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‘I still have the desire to learn and be pushed’ ‘Watt has raced Dakar three times’
The world is full of people keen to share opinions, but my advice (should you want it) is be careful who you listen to! My mantra is: pay attention to people that have been there and done it and take anything else with a large pinch of salt.
Which is why I’m in Dorset for a day of off-road/enduro bike training. I’m with Stan Watt from Rotor Adventures who specialise in off-road riding and training for anyone from novice through to riders wanting to compete at the highest level. There are also courses for adventure bikes and specific Ténéré 700 days, through to bigmileage multi-day trips in Europe and roadbook training for Dakar Rally wannabees.
As far as Watt is concerned, he’s definitely not a wannabee having raced Dakar three times, finishing 25th overall in 2013 in his own private team. He’s an accomplished navigator, adventure rider, enduro and rally rider, but above all a natural teacher. So don’t let the fact that he’s been a Dakar front runner intimidate you, he and his team of ACUcertified coaches have the know-how to steepen your learning curve (wherever you may be on it).
With a new Yamaha WR250 courtesy of Crescent Yamaha at my disposal I’ve arranged to meet with Watt early before the training starts to work through some elements of bike preparation. Rotor Adventures use Yamahas, so what Watt doesn’t know about getting the best out of them isn’t worth knowing. Inside 45 minutes a set of Michelin mousses (dense rubber ring that replaces a standard inner tube) and Michelin Enduro Medium tyres have been fitted (his record is under five minutes for a mousse and tyre change when he was riding in the World Enduro Championship). Suspension has also been adjusted for my weight with some minor tweaks to improve feel and grip. Having been riding off-road for more years than I care to mention, I bravely booked myself in for the experienced group. Although my competition days are behind me, I still have the desire to learn, improve and be pushed.
The day is spent working through a well structured curriculum. It’s pitched at my level of riding and is tailored where necessary to meet the demands the group.
The land where the training occurs is a huge off-road
playground where the going can be made as easy or as difficult as you like and because parts have been man made, rather than all just natural terrain, it’s perfectly set up for training. It means you get to practise and perfect your technique by riding the same climb or tyre step-up over and over again while getting constant tuition relating to throttle control, body position and weight transfer. The full syllabus covers: bike set-up and development, speed training, aggressive braking control, technical riding development, vision, route choice & selection, advanced obstacle techniques, ruts at speed, descent & ascent development, pivot turns, rider conditioning and development, motorcycle care and management. And by the end of the day it’s clear that this is more than just having a ride in the dirt, it’s a genuine learning experience while having the opportunity to put each aspect into practice. With Watt having been there and done it as a rider and also running his own team with other riders, the training and advice feels realworld and definitely not just a case of going through the motions. There is a genuine desire to see each and every rider improve. There are plenty of other courses and levels on offer, starting with a beginners’ course before moving onto a foundation course, intermediate and experienced. No matter where you are on your off-road journey, there’s a course for your level and with a rider instructor ratio of 5:1 there’s no shortage of guidance and advice. In addition, Rotor Adventures offer 1:1 training across all levels for that real personal touch, along with a dedicated Enduro training day aimed at all levels which takes in all the expected riding elements of the curriculum plus bike preparation, fitness, nutrition, race starts and race strategy.
Like all businesses, Rotor Adventures are in the process of adapting to the current regs regarding Covid-19 and social distancing. At time of writing and in line with guidelines, they are offering 1:1 training and 2:1 if the two riders are from the same household. This is expected to return to a ratio of five riders to one ACU certified coach with social distancing and bike cleansing processes already in place.