Stepping Up: Advanced Training and a Bigger Bike

As my skills began to grow in the first six months of owning my first adventure bike, so did my confidence—and with that came a desire to push further. While my BMW F700GS had been a fantastic starting point, I started to feel its limitations, especially in rougher terrain. The suspension, while comfortable on the road and moderate trails, was clearly road-biased and frequently bottomed out on more challenging sections.

Looking back, had I started with the taller BMW F800GS—equipped with longer-travel

suspension and better off-road geometry—I might not have felt the need to upgrade so

soon. That realisation came with a tinge of sadness, because the 700GS had done nothing wrong. It handled easier dirt tracks and country roads with grace. But my heart was yearning for something more—a real adventure machine, one that could handle longer distances and tougher terrain with ease.

Enter the Big Beast: BMW R1250GSA

True to form, I stuck with the GS line and began eyeing the iconic BMW R1200GS and the

newer 1250GS and GSA (the Adventure model). After a few months of trawling the second-hand market, I made a big leap and bought a BMW R1250GSA from a dealer.

My first impression? This thing was a beast. It intimidated me. With its large fuel tank,

towering stance, and significant weight, it commanded respect. It was clearly not a bike to be taken lightly—and certainly not one you just “figure out” on the fly. I knew I needed

more advanced training to learn how to handle this rhino of a machine properly.

Finding the Right Training: GS Off Road Training

That’s when I came across GS Off Road Training, a specialised training outfit running

courses across Australia. As the name suggests, they focus exclusively on BMW GS bikes and offer everything from beginner sessions to multi-day masterclasses.

Their advanced courses cover a huge range of skills: off-road maintenance and field repairs, water crossings, riding in sand and mud, handling loose, rocky climbs—and perhaps most crucially—how to descend safely when traction is practically nonexistent.

Trial by Training

Just one week after picking up the 1250GSA, I nervously turned up for one of their standard skills courses. The group was full of seasoned riders, many of whom had years of experience under their belts. During introductions, I quickly realised I was one of the least experienced in the group.

But here’s the twist—over the next few days, I discovered that having years of riding

experience doesn’t always mean having formal training. Surprisingly, I found myself right in the middle of the pack in terms of technical skill. That realisation gave me a huge boost in confidence.

The bike itself? Incredible. BMW has truly mastered the balance of comfort, power, and

capability in the GS range. The 1250GSA never missed a beat—even when I did. It only

decided to lie down when I lost focus or weighted the wrong peg.

I left that first course not only with a new level of riding skill but with a sense of community. Many of us exchanged contact details, already planning our next ride together. There's something powerful about learning hard things in good company—it builds a kind of bond that’s hard to explain.

Pushing Further: Sand, Sweat, and Satisfaction

Encouraged by that experience, I signed up for even more courses, including a brutal two-day training focused entirely on riding in sand. Let me tell you—falling in sand, and then trying to pick your bike back up and ride away, is an exercise in stamina, strength, and patience. By the end of it, we were all exhausted, but every rider wore a smile of hard-earned accomplishment.

Final Thought

Advanced training didn’t just make me a better rider—it gave me more respect for the

machine, the terrain, and myself. And it opened the door to a whole new community of like-minded adventurers, all chasing the same feeling of freedom, challenge, and connection.

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