocross bike to train my skills, neuro-muscular memory, and instincts so when I upgrade, to a heavier more powerful bike, I'll be confident. Dirt is the way to go. It's the same with cars. I used to take my Volkswagen 71 Sunbug into parking lots in the winter in NY and practice doing powerslides, controlled spins, and turning by pulling the emergency brake in the snow and ice. Great emergency training that saved me many times. And, at 15 years old, it was a blast! Thank you, Adam. I love your videos. You rock man!
As a street rider first with 10’s of thousands of miles under my belt, I didn’t ride any off-road until in my 40’s. Maybe not the smartest but started in the Mojave in sand. Two things have stood out for me personally. Wrapping my head around more gas gets me out of trouble….a lot and second is suspension setup makes a world of difference. My little WR250 has made me a much better pavement rider and given skills to reduce worry when pavement ends on a Multistrada. Great video - thanks!!
Iv been preaching this to every rider i know, 90% of youtube adv riders seem to buy the biggest bike and struggle on gravel road, this video could be first 24 seconds, sums up pretty much everything
Great advice. This is why I opted for a little farm bike for my 'adventure' bike. It has been a very long time since I previously rode, either on or off road. Small enough I can pick it up (dropped it on my third ride), can do the open road speed limit, unpowerful enough to keep me out of too much trouble. It can carry enough of a load, me plus 25kg. I'm absolutely loving it.
I have a bmw gs 310 and is my first motorcycl I’ve taken that thing Off Road and I’m learning a lot but with your video it just confirmed to me that I have to buy a dirtbike to learn more 🙏🏽👏🏼
I totally agree. After watching your videos on the 2017 KTM 1090R I bought one for fast pavement and easy off-road trails. But for difficult and technical off-road adventures and training, I ride a 2023 Beta 480 RR enduro.
I’ve recently bought a 21 plate AT more for medical reasons so I can keep on riding a bike,I do want to take off road so I’m selling my busa to get a 250 dirt bike to practice on before I commit to taking the big AT off road,this video just confirms that I was on the right track,cheers for that.
Essential advice. I started on a Suzuki ag bike exploring the bush as soon as I had a licence. Progressed through trail bikes, trials machines and ended up on KTM EXCs. My transition to a BMW GS to tour the country was seamless and reactions instinctive. I can’t imagine going straight to a big adventure bike. The coaching is important too, I did an excellent course to sharpen my road riding skills. Huge fan of all your videos and loving the vibe of the Thailand series.
you motivated me to try and ride offroad and today i just came from a 160km full gravel trip on my 250 chinese dualsport and i reallly had scary momentts thhat taught me a lot! Thanks man! You are a legend!
Good advice Adam, instructors also take advantage of trail motorcycle trends
You're 100% spot on Adam!! Light dirt bikes teach you so much. I've always said, if you wanna ride any motorcycles, start with a dirt bike.
As a kid i was lucky enough to grow up in Country Australia and was riding dirt bikes from a young age. As i got older living in the city i only had road bikes, after riding many different road bikes over the years and still owning them, i have an interest in ADV. I thought to myself, I'll get a little dirt bike before i go 'full adv'. Grabbed myself a CRF300L and ive been loving it. Have tweaked the bike to perform better and suit my needs. I've sold some of my road bikes and am looking at getting an ADV this year (2025) hopefully. Still have a Honda Fireblade, of which gives me a few aches and pains as i approach 50 lol...
Love the vids mate... keep up the great work and i really enjoy your 'informative' vids of how to ride better, bike maintenance etc etc...
Thanks mate 👍
Racing xc mountain bikes gives me the skill and fitness I need. And you feel a lot more confident when you get in the heavy adv bike 👍🏻
that worked fine for me as well til i reflexively tried to prevent my t7 from lowsiding with my leg just like i would my xc bike, with predictable results 😁
As a past downhill/enduro mtb rider who bough an adv bike as his first motocycle, this couldn't be further from the truth.
There is not much technique that transfers between the sports.
Body language is different, motorbikes just handle so much different.
Throttle and clutch control is super important, you don't even have that on a mtb!
I eventually ended up buying a motocross bike, learned to ride a 250f on mx tracks, that helped immensely with my skills.
Later learned some enduro technique on the mx-er as well, learning to synchronize body movements with gas and clutch control was a bitch, I'm still not very good at that.
The cardio does transfer pretty well, would've never thought that MX can be more exhausting at times than MTB, lol.
I started out riding a dual sport and really took it to its limit, I then progressively got bigger heavier adventure bikes, at first I road them like dirt bikes but overtime my skills got worse, the weight was difficult, worry and fear set in after a few crashes. I’ve since taken an off road class and I learned so much and started to get my confidence back. I’ve also purchased smaller bikes to ride from time to time.
As much. as i agree with your advise, the one thing i am questening is the insane speeds with which you propel yourself on open thai roads,as if you are on a closed circuit. . Your skill helped to safe you and the lesson is not lost on me, keep to your side of the road and drive as if there is a tractor around the next corner. Thanks for the inspiring videos
Yes mummy!
When riding at the rear of a group, you should be getting a clearer trail as those in front should be warning other traffic there are more bikes coming.
It's the reason I will sweep ride with a less experienced group, I shut the gates and catch them before the next gate.
Seriously got me thinking of adding a smaller dirt bike to join me as a little brother to my 1290R
Fully agreed! I started riding in the woods at 13 years old, been on a two stroke most of my life, got my first adv bike at 31 years old and i took to it like a duck to water. Those skills have saved me several times and makes it so much more enjoyable!
Absolutely the best advice for today’s ADV riders, thankfully I cut my teeth in my teens on 2 stroke dirt bikes 💙
By the way, Thailand series is fantastic, so much so many of my UK buddies want to come here and ride with me now. 💙🇹🇭
So true, Adam is top g watching you’re videos is reason I’ve bought a T7 and never ridden a big adventure bike I love it more than my Wr450f.
(Yamaha owe this man some shares)
Watching from the lovely land of Wa - Perth.
Wise words AR
Kind of like Bob and Marg buying a 20 ft off road caravan with no towing or four wheel drive experience.
Let’s be honest though, many of these adventure bikes are used to go to coffee shops and never see the dirt.
well stated, my trials background has been a game changer! Also like skis , smaller to start, work your way up!
Same, trials skills are invaluable.
Started on a 50cc step-through 45 years ago. Followed by TC90, TS250, XT550, KDX250, TY250, KX250, YZ125, CR250, YZ490j, DT250, YZ490S (still have it), TE511, Tenere 660, now a Tenere World Raid. Over the years dirt racing and road trail riding has set me up well for an Adventure bike in my later years.
As a 40-something that just bought a KLR a couple of years ago, I'm very glad I grew up on even an XR100. When I get the big bike into a sticky situation, I definitely remember feeling the same way I did when I was barely tall enough to ride the XR--and I at least keep my head.
This video encapsulates my first ADV bike experience. Well done!
You are so right Adam.
The most fun I always had was on … small and easy bikes !
Spot on Adam,that's exactly why I bought myself a little XT250,to be able to ride my adventure bike better.However,I have found myself seriously distracted,oh what fun it is.I'm lucky that I live only an hours drive from some lovely State Forests.Having a light dirt bike has enabled me to go riding in the bush where I would not ride my adventure bike,and it is so much fun.Let's face it,the only reason we ride bikes usually,is because it's fun,so up the fun factor with a little dirt bike,250 is plenty.
100% true. That is why I consider myself a off-road dirt-bike rider. That is my true passion.
Absolutely true! I started on a small 100cc enduro bike, can’t count how many times I dropped it. Then 10 yrs of motocross racing took my riding skills to a new level. So when I bought my first adv and went off road all the dirt skills came back into play!
I concur. 67 years old road rider since wedding 43 years ago, no dirtbike opportunity or experience as a kid, and been on 250 dual sports with knobbies for 44 days over last 13 years to learn off road and trail riding. My 1200GS isn't for big gulleys, deep mud etc. but I really enjoy dirt roads even with grass down the middle on the GS now, sometimes two-up.
I wholeheartedly agree. I went from a large ADV bike down to a smaller plated 2005 KTM exc and I'm in love. I should have saved myself a lot of money and just gone straight to the exc.
your dead on. only problem is you educating the adv bike posers makes it harder for me to buy a craigslist world raid with seven hours on the meter. awesome video. dammit.
I've been racing fast bikes most my life in ireland, england, and i considered myself pretty fast i had no issues spinning the rear tyre out of corners those days we didn't have TC and i loved leaving black lines on the tarmac. Skip 15 years and come to australia and got fooled like a lot of people to get the big adventure bike and boy was i in for a shock, i had never been on dirt on a bike in my life and i was absolutely shite couldn't ride around a corner to save my life. i understand everything you say and its 100% correct, i love riding in the dirt now wish i was given a dirt bike when i was a kid.......
Perfect advice, and even better if you start at young age... those embedded instincts will be there...
Definitely agree with everything said here. For me having come from Enduro and trials it took a long time to recalibrate the weight . Changing lines in ruts for example because of the weight of the adv bike you can’t just flick over big ruts. You’ve got to pick your battles on these bigger machines. Still ride trials now through winter to keep the skill set up, the big one for me is that the answer is not to know where there is grip but more importantly where there isn’t grip and to stay away from those lines .
It helped me a lot that I rode my eMTB off-road at too high a speed. ;)
Thank you for your detailed explanations. They are helpful and, above all, true.
Done a few BMW Offroad courses, fun, had a great time, but - this guy's spitting facts. It was painfully obvious that I just didn't have the chops for it, and it was equally obvious that though the bikes were impressive, they were not what pretty much everone bar the instructors would choose to "go off-road".
Cant get enough of your content. Brilliant.
Outstanding video Adam. You hit it on the head mate, words I have being saying for years. that dirt set of skills has saved me lots of times on the road and dirt. You lonely have to look at any pro rider GP, etc and they all started in the dirt. Ride safe , Cheers
Really enjoy all your vids, but this one tops it all. Every ADV ‘going on TET’ should watch this. Thanks.
Really solid advice. Best way to dive into the sport is to build those trail skills first and then work up to the bigger motors/bikes.
You're so right, I was almost three decades away from riding dirt bikes, last was a 77 DT400 monoshock. Eventually, family & building a business left the bike in the shed until I finally I gave it away (dumb). So a three years back, @ 63yrs, I decided it was time, while I still can, to get back into the bush that I so missed. I researched & a KLX250 was my reentry, reasonable suspension, somewhat sturdy & light. A few months later, wanting a bit more grunt an older KLX300 with pipe came up for a good price. After I got it running well, good power & good fuel economy, it wasn't long before I laid down a grand to have the suspension done by a local specialist. Big improvement, SC seat, IMS tank. So two years on that before I could say I was ready for a bigger, I hate the term, "Adventure" style ride for the long trips.
It took me longer than I thought it would to gain the muscle memory back again, the brain knew sort of, but the body had forgotten. Being older, I was also cautious, so it took a while to learn how to fall off again without breaking anything.
So I now have my Himmy set up & can load her up to the hilt and ride thousands of Ks (downunder), being safe & having fun. Also have a KLX400r, I like green.
Cheers my friend, love your work & have a great New Year 👍
So right, I started on a DR650, stepped up to a Tiger 1200 🤦🏻♂️ lovely bike but too heavy, brought a 300 2 stroke, best decision ever…..
Sold tiger, kept the DR and 300 and have now purchased a Husky 501, yes I have 3 bikes, which is a luxury, but each has a job!!!!
Getting that 300 has taught me so much!!!!
Haha the amount of dirt I ate when I got my T7 in 2022 as my first bike that I would do offroad with is unreal. Sold it after a year and got a CRF300L. Best decision ever. Merry Christmas everyone and rip to us in the northern hemisphere.
Awesome advice, I have done this after owning a 1200 Tenere! I had an off in sand on the Tenere where I felt I was a passenger! After that off I purchased a DRZ400 to give myself more off road experience and like you say in your video it has given me some skill to manage the Tenere better! Mind you the DRZ gets more outings than the Tenere as it’s making me relive my teenage days! Cheers for the awesome content & Advice
Steve🍻
Hi Adam, I agree 100% with you. I used to race RM125 back in 1977 upwards did a lot of trolls riding did a lot of flat track racing with Jawa 500 but I’ve been off motorbikes for a long time now and just riding road bikes at the moment. I’ve lost my right leg above the knee and I’m riding a can am Ryker 900 and having a fair bit of fun on that but it’s nothing like two wheels and I don’t think I could ever do it again. I’m now 65 and a bit over the hill anyway thanks for the video really enjoyed it. Cliff from Logan city, Queensland Australia. I’m on the big island
Enduro Madness!!!!! 😃👍🏻
Best darn series on the tube.
I grew up riding dirt bikes then switched to street bikes when I was 18. I recently bought a T7 (im 25 now) and went offroading with a friend of mine on his Vstrom650 thats had it and went offroad for 3 years now but it is his first offroad capable bike.... Our skill difference offroad is insane, he struggles to keep up and I havent been in the dirt in over 6+ years. The muscle memory and minor movements you make is VERY different than on the road.
Adam Exactly, great safety and self preservation advice.👍 Starting out don’t get sucked into the sales and media hype.
Funny thing is… what really transformed my dirt bike skills was a trials bike. I went from bashing through things to finessing obstacles with technique.
100% agree, I’m back on the plastic, helps on the big bike! 👍🏻
I agree completely. But in my case it was the change from an Africa Twin to a T7. I started offroading on an 1100 Africa Twin (I am a very tall bloke). It was much better than expected (no crashes at all). Offroading seems to suit me well. I loved my AT but I decided to take things much further. Now my T7 almost feels like a dirt bike. Perspective. Due to the fact that I live in Germany a lighter street legal adv bike makes things easier because you don't have to find closed tracks to practise. I will buy a second bike though: I will get a DR-Z4S to let things fly even more. Will never sell my T7 World Rally though. I love this thing! ❤
All awesome points Adam and the exact same way I think, love my little CR250 and 500 but my 1090 complete opposites! I have a guys in my area that BEAT their ADV bikes to see where they can take them and I just shake my head like what for! 😅
very very correct! ride a 790 Adv, too much consequence of dropping the thing is always in the back of my mind, stopping me from trying things out.
😎😎😎👍👍👍 been arguing this scenario with my wife for nearly a year because she thinks I’m talking BS to have 2 bikes. Now a few minutes in to the video she said ‘this Adam guy is making sense’.
Cheers Adam, not only does he have good riding tips, he can assist in minor domestic disputes 🤣🤣🤣
Started with the 125rr belgarda. Had a dr200,ktm200 egs, xr200,dr350. Now with a 1190 adv r.
Dirt bike experience helped.
Merry Christmas, Happy new year Adam!!
I rode dirt bikes too and I didn't have any skills on those either. 😂
Seriously though, having a lightweight bike meant for the dirt definitely helps hone the basic skills needed for adventure riding. Now that you mention it, I should buy another dirt bike, ... 'to hone my skills more.' 😉
Been riding (somewhat) bigger bikes all my life. Klr650, dr650, 620adv... I improved more in a week with a 500exc than I did all the other years with the bigger ones. What you're saying is 100% true
I ride with a former MotoGP rider on adventure bikes. I am a former enduro rider, and not a very good one. My MotoGP mate took quite a while to get confidence on dirt, and really struggled to keep up with me. He struggled with the sensation of the wheels moving around underneath him on the dirt. I totally agree with AR on this.
This is the perfect video, very applicable to myself. Just about to get a transalp 750 and I’ve ridden only naked and sport bikes, currently on a streetfighter V2. I will definitely get the dirt bike to make the adventure transition more seamless. Awesome vid, thanks!
It'll save your Transalp (and you) from getting beat up and you'll be a capable off-road rider much sooner.
Perfect! Just bought an FE450 the other day to go alongside my T7WR - vindication 😎 My main reason for getting one was in fact to become a better rider on my T7; I wanted something lighter that would take less energy for repetition, hopefully be more forgiving if (when) I screw things up and that would not cost a fortune to fix after a weekend at the tracks 👌
Very nice recommendations in this video, I totally agree, I learned riding a motorcycle on a CR500, and at the time, I couldn't start it, so I had to make sure it didn't stall it 🙂
Thank you for your advices, really appriciated, i was waching the warhorse story so many times, im ended up buying myself a suzuki dr650, and already swap the front fork for a yamaha yz450. The ultimate goal is to build a motobrike, what will last, my offroad skills are very basic, coming from a downhill enduro dirt bicycle, but i wanna learn more, so thank you, it was a pleasure to watching your videos :) Greetings from Hungary, europe.
Thank you for this one. I thought it's obvious, but lots of people don't understand the basics. Life savingnvideo!
Adam this is serious on the mark advice. Thank you for giving this advice in a straight to the point manner. 👍👍👍👍
You just described me in a nutshell hence the reason why I’ve bought a crf250r to learn on. The best laxative ive ever bought
Well timed video. The Thailand Adventure was one of my favorite dirt bike videos in a long time.
So glad I started on my DR650. While it clearly isn't a sharp and lightweight dirt bike, it helped build these core instincts a lot quicker than my current T7
Love it mate!!! Grew up on dirt bikes and it definitely makes adventure bikes easier to ride. You definitely have to compete with the size of the adventure bikes off-road but dirt bikes helped me get a good grip on things 👍
For sure adam 100% true! A little dirtbike is a good idea for start to train those instints!