VIRGINIA ADVENTURE TRAINING

That depends. When the ground is dry or damp, the terrain can often easily be ridden on street-biased adventure tires but when it rains, even more aggressive knobbie-style tires may have a difficult time gaining traction in wet grass and mud.  

It’s important to note that it has been our experience that the least-experienced riders commonly arrive with the least-capable tires and ultimately struggle unnecessarily and/or hold back the entire class when it could have been a simple solution to arrive with tires that ensure they would get the most out of their investment in time and tuition. Due to this pattern, we have implemented minimum standards with recommendations.

A complete list of tires and our recommendations is found here.

Maybe… The one piece of safety equipment that does not cross over to riding on dirt are street boots which are often no more than leather slippers with padding and are not acceptable at any of our off-road training events. Crashing at speed during training is very rare but falling over or planting a foot while learning isn’t.

Riders wearing less than an off-road boot (adventure touring boots are NOT off-road boots) are more likely to experience a foot, ankle and/or lower leg injury along with a higher level of foot fatigue. When learning new skills, slow-speed tip-overs are not uncommon due to the inability to immediately apply all the lessons/coaching. This can result in a foot caught underneath the bike or getting twisted when doing an unintentional rapid dismount. We strongly encourage the most protective boot you can afford. Note: We cannot allow you to ride if you choose to bring a boot that offers no off-road crash protection. A complete list of boots are found here.

Hint: The more you can feel your controls and the more you don’t mind walking in your boots, the less protective they are. Some people choose not to wear protective boots because they “can’t feel the controls”. Being able to feel the controls underfoot is not essential. You can easily determine if you’ve shifted or if you’re braking even while wearing the most protective motocross boots. Also, by practicing in off-road boots, you will learn how much pressure is needed to shift and/or brake. After all this is why you are taking training.

No, not anymore. You will need to bring an appropriate bike to your Virginia Adventure Training course whether it’s your own, borrowed, or a rental.

We don’t have any direct relationships with any motorcycle rental companies, but Eagle Rider does rent ADV motorcycles nationwide.

There are also individuals and apps that may give you access to a motorcycle for training. Keep in mind, you may be tipping over (hopefully not crashing) during training so make sure your borrowed bike has crash protection. It is uncommon for riders during adventure training courses to sustain damage, however the Challenge Training events are more risky to equipment and minor damage is more likely for riders on the lower end of the learning curve.

We contract with Penmerryl Farm to provide you with a hearty, homemade breakfast every morning. Coffee and snacks will be available throughout the day as well.

Dinner on Friday is on your own, but we do host and provide a welcome dinner Thursday night and a graduation dinner Saturday night – if you have food allergies, email Penmerryl Farm for their awareness: gluten free and vegetarian preferences are already accommodated.

Restaurants are only a few minutes ride away. Some riders bring food they can prepare at camp with a camp stove and the three bedroom lodges onsite have kitchens.

Of course! This class is not exclusive towards so-called adventure bikes or dualsport bikes. Whichever bike you want to learn how to ride off-road, you can bring to class. However, you may not be able to participate in all activities due to limitations in suspension or ground clearance.

Dirt bikes and small dualsports (like the Yamaha XT-250) are also welcome, however since training is geared towards larger ADV style bikes, activities will be much easier on a small bike. 

Three-wheelers and sidecars are not suitable due to trail width and the types of lessons we teach. All bikes must be street-legal.  If you choose the optional Sunday School, you must have a valid license plate.

Yes, we provide water at all times.  You can fill up your water bladders or refill water bottles as needed.

We will not have access to enough water to refill your tanks if you are bringing an RV. There are limited RV hook ups (must be reserved directly from Penmerryl Farm).

Camping is included with your Virginia Adventure Training Camp tuition but lodging is not. Penmerryl Farm has an assortment of beautiful lodge rooms and full cabins for reservation.  These accommodations are blocked out for ADV Camp riders until a few weeks before class begins. Please reserve and pay for your cabin directly with Penmerryl Farm as we do not manage cabin reservations.

If you prefer to tent camp (included) or camp in your van/car, you have a multitude of choices – either in a field, in the trees, or inside a old horse arena. You can choose to camp near other campers, or you can find spots farther away. There are no established campsites but there are showers and toilets available for campers. 

There are RV sites available, both with hookups and without. Please reserve and pay for your site directly with Penmerryl Farm. Self-contained camper vans and trucks with small bike trailers are welcome to park at our camping area at no additional cost.

Bret and Paul will be onsite several days before class getting things ready, but will not be available to socialize until the official arrival time at 3pm Thursday afternoon. If you’ve booked a cabin, you may request an early check-in.

Possibly. Learning to ride a motorcycle off-pavement can be mentally and physically challenging but that applies to all riders regardless of age. It is not uncommon for us to have one or more riders their 70’s attend the Virginia Adventure Training courses and do well while much younger riders struggle due to poor physical conditioning or mental perseverance.

With that said, age does matter and we recognize that our endurance does decrease over time, but that is no excuse to not keep improving your life through learning. It is easy for us to adapt and work with riders of all ages and physical abilities during the Virginia Adventure Training courses and still help them grow as riders. So in short, it’s not whether you are too old, it’s a question of arriving with the proper mental attitude.

You can’t change your age but you can change your health. We strongly encourage you to come in the best physical condition you can manage. We teach low-energy riding techniques, however learning – by its very nature – is not low-energy.

Depending on the number of staff and how many instructors we have available, classes may have up to 18 riders. A normal class will have 2-3 instructors, including Bret Tkacs.  Both Bret and Paul are your primary instructors and are both full time professional instructors with more than 42 years of motorcycle skills instruction, and are extremely skilled at managing and coaching riders on a personal level no matter the size of the class.

Family members and significant others are welcome to stay with you during your Virginia Adventure Training course. Dogs are also welcome, however since this is also a working horse farm, make sure you get permission to bring them to your cabin. As much as we’d like to accommodate those accompanying you, we need to focus on the paying customers and your family can spend time with you before and after class.

Maybe… There is no straight answer to this question as it depends on many factors.  Please email us for a more specific answer to your situation.

Our cancellation policy is found here.