I did a taster session of the DRE Enduro last week; only a half day to get a feel for the full course but still being taught a load of skills. The instructor was Beppe Gualini, holder of multiple Paris-Dakar records, so he knows a thing or two! We started off with some theory and moved onto the basics of control and turns in a (very hot!) field which are completely counter-intuitive to road riding. We then moved on to another (hotter!) field with the test track and did some uphill and downhill control, a log run, narrow beam, then the 1.5km circuit which winds up and down the hill through turns and up and down sections. My observations are that the bike is far more capable of doing this stuff than I am! It's a really heavy bike - really heavy! - at 305kg and even I struggled to get it off the side-stand at times, but once you're moving the weight disappears if you handle it right. The course itself is excellent and if you're into that kind of thing then you really should do it. The location in Florence, Italy, is amazing and the views beautiful, so worth it for that alone. Just try not to go on the hottest day of the year so far when the bike reads 44deg air temp and you've pressing your left leg against the hot engine...
Would love to do this but sadly age and years of abusing my body playing various manly sports has made my lower back and knees unsuited to the task . First rule for the over 60s is know your limits. Still all is not lost as I've still got the 853 track bike and the 1098R . Andy
Sorry Android your telling fibs, you cannot say you have problems with your knees and still fit on an 853 and a 1098r. Sorry but your telling porkies
Yes, it's a lot of money, but... 1. it's a training course not a track day - you get instruction from the world's top riders 2. bike hire is included 3. the overnight stay is included, and it will be a very nice hotel! 4. food and drink for the duration is included as well If you totalled that lot up against doing something like a 2-day CSS with bike hire, overnight stay and food and drink then you'd not be that far off.
Just to give you an idea of the facilities, this is the track used. Don't be fooled that it looks easy as it doesn't show you that this is on a (quite steep) hillside!!
It's the transition from seated to standing on the foot pegs which my knees complain most about. Sliding my arse on a sports bike seat is a doddle by comparison - well at least for the first 45 minutes . Andy
I've already done a bit of off-roading on my 250 Yamaha and I'm considering a bigger Adventure styled bike as a possible purchase. It'll be something with genuine real-world off-road potential like a secondhand KTM 690, 990 or maybe a CCM - the Multi seems WAY too big and heavy. I just signed-up for a weekend course at the Honda Adventure Centre to learn what's involved in handling an Adventure bike off road. Home - Africa Twin It is £499 for two days including bike hire and instruction from Dave Thorpe (genuinely one of the best in the world). Looks like good value by comparison to the Ducati offering. I also think the weather in Wales will be better suited to the hard work of off-road riding than Italy - scorchio!!! ;-) I'll post up a report once I've done the weekend.
@Dave if you think off roading here in Wales will be easier than in the sun in Italy, you need your bumps felt You'll be looking for a 125 before your finished, even if its slightly damp
I've done the Welsh 2-day Trial and a few days off-roading with mates in Wales. I've also done it in Spain which I'm guessing would be a bit like Italy. It's all bloody hard work but give me the mud and the rain of South Wales over the heat of Italy any day !! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
