Bob and I attended the BMW ORS Day in the Dirt in South Wales last Saturday. The day was billed as a day of riding rather than instruction. The bikes looked very good outside the ORS site, this is just the number needed for the Day in the Dirt, there were more available!

The Day in the Dirt does not cover training so it is assumed that you have completed the ORS Level 1 course or have equivalent off road experience. In terms of riding the Day in the Dirt was more challenging than ORS Level 1 with extensive ruts, steeper and longer ascents/descents, ‘bank’ riding and some very tight rocky sections. Overall it would be fair to describe it as Level 1.5.

We had used G650GSs on the ORS Level 1 and Bob used an R1200GS, which he took to like a duck to water. I went for the new G650GS Sertao.

The general consensus was that the R1200GS is a very good bike and is well suited to the terrain at the Enduro Park, gravel, rock etc. The G650GS Sertao was more easily upset by rocks and was harder to manage on the uphill/downhill sections. It was good on the tight sections.

At the end of the day Simon Pavey presented certificates. Overall good value and a very good experience, on to ORS Level 2!