5 Useful Tips for Riding Dirt and Gravel Roads - Cornering / Lane Position / Speed / Body Position 

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First video I've ever watched from this channel. I appreciate you getting to the point and not stretching it out to a 15-minute video.

Came around a State forest road blind corner yesterday and found two stopped vans unloading a huge group of backpackers. There was no path whatsoever to pass without hitting a van, kid, or tree. I only avoided getting hurt and/or hurting a kid because my speed was low enough to slide to a stop. Thanks for spreading the news that it isn't just your equipment and/or god like skills that should dictate your speed.

"If you can't stop to avoid a car (going to you) IN YOUR LANE - you going too fast" - the very best words today. Thank you for your videos!!!

I am glad you mentioned how important it is to stay on your side of the road. I learned it hard way. 7000 km from home, 7 hours ride to first bigger city and in the country where it is impossible to get spare parts for a motorcycle. Fortunately I was not injured and had a great family that took me into their yurt for a day until van came which helped me to transfer my crashed bike to the city.

I second this - no need to prove anything or go too fast. Last season, I was tearing up a National Forest road (which doubled as a logging road) in Laird Park, Idaho. I came around a turn and nearly had a head on collision with a logging truck. My speed was way above necessary, and I nearly paid for it in a big way. The logging truck and I missed each other by inches. Keeping a cool head in an emergency situation is worthwhile. Limiting the possibility of an emergency is better.

Riding at Milican we would signal how many bikes were coming behind us when we met other crews. Not everyone does it, but it is a nice thing to help others out. I wasn't riding but driving on a mountain road whilst hunting with a buddy years ago in Arizona. We were not going fast, thank goodness, but a Ranger was speeding to catch a poacher (didn't have tags) who had fled a different Ranger. It really wasn't fun, and it was a huge cliff on one side, thank fully she went on the correct side of the road, even on the corner or it would have been game over. We had the hill side, she had the cliff side. She came to our camp a day later, and apologized (she recognized the truck), all is forgiven.

Just came back today from 30 miles of gravel, dirt and some sand on my Multistrada, 2 up. I remembered this tips 1/3 of the way in and it made the rest of the trip feel much more enjoyable! Relaxing and letting the bike do its job was key.

Here in Korea, people riding on the road are less than careful. And are even less careful offroad, where they think there isn't likely to be any traffic or police enforcement. I find, especially when going around a blind bend, particularly where the road is only one lane wide, I give a little blast of the horn. It has saved my life way more than once. Even if moving at a crawl, I would still get creamed by some SUV driver who thinks he's the only person in the universe, while he blasts around these tight bends.

That's really important things you mentioned. The most important is relax and look as far as you can to get over tension

Bret, you are doing a great service to those who ride and aspire to ride.....keep up the love., you have a great way of communicating. Thankyou

I like your simple and clear delivery of tips in your videos especially for a beginner like me. And you make it sound fun and safe at the same time !

As written below, excellent footage, great sound and good info!! Thanks for this video. Good stuff!

Brent, thank you for all your advise.. I watched your video and headed straight out to my nearest service road to test my skills using your advise and it really helped.. Unfortunately for me, as I drove to the far end of the service road the road crews had just spread out a new layer of gravel and to my surprise on my way back nearly lost it after being sprayed with rocks from my tires that were almost buried in the thickness of the gravel in places. I was very scared riding in it and thankfully the road crew thinned this out the next day.. Awesome advise, thank you again Brent..

Just came across this and I can say that this is some of the best motorcycling advice delivered in an authoritative and informative manner. The majority of this advice applies to normal riding too. Limiting factors, reading the road and relaxing, all great bits of advice.

I was hoping you would do a video on gravel riding. Seems like a hot topic. I am not an expert at all but I have ridden the TAT which is about 4500 miles of dirt roads, and have ridden in far northern Quebec on the most gnarly gravel roads you will ever see. I have felt uncomfortable on about 90% of those roads. What I have found that works for me is looking far down the road as you have suggested. Of course, you need to scan the road in front of you for pot holes, large rocks etc., but its very important to look ahead and just do a quick scan in front of you. I also have found that standing and letting the bike move beneath you is imperative. The more the bike drifts the more unnerving it is while sitting. The bikes movement is amplified while sitting. For me, I can relax much more standing and letting the bike move around. With that said, I find it a little sketchy standing while cornering, but I do find that I can control the bike in the corner better while standing, it just feels weird to me to have that weight up high. I can understand other folks opinion on the standing vs. sitting in terms of physics. I don't know what the "correct" answer is, I can only express what my experience has been. I am always looking for suggestions on this type of riding as it is a large percentage of the terrain that most adv riders face. I appreciate your suggestions and the effort you put into this videos. Some of the comments below are harsh and disrespectful. Its ok to disagree and discuss but no need to be nasty. Please keep making these videos.

Great advice. Especially with the the huge increase with SxS 's on the road. They seem to be what I come across more than ever here in Arizona

Thank you Bret. I am touring Alaska and had promised to take my 11 year old daughter to Arctic circle and back. Your videos that i watched yesterday helped me do that.. My commuter bike is 650GS, but the rental gave me a 1200GSA.. i watched your video several times and the videos played in my mind every time i tense up.. thank you.. I will be watching all your videos..

Consistently good content, Bret. I really enjoy these videos; right to the point and no wasted time.

Great video! Great content as always! I really think your tips will help me out this upcoming season. Keep the videos coming

Watched this few times in the past couple of months. Very helpful and to the point. Thank you very much !

wham bam thank you mam !!! need more like this awesome even for no adv riders great advice ....

Another clear and very good video. I never have enough of your expert advices. Not to mention your style and the way you explain and demonstrate it. I want more videos please :-D

Another great video, MotoTrek! Thanks again!!

I like these vids. Short, sweet and to the point.

Great advice, thanks! I have not ridden gravel, and trail since high school in my dirt bike days. It's been all street for me since I struck out on my own with an XS Yamaha 500 (1980)! Feeling the call to get back to my roots so I'm looking at some different ADV bikes and these tips are very helpful to start getting my head back in that zone. I enjoy the channel so new sub from northern Minnesota. Peace.

Jack Burton taught me this back in 1986. *Like I told my last wife, I says, "Honey, I never drive faster than I can see. Besides that, it's all in the reflexes."*

Great tips Brett, I use these methods on dirt roads, you have to change your position and style accordingly to the conditions and surface.

Really digging these vids -- good stuff!

Excellent video. Thank you very much. I found these tips extremely helpful.

I totally understand being tense and focusing right down in front of you. Not that I’m advocating this but I certainly am much more loose, relaxed and look farther down the road after having one or two drinks but definitely no more.

These are solid tips from someone who's done a lot of miles.

Thank you so much for doing this series of Adventure bike riding tips. I have always ridden Harley Davidsons and just bought the KTM 790 R Rally. I am like a fish out of water when I ride it. It is a completely different ride and feels so tall and awkward. Your videos have helped me a great deal. I am starting to feel a little more comfortable on it and am really enjoying learning to ride Adventure bike. Your videos have been a huge help in my learning curve. Thanks again.

....such great productions and great advise...Thank you so much!

I needed this. THANK YOU Bret

Ey Bret! I really enjoyed this video. I'm still a rookie riding off road (mainly because i don't know where to practice legally in catalonia), and i found this simple but essential tips really useful

Always worth the time watching these videos.

Great stuff Bret. Loving all your videos. I particularly like your cool measured approach. Oh and very pleased to see the Channel Islands get a mention in your subtitles for riding on the left 😉 Neil

Great video! Content is great and the production values are great. And its nice and concise too!

right words. no comment. very usefull. thanks to sharing of your experiences.

Great tips, great insights. Thank you for the information you share with people that are far from you and don't have the possibility to train

Did this on my scooter and yeah standing and leaning outwards actually helped in having control on off-road tracks.

Nice pieces of advice, as usual. This channel is awesome, we learn something in every video. Cheers from France :)

These tips are common sense but it's amazing how many folk still get it wrong..... Great video as usual Bret, keep it up, wish I could come on one of your courses, but it's a long way from the UK!!!

Just great advice. Very simple and easy to remember. Can’t wait to see your other videos. I have limited time off road and really enjoy it but I do trend to do a lot of the wrong things. I’m usually trying to keep up with other riders who are much better than me and that’s why I make so many mistakes. I need to get back to the basics and learn to relax and keep my eyes up. Thanks again great job on the video

Good stuff, never too many reminders. Stay loose is the key, I've found this time and again.

Thanks for the tips. Very useful. Love Matt’s drumming. Also like your large hat selection.

Brilliant emphasis and sooooooo darn important. Ride relaxed! It doesn't subtract control, it amplifies it. May sound counter-intuitive, but it's true.

Oh man, your videos are the best! Although damn lose gravel road still freak me out at first, but after a half hour or so I'm relaxed enough to trust the bike and enjoy the bike "floating around"

I like that, "Take their 1/2 of the road out of the middle". So true, some areas in NorCal we avoid due to the weekend warriors.

Thanks; i will share your nice video & tips with my rider friends; Cheers; Live long, Ride safe & Prosper 🖖🏼

RIDE RIGHT, thank you for talking about this very important safety tip

Great advice! As a newb to adventure riding I’m great full for your help

I’m glad you emphasized SLOW down! I drive a log truck over these roads (Oregon/Washington). Couldn’t count number of close calls.

Great video, as always. Other than standing up this is how I ride my Stratoliner 1900 cruiser on the highway. The technique is called counter-steering. Keeping your shoulders & head on a vertical line and pivoting at your hips maintains equilibrium & control and keeps sight lines open. Live your videos.

Good tips and much useful!

Very good channel!! I got so many ideas and tips!! Great job!! Thank you so much!!!!

I love your videos. I'll have to watch them a lot of time to really learn what you teach for when I'll go off-road, but they are very helpful... Guess going off-road for the first time could be chilly :)

Great tips. Thank You!

Muchas muchas gracias por hacer los subtítulos en castellano , disfruto mucho de sus vídeos , gracias ✌️

Thank you for these great tips 👍

I have so very much to learn despite having riden and raced dirt bikes for nine years.

Excellent informative channel, why would anyone dislike this?

so much happy to mmet you,you are a great humanbeing with tremendous ability and connectivity with uws,i wish I can be with you and learn all skills withface to face..all appreciation for you energetic and enthusiastic passionate teaching i am overwhelmed with you love for us thank and love you sir

Thanks for these great videos and explanations. Greetings from the Bavarian Alps.

Brilliant video. Thank you

I did not know any of this stuff! I've been thinking about getting an ADV bike because it is sooooo uncomfortable when I find myself in the dirt on my stupid, slow Harley. I'm watching this over and over so I can memorize each bit of wisdom here

good tips. dig the funky drums.

Thank you so much for this!

Your content is very concise, accurate and informative

Appreciate the video. Awesome tips.

Great stuff! I appreciate your videos.

Good tips. I’m experienced having been riding off road all my life but these five tips are SPOT ON and ESSENTIAL to master riding a motorcycle off-road. It’s quite different to road riding - take note oh and BTW really well explained!

Very useful and helpful. Thanks.

Very informative. Greetings and thanks from Philippines 🇵🇭

Such solid tips!!

always so helpfull

Very good and correct information. Great Video

Very good advice thanks!!!!!

Very good advice.

Nice video and advice!

great tips, hugs from Brazil

3:35 ...vision is controlling that speed, see the furthest point of road, everything else subconcciuss and active peripheral vision, great video!

Good video. Very helpful.

Very nice tips of offroad adventure bikes riding. Congrats. Thank you.

Really helpful content man. Love from Himalayas in India.

Great advice.

Nice tips! Thank You Sir! :)

I grew up at 11yo on a Yamaha, riding in the Lancaster desert. So later getting on the street, I had to unlearn sitting on top of the bike through turns. But that still comes natural on the dirt sitting and standing.

I need to focus on staying right, I tend to think I am the only person on the road. Great video and tips, I just subscribed so I can learn more

Very nice video, taught me a lot!

great tips ride safe Tony

Succinct video with excellent safety points, cheers. I live in NZ and ride narrow, very tight, (1st gear hairpins..!) twisty, gravel roads, which could be deep gravel, corrugated or scrubbed off just leaving a smooth clay surface. The outside of a bend is always deep gravel and often where you need to be to avoid a sideways ute or camper van coming around the bluff. Sometimes with a boat on a trailer swinging behind. Rule of thumb in addition to what is said in your vid is brake in a straight line, pick the safest / observant line and be in the right gear to ride the loose crap around the corner. A positive throttle keeps your underpants clean. Staying outside the CoG and weighting the outside footrest when standing is paramount to avoid stunting incidents. And yeah, relax. The bike won't fall over unless you make it do so. Most of our gravel roads are cambered, use the camber to minimise lean - increase grip. I love gravel!

Awesome !!

I struggle with the KEEP THE EYES UP bit on some of these here Northern California fire roads due to the potholes and otherwise poor condition of the trail. They might be paved, but only just. Or they may be hard packed unpaved, but with irregular sinks and cross-ruts. Seems at times more prudent to maintain a near-field sight line. Only to have the road smooth out, where speeds can increase as does the sight line. Until the next patch of these obstacles. Lather rinse repeat. More practice needed, and desired. Thanks for these videos. They’re study guides. Spring can’t come soon enough.

cool! thanks mate

Helo from México! Thanks for the tips! Aré Great!

Awesome video

I love that you ride an Older bike still haha. Awesome stuff.

EXCELLENT!