Mastering HILL CLIMBS on your ADV Motorcycle

[@jwerner3903]

As expressed by others, I so much appreciate that you do not allow ego to get in the way of your teaching, nor do you act like people with lesser skills are beneath you. Some instructors on KZbin and elsewhere come across that way and it interferes with students learning. It’s all about them, not about the student. Your attitude has to be good for your business too, you seem like someone who people would really enjoy being with on a motorcycle trip. Thanks for these great instructional videos.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Love that note, jwerner! Thanks for saying so. Glad if the info helps anyone.

[@derrickkampfer3131]

I’ve been a Mountain Biker and a Harley rider for years. Somehow I came across ADV riding and now I’m completely hooked. I’m starting very humbly and not trying to get in over my head right away. Videos like this are a great help!

[@RIDEAdventures]

Great to hear!

[@afryftw]

Confidence, speaking personally, when I get scared or question myself , not worth even trying, 90% of the time i get into my head, i fail

[@shaneksmith1957]

Thanks! Most teachers get their egos in the way of their teaching skills. This isn't the case with your videos. Thanks!

[@RIDEAdventures]

Shane, while I've ridden a ton of this world without issue, I've also been down enough times that there's no more room for ego : ) Thanks for saying so and watching though.

[@phatsmitty]

I would like to add this: when climbing, you should pick the line, then focus on where you want to be (head up and eyes up) , don't focus on where you are. Great vid Eric.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks for sharing and for saying so! For sure: Focus on where we WANT to go, not where we don't.

[@allenhuling598]

Another great instructional video, and your side-kick's antics were an awesome addition! Really appreciate what you guys are doing here, and good to see the T7 in action as well!! Ride safe!

[@RIDEAdventures]

Allen, thanks for saying so! We're having fun in the sun, and more videos are ahead : )

[@BigRic68]

The luggage scene made me laugh out loud - very funny... Good stuff. Really enjoying the channel, especially as a new GS rider.

[@AT2021Rocker]

Momentum is key to any climb. It will allow you to stray off line and still recover even through a rut.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Yep, a critical factor in hill climb success.

[@rafaelacosta5038]

About to enter the world of adventure motorcycle, 30 years since my last street motorcycle. Thanks for the tips.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Welcome to the community and all the great things that lie ahead, to be ridden over ! : ) Thanks for the note.

[@kostasrei2709]

This is great stuff. Thank you sir! Ride safely, greetings from Athens Greece

[@kushalsharma125]

Watched your videos... Amazing knowledge... Love from Himalayas ❤ 👍

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks for saying so and for watching. More videos ahead!

[@bajamcguide]

You are a great teacher Eric.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks for saying so!

[@izabella1999]

Thank you so much for your videos. Love the funnies too 😄

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks, we are having fun : )

[@davestephens1993]

My wife and I have been riding for decades however were brand new to the adventure touring scene we just bought two KLR 650 for 2022 so we have a lot to learn I appreciate your videos

[@RIDEAdventures]

Glad if our videos help, congrats on the new fun machine, and oh, the places that bike will take you. Congrats for what's ahead! (And watch for our news of our Training Expeditions coming up.)

[@motodxb]

Another cool & useful video.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks! Nothing like that feeling of dangling from the crankshaft ....and fighting to the top : )

[@The333]

Another great post, Eric - thanks! (Those suit cases! LOL)

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks! Tyler never goes anywhere without "his Royal Highness's matched luggage!"

[@motorockerd]

Hahaha nice intro!!! Great pieces of advice as always!!

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks for saying so! More ahead.

[@OutontheRanchwithDrLee-xb4lo]

Really helpful tips today, Eric! Thanks man!!!

[@RIDEAdventures]

You bet, Doc, and thanks for watching. Perfect topic for the Hill Country there : )

[@OutontheRanchwithDrLee-xb4lo]

@@RIDEAdventures For sure....makes me wanna put some knobbies on the GS and go climbing...lol

[@fallinginthed33p]

Funny and very informative video, well done. You definitely want to the bike and rider to fall towards the hill. I've high-sided the other way, being tossed off the bike and rolling downhill, and that's a much more painful experience.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks for saying so, and yea, there's definitely a "good way" to put a bike down. Or a "better way" : )

[@williamwilson2748]

Thanks for this y'all, greetings from Alabama, can't wait to come ride with y'all on day, all the way to Patagonia

[@RIDEAdventures]

William, let's go! Thanks for watching and commenting, and we always have rides going on somewhere if you want to join.

[@JCrozier1]

Always glad to be able to sneak a little learning opportunity into my KZbin viewing day. I think so much for making these short instructional videos.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks for saying so!

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

Great video once again . Love that soil color and the trees . A dream place to ride . Can't wait until next late spring and hit the mountains again .

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks for that great note, and yea, come ride the chocolate velcro with us sometime! (Well, it's only really velcro after a brief rain, with a little bit of moisture : )

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

@@RIDEAdventures I am actively searching for property but my 2 top candidates were sold and taken off the market . 40 acres with year round creek 5000' elevation big trees rocks privacy potential aahhhhh . The other one was a somewhat known quantity as I know there nice fish in the creek but I never hiked up on the spot with the property . Lots of land out there and the furthest is Modoc country or Siskiyou possibly maybe Del Norte too . I really liked one in Lakeview OR but wasn't wanting a battle about building on it . That was a dream but someone else took the risk . All I can do is make more money and see what I can find .

[@RIDEAdventures]

​@@hardworkingamerican8847, sounds like an image / life situation more than a few of us have in mind, and as such, wow has the market changed around the PNW. For sure though, the right spot is out there, and you'll 'land' it when the time is right : )

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

@@RIDEAdventures I sure hope so . Every time I can get away and head towards the Sierras around Lake Tahoe and there abouts I can literally feel the stress leaving and the calm peacefull feeling take over . That mixed with the altitude jitters the first couple days but the difference is quite noticeable . I should try other semi remote terrain like desert areas or coastal areas with less population . Been a bit since traveling and staying in areas like that but I do remember the same feeling of peace and also the excitement of the adventure that awaits like sportfishing the East Cape in Baja or Cabo on Solmar Beach and driving up to Totaled Sandals ah I mean Todos Santos . Gosh I miss going down there .

[@Michaelem72]

Interesting and helpful. Thanks a lot

[@RIDEAdventures]

Glad if it helps. Thanks for saying so.

[@dcampi7597]

These are a lot of good tips and some great advice. The hardest thing for me has been hill climbs on large rocks and embedded boulders and ruts. Do you have a video with how to work uphill on those kinds of obstacles?

[@RIDEAdventures]

On our list of things to do. Yea, we didn't talk much about ruts and such in this one. We do offer ADV Training Expeditions now in Central Oregon and Las Vegas, if you're available to join sometime. Thanks for watching.

[@strokenumber3]

Another nice video, looks like you guys enjoy your work! .

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks, and yes, we do!

[@larslinebarger6712]

One thing to practice is using the clutch and the front brake while walking next to the bike with the engine not running. It seems simple but is actually alot harder than you might think

[@RIDEAdventures]

Good one. Yes, very weird squeezing the clutch/lever to effectively release what feels like braking power. Opposite sensation. Thanks for sharing.

[@АлександрК-ю3в]

Thank you!

[@mariokasapi8961]

Great advice, thanks! I look forward to riding with you folks one day.

[@RIDEAdventures]

We're running Baja all winter the next 3-4 months, so come on down! Thanks for watching.

[@superflycatchermtb]

Great Video....I've been using that same area for practicing hill climbs for a while now. I've mastered them all on my 701 but still working on getting the r1200GS up a couple of them. I've used that front tire sawing motion now a couple times, and it's been a great skill to have in my tool box.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Excellent, see you out there, we'll saw-away together : )

[@paul.vanhout57]

Great practical lesson!

[@RIDEAdventures]

And possibly the most fun thing to practice on a motorcycle....fighting our way to the top. Thanks!

[@siamvictornamsau]

I want to learn from you guys about the adventute riding skills.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Please join us for any of our upcoming Training Expeditions in Oregon! And watch for more announcements as we develop the program and offer similar in other locations: www.rideadv.com/motorcycle-tours/training

[@bogusharris]

good info, but so far I have learned an awful lot by my mistakes, most shown here :-)

[@starlordstarlordman8489]

Great material can't wait to try some of it out.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Hillclimbs are the best, thanks!

[@TheShem27]

thank you very much!

[@RIDEAdventures]

You're welcome! Glad if it helps make sure you get to the top : )

[@mrgrumble072]

Great tutorial Eric. Really enjoy the content you guys (and gals) produce, the delivery is very easy to take in and the humour is tops too 👌 My only complaint is we don't see enough 😉

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks! Meaning, don't see enough videos? Ahh, if that's the case, we're looking to crank-up the frequency, and actually have Brandon starting with an "ADV Motorcycle News" series pretty soon here. Love making these, but very time-consuming, so we'll post what we can. Thanks for watching : )

[@zrig1]

My very first step: Visualise myself at the top of the hill. If I don't see myself at the top, I find another way around. Nothing worse than getting halfway and going NOPE, not today.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Good one! Yes, being wrong half-way sure can lead to a predicament : )

[@vininio]

Great episode! Once I climbed a not so steep hill, but with not compressed gravel. The lack of control because of the front tire jumping laterally was terrible! P.S. I keep my just like your hair dry just like you! 😁🥳

[@RIDEAdventures]

Vinnio, we have the most aerodynamic/fastest haircut available. RIDE on, brother!

[@vininio]

Next video: getting back from that hill! 6:21 was epic - that karate sitting and those airplane suitcases! AHAHAHA!

[@vyacheslavshestakov4578]

Thanks for advice! Found something new and interesting to practice 🖖 One question- is there any relation between bike weight and slope angle? I mean if we are talking about heavy adventure bikes 236 kilos (maybe more) equipped with proper tire- which hills i have to avoid ( sure I’m not talking about vertical climbing 😂)? And how to approach such hill climbing (speed/rpm, position etc.) Thanks 🙏

[@RIDEAdventures]

For sure there's a relation between weight and slope angle, but perhaps no way to articulate how to best conquer the next hill climb you'll face. Just think back to the messages in the video, and look forward to the opportunity to 'make it happen!' (Or to turn around, as it might not be realistic, as mentioned in the video : )

[@Porsche996driver]

Were you taking that hill in 1st gear right? Love your practical solutions. I.e., the hill might be too much and usually there’s another route around ha.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Not sure which moment in the video, but we're probably between 1st and 3rd on most of these climbs. And yea, sometimes "the other way around" ends up being faster : )

[@PapaDougsAdventures01]

Good information and thanks for the video. I have to ask why you don’t have crash bars on that T7?

[@RIDEAdventures]

Ahh, good question. It was just brand new, and we were waiting for bars to arrive. If you look closely, it's probably possible to see we had put a little padding beneath the side fairing to avoid scratches : )

[@allenhuling598]

Hey Eric, I'd be interested in your thoughts regarding the value of crash bars....I noticed you don't have any on the T7 or the KTM, but do on the AT. I have the OEM ones on my T7 and thinking about taking them off! Thanks!

[@RIDEAdventures]

Good question, and the answer probably "depends on which crashbars." As is with many purchases, the more we spend, the better the quality/protection, noting that none of them are indestructible. Plan on bending them back if a crash is significant enough (hopefully they can be bent back reasonably.) ------ Yea, the 790/890 Adventures are a unique situation where, the fuel tank design means this AXP skidplate can pretty much do the job of typical crashbars. Full explanation on this video we did. Thanks for commenting: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWS5Z3ilZb96aaM

[@allenhuling598]

@@RIDEAdventures Thanks for the reply, I'll check it out!

[@paulrobbertze587]

Thanks for the helpful video. My biggest challenge on hillclimbs is that I always feel like I'm hanging off the handlebars. No matter how far I try to get forward I feel like I am falling backwards. Any tips for how to keep looser on the grips?

[@RIDEAdventures]

I know that feeling, and would say that, sometimes it's actually necessary that you have grip a bit harder to keep from falling back. If your weight is too far forward, it might not put enough traction into the rear tire to make it up the hill. So by pulling/leaning back, you're gaining the necessary traction, but also hanging on......while being careful not to let the front wheel rise and flip the bike over backwards. Bending your knees and squatting a bit more may help avoid that need to hang on so tight. Picture your body being lower and hands higher, it takes some of that weird handlebar leverage out of the picture. ---- Hope that helps, thanks for watching and asking.

[@fallinginthed33p]

@@RIDEAdventures for shorter riders, would it be easier to sit? Makes it easier to dab one foot on the ground in case the bike goes into a rut.

[@dcampi7597]

One thing I've found helps with this is getting a stronger or better grip on the tank with my knees. I've added tank grip pads to get more friction and it helps me use my knees and thighs to pick up some of the slack from my handlebar grip

[@willmcgregor7184]

Thanks Another informative & entertaining video from you guys. If you have access to a dirt bike (1/2 the weight of ADVs) might be easier to practice the skills. Dirt bike seat of 37+ “ can feel like 33/34 of ADV cuz dirt bike seat is significantly narrower.

[@RIDEAdventures]

Absolutely, good reminder to folks: Probably best to learn in the dirt, first, and on lighter bikes than these behemoths (even though the Tenere 700 we mostly had in the video is pretty middleweight.) Thanks for sharing.

[@sorin.n]

I too don't like to get my hair wet! 👍 Wait, you mean chest hair, right?! Better get up that hill right from the first time as you never know when the rain's gonna start!

[@RIDEAdventures]

Right on, and oh how that wet ground and chest hair can make traction change! : ) Thanks for commenting.

[@sorin.n]

@@RIDEAdventures 🤣

[@bjrnmagnebakken5715]

Why not walk the bike up whitout the weight of the rider?

[@RIDEAdventures]

Definitely an option in most cases, but why walk when you can RIDE ? : )

[@elsmitro]

👋

[@RIDEAdventures]

Thanks!

[@clvrswine]

Try climbing hills on a 13 h.p. bike. You will quickly learn some skills! #tw200

[@denisionov]

It's scares me, when the hill is made of sand =)

[@RIDEAdventures]

But it's not so bad, cause it's soft if we go down : )

[@olenilsen4660]

My first thought was, that the only way for Eric to get his hair wet, is if he pulls his pants down.. I don´t want to stay around for that... ;P

[@RIDEAdventures]

Ha, Nice! Grace is laughing out loud as I read your comment to her : )

[@olenilsen4660]

@@RIDEAdventures You´re welcome ;D Thanks for all your excellent content!

[@kloppskalli]

the video i was waiting for all my life 💩😜

[@RIDEAdventures]

Perhaps the most fun thing we do with motorcycles. Thanks for saying so and watching :)

[@kloppskalli]

@@RIDEAdventures I suggest you make another video on how to ride up a hill with plenty of undulations from 4x4 vehicles.

[@RIDEAdventures]

@@kloppskalli good one : ) Tough one, cause it's hard to depict the relationship between the bikes and the ruts on camera, but we'll get'er done!

[@kloppskalli]

@@RIDEAdventures i can send you a video of me failing and then you can explain how to do it better 😅 there is one incline in the neighborhood behind the hospital, behind the little church, after the field.. it starts kinda easy so you think all you need is momentum but the undulations kinda get in the way and send you flying further into the bushes the more momentum you carry..

[@RIDEAdventures]

@@kloppskalli, happy to take a look if you send a video over : ) Of course, such videos are tough to capture and comment on without being there. Sounds like undulations might require some good standing/squatting legwork.