Your Instructors
Bret Tkacs is the lead instructor for every course and every tour. When you book an adventure or challenge training course, you train with Bret himself, not a substitute instructor. His approach to teaching is built on two foundations that most riding instruction ignores: the psychology of the rider and the physics of the motorcycle. Rather than drilling fixed routines, Bret teaches riders to understand what is actually happening beneath them so they can adapt to new terrain and new challenges on their own.
Every rider arrives with a different background, different physical abilities, and a different relationship with risk. A blanket approach to coaching ignores all of that. Every correction, every exercise, and every piece of advice given during a course with Bret Tkacs is specific to the individual rider in front him.
BRET TKACS
Bret has developed a reputation for his ability to read a motorcycle before he ever looks at the rider. He watches what the bike is doing: how it moves under the rider, what it reveals about the rider, and uses that to diagnose exactly what the rider is doing and why. He’s been called “the motorcycle whisperer,” and if you think a tinted shield will hide your eyes, think again. Your bike will tattle on you every time. Read more about Bret’s training philosophy.
Bret holds a masters degree in adult education, which shapes everything about how his courses are structured and delivered. He has been teaching motorcyclists for 30 years and ADV riders specifically for over 20 years. Bret has ridden across 49 countries, led several international tours, and has built one of the largest adventure riding education platforms online through his YouTube channel and podcast. His passion for the subject is, by all accounts, relentless. His passion for teaching is insatiable and riders frequently report that he is still talking about motorcycle suspension over dinner.
Bret’s favorite bike is still his tried and true 2018 R1200GS.
PAUL SOLOMONSON
Paul is an accomplished and highly skilled motorcyclist with an in-depth understanding of how the rider and motorcycle work together. Paul is very caring and you can almost always find him with the riders who are struggling, making sure everyone is ok both mentally and physically. He will encourage you but never push you when you need to rest.
A valuable instructor, Paul has the unique ability to explain complex scenarios in a simple, relatable, and often memorable way, leading to much greater understanding and retention. Be careful though, once Paul starts a story (and he has MANY) he can’t stop, so you may just have to ride away. It’s ok, he will finish even if you leave.
Paul has 16 years of teaching motorcycle training and brings a complementary teaching style to Bret’s. Whereas Bret tends toward the analytical, Paul has a gift for translating complex ideas into simple, memorable language that riders retain long after the course ends.
Paul recently acquired an Africa Twin 1100 DCT to challenge his conventional clutch-riding background and to master the skill sets needed for an automatic transmission.
GREG DIBERNARDO
Greg has a background on the track (road racing), in the dirt and as an adventure rider with international riding experience. His overwhelming enthusiasm and excellent coaching makes him an unforgettable instructor. Once you spend time with Greg you will feel like you’ve made a friend for life.
If you hang around long enough you may see Bret or Paul poke Greg with a topic that draws on Greg’s passion. When this happens it’s best to just kick back with Bret and Paul, put on a smile, and watch the show. Greg often appears at the Georgia training, but has been known to show up in Virginia occasionally.
Greg’s favorite bike is his Ducati DesertX.
CHRISTINA TKACS
Christina is extremely understanding of rider challenges as she self-admittedly had a very rough start riding off-road. She brings a smile to every class and is quick to laugh. She enjoys bringing the joy of adventure riding to people who have been struggling with the frustration of crashing or getting hurt.
Christina is our “Q” (think James Bond) and makes sure everything runs smooth on the back side with registrations, questions and the website. She seldom talks about her personal experiences riding in countries around the globe but if you can get her to talk, her experiences will keep you entertained and enlightened.
Christina’s favorite bike is the Yamaha Tenere.
NICK PALMER
We really don’t know much about Nick, but rumor is he’s more bear than man. Nick serves as our primary support rider in Idaho, and will not just lift your 1200 GS when it goes down; he will carry it through a difficult section if that’s what it takes. For Nick, riding skills are optional. If he decides he is going somewhere, he gets there.
His riding style is blunt and his personality is the opposite: patient, approachable, and genuinely happy to stand back and let riders work through a problem before quietly offering exactly the advice they needed. He has spent an extraordinary amount of time in the saddle for someone relatively new to motorcycling, accumulating hundreds of thousands of miles and the rare distinction of having worn out more than one motorcycle in the process.
His current ride is a BMW R1300GS, less than a year old and already on its second engine with over 40,000 miles on it. And counting.
