Training Tour Length: 2 Days
Starting Location: Cornelia, GA
Where We'll Stay: The Oak Park Inn, Waynesville, NC
Price: $975
2013 Session Dates: Book from our
schedule page
April 20-21
October 26-27
The dirt on our dual sport "Intro to Adventure" tours:
So, the proposal of a “StayinSafe in the dirt” tour caught your eye, yes? First, know that this is
very similar to a regular StayinSafe skills tour, and will cover the same basic principles of proficient riding as all of our tours. We will still cover about 200 miles/day of some of the best roads that the Carolinas, Tennessee and Georgia can provide. The main distinction between this Intro to Adventure Tour and our standard offering is that, for your delight,
there will be sections of U.S. Forest Service road and other unpaved roads included in the route. We will offer riding tips and conduct a few simple drills focusing directly on unpaved surfaces, but our aim is not to make future GNCC off-road champions of you.
We will be showing you just how enjoyable riding on unpaved roads can be. If you are reasonably comfortable riding groomed, two-track gravel roads navigable by a 2-wheel-drive pickup truck, you‘ll do fine on this tour. As our own senior instructor Pete Tamblyn puts it,
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While most sections of the route could be ridden on an “if you had to” basis on a good all-round standard motorcycle, we have designed this course for genuine on-road/off-road bikes such as the Suzuki V-Strom, BMW-GS singles and twins, Triumph Tiger, Hondas of the XL and NX prefix (you know who you are), Kawasaki KLR models, Ducati Multi-strada, KTM, and Yamaha Tenere to name a few. These, and others like them, are ideal for the routes we will use, as they retain a substantial degree of paved road capability (such as luggage, adequate fuel capacity and an all-day seat).
No need for aggressive dirt tires -- the roads we'll be taking will be suitable for standard large-block dualsport tires -- even those designed primarily for pavement use. Remember, much of our riding will be on the street.
Contact us if you question the suitability of your skills or motorcycle for this tour.
For a review of our Intro-to-Adventure training tour, check out the
story in RoadRUNNER magazine.
For refreshing your unpaved road skills prior to arriving at training tour, we suggest the following two resources:
1. Dual Sport Riding Techniques (DVD,
www.aerostitch.com #3601 $30.00)
2. The Essential Guide to Dual Sport Motorcycling (book,
www.WhitehorseGear.com EGDS $24.95)
For some extra fun, and confidence-building, schedule a day or two of private coaching with Pete on one of his 250’s before your tour (peter.tamblyn@gmail.com)
