Learning To Rule The Dirt With Reise Moto

I quite like what Reise Moto is doing for the tyre game in India. Instead of just focusing on high-mileage tyres for commuter motorcycles with just a few options for enthusiasts, Reise has started its India innings with an initial focus on off-road enthusiasts. While the brand does make a variety of tyres catering to everything from scooters to tourers, they debuted with their TrailR off-road tyres. Earlier this year, we had a chance to experience Reise Moto’s TrailR on/off-road tyres at the treacherous 19-Degrees North adventure park. But that was an “uncurated” experience, where my off-road riding skills (or rather lack thereof) didn’t really give me a full understanding of how good those tyres actually are in the dirt. So when the chance came to experience them once again, while learning basic off-road skills at the inaugural Reise TrailR Off-Road Academy at the Throttle Shrottle Moto Ranch in Gurugram, I jumped at the opportunity. 

Learning from the masters

The whole two-day academy took place under the watchful eye of one of India’s top off-road and Dakar racers, Ashish Raorane, and two-time Dakar Rally winner in the Motul Original category and 2019 Tuareg Rally champion, Arūnas Gelažninkas from Lithuania. Honestly, just being in the company of two Dakar racers at the same time feels like an honour in itself. But to actually learn from them felt like the opportunity of a lifetime. And I couldn’t have asked for more patient instructors than this dynamic duo, who calmly kept helping and correcting me every time I ate a mouthful of dirt (but more on that later).

The bike (and tyres)

For the two-day training school, we were handed brand new Hero XPulse 200 4Vs, some in the Rally trim as well, all shod with Reise Moto’s TrailR dual-purpose tyres. These are on/off-road tyres for entry-level ADVs which feature a 50:50 rubber-to-void ratio, making them great for clawing for grip in loose sand (of which there was plenty on the course). While I was hoping to snatch one of the XPulse Rally variants, with its adjustable, longer-travel suspension, I was a bit slow to the draw and got my hands on a standard bike instead. No matter, the tyres would compensate where the bike or my skills fell behind. 

The Course

Before we even hit the track, Ashish and Arunas had us set up our bikes to our liking by adjusting the brake and clutch levers, and the shifter and rear brake pedals, so that all controls would be within easy reach, whether sitting on the seat or standing on the pegs. The first day then started with some Level 1 drills including throttle control and braking in the dirt, which were easy enough. Then the balance drill under Arūnas’ guidance really upped the ante. This was basically a slalom course around cones, which was no problem both seated and standing, but after that, doing the same drill with one leg in the air and later, your left hand off the handlebar really hammered home the need for stability on the bike while keeping your core muscles engaged.

Ashish then ran us through some basic dirt cornering techniques, in which yours truly managed to bin it in the first couple of attempts, Arūnas taught us how to ride through a massive 7-foot-tall berm. While it looked extremely intimidating, as long as you kept your vision right and the throttle on, the XPulse and TrailR tyres handled it beautifully. Even riding down the berm half way through the corner and vice versa was a lot of fun. The last drill though, of riding slowly between two logs of wood and then over a narrow concrete slab caught me out badly, though. The dehydration and fatigue saw me losing concentration and tumbling multiple times. But Arūnas patiently encouraged me to keep going until I got it right.

While Day 1 was gruelling with all the off-road challenges and the relentless Gurugram heat, Day 2 gave us an overcast day with tolerable temperatures and renewed confidence. Ashish taught us some simple drills of how to ride down descents with minimal inputs before throwing us into the gauntlet of a near-vertical descent into a pit followed by a hard left turn over extremely soft sand before a steep sandy ascent out of the pit. After we got the hang of the pit, it was over to Arūnas once again who taught us to tackle obstacles like uneven concrete slabs, a slush pit, gravel and finally, the rock garden. On my first attempt at crossing the treacherous rock garden (basically a field of large, loose, and sharp rocks), I made the rookie mistake of getting target-fixated on a big loose rock, which I ended up riding over and getting tossed off the bike and getting stabbed in the ribs by the XPulse’s handlebar. After many falls in the sand, which were brushed off easily, this one really hurt, and I almost considered throwing in the towel… almost! Better to die than look like a wuss in front of two Dakar heroes, I thought!

Our training session ended with a very fun relay race, where I paired with Azaman from Bike India. He ran the first half of the course, which was more technical while I attempted the second, faster half. We put in a valiant effort and finished fourth among the eight pairs. Not a bad result for two off-road newbies. After that, a slow race saw us competing against our teammates, with the winners of each round battling each other until one emerged as the champion. It was a fun and hilarious way to end the intense two-day training session.

A must-do for all off-road enthusiasts

And while the real stars of the day were Ashish and Arūnas, as well as a couple of students who really shined, a special mention must be made of the Reise TrailR tyres on the Hero XPulse 200 4V, which held up beautifully over all kinds of off-road terrain and inspired a lot of confidence in those of us inexperienced with the loose stuff. But more than anything, it should be kudos to Reise Moto themselves, who seem to be doing more than anyone else to cater to off-road enthusiasts, not just by offering capable rubber for the job, but also by starting initiatives like the TrailR Academy. The training at the academy itself was incredible and something I would recommend to anyone who wants to start out exploring the world of off-road riding.