Yamaha Offroad Experience Wales

[Blackpuddin]

Doing this offroad day very soon, have any PHers done it? Anything to watch out for (apart from the bikes in front, judging by the youtube vids I've seen!)?

[powerstans]

No but interested in response as I am doing a beginners day with Mrs P and a friend in July, I had better not show the Mrs any dodgy videos!

[s3fella]

It's great location etc and they are a good bunch. Be careful if they let you just hoon about on your own, lots of the trails are interlinked and run various ways round, with lots of junctions, that all look a bit samey after a while.....so sometimes you meet someone coming head on towards you and it isn't worth arguing who is right and how is wrong then!>

Your own bike or the schools bikes?

[Blackpuddin]

School's bikes, hoping for a WR250 as I've got my eye on one for the Blackpuddin garage.
Forgot to put the linky up
http://www.yamaha-offroad-experience.co.uk/

[mickymellon1]

I went with a few mates - really excellent fun and prompted me to buy my own bike and trailer and do a lot more off roading, absolutely knackered by the end so don't expect a big night afterwards

[Blackpuddin]

Ha yes trying to get Mrs Blackpuddin to come up on the excuse of great dog walks for her to do round there (plus I can slump in the passenger seat on the way back).

[Andybow]

I've been a few times, great day, you'll realise you don't need anything more than a wrf offroad if you've never done it before.
Dave Thorpe Honda day is good as well, went on Saturday

[Blackpuddin]

That's what I'm hoping the day will confirm, after looking at any number of big KTMs. I do like the 400+ KTMs as the engines make them so easy to just stick in one gear but at my time of life weight is becoming an issue.

[Blackpuddin]

Thanks for the heads-up on the Dave Thorpe place, an Enduro day there might be a good followup for me.

[redblade]

Did it years ago when I was relatively new to biking. It was excellent fun, great tuition and absolutely knackering. I got more out of riding the smaller bikes.

Fell off a few times and made all my mates look like riding gods. Few others went a bit mad / breaking collar bones and thumbs and ended up being driven to the nearest A&E (which was hours away I seem to remember!)

Good luck!

[Alex@POD]

I've been meaning to book this, been talking about it on and off since last year but never got around to it...

[Blackpuddin]

I will report back, assuming my fingers still work.

[jcelee]

Stuart Day's Trials Day in Leek, Staffs was also excellent (albeit not Wales) and considerably cheaper than many of these full corporate offerings. The two stroke Beta 250cc bikes we were incredible off-road and with extensive Enduro experience he will tailor things to your experience / expectations.

[Blackpuddin]

That's a good shout too, as you say much cheaper but I guess also a bit calmer in terms of the pace?
http://www.trials-school.co.uk/

[mitzy]

Group of us off Bike Banter did the Yamaha Offroad Experience down here (down south) , it was a few years ago.

It was brillant, had such a great day , so tiring and never ached so much even after one of the PH ladies took me out by accident - lol
Even had pictures too.

Enjoy it let us know how you get on.

[Blackpuddin]

Thanks I will, getting a bit excited and slightly worried at the same time

[jcelee]

A friend and I booked ourselves on a 'group' day with Stuart Day last year but it was only the two of us The all in cost including all damage insurance waiver was about £150 (from memory)and it was a fantastic and very full day including home cooked lunch by his wife. I was certainly truly exhausted by the end of the day, while Stuart was pushing my friend a bit harder (he was expending less nervous energy and generally more talented!) He is a very good judge of what you are capable (or not capable) of and will take you over terrain and obstacles you could never imagine tackling at the start of the day.

[Blackpuddin]

Well, I did the YOE yesterday and it was amazing, loved every minute. the guys running it were expert at knowing exactly how far to take people and by the end of the day I was doing things I would never have thought possible at the beginning. WR250 Yam is my new dream bike, what a fantastic machine, unbelievable engine and wonderfully easy to handle. Definitely will do more of this stuff. Just need a bike! Might have to flog all existing assets to get a WR.

[SteelerSE]

Thanks for the update. I really want to get this organised but would prefer not to go by myself. Anyone else up for it?

[Blackpuddin]

There were a few guys in small groups that had obviously come for the weekend (the local town Llanidloes is very nice with a few decent pubs) I didn't feel left out being on my own. The tutors make sure every individual is happy right through the day and there is no pressure at all to go faster than you want to. You go into groups as the day goes on but it's all really light touch and no regimentation. Besides the 250s (two or three of which are lowered for shorter riders) they have WR450s and a TTR230.