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adventure ride

  • We had the opportunity to sit down for chat with Chris Birch.

  • Chris Birch was here to coach during the KMOG/KTM Malaysia Weekend Adventure with Chris Birch.

  • It was an eye-opening event to learn about what makes him tick.

We sat down for a chat with Chris Birch after the offroad clinic and trail ride. If there’s something to learn about the experience in the world’s toughest offroad competitions and KTM’s adventure bikes, there’s most probably no other guy.

(Click here for our coverage of the first day and here for the second day.)

The more we chatted through the night, the more we discovered that Chris isn’t just a champion, he’s a regular guy who loves bikes and offroading. Additionally, and no less importantly, he also coaches very well by articulating his instructions in easily-digested nuggets not only for the pros, but especially for the newbies. Let’s be honest, how many champ riders could truly teach? Participants could also get up right next to him and approach him at any point of time to post questions and chat.

Try that with No. 46.

Anyway, we decided to just have a relaxed chat with Chris Birch, rather than conduct a formal interview. A few of the participants had formed a circle around him at this point and it was an eye-opening experience for all of us.

Bikes Republic (BR): You’ve competed in the Dakar Rally and being New Zealand’s most successful effort. How was it like for you?
Chris Birch (CB): It was difficult because my experience of The Dakar is not many people want to hear. For me personally it was okay. Yes, people say it’s “THE MOST GRUELLING EVENT EVER, THE MOST DIFFICULT OF ANY ENDURO” (with emphasis) – it’s not. It’s really not, from my experience.

The Roof of Africa was in December, The Dakar starts in January. I had a small injury before The Roof (in 2009) and my fitness was not where I wanted it to be and I came second. I did no training at all between The Roof and Dakar, (but) I had no problem whatsoever in Dakar.

I’d normally lose 3 – 5 kgs of bodyweight during the Romaniacs, I actually put on a kilogram during The Dakar. (Everyone laughed.)

It’s very mentally challenging ‘cause it’s very long days and the navigation was difficult, but I didn’t find it very physically challenging at all.

BR: Is it because it (The Dakar) was more speed-oriented?
CB: Yeah, yup.

I think also because I had the skills in the technical stuff, so I didn’t find the difficult parts that difficult. The high-speed parts, however, there were a few high-speed stages where I got off the bike and started trembling, “S**t, that was fast! Wooow!” We averaged more than 100 km/h in offroad stages (we rode around 50 – 60 km/h in the fastest sections earlier in the day). It was freaking scary.

You’re completely blind and navigating as well.

Also, I found that raising money for it was really, really stressful. It put a lot of stress on my family as well. That’s the reason I haven’t done it again. It’s so stressful finding the money.

BR: What was your best experience in the Romaniacs?
CB: The best experience was in the first year. It was my first year in extreme enduro. Many people told me I was crazy, even for going, and I came on the podium on that first year. So that was a real life-changing experience.

BR: What was your worse experience?
CB: Nearly chopping my private part off. (Laughs).

I went over the handlebar in the river and caught it on the handguard. Lots of blood, I was like, AAAAGH NOOOO! Definitely that was the worst experience.

BR: How about The Roof of Africa? Is it still running?
CB: Yeah, it is! I’d love to join again, but I won’t be able to compete for the win. I’d probably still get a Top Ten finish, that would be really nice.

BR: You’ve also competed in Hells Gate.
CB: The problem with Hells Gate is it’s in Italy in February. So, it’s freezing cold, it’s snowing, there’s ice in the rivers and while almost everyone in New Zealand is going to beach (it’s summer down there), and I kept thinking, what is wrong with me! Why am I doing this to myself? This is stupid!

BR: (Someone questioned about something in the Romaniacs).
CB: The event isn’t just about straight up riding. You need to look after yourself over five days on the motorbike. It’s tough.

BR: What you did today at the track looked a lot like trial riding? (Climbing over a huge boulder, climbing a nearly vertical hillside, etc.)
CB: That’s true, most people say it looks like trial riding, I guess it is both. I ride my enduro 70% more than my trail bike at home. I can do stuff on my enduro bike that I couldn’t on my trail bike.

I get to Australia and people say, “That’s a trails thing.” I answer, “No, it’s really not.”

BR: (Philip Ho asked, “What can’t you do on a trails bike?”)
CB: The last trials competition I did was a 2-day event. On the first day, I used my 300 KTM (KTM 300 EX/C two-stroke) and I put trials tyres on it. I used a trials bike on the second and did the same stuff on the KTM.

It was funny. There was one section with a steep hill climb. It had mud and a big rock. None of the trials guys could get up it. It was really muddy, so you couldn’t get the drive on the rock. I just went wide open in third gear and jumped the whole thing. It took me just 10 seconds for the whole section.

The marshals called out, “You ready?” I replied, “YEAH!” and just went “Rrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaargh” (the sound of the engine). The trials guys went like, “F*** you!” while flashing the “birdie.”

But there were a few sections where I couldn’t get the enduro to fit in there. I was great fun.

BR: Here’s a bit of a philosophical question. You’ve competed in the toughest events. You know it’s tough, but what makes you push yourself?
CB: It comes to the type of person you are. It becomes addicted too like the greater the challenge, the greater the high you get in overcoming that challenge. So, if you go to an extreme enduro and it’s not giving you enough challenge you go like, “Awwww,” (in disappointment) I don’t get the satisfaction at the end of it. It’s that the feeling of achievement. The deeper you have to dig inside yourself, the better the feeling at the end.

BR: It’s a lot like what’s for us today?
CB: Yeah, yeah! It’s like the Ironman or a marathon. It’s not that fun while doing it, but it’s the feeling you get after that, right?

BR: You’ve been involved with KTM and Red Bull since 2007?
CB: Actually, KTM since 2004. Red Bull was since 2007.

BR: How have they helped you? Have you been riding KTM all the way?
CB: Actually no. (Laughs.) KTM approached me in 1999/2000 and I looked at the bike (back then) and went “Uhhhh…..” I remembered thinking if this KTM brand was going to last, I think I’ll stay with Kawasaki. (Everyone laughed.)

It was different years later, the KTMs improved.

BR: Do you ride road bikes?
CB: No, just enduro.

I got on the KTM and thought this thing’s amazing. KTM improved an awful lot in those three years (2000 to 2003). The earlier bikes didn’t handle that great, but took a big leap forward. I got the (new) bikes and loved them straight away.

BR: (Philip Ho): So the earlier KTMs were bad?
CB: It’s not to say they’re bad, just different. You get off a Japanese bike and onto a KTM and they (KTM) felt very different.

BR: How long have you been riding and competing?
CB: I started riding when I was four. I started doing trials when I was ten. I started riding around with my Dad.

BR: (Philip Ho): How old you now?
CB: I’m thirty-seven.

BR: We were in Australia or a supermoto race a couple of years back. We saw a father buying a Yamaha PW50 for his two-year-old son. Is that why New Zealand has produced many champions? You guys start early?
CB: To be honest, I can’t remember starting to ride a motorbike.

Dad told me I used to drag all the cushions onto the floor and turned them into obstacles for trials riding for my plastic motorbike. My parents must have seen that was my interest.

My Mum and my Dad both ride

My Mum always said I went for my trials competition when I was two weeks old.

BR: You’ve been here a couple of times in Malaysia. What’s your observation of the offroad scene here?
CB: I think it’s pretty much growing and developing scene, which is exciting for you guys. It’s nice to be here at a time when it’s growing.

I followed what the guys had been doing down in Ulu Choh (Dirt Park). I see and watch on Facebook that they’re getting bigger and bigger, it’s gotta be good.

BR: How do you see the future here?

CB: The picture’s good. Definitely with the big bikes here (today). You guys are connected to big land masses, your opportunity to go on adventures and explore is huge. You can get on your bike and ride to different countries; we can’t do that in New Zealand.

BR: What’s your best enduro experience, if you have to pick just one?

CB: It’s definitely winning the Romaniacs. It was something I worked so hard for, for many year. I had to sacrifice so much of life to get there.

BR: What was or were the most difficult thing you encountered in these events?
CB: The most difficult thing has always been the lack of money. There’s not much sponsorship in New Zealand.

And people tend to think that I’m sponsored by Red Bull and KTM, there’s no concern for money, but I’d regularly be sleeping in people’s vans, like hitching a ride, that sort of stuff. Like not near enough money to do it.

BR: Really? That’s surprising!
CB: Yeah, it’s surprising. People think everything is taken care of, no issues, so I was always having to work, train and race at the same time. It’s really challenging and racing on secondhand tyres, that sort of thing.

People are like, “We want you to go to The Dakar again!” Man, if I could find the money, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

BR: What’s the best part about coaching?
CB: It’s when like I see these “lightbulb moments.” They come up and say, “That’s WHY I was struggling with that!” The number one goal is always to make people want to ride their bikes more often.

BR: What about difficult participants?
CB: When people are unwilling to change.

You can see people like thinking, “Yeah, yeah, I know better.’ It used to really bug me but now it’s like whatever. I’d rather focus my energy on those who really want to learn.

We used to get people coming and not listening. Then we put the prices up and they (the difficult people) went away.

No more people showing up late, showing up on broken bikes, all problems solved.

BR: Now it seems whenever there’s a new KTM adventure bike, you’re the first to have a go.
CB: Yeah, my role now is the KTM Adventure Ambassador for the factory.

BR: Thanks for the time, Chris. Hope to see you again!
CB: My pleasure, hope to be here again too!

(Click here for our coverage of the first day and here for the second day.)

  • Adventure riding takes you to places inaccessible to most others

  • Adventure riding takes practice and careful planning

  • Once experienced, it may become your only type of riding activity

Courtesy of adventureriderz.com

Adventure riding is fun in many more ways than one.

Why not ride an offroad trail or better yet, blaze your own trail to some waterfall in a jungle where no one has been to before, compared to visiting an easily accessible waterfall that’s overcrowded, dirty and dangerous with rubbish and human effluents?

But how does one go about with adventure riding? Some people may cynically say, “It isn’t an adventure unless something goes wrong.” It’s not as bad as that. Think about discovering the many God-made beauties our country has to offer.

Here are our top tips for adventure riding.

1. Get a Proper Adventure Bike

Starting with say, a Kawasaki Versys-X 250 or a Versys 650 ABS. Or just go ahead with a Kawasaki KLX150BF or KLX250 (you may want to leave the KLX450R for the pros, though). But for the sake of simplicity, we’ll just stick to the Versys-X in this article.

Kawasaki Versys-X. Courtesy of motorcycledaily.com

The Versys-X 250 fills the role of a lightweight adventure and commuter motorcycle nicely, as it has a good balance for adventure riding when standing up on the footpegs. It’s also equipped with spoked wheels instead of cast aluminium ones. Spoked wheels are more desirable for adventure riding as they are usually lighter, absorb shocks better and can be adjusted back to shape if dented.

KLX250

The KLX range is a no brainer when it comes to adventure riding, as they are enduro motorcycles – super lightweight, slim, long travel suspension, big spoked wheels, and torquey engines. The KX models, on the other hand, are competition models for motocross, supercross and conversion to supermoto, thus they are not road legal. But you could always truck it to the starting point of your ride.

KX250F

Depending on the severity of offroading on your adventure ride, you may need to replace the Versys-X’s stock tyres to more adventure-oriented ones, otherwise the standard tyres are fine. Adventure-specific tyres not only offer more offroad grip, but they also allow the pressure to be dropped safely (more on this below).

2. Get Proper Training

Adventure riding has its specific set of skills. The route you’re going to travel on may not be severe, but it’s always good to be prepared.

Best way to learn this is at Most Fun Gym (MFG), operated by Malaysian veteran GP rider and legend, Oh Kah Beng. MFG may seem to be a hardcore motocross school, but it’s otherwise in reality. You don’t have to do the jumps. Learning offroad means learning the skills to control a motorcycle over low to no-grip situations through mastering throttle control, brake control, body control, body positioning, vision.

Training at Most Fun Gym

You’ll find your road riding skills improve too. That’s why MotoGP champs ride offroad on their off days.

3. Packing Up

This may seem frivolous but packing plays a big role in a safe hence enjoyable adventure ride.

Loaded up GIVI’s top case and panniers

A few extra items should be brought along:

  1. Extra tool kit. Or a good multi-tool set with extensive attachments.
  2. Cable ties. The most important kit by far.
  3. Tyre tube or tyre puncture repair kit.
  4. Compact electric air pump for the tyres.
  5. Tyre pressure gauge.
  6. First aid kit.
  7. Flashlight.
Courtesy of advpulse

For one, heavy items such as tool kits, or camping equipment should be packed low in the panniers. Locating them high up results in a high centre of gravity and causing the top-heavy feeling (the bike likes to tip over at slow speeds).

Important items like the wallet, phone, cigarettes/vape, lighters should be packed in a waterproof or ziplock bag, and be easily accessible, so you don’t have to dig through everything to look for them.

Courtesy of advpulse

Not least of all, hook the motorcycle’s key to a large keychain. It’ll give you a good chance of locating it should it be dropped into a pool of mud or water.

Kawasaki floating keychain

4. Riding Gear

Adventure riding gear is the best as they are designed to be tough, protective and comfortable.

Hevik adventure jacket

However, if there are certain constraints, motocross wear is fine, but do wear full body armour including knee and shin guards.

Acerbis body armour

The subject of boots is open to contention, however. Many choose to wear motocross boots but this writer prefers adventure riding boots such as the TCX Track WP. First of all, the latter is more flexible, which increases comfort greatly. Secondly, adventure boots have more “aggressive” sole patterns compared to MX boots. That’s important in case you get off and push the bike. MX boots’ soles are smoother, made for sliding across the track while cornering, which means you may not have much traction in the rough.

TCX Track Evo WP adventure boots

An adventure helmet (full-face with a peak) is good, so is a motocross helmet, as they provide optimal airflow. A roadracing full-face will have you out of breath in a jiffy. An open-face is inadvisable as it doesn’t have the protective chinbar.

HJC FG-X offroad helmet

5. Tyre Pressure

With all that out of the way, it’s time to ride.

But hang on! We need to work on the tyre pressures first!

Again, if the adventure ride consists of serious offroading, the tyre pressures needs to be reduced.

Reducing the tyre pressure lets the tread “open up” for a wider footprint. The lower pressure also allows the tyres to absorb shocks from irregular surfaces, rocks and tree roots.

Reducing tyre pressure

Typical road pressures are anywhere between 200 kPa front to 280 kPa rear. A drop of half will suffice. For example, if the recommended pressure for your bike is 200 kPa, drop it to 100 kPa.

Remember we recommended that you bring a tyre pressure gauge? This is what it’s for. Also, keep in mind to re-inflate the tyres back up to the recommended pressures when you ride home on the road. That’s what the air compressor is for.

Stop & Go portable air compressor

6. Stand Up

Get your buttocks off the seat and bend your knees a little, using your legs as shock absorbers for the rear. Lean your chest slightly towards the fuel tank and splay your elbows outwards, but do not press down on the handlebar. Use them as additional shock absorbers for the front, instead.

Stand up when riding offroad. Courtesy of advpulse

Standing up brings your centre-of-gravity (CoG) down to the footpegs. Also, having your body off the seat means you don’t get hammered when the bike moves around underneath you. Sitting down in the seat, will have the bike taking you for a ride as it snakes, squirms and bounces.

The Versys models have short fuel tanks; the Versys-X’s fuel tank is sloped sharply downwards at the rear so that the rider may position his body weight towards the front when standing up.

7. Ride Loose

Your grip, arms, torso and legs should be relaxed. This allows the bike to do what it’s supposed to, and letting the suspension soak up the bumps. Fighting the bike will only exacerbate a situation. Your job is just to point the bike towards where you want it to go.

Relax your arms, legs and body – Courtesy of advpulse

8. Push Down

Cornering on the road or track means leaning your body to the inside of the corner.

When adventure or offroad riding, keep your body straight up and push the handlebar and footpeg downwards.

9. Sit Down

Standing up is necessary when you travel straight or around a gentle curve. But you need to sit back down for sharper corners.

Sit down for sharper and faster corners – Courtesy of advpulse

Keep your upper body straight up and push the handlebar downward. Stick your leg out but that leg’s knee should touch the bike. Splaying your leg wide will have the bike sliding and can lead to a lowside.

10. Throttle Control

Throttle control is probably the single most important control in adventure riding (so is on the road, as a matter of fact).

Modulate the throttle smoothly when turning it on or shutting it. Roll it on, roll it off – never slam it open or slam it shut.

If the bike slides in a turn, don’t slam shut the throttle like what your instinct tells you to do. A slide doesn’t mean the bike is totally out of control. It’s just a sign that the sliding tyre or tyres have less traction.

Stay on the gas! – Courtesy of Ksatria Pinandhita

Instead, you could maintain the same throttle position and lift the bike up slightly by either using your leg or the handlebar, or both. If you need to slow down more, remember to roll off the throttle. Cutting the throttle immediately when the bike is sliding will cause an abrupt back-torque (engine braking) and that will result in the tyre breaking all available traction.

When we tested the Versys-X, we noticed that the engine’s power is softer initially, before picking up at 3000 RPM. On one hand, that’s to not scare beginners, but it’s also meant for smoother throttle response when adventure riding. The model is also equipped with a Slip & Assist clutch to control engine braking.

11. Don’t Jump on it!

As with the throttle, you should also be smooth on the brakes. Never grab the brakes but apply pressure progressively.

Additionally, do not brake in a slide. Use the throttle.

Similar to the throttle, the Versys-X’s front brake is a little soft at the beginning of its stroke.

The Versys-X’s brakes are nicely progressive

12. Look!

The simple adage applies: “You go where you look.”

Don’t stare at the big rock in your path if you don’t intend to hit it. Look to the sides and you will miss it.

Look where you want to go – Courtesy of rockymountainatvmc

So, there you go. Follow these pointers and you will want to forget about road riding and who knows, you may devote yourself to adventure riding. These tips may seem complicated at first, but they are actually rather simple and straightforward when you put them together.

Enjoy that waterfall!

 

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