Tight Trail U-Turns with a huge BMW R1200GS Adventure

Learn how to safely turn around your large, heavy adventure bike on a narrow trail! Professional motorcycle instructor Dusty Wessels demonstrates the best technique using a #BMW #R1200gs #adventure This is a skill worth learning even if you don't often ride trails like this.
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FOLLOW ON / mototrek.videos
CONNECT WITH DUSTY AT West38moto.com
MUSIC BY MATT JORGENSEN mattJorgensen.com
PRODUCED BY TIM TYLER timtyler.com
00:00 U-turns on Tight Trails
00:56 Technique
02:10 Demonstration
03:19 Credits
full lock with the wheel pull the clutch in cover the front brake so when you slide down you got to give your front wheel enough angle to slide down this berm and all you're waiting for is your back wheel to hit the other side cut it as far as you can full lock if you can so now it's all about foothold and clutch the throttle and turning that wheel you got to turn that wheel turn in that three-point turn into that 15 point turn this takes big chunks with that front wheel until it starts to fall there it is right there now you know you're kind of home free you don't need any more throttle you just use the berm and gravity like we talked about now I can roll away

[@adventuremulemoto]

Uses the tree at the end. Love it.

[@mountainlife1165]

Great tips! Former Harley street rider and now adventure biker. Thanks!

[@davidrahbany]

DW makes it look easy! Anxious just watching that as I've dropped my bike about half a dozen times doing that exact thing on a downhill slope.

[@ryanmalone2681]

There are so many ways to turn around and knowing as many as possible is like having a good ratchet set. Great to have the right tool (technique) for the right situation.

[@enduromotorradtouren]

Riders on mammoths really hate U-turns. You make them look easy. As they are, with the right riding technique. Never muscle the bikes, they wear you out. Thanks for sharing, Günter/Nürnberg

[@vijayam1]

Wonderful. Like I always say, gravity is your best friend and your worst foe!

[@advmotoskillz]

Beautiful trail! Good to know different techniques for the many scenarios you can come across out there!👍🏻

[@peterharrison-edge6493]

Great tips, great tunes.

[@bradb2514]

Excellent! Very helpful!

[@kennethvernonprivate]

Awesome....you make that look easy!

[@vasilypupkin2107]

Nice trail thought!

[@VARider1]

We call those "Austin Powers cart turns"!

[@jmsask]

Thank you for this information 🍻

[@MOTOTREK]

You bet!

[@justme197511]

Eazy peasy, 3 point turn, brake clutch squeezy😂 thx for the trail turning technique.

[@MOTOTREK]

you're welcome

[@mikemerrill175]

I’ve had to get off & stand by the bike to pull this off. Especially in the sand. Good ridin right there. M

[@fernandocaetano433]

NICE!

[@MOTOTREK]

Thx for the membership, Fernando.

[@jamescampolo7824]

Today, I was in a tight spot like this and a rock about 9" wide was in the way. So besides rocking up the burm and turning, I also used the front wheel to push the rock out of the way. I was too lazy to get off the bike and move it. lol

[@MaRmAn1337]

Nice but you should show the power slide u turn as well

[@sgtunix]

That's probably coming in the next video... right Dusty ? :D

[@MOTOTREK]

The power slide turn usually requires a little more space. kzbin.info/www/bejne/noSZp3iohrVnZ5o

[@stephenoffiler8024]

Not to be a hater, but I just gotta say that trail looks like it was purpose-built for this technique. Here in New England, there's going to be ruts, rocks, roots, and just generally inconsistent surfaces that conspire to keep the bike from rolling nice back and forth as you're doing. I speak from experience riding an F800GSA.

[@MOTOTREK]

Yes - there will be times you might to need to u-turn on sand, mud, hills, rocks, etc. We'll make those videos when we cross those paths.

[@epexlinux]

Have a 2013 r1200gs but not the adventure model, would you recommend going off road with it?

[@MrD_2112]

I'm always curious about these marvelous trails (tracks, paths?) Moto Trek is riding on in the forests. Are these forest paths dedicated for motor vehicles maybe? In my country we'll have to stick to gravel roads and some occasional small foot paths just to cross over to a new gravel road (if there is one). Otherwise we just have small paths for walking and for people out hiking and camping. I've never seen anything like these in Moto Trek's videos.

[@mikemerrill175]

There are large areas dedicated to off road riding in the US. Capitol forest is one of many in Washington State.

[@MrD_2112]

@@mikemerrill175 That's quite amazing. I really envy you guys. 😀👍

[@MOTOTREK]

We filmed this near here goo.gl/maps/sXD7ewhH4Nwgw2Nj7

[@earl-tf4qc]

Is that a 50/50 tire?

[@bobirwin1028]

How 'bout getting off the bike and using the side stand to pivot-turn the bike?

[@justmyself1000]

Thank You!

[@MOTOTREK]

This GS was a borrowed bike so we didn't want to risk bending the side stand.

[@vtwinusa]

What windshield is on that bike?

[@Doublecheesemoto]

Kinda like the Austin Powers 15 point turn.

[@MOTOTREK]

Exactly

[@Nazgilias]

I turn my bmw g 310 gs in a similar case on a side stand.

[@dtrex392]

I thought Dusty was done with the big 1250 Adventures, and now he’s been back on ‘em for four videos……… 😉. Five if you count the drums.

[@MOTOTREK]

The latest videos feature a borrowed R1200GSA.

[@mahmutkazimbingollu5427]

Thanks a lot

[@greggjarvis133]

Fine on a single track berm. Different technique when you have a rock face on one side and a 1500 ft drop on the other side and you've just approached a tallas pit

[@gregoryprice2593]

Just unleash your inner Knievel.

[@jeremygirven2560]

What trail are you riding on? I live near the area and I am looking for ADV trails.

[@MOTOTREK]

Near here goo.gl/maps/sXD7ewhH4Nwgw2Nj7

[@palonso428]

How to ride on cabo stone downhill like and on curvy town with a light rain ….I saw couple guys fall ,but no me …but still don’t understand what exactly I have to do ,… I didn’t fall was a miracle hahaha I don’t have skills for off the road 😂😂😂

[@simonbs1]

These videos are pushing me more and more towards getting a offroader/adventure bike as my first motorcycle😬, is that a bad idear?🤷‍♂ Also i live in Denmark and here it is illegal to ride in nature unless it is private propperty or a beach, we do have some gravel roads but that is about as rough as it gets here. So is it a waste to get an adventure bike here or shuuld i just stick with a streetbike? Thanks in advance everyone :)

[@MOTOTREK]

Maybe the greatest advantages that ADV bikes offer is carrying capacity, ground clearance and ergonomics that allow the rider to stand up comfortably (and sit for long rides).

[@jothain]

You should definitely try it. Just by love of god don't buy anything like GS. Do like I did. I bough couple thousand euro XT600 that I could in most severe situation like ditch there for days to retrieve it if things would go south. Imo it's the most stupid thing to buy even brand new T7 if you haven't rode before. Get some couple decades old beater and you'll actually have good time not being scared to drop or scratch your precious.

[@mastadriver]

Get some training/courses, ride with more experienced riders and start with lighter bikes. If you buy a GS and think you’ll be blasting down the gravel road straight away, your collar bone will not thank you.

[@mcnuggetapple]

No new video in 7 months? Are you guys okay?

[@Rick-nx3iy]

That's an adventure bike, just drive up the terrains like chris birch do.

[@earl-tf4qc]

Btw, Austin Powers 😂, be listening for other riders. They might be flying down that trail and if it's going to take too long to turn, it might be safer to look for a wider spot down trail. I only pick on people I like and/or respect. Don't take my comments personally or as if I'm some troll. I'm an outdoorsman, bike and 4 wheel rider, but also an emergency responder of over 2 decades and am contracted to work on a National Park. I don't enjoy packing fellow riders out of the woods. Especially in bags and definitely not burnt or in pieces! Be safe and be prepared for anything that can go wrong because it will. That's my 2 cents. May not be worth much but it comes from seeing a lot of bad crap. Take care.

[@tru3sk1ll]

Why not just wheelie and put your left foot down and pivot 180 degrees?

[@MOTOTREK]

Please film yourself doing that and send us a link :)

[@jothain]

Not very useful for me. When I get annoying places, it's like tall growth, soft and usually no banks, just ditches on both sides 😆

[@touchingthecloth]

another way...lay bike on its engine bar, drag the back wheel round then stand the bike up🤣

[@Mark11704]

True that! Stop, drop bike, spin bike, pick up bike, ride off!

[@MOTOTREK]

You're right. This GS was a borrowed bike though, so we didn't want to scratch it up.

[@2fastnlight]

Too big a bike for dirt, those dinosaurs days are numbered for sure. Possible does not equate to reasonable. I see less of them on dirt routes each season, and more on road trips.

[@MOTOTREK]

No doubt. It's good to have the skills and confidence to maneuver a big bike anywhere though just in case.

[@jothain]

I fully agree. I like small trails etc. and have been curious about the "legend GS". My friend got one and I test rode it and it's great on normal roads, but absolute horse shit on trails and such. My old beater XT600 is much more fun. Especially as I can begin to laugh if I happen to do something stupid. Not having that "oh sh*t value just dropped for 2000 😲" is a bliss.

[@orin16]

Now do it on tight single track…. Adventure bikes… zzz

[@JCBigCat]

I haven’t learned anything 🤷‍♂️

[@jasonr1150gs]

What a mess. Looks like Austin Powers