I'm thinking of getting some training in off road techniques up in Brisbane, and found this site that offers courses that look to be the kind of thing I'm after.
Adventure Rider Training
They're based up on the sunshine coast hinterland.
Has anyone used them, or got any feedback they're willing to share?
Cheers

Haven't used them, but had a look at the website and he offers a thorough curriculum.

Other resources:

DVD Dual Sport Riding Techniques (also and Advanced one). I found this very easy to watch and really helpful breaking skills down to things I could practice.

And this guy has written like the dual sport riding bible HERE.

I think there's great value in learning from others. You don't necessarily learn just by riding (witness how many mates have been riding for years and still don't have a clue) and many skilled blokes don't know how they do what they do, can't put it into words and teach you.

So, if you find someone that knows what they're doing and knows how to pass that on to you, very good.

Whether it's a mate, a DVD, a book or an official course like the one you're looking into - all good value IMHO.

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Steve C
Gold Coast Riders (Rides & events SE QLD, plus stuff about camping etc)
Gravel Riders Club Old farts off-road
Yer ears & yer teef They're the only ones yer got

I did his course about 3.5 years back - never ridden off-road, so trying to learn on a vstrom is intimating to say the least.

I had one objective: not to turn myself to be a true adventure rider. But i want to be be able to assess a situation and know how to correctly manage it even i take twice as long as an experienced rider.

To that end, the course was very good - after the course, i was comfortable enough to do Barry way including the steep narrow way down to McKillops Bridge along the way and back up again, and all on my road trail attack tyres with 35kg lugguage.

He is very knowledgeable and is able to pin point my problem and transfer his knowledge into something i can grasp and use.

I am a very nip pick kind of guy, but i give him 8.5/10 for skills and drills taught. The only thing i would say is that because it is a one man show - if there is big difference in the skill level of the participants, then it might harder for each to extract max benefit - of course u can do it with a few mates or some private lessons for a couple hundred dollars more.

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Finally a bike like Strom i could have as a concubine and my wife doesnt object!

I did this course just after going through Q-Ride about 3 years ago, I was a complete novice and had already had a couple of scary monments on the tarmac, best thing I ever did for my riding apart from buying the V of course, I did scratch the old KLR up a bite but it was well worth it!

Okay. Thanks for the replies guys.
Got to get some crash bars on, and a radiator protector too, but I think I'm going to do the foundations course with them to hopefully set me off on the right foot.

Yes crash bar and proper hand guards for sure... Expect to fall off a few times at low speed.... It took me a while to master to sand section. Initially I was failing off every 30 m on the sand ... Lol

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Finally a bike like Strom i could have as a concubine and my wife doesnt object!

Thanks for the link to this.
I have been wondering if you can do a course for off road riding up here.
I would be interested in doing this course to get some skills for dirt/gravel riding.
I think I would use their bike cause I will probably break mine.

Cheers Gotawee

Anyone on the Gold Coast want to get together to practice?

Sunday 7th Oct, 8am-10am, slow speed exercises in local car park
Saturday 13 Oct, 8am-10am, practice on gravel

There's a 2km stretch of gravel, Chesters Rd, about 25 minutes out of Nerang, heading south down Numinbar Valley Rd (2.8 kms beyond the Gold Coast Springbrook turnoff, past Hinze Dam). If anyone knows of a closer bit of gravel, please let me know.

If you would be interested in doing this, please drop me a note (stevec@goldcoastriders.org).

The slow speed practice in the car park would be good value even if you're not going to do off-road.

To be clear, by "practice" I mean a few mates getting together to muck around. There is no 'trainer' or 'participant' and riders will be responsible for their own safety.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR UPDATES

WHERE: Jupiter Plaza car park, 12 Lawrence Drive, Nerang. (Where KTM used to be). If we have to relocate it'll be to another carpark nearby. There are heaps in this area.

*You might like to have an almost empty fuel tank for the practice, 15-20 kgs less weight up high. There's a servo down the road if you want to fill up later.
*Recommend a light pair of gloves, not big, thick, heavy winter ones. You'll be doing a LOT of clutch work with the left hand.
*If you have knee/elbow pads, might as well wear them, just in case.

Can go for coffee at McCafe later.
If it's raining I will put a CANCEL/POSTPONE note here so check here on the morning of the day.

EDIT:
Steve C
Tweed Strom (the other steve c)
Howard
Huggo (for day 2)
Gotawee
RedNeddy
Chef (if can get time off)
Hugh
RT Liney (Stu) (for day 1, possibly day 2)
Chris & Deahn (both for day 1, non-VStrommers)
Gino (BMW 650 GS Sertao)
Matt (KLR)

YouTube clip by Jerry Paladino:


"Gravity wants to pull you down."

This guy is a master of slow speed practice and I've watched his full DVD. The practice on Sunday will be based a lot on his stuff, freely available HERE. More on his website, Ride Like a Pro. Although his stuff is not aimed at off-road, the fundamentals are still the same, except that we'll be standing up most the time.

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Steve C
Gold Coast Riders (Rides & events SE QLD, plus stuff about camping etc)
Gravel Riders Club Old farts off-road
Yer ears & yer teef They're the only ones yer got

I'll be in for this one if I can get the time away, the most important thing with bike skills is practice untl it becomes second nature.

Chef

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Live to Ride
DL650 2012
XR400 2002
JR50 2006

The most common thing I see on rides is people not standing up enough. You have so much more control over the bike and over a full day of riding it reduces fatigue heaps! I find it keeps weight off your lower back and u definitely don't get thrown around so much. As for training, best thing I did was just get out there and try. I was lucky I had heaps of mature (old) guys to learn from. Anyway I will be at the first sat ride, not sure about the gravel one yet. Hopefully I'll get there. Steve I'm trying to think of other gravel roads.