UTAH

Best of the Utah BDR

Are you in need of training but not sure what level is right for you? Click on the training you are interested in below to learn more!

*Utah Level 1 and Level 2 Training will be held at Grit Moto Adventures Training facility near Park City, UT.

Level 1 Beginner: 2 Day Training 

Off-road skills don’t happen overnight.  We want you to feel comfortable when you transition from the pavement to the dirt, and our training will help you build the finesse required to adventure ride safely.  Breaking down each movement into easy-to-understand steps is the key to our training.  The Triple Threat—or clutch, brake, and throttle—is one example of our focus on the fundamentals of controlling the motorcycle at slow speeds.  By re-learning how to precisely control the actions of clutching, braking, and throttling, you’ll maximize your riding capability using this core principle.  The Triple Threat is the backbone of our training program, and it carries over into every exercise we do. One thing is for sure…you will have a lot more confidence, the necessary tools, and refined skills to help you “Ride your Ride.” 

Training exercises and skills you will learn:

Transitioning from the street to the dirt

Some things to remember to get you started

Why we ride standing up and the benefits

Improved visibility and changing your point of influence

Balancing on the bike at slow speeds and body positioning

Without turning and counterbalancing, what does it feel like when you move around on the bike

Operating the brake and shifting gears while standing

Proper lower body positioning

The “Triple Threat” the art of learning how to finesse the clutch, brake and throttle at slow speeds

It takes a lot more skill to ride a big bike slow than it does to ride one fast

Controlled stops and skids using the front, rear and both brakes together

Taking the myth out of using the front brake and knowing when either is better

How to weight your foot pegs and steer the bike from the waist down

Avoiding obstacles by quickly weighting the foot pegs

Climbing and descending rideable hills

The ups and downs of inclines

Restarting and Recovering from stalls on hills

Know how and when to stop and restart

How to ride sand safely and comfortably

We all know it is our favorite terrain ****If sand or mud is around*****

How to use counterbalancing for turning sharp and sweeping corners

Completely opposite of how to turn on pavement

Riding tight circles in a box while transferring your weight on the motorcycle

Comfortably turning tight takes a lot of finesse and exact body position

CLICK HERE to book your trip

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*Multiple Lodging options are available in nearby towns for those that don’t want to camp

Level 2 Intermediate: 2 Day Training 

Continuing from our Level I class and/or building upon the skills you have already, this 2-day training class further refines your control of the motorcycle through the mastery of “The Triple Threat” – the Clutch, Brake, and Throttle at slow speeds, over terrain and during tight maneuvering.  Body position is critical in Level II training and will be explained and practiced at length.

Level II Training is for life-long learners; those who realize motorcycling is a perishable skill.  At the end of this two-day training event, you’ll be ready to ride more technical trails, further gain confidence and become a better rider. Practice is still key, however. Ride with others who have good riding techniques, display safe and considerate motorcycling etiquette and encourage you to “ride your own ride”. 

Training exercises and skills you will learn:

Controlled stops and skids using the front, rear and both brakes together

We’ll dive deeper into understanding the full range of the front brake and where the rear brake is most useful

Foot peg influence and pressure

Understanding what this means to learn to steer the bike from the waist down and more specifically with your foot pegs

Advancing the Triple Threat

Operating controls gaining a deeper understanding of how the clutch, brake and throttle work together as your skill advances and terrain choice changes

Understanding body positioning and counterbalancing while riding slow around corners and obstacles

We will tighten the turns, decrease the speed, and add increased use of the controls

360 degree circles and figure 8’s

We’ll use these exercises to build on momentum control and imitate technique while riding steep uphill turns

Skid Turns

Skidding with the rear wheel looks cool but is also very useful

Climbing and descending turns on hills with obstacles and switchbacks

We’ll increase the difficulty of the hills and add turns and slow descents

Restarting and Recovering from stalls on hills

Advanced terrain requires more advanced strategies in recovery and decision making

How to ride sand or mud safely and comfortably

These will depend on if we have sand or mud in the area

Cornering at speed

Getting the feel of using the throttle to “steer with the rear” wheel without breaking traction. We’ll also teach you how Power Slide (break traction) and how to control it

CLICK HERE to book your trip

Choose your event dates | Hold your spot with a deposit | Get more detailed event info | View itinerary

*Multiple Lodging options are available in nearby towns for those that don’t want to camp

Arizona, home of the Sonora Desert cacti, the Grand Canyon, and the ponderosa pines of the Coconino National Forest, offers some of the most magnificent riding in the Southwest. History surrounds you in Arizona where indigenous culture collided with Old West colonialism. The far-reaching landscape of Arizona will pleasantly surprise you with the ability to take a deep breath and enjoy the open air and the freedom of riding.

Riding in Utah’s high desert mountains to prehistoric desert bluffs, from dramatic rivers valleys to endless skies, your senses will be overwhelmed with unforgettable sunsets and a taste of just how much more you’ll want to discover. Utah offers some of the most diverse riding opportunities in the West and some of most memorable adventures that can only been experienced by motorcycle.

Join us on this 6 day 7 night Best of the Northern Arizona and Southern Utah BDR tour! We will be following most of the Northern Arizona BDR route and add in a few sections of the Southern Utah BDR route. We will be camping, which will allow us to experience the Best of BDR!

Common Questions:

What camping gear should I bring?
You will want to pack the following items:
  • Tent
  • Sleeping Bag
  • Sleeping Pad
  • Camp Chair
  • Cup or Vessel for drinks
We will have everything else you need. We’ll be cooking meals for you on this tour so no need to bring a stove and utensils unless you want to.
How difficult is the riding?

The route has optional hard sections and easier bypass sections. We will stay together as a group for most of the riding. However, if some of the group feels like tackling a harder section and some do not, the guides will make a decision to split the group for those specific sections so everyone can enjoy their riding.

What kind of motorcycle do I need?

There is no one answer to this question because it depends on preferences, riding ability, and of course, budget. Any motorcycle can be converted into a dual sport bike. Heck, we know people who have converted their Harleys into adventure bikes! For this tour, we will be riding terrain that is big adventure bike friendly (BMW 1200GS, KTM 1290 etc.). However, we have had many customers ride smaller and mid size dual sport bikes and enjoy the ride just as much. If you don’t have a bike right now, we can help you with a rental.

Will a support truck be following us?

Yes. Our support truck will be carrying everything we need to set up camp in the wilderness. We will also have room for your gear if you don’t want to carry it on your bike.

*Note: Support truck will follow us as long as we get at least 6 People

How do I need to pack my bike?

Pack lightly, efficiently, and in a way that encourages proper bike performance. Feel free to consult with us before the tour about how to pack your bike. We also suggest daily packing of snacks, water, and clothing for layering to adjust for the conditions.

What protection do I need for my bike?

We recommend the following at the minimum:

Note: Not having these items does not mean you can’t come on the tour. It just means your bike may get damaged and the protection we recommend is for major working components.

  • Skid Plate
  • Crash Bars
  • Headlight guard
  • Radiator Guards
What tires do I need for my bike?

We recommend at least a 50/50 tire and even better is a more dirt or off-road focused tire. We will be riding through some technical sections that are more comfortable with a more off road focused tire.

How many people are in the riding group?

We limit our groups to 10 people

How do we handle extreme weather?

We will ride in most weather conditions. However, our guides are well equipped to make the best decision for the group regarding trail and weather conditions and may re-route the riding day.

What should I pack?

For You:

Clothes: Proper riding gear is a must! If you have any questions about riding gear and clothing, feel free to contact us and we can cover this in more detail. In general, people tend to over pack clothing items. Besides riding gear (including a helmet, jacket, gloves, pants, and boots), you will need layers for frequent weather changes. Consider packing a separate set of comfortable clothes/shoes to wear at camp while we are lounging.

For your Bike:

If you have a good set of tools it is not a bad idea to bring them; some people like to be self-sufficient. If you don’t have any or want to save room we should have enough tools to fix or repair most bikes on the fly.

CLICK HERE to book your trip

Choose your event dates | Hold your spot with a deposit | Get more detailed event info | View itinerary

Join Dusty & Bill in the scenic Wild West!

What’s better than mountains, motorcycles, and rugged off-road terrain? How about mixing those on an immersive off-pavement tour/training experience with industry-renowned adventure riding instructor/guide and Host of MOTOTREK, Dusty Wessels, and BMW-Certified Off-Road Instructor and 2010 GS Trophy U.S. team member, Bill Dragoo. West38Moto and D.A.R.T. (Dragoo Adventure Rider Training) have teamed up to bring you a professional off-road training immersion tour of six days riding the rugged mountains and trails of Colorado and Utah. This immersion tour is intended for intermediate and advanced level riders.  The group will meet in Buena Vista, CO for the start of the event (exact meetup location shared upon booking). You will spend six days riding some of the best trails in Buena Vista and the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, San Juan Mountains of Colorado and around Moab, UT!

This special event will have a different structure than a standard tour. The daily structure will be a choice of difficult or easy/medium/difficult trail riding. 

We will spend the first few days camping/hoteling in Buena Vista, CO and riding the amazing trails in the area. Some of these trails are featured on the COBDR route. Depending on the daily route and choice, we will have opportunities to visit historic towns and scenic off-road trails.

We will then transition from Buena Vista to Ouray. We will spend one day riding some of the best trails in the San Juans including the Alpine Loop!

Next, we will ride a mix of on and off-road route from Ouray to Moab, UT. We will then spend the next two days riding some of the most famous trails in the scenery rich town Moab, UT! Each day will have options of tougher or easy/medium terrain. Some of our riding options will be trails featured on the UT BDR route.

One thing is for sure, there is no shortage of trails and roads to ride in these specific areas. We won’t even touch what is available in the days we are there. This trip will leave us all wanting to come back for more!

Common Questions:

What camping gear should I bring?
You will want to pack the following items:
  • Tent
  • Sleeping Bag
  • Sleeping Pad
  • Camp Chair
  • Cup or Vessel for drinks
We will have everything else you need. We’ll be cooking meals for you on this tour so no need to bring a stove and utensils unless you want to.
How difficult is the riding?

The route has optional hard sections and easier bypass sections. We will stay together as a group for most of the riding. However, if some of the group feels like tackling a harder section and some do not, the guides will make a decision to split the group for those specific sections so everyone can enjoy their riding.

What kind of motorcycle do I need?

There is no one answer to this question because it depends on preferences, riding ability, and of course, budget. Any motorcycle can be converted into a dual sport bike. Heck, we know people who have converted their Harleys into adventure bikes! For this tour, we will be riding terrain that is big adventure bike friendly (BMW 1200GS, KTM 1290 etc.). However, we have had many customers ride smaller and mid size dual sport bikes and enjoy the ride just as much. If you don’t have a bike right now, we can help you with a rental.

How to handle elevation changes?

It is a good idea to arrive early to Colorado and spend a day or two at elevation. Our riding days have us at higher elevation than some folks might be used to. Each day, drink more water than you normally do and at night, less alcohol than you normally do.

Will a support truck be following us?

Yes. Our support truck will be carrying everything we need to set up camp in the wilderness. We will also have room for your gear if you don’t want to carry it on your bike.

*Note: Support truck will follow us as long as we get at least 6 People

How do I need to pack my bike?

Pack lightly, efficiently, and in a way that encourages proper bike performance. Feel free to consult with us before the tour about how to pack your bike. We also suggest daily packing of snacks, water, and clothing for layering to adjust for the conditions.

What protection do I need for my bike?

We recommend the following at the minimum:

Note: Not having these items does not mean you can’t come on the tour. It just means your bike may get damaged and the protection we recommend is for major working components.

  • Skid Plate
  • Crash Bars
  • Headlight guard
  • Radiator Guards
What tires do I need for my bike?

We recommend at least a 50/50 tire and even better is a more dirt or off-road focused tire. We will be riding through some technical sections that are more comfortable with a more off road focused tire.

How many people are in the riding group?

We limit our groups to 10 people

How do we handle extreme weather?

We will ride in most weather conditions. However, our guides are well equipped to make the best decision for the group regarding trail and weather conditions and may re-route the riding day.

What should I pack?

For You:

Clothes: Proper riding gear is a must! If you have any questions about riding gear and clothing, feel free to contact us and we can cover this in more detail. In general, people tend to over pack clothing items. Besides riding gear (including a helmet, jacket, gloves, pants, and boots), you will need layers for frequent weather changes. Consider packing a separate set of comfortable clothes/shoes to wear at camp while we are lounging.

For your Bike:

If you have a good set of tools it is not a bad idea to bring them; some people like to be self-sufficient. If you don’t have any or want to save room we should have enough tools to fix or repair most bikes on the fly.

CLICK HERE to book your trip

Choose your event dates | Hold your spot with a deposit | Get more detailed event info | View itinerary

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