Discussion
spareparts said:
Assuming that's you, I was chatting to you in, I think, the KTM off road queue
I didn't bother with the on road bike tests as they're usually too slow to learn anything but I'd forgotten the new SMT was there
I rode KTM 890R off road - generally all ok but the speed was too slow to really learn much
The Yamaha Tenere off road the leader split us into 2 groups and we weren't hanging about - much better - everyone said it's feels so top heavy compared to the 890R, I can only say that it felt very comparable to me
The best bit was a test ride on the Polaris Quads - I wanted to try the buggies but they were already booked, but the quads were great fun - I'd buy one but there are so few places to ride one
I missed the Ted Simon talk - was he any good ? His was the first book I read so wanted to see him but I was taking out a ride
First time ABR attendee here! Well, with a small caveat, I went last year just as a walk in for the day as I didnt really know what it was all about but quickly realised its about the riding. Full weekend with camping this time.
I loved the weekend. We started camp building at 8am Friday am and packed up Sunday afternoon.
In total I rode 9 different bikes, all on road and it was a great experience. Test rides were mixed, quickly figured that if you got out behind the lead guy your ride was much better. I was on a Multistrada V4 Rallye and was stuck behind what appeared to be a first time rider, very hesitant, riding the brake constantly, always a huge gap in front to the next guy. As a result I spent all of my ride making sure he didn't crash and forgot to enjoy the bike.
Good bits of the event:
1. Steph Jeavons talk - very interesting
2. The manufacturer rides were brill, I don't know where else you'd get to ride the variety of bikes i rode in such a short space of time. From a ZX10-R to Indian Scout and all inbetween.
3. The stage/music - cover bands really do hit the spot sometimes and they slotted in nicely with the vibe of the crowd.
4. The general chilled atmosphere both in the show and camping. No a-holes at all. Everyone friendly.
Bad bits of the event
1. Queuing for test ride booking - while I understand the need to queue, it was crazy how long it took to sign on. This is because they were doing all the legal stuff at the same time as sign up. I've made a suggestion on the feedback form that at the opening times, just take the booking info (name/bike/basic info) and ask the person to come back at any point before the ride to fill out the legal stuff therefore optimising the free time in the day.
2. Queuing then no spaces - didn't happen to me but I saw a bunch of people get turned away after 45mins of waiting and then be told its full. Why they can't have a person telling the que there are only 'x' many spaces left and save the 30 long queue.
3. Food prices - holy moly. Fancied a cheese toastie for lunch. £13! I walked away! When did 99's become £6! Bottles of water at one stand were £3, but literally 3feet away at the next they were £1.
4. Non VIP camping facilities. Good quality but just not enough of them.
Will I go back - 100% yes, already booked. Just waiting VIP booking slots.
I loved the weekend. We started camp building at 8am Friday am and packed up Sunday afternoon.
In total I rode 9 different bikes, all on road and it was a great experience. Test rides were mixed, quickly figured that if you got out behind the lead guy your ride was much better. I was on a Multistrada V4 Rallye and was stuck behind what appeared to be a first time rider, very hesitant, riding the brake constantly, always a huge gap in front to the next guy. As a result I spent all of my ride making sure he didn't crash and forgot to enjoy the bike.
Good bits of the event:
1. Steph Jeavons talk - very interesting
2. The manufacturer rides were brill, I don't know where else you'd get to ride the variety of bikes i rode in such a short space of time. From a ZX10-R to Indian Scout and all inbetween.
3. The stage/music - cover bands really do hit the spot sometimes and they slotted in nicely with the vibe of the crowd.
4. The general chilled atmosphere both in the show and camping. No a-holes at all. Everyone friendly.
Bad bits of the event
1. Queuing for test ride booking - while I understand the need to queue, it was crazy how long it took to sign on. This is because they were doing all the legal stuff at the same time as sign up. I've made a suggestion on the feedback form that at the opening times, just take the booking info (name/bike/basic info) and ask the person to come back at any point before the ride to fill out the legal stuff therefore optimising the free time in the day.
2. Queuing then no spaces - didn't happen to me but I saw a bunch of people get turned away after 45mins of waiting and then be told its full. Why they can't have a person telling the que there are only 'x' many spaces left and save the 30 long queue.
3. Food prices - holy moly. Fancied a cheese toastie for lunch. £13! I walked away! When did 99's become £6! Bottles of water at one stand were £3, but literally 3feet away at the next they were £1.
4. Non VIP camping facilities. Good quality but just not enough of them.
Will I go back - 100% yes, already booked. Just waiting VIP booking slots.
This was my 1st ABR, I was marshalling / setting up with the TRF. I mainly manned the big mud bog - I've never smiled and laughed so much in years! :-) was great fun seeing people get through on the big Adventure bikes - particularly those who were clearly well out of their comfort zone but made it through. God alive they are heavy when helping to get stuck ones out! Fair play to those of you who picked them up off the floor on the following muddy ascent.
Great festival. Music was good but not really the main draw for most. Plentiful beer at good prices - £5.50 for a San Miguel at the Boutique bar, but you could get a Carlsberg for.... £3.50! at the HobGoblin truck/Unimog bar. Unheard of at a festival!
Great food stalls - I had CurryWurst twice :-) Showers were excellent in the VIP camping, as were the toilets.
Good crowd and atmosphere.
See you there next year - I'll be in bog no. 2 again, in high vis laughing an awful lot!
Great festival. Music was good but not really the main draw for most. Plentiful beer at good prices - £5.50 for a San Miguel at the Boutique bar, but you could get a Carlsberg for.... £3.50! at the HobGoblin truck/Unimog bar. Unheard of at a festival!
Great food stalls - I had CurryWurst twice :-) Showers were excellent in the VIP camping, as were the toilets.
Good crowd and atmosphere.
See you there next year - I'll be in bog no. 2 again, in high vis laughing an awful lot!
Griffith4ever said:
This was my 1st ABR, I was marshalling / setting up with the TRF. I mainly manned the big mud bog - I've never smiled and laughed so much in years! :-) was great fun seeing people get through on the big Adventure bikes - particularly those who were clearly well out of their comfort zone but made it through. God alive they are heavy when helping to get stuck ones out! Fair play to those of you who picked them up off the floor on the following muddy ascent.
Thanks for the push then! 
Hugo Stiglitz said:
Never been, it looks good but the thought of having to talk about tyres with a stranger 
I should think tyres would be one of the regular topics of conversation that pop up. I went in 2019 by myself and got talking to a few randoms, was good, if quite a bit smaller then.Going again this year and looking forward to it. I'm going by myself but am in contact with a few people I know who are going. I think I'll try for a test ride on whatever's going - had a decent ride on a Z900rs as it was the only thing free last time. But mainly I want to ride the big big trail and catch a few talks.
Got 50/50 tyres on the Tiger (AX41s in case you're interested
)and aired out my tent yesterday in preparation. 
KTMsm said:
I'm going again, I'll be taking out some of the TRF rides
Taking a 701 and a 990 to have a play around the course
I always have a good time there, plenty of talks to listen to and hopefully get to try the buggies and quads this year
Same, I missed out on the buggies last year so hopefully get out in one this time Taking a 701 and a 990 to have a play around the course
I always have a good time there, plenty of talks to listen to and hopefully get to try the buggies and quads this year
Fantastic few days at ABR Festival, I think I would have been happy spending the whole day in any of the 4 tents they had setup for talks and demos, I managed a few laps of the trail, did a couple of roadbook routes and tested a Moto Guzzi. The music was ace for the most part too!
No buggies that I could see to test though, I was looking forward to them as I didn't get around to it last year.
I set out to keep it as cheap as I could, then within 3 hours of arriving I'd bought a new helmet, goggles and some riding pants
I also made the most of my crash bars, when ambition far outweighed talent. I decided to nip past some slower riders on the trail, on a downhill section, I wouldn't say I was on the grass but I still managed to lose the rear under braking and ended up on my arse, pinned by the bike. Thankfully not too injured but I'm still sitting here with an ice pack on my knee!
Most importantly, I didn't knock off the guy I was passing, though I gave him a bit of a fright. It's one thing being an idiot and falling off on my own, but taking someone with me is quite another...
No buggies that I could see to test though, I was looking forward to them as I didn't get around to it last year.
I set out to keep it as cheap as I could, then within 3 hours of arriving I'd bought a new helmet, goggles and some riding pants
I also made the most of my crash bars, when ambition far outweighed talent. I decided to nip past some slower riders on the trail, on a downhill section, I wouldn't say I was on the grass but I still managed to lose the rear under braking and ended up on my arse, pinned by the bike. Thankfully not too injured but I'm still sitting here with an ice pack on my knee!
Most importantly, I didn't knock off the guy I was passing, though I gave him a bit of a fright. It's one thing being an idiot and falling off on my own, but taking someone with me is quite another...
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