Off Road Skills

Simon Pavey  and  Steven Kirk

If you've seen Long Way round, Long Way Down or Race to Dakar, you'd have recognised this chap. Simon Pavey is a bit of a legend when it comes to off road riding. He's competed in several Dakar events in recent years and is also  responsible for teaching Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman, Claudio von Planta and Steven Kirk (thats me) among thousands of others, the necessary skills needed to handle a big machine off road.

I've been lucky enough to spend several days in Wales, Thailand, and more recently in Portugal with Simon and his great team. I've learned some amazing things. Simple things like picking up the bike seems obvious but many get it wrong. How do you push a 1200cc machine through ruts, puddles, slippy mud, steep hills, very steep hills and f##kin steeper hills on a big bike. Thoroughly recommend you get yourself along there. It may be far for some, but I'll bet you a few dollars you will never regret it. 

Thanks Simon.

In the meantime, I'm still awaiting my Carnet de Passage documents. I need these very very soon or I won't be able to go through India, Pakistan or several other countries on the way. Getting worried now!