BIKE ON AN ADVENTURE

Until last year, I’d thought it was a waste of time taking an adventure bike off tarmac, but then I took the plunge and it changed my life. This is what I’ve learned…

1 Pick your moment

Timing is everything and the best time to start is early summer. There’s less mud, more grip and the winter’s bogginess will have dried off. This means an adventure bike’s semi-trail rubber works just fine.

2 Look ahead…

The further you look ahead, the easier it is to avoid obstacles and the calmer it becomes. Work with what presents itself, not fight against it. If you end up in a rut, ride it out and stay smooth and stand up.

3 Public byways are your friend

You’re looking for roads classified as Byways Open to All Traffic (BOATS). There are plenty in England and Wales and the best way to find them is OS maps but many local authorities have interactive maps on their websites to help show where and when you can ride.

Don’t be afraid 4

of falling off

It’s not going to be the hell that you fear — the worst you’ll probably ever do is break a lever. If you’re worried, take spare levers with you and invest in some engine bars. Might also be worth practising picking your bike up too.

Join a community 5

Joining a group like the Trail Riders Fellowship is useful; it allows you to join like-minded bikers on rideouts, helps find places to ride and is a good source of advice and tips.