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Dual Sport/Offroad training courses in the area?

Ocho

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Jorge
As a fairly newbie rider, I'm looking for an offroad training course to start with good technique and not develop bad habits. In California there were a bunch of training camps but never took the time to check them out.

I tried Googling but closest I can find to an "adventure/offroad" training would be Rawhyde in CO, but classes are over until next year.

Thanks for the help, any info would be greatly appreciated.
 
Bill Dragoo in Norman OK is supposedly good.

I almost went this year but it's very sand focused and I don't ride a lot of sand.

Riding with TWT regulars like Macdaddy, Uncle Buck, Simmons1, 2Wheelnut, Birdman44 and Bad Rex has helped me quite a bit. Those guys offered lots of off pavement riding tips that have helped me get fairly comfortable off pavement.

Another deal is Adventure Tejas in Kerrville. It's a tour service, but if you connect your headset to theirs, they offer real time tips while riding the best off pavement roads in the Hill Country. That helped me a lot as well
 
There are TONS of good videos on YouTube. I realize that watching a video is NOT the same as having a live instructor watching and correcting you. However, I have learned a lot from them. I find that every time I go ride after watching them, I am more intentional about putting into practice what they cover, and it does have a positive impact on my riding. It's also free.

That said, I have done a class, and I really liked it. I think the big benefit of the class is the immediacy between the lesson and the practice. It is also just fun to be doing it with other folks. I'd love to do one of the tour style packages with RawHyde or Jimmy Lewis where they actually take the class out on a trip for several days to a week.

As Jarrett mentions, if you can find some other riders that are skilled and experienced, riding with them can do wonders for you, unless they ride real fast and suck you in over your head... I have seen that happen too many times! The good experienced riders will watch and respond to less experienced riders, coaching and helping, rather than trying to show off and impress. I have been fortunate in this regard and have ridden with some great folks.

Unfortunately, there are not many formal options in Texas. Most of the stuff seems to be focused on the Rockies and the West Coast. Bill Dragoo in Oklahoma is the closest school I know of. Here is the one I did,

http://www.adventureridersinternational.com/schools.html

They will come to any location if you get enough people together. The key is to have a good location that offers a nice variety of terrain. That will really determine just what skills you can learn. I did some work for them in exchange for doing their mid and expert level classes. Lorne is the lead instructor and is very good. I spent the first day observing the beginner class, shooting video and taking pictures. The students seemed to really engage with him and enjoy themselves. It was amazing how quickly some of the students improved just from the morning through the end of the day.

I think some of the other classes will come to a local location if you get enough people to commit. You'd have to call and check with them of course. Some even bring smaller bikes so you can practice a skill on the small bike before attempting it on a bigger adventure bike. Lorne had a nice old XR 400 that he let folks use.
 
Thanks for the info guys.

I'll look into Youtube videos. There are already some ADV ones I regularly tune into and have some decent info.

I do hope once I start doing the monthly TARA rides in Austin I can gain knowledge from the folks who have been doing this for a long while. And I'm planning to attend at least two offroad oriented rallies in the next two months.

I'll look into the Bill Dragoo classes, they're not that far away. Ride Tejas seems like a great choice but their costs are a little expensive (I guess I should try one and see if it's worth it). I still dream of doing a RawHyde training course, though, so I'll be hopefully joining that next year.
 
I've watched all of the MotoTrek... they make me want to move somewhere with better riding options... :-P
 
Ocho,

I've not tried this yet but, https://betterrider.us/ puts on an MSF offroad training course held at http://www.time2ridetx.com/ just outside of Walnut Springs. I've emailed them to check availability a while back, but I wasn't able to make the class.

Not local, but another option for you is https://www.rawhyde-offroad.com/. They have training in California as well as Colorado.

I also listen to the podcasts from https://adventureriderradio.com/. They have a ton of good information and I enjoy listening. They also have links to "Offroad Skills" and others on their website. Jim often interviews a rider coach named Ramey Stroud that is very good at explaining techniques and the reason for them.
 
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As a fairly newbie rider, I'm looking for an offroad training course to start with good technique and not develop bad habits. In California there were a bunch of training camps but never took the time to check them out.

I tried Googling but closest I can find to an "adventure/offroad" training would be Rawhyde in CO, but classes are over until next year.

Thanks for the help, any info would be greatly appreciated.

My buddies are bringing Graham Jarvis for class, the first weeks of December. I’ve beeen there last year. There’s nothing better than learning from the best.
Let me know if interested and I’ll find you some info.
 
My buddies are bringing Graham Jarvis for class, the first weeks of December. I’ve beeen there last year. There’s nothing better than learning from the best.
Let me know if interested and I’ll find you some info.

THAT would be awesome!
 
Already signed up! :rider:



Awesome, thanks! Any bike will do or is it more dirt bike oriented?

It’s has to be a dirt/enduro bike. If you don’t know who Graham is, google it a bit. It’s hard enduro school, but for all levels. From beginners to advanced.
 
It’s has to be a dirt/enduro bike. If you don’t know who Graham is, google it a bit. It’s hard enduro school, but for all levels. From beginners to advanced.

I can watch videos of him riding for hours... He makes it look so easy :-P
 
It’s has to be a dirt/enduro bike. If you don’t know who Graham is, google it a bit. It’s hard enduro school, but for all levels. From beginners to advanced.

Any dirt bike or Adventure bike with knobbies will work. It's more about what bike you can handle. I'm 6'8" and 340lbs, so my "dirt" bike is my KTM 1090R. I look like a circus bear on a mini bike on my sons 450 ! ! !
 
Any dirt bike or Adventure bike with knobbies will work. It's more about what bike you can handle. I'm 6'8" and 340lbs, so my "dirt" bike is my KTM 1090R. I look like a circus bear on a mini bike on my sons 450 ! ! !

Are you serious? I don’t think you realize what type of riding Graham does, and what is being teached at the class.

This is short 1 min video from last year. My battery run out in the afternoon when we rode trough the creeks. That was mental.
But you can see some technique practicing in the video. Pay attention to the “wall” when Graham is standin in the hole. If you climb that with 1090 you could became new ambassador for KTM.

https://instagram.com/p/BcP7rvzgdDM/
 
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Though that looks challenging, I know a couple guys in AZ that could do that wall on. R1200GSA. One of the riders is active on ADVRider, his screen name is Plawa. It is all about what you are comfortable riding. I say take the 1090R. Wish I could do this class.
 
Are you serious? I don’t think you realize what type of riding Graham does, and what is being teached at the class.

This is short 1 min video from last year. My battery run out in the afternoon when we rode trough the creeks. That was mental.
But you can see some technique practicing in the video. Pay attention to the “wall” when Graham is standin in the hole. If you climb that with 1090 you could became new ambassador for KTM.

https://instagram.com/p/BcP7rvzgdDM/

LMAO :rofl: Apparently you've never seen what Chris Birch can do on the 1190R ! ! !

The 1090R is lighter than the 1190R
 
Though that looks challenging, I know a couple guys in AZ that could do that wall on. R1200GSA. One of the riders is active on ADVRider, his screen name is Plawa. It is all about what you are comfortable riding. I say take the 1090R. Wish I could do this class.

Exactly ! ! !
It ain't the bike son, It's the rider ! ! ! :rider: :rofl:
 
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