GSA's can go anywhere.......

[-Ralph-]

Yes. But this was an ABR Rally, with a choice of explained rides to choose from and like minded company to help each other out in such an event.
Good to know the GSA can take a tumble like that with minimal damage

Just said I wasn't commenting about the ABR rideout.

[misterlaffer]

Get yourself into this situation, on your own, with a 300kg GS, and you're leaving the bike behind and walking out of there to find help.



Fall down an embankment into a river when there's only two of you, and you're both walking out without the bike to find help.

It's simply not an off road bike folks, its designed to keep going when the tarmac runs out, but it still needs a road or trail of some description. It can't be relied upon to cover open terrain, a bit of wet weather will see it screwed.

(Again, not commenting about the ABR rideout, or the circumstances on this occasion, I'm just commenting about the bike generally. I'm not bashing the GS either the same is true of every other 1200cc adventure bike. The biggest one I've ever known to have "off road" ability is the KTM 990.)

Go buy a copy of Triumph around the World by Robbie Marshall. Didn't bother him and he was on a Trophy not a Tiger or GS.



You will change you view of what constitutes true adventure. Leave health and safety to the fluorescent bib brigade :whistle:

[Flintlock]

Yes. But this was an ABR Rally, with a choice of explained rides to choose from and like minded company to help each other out in such an event.
Good to know the GSA can take a tumble like that with minimal damage

Just said I wasn't commenting about the ABR rideout.

I know. I was.

[Andi_Archer]

Good on all the lads for helping out another rider who Im sure would have done the same for anybody else.

Im just back off a BMW organised training gig myself we were on mixed 1200s,1150s and 800s it was a really great two days of coaching and riding.We all had a few tumbles but we still got up smiling [even after holing three crankcase covers between us].So applause for the GS rider for giving it a go dont let it put you off.

[-Ralph-]

Get yourself into this situation, on your own, with a 300kg GS, and you're leaving the bike behind and walking out of there to find help.



Fall down an embankment into a river when there's only two of you, and you're both walking out without the bike to find help.

It's simply not an off road bike folks, its designed to keep going when the tarmac runs out, but it still needs a road or trail of some description. It can't be relied upon to cover open terrain, a bit of wet weather will see it screwed.

(Again, not commenting about the ABR rideout, or the circumstances on this occasion, I'm just commenting about the bike generally. I'm not bashing the GS either the same is true of every other 1200cc adventure bike. The biggest one I've ever known to have "off road" ability is the KTM 990.)

Go buy a copy of Triumph around the World by Robbie Marshall. Didn't bother him and he was on a Trophy not a Tiger or GS.



You will change you view of what constitutes true adventure. Leave health and safety to the fluorescent bib brigade :whistle:

Looks good, I'll have a read thanks.

Because you got round the world, doesn't mean a bike has off road ability though, because you are generally following unsurfaced roads with a hard base. Plenty of people have done it on road bikes. Local traffic is cars, vans, buses and mopeds/125 using the same roads.

[petecam]

(Again, not commenting about the ABR rideout, or the circumstances on this occasion, I'm just commenting about the bike generally. I'm not bashing the GS either the same is true of every other 1200cc adventure bike. The biggest one I've ever known to have "off road" ability is the KTM 990.)

The KTM 990Adv is around 220kg fully fuelled. The KTM 1190r is around 230kg fully fuelled. (Depends who what where you read!) but those are the ball park. Both are very dirt capable.


I'd say the 1190 is better others say the 990 is. Comme ci comme ca I guess.

Despite my jesting email above I really did manage to pick it up on my own with a bit of effort.

I appreciate if I had dropped it down a gully it would have been game over but then I've dropped a 350 EXC down a gully and that took 3 of us to get it out so you might as well be hung for a sheep than a lamb.

I would not be scared to take a big bike on green lanes but I guess knowing your bike, your limits and your lanes help.

"You'd be amazed how capable they are you know" (That's a pound to the person somewhere back in this thread)

[minkyhead]

i think he should have got the 1150 its quite a lot lighter .. :whistle:

near corwen 2005 the one in corwen ford pressed the starter and ripped the bendix off the motor

[Caesi]

Great ride report and great pcitures. well done for getting the GSA out there.
Sure, they are huge bikes, and there are lighter and easier alternatives. But what attracted me to the GSA was the idea of having of an all-rounder: commuting, weekend fun, longer distance and off road.

I myself would love to give it a try on my 65 plate but haven't even decided on the most suitable tyres yet (as mostly used for commuting; thus dual purpose needed).
But once that sorted, very tempted to join a and learn. Maybe do a refresher's off-road course first.

Again, great team effort.

[SteveW]

If anyone was asking my opinion......which no one is likely to do :laugh:.......I'd say....
If you're a novice and want to have a go at trail riding your big adventure bike, get some training.
Firstly on a smaller bike, use an off road trainer with their own bikes.
Then get some training from Molly (Rallymoto on this forum) take your big bike to him at Sweet Lamb Rally Bike Academy. He'll bring you on and give you the basics to build you skills.
Nothing beats getting the basics in place first.

[Philiptigerrice]

#Edited to remove the hardcore swearing! Sorry!

Is arse a swear? :whistle:

(thumbs)



I can't stand all these smug beggers who slag off* anyone who wants to try anything new.



I would have loved my Dad to buy me a MX bike when I was a kid, but we lived in a cardboard box, and ate gravel (we was lucky) and so a bike was never gonna happen.

Otherwise, I might have ended up as a "real" offroad rider, and ended up with Enduro bikes - and been a flipping wizard offroad.


But it didn't go like that. I wasn't allowed a bike - we had gravel to pay for...


Then I grew up, ran away - and joined the Army.

When I left, I bought a little 125cc bike to get to work on - and loved it.

I was hooked.


So - over the next few years I had a number of varying quality little commuter bikes and learner bikes - and they were all a bit equally naff and brilliant for different reasons.


Then one day - here it comes - I saw The Long Way down.

WOW

Now - I have no interest in road racing or going fast - Harleys aren't my thing - and commuter bikes were boring me - and I wasn't arsed about enduro or anything like that.

I didn't know there was anything else out there.

And here these two guys were - messing about on bikes - trail riding all over the place, and having a right laugh. I knew then, as I know now, that much of it was managed and staged - I'm friends with the Expedition Medic who was on the trip.


BUT - I wanted to do that!


Now - eventually, I had enough money to buy pretty much what I wanted, second hand wise.

I'd had a 2 year break from biking, as my son was wheelchair bound from his chemo, and we had to have two cars. Later, I wanted to get back on a bike when he got better (he's fine now).




I bought a BMW. I love the style, and the looks, and the abilities of the bikes suit me - I know I can't compete in the Dakar on it - and nor would I want too.

I even bought a Twat suit Jacket. Partly cause it does what I need, and partly cause I'm a fatty, and decent fitting kit is hard to find - it was there, and it fitted and it suited - and I couldn't find anything better - and my eyes were the size of saucers.


I fully recognise that that, in some peoples eyes makes me THE sterotypical fat middle aged BMW riding, twat suit wearing eejit.


Whether thats worse than the cocknoggin who's tear arsing about on his R1, in full race leathers, going out for 2 hours on a Sunday, 6 times a year when its dry - I wouldn't like to say. So long as he's happy...

But if you're laughing at me - well - F*** YOU! I genuinely don't care!! :woohoo:


I've done a few ABR trips, and done various trips with mates, some of it touring, some camping, some trail riding and the Taffy Dakar. I don't have a car, and I ride about 15,000 miles a year, in 95% of all weather. (Ice is out, but anything else goes).

I commute 800 miles to work on it ten times a year, and do the shopping on it, and take my son to Cubs on it. Next month - my wife and I are doing a little two's up mucky weekend away on it.


I may well do another ABR trip later in the year, if commitments allow.

I'll take the PR4's off and stick some old TKC80's on it - and I'll do a nice easy bit of green laning.

In my head, I'll forget work, forget worrying about money, and panicking that the cancer is going to come back, and all the other 'orrible things that have happened to us, and I'll pretend I'm Simon Pavey for a few hours, in my head. And I'll have a bloody ball.


I'll drop it - and others will drop theirs, and we'll bend the pedals back, and place bust mirrors in rucksacks, and all the other stuff that costs a few quid, but is worth it for the laughs. Then I'll replace the mirrors with folding ones. Someone will make a wise arse comment about needing folding mirrors on it.

If I'm lucky - someone will chuck a bike in a river - and we'll fish it out - and have a laugh about it.

If we're extra lucky - we'll get it on film.

Then I'll go home, and have a few beers - wash the bike - and the next day I'll goto Tesco on it. and someone will make a wise arse comment about me NOT needing folding mirrors to goto Tesco.... you can't win.


And I STILL won't care that my twat suit offends the "real" adventure bikers - and I STILL won't care that you don't think I should ride certain green lanes, or that I'm a fool for taking a big bike away from the front of Starbucks where you think that I think it belongs.


I can afford one bike. And it has to do everything a little bit well, and not break.


So - if you've got a 200Kg+ KTM, BMW or Honda - or whatever else - and it is your pride and joy - and secretly you're fantasising about being Mr Pavey for the day - and some dafty turns up on his terribly wee - terribly professional super duper offroad rallying machine, that he built himself for £5 with nowt but a roll of electrical tape and a bag of bolts he found in a cupboard - and he looks scornfully at you because he thinks that you don't have any right to be on the same trail as him....



Thunderpunch Him! From me. Right in his spuds :silly:

And then don't help him pick his bike up....




Enjoy your riding (thumbs)


*(or strongly imply that they are slagging anyone off - so that thats exactly how it reads - then deny that thats what they actually meant)