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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
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  #1  
Old 30 Aug 2015
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Enduro Riding. Train in the UK

Hi

Im currently in London and would love to do some intro to enduro.

I was doing off roading in the US on a dual sports 650cc but I want to get into it hardcore and need to go back to basics.

I can see day courses are around £199 - wahhhhhh. I just dont earn enough.

Any recommendations of how to get into this in a more affordable way?? I appreciate i'll need to hire an enduro but hoping there may be people who love to teach for less.

Cheers

Marie Danielle
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  #2  
Old 30 Aug 2015
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You could try the Trail Riders Fellowship: Home - TRFTRF.
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  #3  
Old 31 Aug 2015
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Marie, you certainly get around!

"Get into it hard core"?

What is your end goal for this? Racing or Rally competition? Travel?
To become a better overall rider?

I think hooking up with local riding clubs is a good start. But if you "think" you want to go "hard core", I'd buy a moto cross bike and start racing the novice Women's class.

Everything you'll learn on a Moto Cross track will cross over to basic trail riding 10 fold. An EXCELLENT cross training exercise that will also test your fitness, build your skills in no time and make you a better road rider as well.

It ALL relates.

Since the UK does not have millions of acres of open land to trail ride upon, you may have trouble finding places to trail ride. But perhaps some of the riding clubs have land to ride on?

But hopefully there are still a few Private moto cross tracks in operation. Often they are close to cities or Urban areas. No idea what you've got in UK at present but hopefully there are a few?

If you are serious, this is the way to go. At the track, you will have "teachers" all around you more than willing to share and help out a Noob.

Have fun!

PS: Do you really believe you can simply take a weekend course on "hired" enduro bike ... and you're done? You may learn a few basics ... but on a Moto track you'll learn 10 times that in half an hour. If you're serious and want to get
"better", plan on at least a year of riding (at weekends), racing and trail riding to really gain skills for life.
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Old 31 Aug 2015
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Marie,

If you don't have a bike then one of the manufacturer's days might be the easiest to sort.

Yamaha Off Road Motorcycle Days | Enduro Training School | Motocross Days In Wales

Or maybe these people could give you a taster

Off The Kerb Trail Riding - Green Lane, Adventure Riding in Dorking Surrey

If you find that you really like playing off-tarmac in the UK then a couple of £K will get you a very usable, road-legal trail-bike.

There are Hare and Hounds or Enduro events most weekends

Enduro News - News

or for trail riding, join the TRF.

Home - TRFTRF
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Old 31 Aug 2015
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If you can get your own bike, there's a group in Kent who go greenlaning most weekends, and stay out all day. You'll save money in the long term, and also learn a whole heap about bike prep and maintenance :-)
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Old 2 Sep 2015
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thanks for the messages everyone

Im not thinking that a day/weekend course will tick any boxes. Im just looking for the most affordable way to get help with technique and consistent improvements here in the UK. My main issue is that Im always coming back to the Uk with nothing - my fault - i just get a bit of petrol money together, my tent and off I go again. Si witht eh bike I have one in the US, and the only other one here was a 125cc which I gave away to a friend so im effectively bikeless here (and budget wise it'd take me till after xmas to afford a bike here which was why i was looking at hire).

Ultimately would love to get into sidecar motorcross but up until 2013 the most off roading i'd done had been the toys r us car park in old kent. From that ive been to Utah, white rim trail, back country and trails in tahoe and truckee, black rock desert, mojave, into mexico. Learning by doing, falling off and getting back on, loving every minute of it.
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  #7  
Old 2 Sep 2015
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[QUOTE=mollydog;514671
I think hooking up with local riding clubs is a good start. But if you "think" you want to go "hard core", I'd buy a moto cross bike and start racing the novice Women's class.

I think the last thing you'd want to do to improve your skills would be getting on a motoX track, where the chances of getting your face run over by some meathead if you get it wrong are so high! Hare and hounds and enduros give you the terrain you need (ie private land not public roads), and usually the space and pace that suits you. Plus as many laps as you can cope with and no pressure.
Ride safe, whichever way you choose,
Simon.
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Old 3 Sep 2015
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Having done both Motocross and Enduro for 3 to 4 year period I found Enduro the better of the two.

I know you are in London but if you get up North and/or anyone else decided to have ago who is reading this....

Tong nr Bradford is quite good for an Enduro day out
Enduro Practice Days: Parkwood Off Road Centre

WOR are good, I did some events with them, use places over the country but mainly up North
http://www.worevents.com

This might be of use also http://www.enduroland.co.uk

Wayne
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  #9  
Old 31 Oct 2015
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I know it seems steep but I saved up for a day with Mick Extance and his team in Mid Wales on a range of Kawasaki bikes leanring the basics of enduro and came away a much more confident rider. Having a ex Dakar racer teach you is quite something! The hire bikes were all in good condition, kit provided too.
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