BHPian kaushalswarup recently shared this with other enthusiasts:Another weekend, another ride on my V-Strom 800DEThis time, it was an off-road training session at Trailmaster EnduroPark-an 18-acre off-road academy and multi-trail playground tucked just off Mysuru Road after Bidadi. A half-day event, this session was curated by Ajit Ramesh (AJ Motovlogs) and Ajit Bharadwaj, an IIA-certified BMW Motorrad instructor. I was joined by good friends and fellow T-BHPian, @shyamg28, along with his better half-incidentally, the only woman rider of the day. A couple of Tiger 900 RPs, a Vee 650, Scrambler 400X, Himalayan 411, and a Gen 3 Duke 390 rounded out the line-up alongside my V-Strom 800DE. The eight of us spent our Saturday morning getting a feel for the fundamentals of off-road riding. From balancing drills, to riding with one leg off the peg, then both legs on the seat-we were nudged (and occasionally yanked) out of our comfort zones. Cone drills followed, helping sharpen our low-speed manoeuvring and control. The property is well-equipped with varied training setups and obstacle courses. From parallel logs simulating ruts, to a nasty sand pit, the trail loop took us through rumble strips, steep climbs, steeper descents, slush zones, tight turns-you name it. It was equal parts fun and exhausting, but a fantastic way to understand both the bike’s potential and my own (lack of) fitness. The V-Strom handled everything I threw at it with ease, and gave me the confidence to push myself. Only casualty of the day? A silly tip-over while attempting a crawling-speed U-turn. No harm done-except to my ego. I kept the suspension bone stock, and rode in Mode B, which offered the best balance of power and throttle response. Traction control was at Level 1 (Gravel and Off were options too), and ABS at 1 (lowest intervention). These settings worked well for almost everything-only the sand pit demanded switching both TC and ABS off. The park also offers more comprehensive Level 1 and Level 2 training programmes-each a full-day affair that’s a lot more intense. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable and humbling experience. If you own an ADV, sessions like these are a must-do. You learn a lot, fall a bit, laugh more, and leave a better rider. Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.
