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Hi Ian, I know this video was 2 years ago but I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time out to share your tips and tricks with us. I'm always grateful of the time people like you take out of your busy schedule to make videos like these.

@BigRockMoto

11 ай бұрын

Glad it helped

Another mistake is riding alone without letting someone that knows the route know where and when you'll be riding.

@motarded4214

2 жыл бұрын

but what if you don't have a route in mind, or know when you'll be riding? I just hop on and take off with a general compass direction and see where I end up.

@seanbatty2665

2 жыл бұрын

@@motarded4214 yeah, me too. Many peeps are afraid to go it alone

@ryanmalone2681

2 жыл бұрын

@@motarded4214 I use a Garmin Montana that has SOS, breadcrumbs, and my wife can pull up my location at any time.

@johnwayne7210

2 жыл бұрын

What if you have no mates that are not wanting to ride. Or even have no mates.

@SWTrailsAndWheels

2 жыл бұрын

@@johnwayne7210 Probably worth paying for an SOS subscription service.

Greetings from oregon ive been riding for 50 years ive never needed or wanted any form of electronics im a firm beliver you should know you machine maybe newbys can benifit it adds cost and weight for some reason manufacturs think we need all this compilcated stuff just saying. What ever you ride they are all adventure bikes and have been since motorcycles were invented go out and freaking ride

As a new ADV rider, truly appreciate the content.

Vision (you WILL go where you look at!) and momentum (just enough speed to get up - but being slow enough on top of the hill to have all option) are the most overseen skills or factors in off-road driving. A helpful video.

Suspension setup videos would be helpful, got a 2017 Africa twin and trying to figure out the different ways to set it up

I’ve been riding bikes for forty years and just got a 2022 BMW R1250 GSA. Your channel has been great to watch with important information. Thanks for your efforts! You are very knowledgeable!

Agree? Disagree? What are the mistakes you see out there, or have made yourself? What do you want to improve on?

@ragefilledvergin

Жыл бұрын

I am fortunate that I've never made a mistake

Great tips. I love what you are doing with the two channels and the new consistency that you are producing. I hope the algorithm gods are kind to you. Great content!!!!

Great video, all the mistakes you point out are valid. I recently took a BMW adventure riding class. The two most useful things I learned how to do better was keeping my head up and looking further down the trail, and riding very slowly using my body movement to maintain good control.

@f42un84u

Жыл бұрын

I call it scanning, pre planning, multitasking 10ft to 100 ft the bikes moves based on terrain, conditions, speed, and capabilities.

I'd add another newbie mistake (apart from the obvious one about the first bike being too big, especially in the USA), which is that of getting too tired before realising it. Especially when you first start out and are probably far less fit than you think you are, it is very easy to get overtired, and when you're over tired you start to make more mistakes, so you fall off more, repeat ad nauseam. In Europe, this is unlikely to result in serious consequences, but in the USA, where population densities can be much lower, it can result in permanently bad consequences. Oh, and in the spirit of your own video, I'll throw in a bonus one; Just because you may be a very experienced road rider doesn't mean that you're not a newbie on an ADV bike. Thanks for your great content once again.

MSF makes clear, Look where you want to go, not at what you don't want to Hit!

All valid info for newby riders.Turning traction control off in very sandy,mud,water conditions,etc is what I prefer and believe it to be safer.Good job.Thks.JHB-SA.

Same thing applies to road riding, look where you want to go, eyes on main beam, especially coming out of bends

The looking up advice is golden! I'm a new 750GS rider (mostly on roads) and I make this mistake so much.

It's fun and very good information for the new riders. I cut my teeth on 1970's Yamaha's and Honda's. The two stroke bikes were fast but very temperamental. I had A Yamaha 175, 250 and 360. Changed to the Honda four strokes with the 125, then the 350 black & red 1974 single. My favorite was the 350 single. Lots of torque at low end. Then I went to the 1978 Yamaha TT500. What a beast it was. All the moves you mention in your program I had pretty much mastered but it took a decade of riding to be self taught. No high tech stuff. Just start, put it in gear, twist the throttle and hope for the best.bonsai

Good video Ian, The explanation of the ABS and TCS was good. Pushing my bike a little bit harder and out of my comfort zone with great results. Just loving my GSA.

Thanks Ian, keep up the great work, we really appreciate it! Safe travels and have fun! Gratefully, Dennis

Great video. I learned a ton and look forward to using some of these germs soon. Thanks again.

I would love to see videos aimed at newbie ADV riders, I have 30 + years on street bikes but am just entering the dark side of adv bikes, I am 57 and just decided it was time to put scraping knee pads and hitting apexes at silly speeds behind me...

Ian - You’re a fast off road rider I saw your speedo crack 50 mph a few times and much of your riding was a quick 30-35 mph. I raced motocross in my youth, but these days, 40 years later, I like a mellow 10 to 20 mph pace off road on my AT as my body would break and not bend in a crash. Great videos, thank you.

Thank you very much. Greatly useful as always. Please keep them coming:)

Excellent information on traction control and ABS in off road riding. Very important and useful for people like myself who don't have much experience on big bikes and who want to ride the trails safely and with confidence. Momentum is critical. Thanks Ian.

Great video, thanks! I noticed in the "Bar Riser" section you mentioned "super tall." You also mentioned the Vstrom 650. Bingo!!! I am 6'3" tall with a 34 inch inseam and with the combo of my height and Vstrom 650XT (2017) I did install bar risers (2 inch Pivoting ROX) which I have on all 3 of my bikes. I would like to include another item to the equation that might help some people. I have had back surgery (partial discectomy at the belt line) and thus I can't bend over much for very long. I am 73 years old and also have calcium deposits and thus I cannot bend my neck back (to look forward if bent over). I know these might be "special" circumstances, but I know other riders with similar limitations. In May of 2021 we rode the TransAmerica Trail from Nevada to Port Orford Oregon on Husberg FE 390s. My riding partner is 6'4" and uses the same bar riser setup. He also has stenosis of the spine and needs to stand up straighter than most. When off road we definitely need to have bent knees, but I also stand more than most when on pavement (simply back relief). The 2 inch risers also help on the Vstrom 650XT when on the road longer than a hour or so (and this is a great travel bike for touring and light off-road). Kudos of your vids which always are well thought out and you are good at including great details which we all need to remember even if we have been riding for years. -Ray (is SW Colorado)

@BurleighBill

2 жыл бұрын

You go Ray!

@GeezerWheels

2 жыл бұрын

@@BurleighBillThanks, Bill. At 73, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be riding. But we do plan to ride more of the TAT this spring (before it gets too hot), from Trinidad, CO (where we first started our westward TAT trip) to Cape Hatteras, or however far we get on this leg. KUDOS to all the "geezers" who can still ride!!! -Ray

@joeybobbie1

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Ray, I have 4 Fusions in my Neck and 2 in my Lower Back. I also have Scoliosis. I Stand a lot also for Back relief and because I can’t Tilt my Head back either. I have a 2006 GS1200 and love how Comfortable it is. I actually traded a nice Harley for it. Between the Heat on the Harley and the forward foot Controls. I couldn’t ride it. I would start hurting bad by the time I went 1/4 Mile. Anyway I love the Adventure Riding. It’s so much more fun. Ivan ride the GS for Miles and I’m comfortable. I hope you have Great Travels and can keep on keeping on. Stay Safe, my hats off to you.

@GeezerWheels

2 жыл бұрын

@@joeybobbie1 Great that you are still riding - and one such a great bike. My Vstrom 650XT is the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden - so far. A real mile muncher for a 650, one up. Have a great summer.

This was very nice to see, I'm still learning offroad on my 2020 AT and the first thing everyone keeps telling me is to make sure I disable all the electronics, so seeing someone actually saying that's not needed and explaining it, kinda makes sense. Would love to see more videos about content regarding offroad for beginners. Keep up the good work, truly appreciate it.

@kymstock1852

2 жыл бұрын

Henrique the electronics work differently on various bikes. On the AT I rode ( 2016?) the Traction Control was too aggressive when I went onto dirt ( it chopped the power off too abruptly) . Keeping the ABS on the front wheel makes sense though.

Thank you very much. I started riding an ADV motorcycle just this year. And you have answered many of my questions here!

Great video! I've ridden dirt bikes and cruisers, but bought my first ADV bike last week. Heading to the NC mountains this weekend. As an avid MTB guy, your tips made a lot of sense. Thanks!

One of your best videos so far. Really enjoy your new format and the tips are right on spot

I really can not thank you enough for all the information about riding and safety in your channel . Keep on we appreciate you

Good practical riding advice, thanks you for making the video!

Another good, well constructed video with good, usable content!! Standing up - let's talk visibility - even on relatively flat, smooth dirt roads the reason I stand up sometimes is just so I can see further ahead than if I was sitting down!!

@roundingcorners

2 жыл бұрын

Same as well, if one chooses to stand or sit, it's all up to them. Who is anyone to say when you should sit or stand. Standing breaks up the monotony and freshens up the body.

Excellent video, especially the advice on ABS & TC

I agree with everything your saying. I struggle with what to bring with me on a trip, and that will vary depending upon how long of a trip and where I go. I have a tendency to bring too much, but I want to be prepared.. One of the most difficult things to do is carrying what you need without bring too much.

Good job Ian, always enjoy your videos and content. I appreciate your honesty.

Absolutely love your channel dude! I love that you can distil your vast riding experience into beginner friendly advice. Really great content and keep up the great work!

@BigRockMoto

Жыл бұрын

Glad you like them!

Great suggestion here.. i learned those earlier only just because a friend of mine is an instructor just like you are ... Thanks a lot from Italy

Bar risers! Some bikes have the handlebars mounted higher than others, some handlebars are higher to start with - the distance from the seat to the handlebars (measured vertically) differs. You might be tall with long legs but shorter arms. Your overall height, your weight, your age, your level of fitness, the type of riding that you do all have a bearing on whether you need them. The fact that with Rox risers you can adjust the handlebars forward or back is why the need was there for them to be invented and become popular. For me I found that I had to crouch too low when in the attack position and quickly became tired with a sore back and legs. I put risers on and now I can control the bike better when standing in technical sections without the pain. My riding is more fun and safer - thanks to a minor adjustment in handlebar height.

Excellent video, made me want to jump on my 1250 GSA and hit some trails. Have been thinking abut changing to a 690R, I enjoyed your KTM videos too, cheers!

great tips and as always great, high quality content.

Hi, the detail you give is impressive - and extremely useful. Everything you cover is relevant in the 'old' country (UK). It just gets a bit wetter and colder! Looking forward to the next one.

Thank you for these useful advices - I love your channel & its content. One important matter to me - being new and sort of a short rider - is how intimidating it’s to handle a tall machine like the GSA 1250. I hope you get a chance to provide us with some tips that can help the situation.

Thanks Ian. Great job. Good info. God bless. Happy trails.

Wow it's great information. I learnt so many new things. Thank you

Thanks very much for this, lots of valuable info!

Great tips. Thanks!

Very helpful thanks

Great video thanks tor detailed explanation on each learning steps..I'm 890 R owner It would be nice to see settings of rally modes and different slip levels and where and how should used in different tarain levels.

Excellent advice!!

I am a re-entry rider and have a 1st gen 650 Vstrom...I after adjusting everything on the handlebars for me ..I still added bar risers up and back (I think 1/2" up ..1/2" back) for a more comfortable riding position while out on the highway and then re-adjusted the clutch, brake and handlebar angles again... this is also feels better when I have to stand on the pegs.... I have to hand it to you for riding in the heat ..I hate it down below you in the Coachella Valley.. cuts into my riding time.. it's 85-90 degrees when I get up at 5:00am and 110 at 5:00pm!....LOL .... another good informative video from you!...Thanks

excellent advice, thank you!

thanks , great info

Very helpful information, thank you!

Super high quality video as always. Thank you for the content

thank you for this video, it has been extremely helpful for me, new adventure rider. i now have watched many of your videos and enjoy them very much. thanks again

Thanks for the video Ian, your work is really appreciated. I agree with your first time mistakes. In particular I found the traction control tip useful. I'm an old school rider who leaves my KTM 390 in Off Road *all* the time. I still struggle to appreciate the benefit of traction control but in any case I cannot turn this off (MTC) on my KTM. The standing up tip is spot on. I laughed at this when I heard about it. I come from a strong off road riding background - trail & motocross as a younger person and mountain bike racing as an older guy. When to stand and not stand is obvious to me - I can't believe people standing and hurtling down a firetrail at 60 mph - seems insane to me. Under those conditions you have less control standing up. Also you are right about how fatigueing standing up while riding is. It makes no sense unless you need to do it. Having said that I really enjoy standing up on long rides to give my butt a rest and keep the circulation going!

Thanks, great stuff. Future video? When you're crashing, what can you do and what should you. Recently I panicked on gravel down hill corner and went off and down an embankment of boulders and trees. Some say stay with the bike, some say jump off and others say it depends.

Great video, once again 👏 Thank you.

Terrific. I am planning to purchase a 2023 GSA and have been watching many (of your) videos in preparation. These are great tips - thanks!

@motoryzen

Жыл бұрын

yes this guy has solid content.. Bret Tkacs is another excellent source of off-road riding content

Fantastic video! I’ve always wondered if you’d need a partial knobby to go on dirt roads at all! I never k ew how much the ABS and traction control can help! Thank you!

One of the best videos I have seen for off-road riding for beginners, this channel is just the best. What a beautiful landscape, reminds me of old western movies 😄 The part about standing up was really interesting also the traction control. Great video 👍🏻

Great video!. Remembering the basics and doing them well are key to every sport and activity. Oh, the dreaded #4, so important to reinforce and practice! I admittingly look at gnarly ruts with anxiety and as a result, end up in them too often :o Excellent demo with anti-lock breaks and traction control off-road.

Another excellent video. Good information presented in an informal and easy to follow manner. Keep up the great work.

@BigRockMoto

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Great advice and very natural in your presentation. Good luck.

Your videos are very informative. I’m 51, & getting back into the sport,& get a lot out of them

Really enjoyed this stream. Very informative for some one who is thinking about buying an adv bike. Keep up the good work

very helpful, thank you

Very useful, thank you! 👍 and Subscribed

Awesome video thanks

These are must needed advice for us beginner riders so we can do a solid bike and ourselves ride prep and going out and have a blast. A whole great day putting in practice every aspect on riding either on and off road. Standing, breaking, turning, focusing on what is ahead and feeling that we are improving every day. Thanks Ian for this subject, if we don't pass through this experience, we will be defenseless.

excellent tips and practical explanation, what I would like to see is how you are using riding mods for what terrain and situation on KTM 790 adventure R.... think many of us would benefit from video like that, thank you, cheers V!

Very good tips, Thank you!...

As a lifelong (50 yr+) motorcyclist, all street and cross-country touring, I find this video very helpful. With not dirt bike and little off-road experience, I know I have a lot to learn about ADV traveling. I do know that a major advantage of standing on the pegs in some circumstances is that you lower the cg when you put the body weight on the pegs instead of mostly on the seat. That technique is often helpful, even in street riding. I would like to see a video focused on whether to install a center stand on an ADV. I really hated the center stand on my 2004 Concours because I would almost injure my back when I tried to get that bike up on its stand. I could only do it on level hard pavement and, even then, it was a tussle. My ElectraGlide only has a side stand. Most modern street bikes have tubeless tires. So the need to repair or change an innertube is rare. However, my new 2022 KLR650 will have tubes and I'm leary of adding a centerstand because it will be an additional weight and undercarriage snag point when off road. So, I'm thinking a "quick jack" will be enough for the KLR. I haven't ridden on tubes since my old CB350 and CB750 Honda machines. Your thoughts please... Thanks for another super video!

@HiroNguy

Жыл бұрын

One's own physical size is a key here. I'm 6'"2" and currently 285 lbm. Therefore I can't even show a 100 lbm girl how to get her Vespa on its centerstand because it's too physically trivial for me - I'd have to show her the techique with a Gold Wing or such! As for the Concours, those are for me easy to centerstand. But if you have difficulty, by all means use the sidestand. That's what it's there for. Besides, it's got shaft drive so there aren't that many time the centerstand is even required. Just use it for only those circumstances. Glad you found a a bike you love BTW!

@dantownsend4246

Жыл бұрын

Basic Physics law . The higher you place your body the worst is the Center of gravity. No brainer high school physics. Standing on pegs puts more weight on front wheel preventing washouts

@kawabungah20

Жыл бұрын

@@dantownsend4246 Thank you, Dan. I stand corrected. (No pun intended.) It gives the rider more control over the bike’s mass (forward/backward or side to side) which gives the perception of a lower center of gravity when, in fact, it is the opposite.

Very useful, thx

Excellent and informative video!

Awesome Video. New to Adventure Bikes with a 1250 GSA, and yes they are a huge beast! Nothing like my Harley's. I still have a lot to learn, it has been many years since my motocross days. Very challenging with a disability. Keep up the great work! Zman

Top vid thank so much!🎉

Truely appreciated! This video is valuable for beginners like myself. More Beginner adventure videos would help us.

Excellent info as always! My number 1 mistake tip is this. Be honest with oneself about the bike you're selecting. I've seen even the most experienced riders that may be getting into adv riding, getting the biggest bike on the market, or wanting the most power.

Excellent video, thanks for putting the work in. Subscribed.👍

@BigRockMoto

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Great stuff

Gracias por su enseñanza

This channel deserves a million subscriptions.

Great instructional Video. Lots of Great Tips. I don’t know where you are, but what a Beautiful place to go off-roading. Not too hard of a Trail to ride and the Mountains are Beautiful. Thanks for taking the Time to make these Videos. They will benefit a Lot of People.

Risers are often misunderstood in my opinion. Shorter riders may benefit from risers as they typically bring the handlebars aft. In addition, shorter riders can consider rotating handlebars to the 0 degrees or low position. Tall riders may wanna consider doing the opposite: Remove any risers as they have the effect of shortening the cockpit. To enhance standing position comfort, they can rotate bars to the 10 degree position (up) or use pivoting risers so that the bars are at least kept in the same vertical plane, or even slightly forward.

Very good information.

Nice video. Thanks

Your commentary is a treat in the very apt words and phrases you use

GREAT INFORMATIONAL VIDEO! THUMBS UP!!!

I get that most don't, but I do need my panniers for day rides because I ride to get to hiking trails and need to put my MC gear in them, plus hiking gear, tools etc. Still I sometimes end up chucking my boots in the woods.

Just watched this great, great video a second or third time. I'd love to see more about riding off-pavement. For examples, using a rear wheel slide to turn the bike, slowing down on a steep downhill or U-turns in tight places. I know that, in all skills, practice with a capital P is essential for all motorcycle skills! Thanks so much!

Love your videos Thanks for keeping the site going despite all the trouble you have had with the hacking incident. KZread needs to be a better partner for folks like you who are serious contributors.

Great advice! Thanks.....

Really great information. What tyres are currently fitted to your GSA?

Thanks!

A possible topic that I think would be super helpful is buying tubes. Its very confusing with all the diff nomenclature. Not to mention HD vs UHD (pros/cons with each) etc. A companion topic could be something to help understand tire sizes and what choices we can make based on the rim size and riding styles… pros/cons of tube/tubeless … running tubeless on tubes rims etc etc. Thanks for informative vids!

just found your channel by accident. very helpful and thanks for sharing your long-term experience! Since 2019, I am back on the motobike , after riding my pushbike for four years from Munich to Singapore and the loop around Australia. first I bought a BMW R1250GSA WorldTravelEdition fromTouratech and did some offroad-trainings . it is a great bike, but too heavy. I still have it, and take it for long-distances, more or less, on-road-trips. for offroad I have a Husky 701 and I love it. so easy to handle, even with camping gear. I did the AdventureCountryTrack Pyrenees, Col de Sommelleir, Assietta, Alta via del Sale and some TET-Sections in France.. . Due to the fact that I want to go asap on the Panamericana, (Alaska to Ushuaia), I just bought a Yamahe Tenere700... the best between Husky and BMW1250. well, mistakes on the bike: no pain no gain... during offroad-training I broke my right tibia, and another training two rips ... main reason: too tired. ... so stop, rest, drink, eat and it makes no sense to continue if you are still feeling weak/tired. If you are in such a remoted area, which system for emergency call do you have ? I usually use "findmespot/spotconnect" and where are you located ? thanks and have a always a safe ride ! cheers from Germany

Great vid. Not just content, but production quality too! Like the new intro, and transition between scenes is better. Ok to use a script, as long as it's not distracting. This vid seemed to flow super naturally, makes it easier to watch. Now smile a bit! lol. Let's get to 50K soon.

Hey Ian can you do a video on the TFT display ? Just a basic how to to quickly familiarize with all the functions

Great video!