How do you overcome the sweats and sheer fear that you get when the bike slips?
I have put MT21s on the X Challenge with a view to eventually upgrading from the farm drive type of offroad (pot holed road) that is the sum total of my experience so far. To try and gain some 'off road' confidence I have been riding the back lanes and running down the 'shit pile' in the centre, which is 3" or 4" of mud and grass or gravel build up, when there is a tyre rut across it the front wheel wants to go sideways and try to tip me off with the wheel sliding sideways.
How do you deal with this type of reaction please? I didn't touch the brakes because I know I would have come off if I had. I saved it, but it has filled me with dread now and I just know it is going to happen if I carry on. I can't afford to break it, so learning by dropping it is NOT an option. I need to learn without dropping it, ever. I don't know what lanes are allowed and which ones are now prohibited either. How do you know? Again, even though family farm in the Peak District, I don't know how to find out. I tried to join the TRF and was told 'my sort wasn't wanted'. I have the 'wrong bike' and they only want people with experience. That was more or less word for word what I was told by the chap on the phone, the phone number advertised for our area (Potteries). All these off road people seem to be the same - complain like hell that they are not being allowed to go where they were, but not prepared to help anyone else. Conundrum.
I have put MT21s on the X Challenge with a view to eventually upgrading from the farm drive type of offroad (pot holed road) that is the sum total of my experience so far. To try and gain some 'off road' confidence I have been riding the back lanes and running down the 'shit pile' in the centre, which is 3" or 4" of mud and grass or gravel build up, when there is a tyre rut across it the front wheel wants to go sideways and try to tip me off with the wheel sliding sideways.
How do you deal with this type of reaction please? I didn't touch the brakes because I know I would have come off if I had. I saved it, but it has filled me with dread now and I just know it is going to happen if I carry on. I can't afford to break it, so learning by dropping it is NOT an option. I need to learn without dropping it, ever. I don't know what lanes are allowed and which ones are now prohibited either. How do you know? Again, even though family farm in the Peak District, I don't know how to find out. I tried to join the TRF and was told 'my sort wasn't wanted'. I have the 'wrong bike' and they only want people with experience. That was more or less word for word what I was told by the chap on the phone, the phone number advertised for our area (Potteries). All these off road people seem to be the same - complain like hell that they are not being allowed to go where they were, but not prepared to help anyone else. Conundrum.