Triumph Adventure Riding Experience: Take the off-road motorbike school to master the art of riding
Triumph has opened a new motorbike school to teach you how to go off-road
THE beauty of motorbiking is that there’s always something more you can learn.
You could spend the rest of your life becoming a better rider if you invest in the right training.
Most road users learn to drive a car out of necessity. It’s a means of transport and not much else.
But motorbikes are all about mastering a skill and the self-confidence that comes with it.
One of the most challenging things a biker can do is leave the tarmac and ride off-road.
Think about it. A motorbike is constantly trying to fall over anyway – it would topple over without you sitting on it.
On smooth road, being a good biker is a skill in itself. But imagine asking that same two-wheeled machine to remain upright over bogs, dirt and rocks.
The idea of that seemed daunting, even to an experienced biker like myself. But this week I discovered learning to ride off- road is just a matter of getting the right instruction.
British brand Triumph has long specialised in go-anywhere motorbikes. Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman mounted Triumph Tigers to jaunt across the planet in Long Way Round and Long Way Down.
This month it opened .
For a few hundred quid you can spend an entire day cutting around the Brecon Beacons on a Triumph you don’t own or have to clean at the end of the day. No traffic. Just you, the bike and endless mud.
The key to this school’s brilliance is the staff. They are led by four-time Dakar Rally finisher Nick Plumb and all-round off-roading ninja Matt Reed, who make sure it’s an ego-free zone.
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Too often I’ve seen biking instructors intimidate beginners or make them feel foolish for not being as a good a rider as they are. There is none of that here.
These guys work out what you are capable of – whether you are a novice (like me) or an enduro riding god looking to sharpen up – and tailor the day to bring on your skills.
It is one of the most enjoyable days I’ve ever had. I can promise you this: If you sign up, even for an introduction session, you will be a better biker by the end of the day. It is that good.