[Closed] Motorcycle enduro/off-road hire days

https://www.mickextanceexperience.com/ultimate.php
And the Yamaha offroad experience
https://www.yamaha-offroad-experience.co.uk/off-road-experience.html
Look like the sort of thing you are looking for,not used either but the Yamaha course has been running for a lot of years and seems well liked

Go and see Mick that's linked to up there.
He's an old mate of mine from when I used to race and a really nice guy.

Thanks for that both. That looks just the job.

It's right near Revolution bikepark too I notice. Hmmm, make a weekend of it maybe. 😊🙏

Mick or Geraint Jones at Yamaha offroad both good human beings.

I did the Yamaha one I guess 10 years ago. Really well organised and catered well for different skill levels - I'm fairly rubbish but never felt left out, the fast guys went and did harder stuff.

Cheers. Going to check them both out properly and weigh it up. 😊🙏

Ady Smith runs a demo fleet for ktm at a few different venues over the year.  Really well set up for beginners and has the full range of bikes to try out for anyone a little more experienced.

I used it as a day to try the new two strokes and took my brother (a road biker) and mate (an mtber) and had such a great day.  May work if you aren't near the other two, but I've loved time at the Yamaha school too.

I would also recommend the 'Ady Smith KTM Enduro Experience Day'

I've done 4 of them - just for fun.

Ady has the latest KTM range of Enduro bikes, all new each year. They range from 150cc 2 stroke right the way up to 500cc four stroke. You can ride all of the different bikes and swop around all day long.

He runs his events at loads of different venues throughout the year, all over the country. I live near Stratford Upon Avon and I've attended the Worcester and North Wales venues. Both are a great day out.

Cheers JAG. I'm down the road in Leamington.
What's the Worcester venue like?

My BILs did a day in Llangollen on KTMs. They had a splendid time. I can chase the details if this is of interest

Ian

The Worcester venue was pretty good. Set on a farm between Worcester and Kidderminster - at least it was when I did it. I've done one here and the other three in North Wales.

Meet up and get changed etc... in a barn and in Ady's KTM liveried truck. Out the back of the barn there are two or three fields to ride and a small wooded section. The barn is where the tea/coffee making facilities and toilets are located.

The biggest field is grassy and almost flat and is laid out as a simple motorcross style circuit. One end of the course runs up a tall bank and drops back into the field for a nice big loop. There's a chance to get up to some decent speed; 30-50mph if you're brave.

The bank also has a separate set of trails laid onto it which are hidden among the trees and bushes. The bank is about 10 metres high and very steep in places. There are trails UP and DOWN and it gets very technical in both directions.

The wooded section was tight and twisty and was more like a trials riding venue but again it was fun and challenging in all the right ways.

Ady and his team are very helpful and the bikes are always immaculate (to start at least). There's plenty of tuition available but you have to ask if you want help. I've always had fun but been exhausted by the end. It's quite full on riding such a heavy bike (by comparison with MTB) over rough terrain for 4-6 hours.

That's great. Sounds mint.
I do wonder if in the Welsh ones you might get to go on more of a ride as such.
Off along forest fire roads and stuff, where I'm often on the mountain bike. 🤔

My BILs did a day in Llangollen on KTMs. They had a splendid time. I can chase the details if this is of interest

Cheers yeah. I have a feeling that I saw that Ady Smith above maybe runs a course in Llangollen, but I might be mixing providers up somewhere.

That's great. Sounds mint.
I do wonder if in the Welsh ones you might get to go on more of a ride as such.
Off along forest fire roads and stuff, where I'm often on the mountain bike. 🤔

My BILs did a day in Llangollen on KTMs. They had a splendid time. I can chase the details if this is of interest

Cheers yeah. I have a feeling that I saw that Ady Smith above maybe runs a course in Llangollen on the KTMs, but I might be mixing providers up somewhere.

Edit- ah yeah, he does, just down the road from Llangollen anyway.

I do wonder if in the Welsh ones you might get to go on more of a ride as such

I've done three days in North Wales at two different venues, Ady had to move venues in between my visits.

You're right in that there is more general riding involved; along tracks, up hills, across fields, through rivers/streams etc... and greater opportunity for speed if you want it. Also wider ranging views from the tops of the hills and a bit more of a feeling of being out in the wilds - if you know what I mean.

It can also be colder, wetter and more just riding off-road than riding enduro or moto-X. None of my experiences have been bad and I'll probably do another next year.

I've done the Geraint Jones Yamaha one a few times, about 10 years ago & it was well set up for different abilities & having the run of Hafren forest, it felt like you were riding for miles. Beginners with no offroad experience were given TTR 175's to pootle round the field on first for an hour or so before being taken out, most others were on WR 250's & anyone with a medallion and a love of only using 2nd & 3rd gear jumped on a 450.

Slight thread hijack but what do people think about using one of these days for confidence building for someone who's not ridden for 25+ years, if not alternatives?

I did the Mick Extance one a few years ago, had a great time. Different range of experience from people on the day (you don't even need a bike licence), mostly road-only riders but they were good at introducing challenging yet achievable stuff and encouraging the weaker riders while keeping it interesting for the better ones. Fun seeing everyone wobbling about, stiff and a bit on edge, at the start but all happy sliding around after lunch.

Really fancy going back, it makes no sense for me to own a bike that like that I'd love to have a go on one more regularly.

a group of us went to Mick's last year. We had our own bikes and already ride off-road so got taken around by Mick and his son Adam, some really challenging stuff with some great tips on riding.
There were other groups there at the same time, one group of road riders and an all womans group who I don't think had ridden before. Both groups used the bikes and kit provided.
We had an excellent time and they couldn't be more accommodating. Some really good terrain to ride for all levels, there is a reason a lot of pro enduro riders go there.
Same village as Revolution, with a pub with rooms and cottages to rent.

what do people think about using one of these days for confidence building for someone who’s not ridden for 25+ years

Dickyboy - that was the main reason I did my first Ady Smith day. I hadn't ridden a motorbike in 20 years by that point. I went along and found it all came back very quickly. I had a great day and have done another 3 days with Ady since then. I've also done a couple of trials experience days with Stu Day at Trials Day which is also an excellent day and a great way to build confidence for a returning rider :o)

I spoke to Ady last night on the recommendations above - I really fancy doing one of his Stoke dates before Xmas. Seemed like a nice bloke, should hopefully get confirmation of when I'm going over the next couple of days. Am excited - I'm 52 and haven't really ridden off road since I was 17. I've had bikes for the last 22 years but have always stuck to the tarmac. Should be fun!

The people mentioned are great there use to be so many more before 2006 I green lane in Wiltshire mostly there use be a guy ran them in the Peaks too which has some good stuff>
The one near Minehead was great but he packed up and went to Spain has Somerset has nothing now enjoy where ever you go.

I spoke to Ady last night on the recommendations above – I really fancy doing one of his Stoke dates before Xmas. Seemed like a nice bloke,

Say hello to Ady for me when you see him.
I was his team mate whey we both rode for Yamaha BITD.
Not seen him in years.

Nearly everything is booked up anyway for this year by the looks, unless you take your own bike.

Wonder how I'd get on, on my GSX750... 🤔

Ady has some dates and bike hire in Stoke so I might try that I reckon. Whatever we do it'll be fun I'm sure 😊

Yamaha day at Jones' nr Llanidloes - been several times, it's ALL off road, and it's brilliant, great value for money, they cater for all abilities, just faultless.

OK, it's done - I'm booked with Ady in Stoke for the 10th of December.

Am excited and terrified all at the same time.

Flowers to my Mrs if I die, feel free to laugh long and loud if I end up with broken limbs.

Little update to this.

I had my day yesterday with Ady Smith on the KTMs in North Wales and had a fantastic day.

We totally lucked out with the weather and the venue was incredible. Massive big farm near Knockin with loads of big hills and challenging terrain.

Ady had the range of KTM 2022 bikes and they were absolutely immaculately prepared. They looked brand new despite having been out the day before.

After a cuppa and a health and safety chat, and signing a disclaimer, we got to pick our bikes.

I ended up on the 350 4-stroke which I was chuffed about. The bikes essentially all look exactly the same, but the engine size is all that differs. He said that we could swap around later on and try other bikes.

We all followed off in formation up into the hills to a practise circuit, where we got to get used to the bikes with some flat corners of varying difficulty. Razzed round that for a while, then went off to different parts of the venue and did other circuits with steeper ups and downs. We also practised some off-camber traverses and turns on another circuit.

During one of these circuits a few folks were falling now and again and unfortunately a lad fell right in front of me grabbing too much front brake on a downhill corner, and I couldn't avoid him and so we both went down.

He was fine,I was fine but another bloke had a pop at me saying I was riding too close.
Fair enough I said, I probably was.
I found it hard to keep off when you were desperate to be able to overtake and not get held back as you needed speed for the uphill.
My fault, but we were all good.

After lunch, nobody really wanted to swap bikes except the bloke who'd had a go at me who was riding the 150 2-stroke. I felt bad so offered him my 350.
The 150 was still an awesome bike but a lot harder to keep in the power band and get the best out of it.

We went off and did more of a trail ride around the land.
Absolutely epic scenery and brilliant terrain to practise on.

I managed to have a low speed off again after following Ady up a technical bit that he had waved us at. I'm not sure he meant for us beginners to go up but that's what I thought, got to a tricky rising and rocky tight corner and fluffed it and fell into the bracken 😂

Great day anyway.
Fully recommend it. 👍

Should have chinned him. Prison rules etc

Timely thread resurrection, I've just been looking at days like this.

I passed my test during the week and as much as I'd like to rush out and buy a big enduro bike and go ripping on it, it would be nice to dip my toe in first in a perfect location. Also, those KTM's are damn expensive!

Probably the worst time of year to do it but if I could combine it with a day at Revs or BPW it would be a mint weekend out.

Mick Extance is in the same village as Revs if that helps make up your mind...

That Mick Extance one looks great judging by the Youtube videos. Fully booked until January though. I might wait a few months until it hopefully warms up a little.

I went down a bit of a rabbit hole last night. It looks like there's loads of pretty wild places to go riding in Wales.

Another +1 for Mick Extance. We had a works do up there, and whilst 80% of us could ride, and probably half of those regular MX peeps, there were a few who'd never ridden at all, but the guys managed it really nicely and got us all out on the 'same' group ride, but with some riders doing different sections suitable to hwo they were progressing. A few of the non riders and non-regular riders picked it up wuick and were riding with the regular guys by the end of the day. Pretty sure we we're on Hondas then, but looks like they have KTMs now.

Thanks for the update.

Something like this is on the list for next year, so keen to hear experiences of others

Have a look at secondhand Gas Gas EC bikes, generally cheaper than KTMs.

Wern Ddu quarry in North Wales is a cracking venue, some crazy climbs.
Also check out WOR Events.