Exploring Salisbury Plain on two wheels: An introduction to trail riding

Trail riding in the UK allows motorcyclists in the UK to get out and explore some of the routes and locations that you wouldn’t usually find motorised traffic on. While the number of motorbike-accessible lanes has dwindled in recent years, there’s still a good series of places where those on two wheels can legally get out and explore, with Salisbury Plain being one of those key areas.

But trail riding isn’t something that you can usually just get out and do. It’s worth having some extra training and for that, I’ve come to Phoenix Motorcycle Training, one of the leading providers of off-road know-how and one which has locations across the country. As you might have guessed, I’m at Phoenix’s Salisbury Plain location, which provides training for those new to the world of trail riding. People just like me, really.

We’re conducting a beginner-level day of riding, with Phoenix able to offer more advanced setups for those who know how. From the firm’s base, we head out to a nearby field to get to grips with the basics of trail riding which are quite different to those you’d use on the road. With instructor Justin – or the ‘Salisbury Plain Stig’, as he’s known – we start to look at how to get the right body position and arm stance to deal with off-road riding. It’s all quite alien to begin with; you sit much further ahead on the bike than you do with on-road riding and when you’re standing up on the pegs, you’re required to square off your arms in order to have the best level of control over the vehicle. ‘Pegs, bars and body position’ is the mantra that I’m repeatedly told by Justin and while it might sound simple, it’s quite a lot to keep remembering, particularly when you’ve only been riding on the road up until this point.

So even though I’m just doing low-speed riding, it’s all coming thick and fast. The short section around the large field includes some sharper turns and a few humps, which all feels quite new from behind the bars of the trail bike I’m riding. The gearbox takes some getting used to as do the brakes and clutch.

But before long, I’m signed off to head out into the open countryside and with Justin leading ahead, I start my first section of proper trail riding. It’s been unseasonably dry, so the routes are dusty and happily puddle-free; Salisbury Plain’s abundance of chalk means that when it rains, these areas can get quite slippery, so I’m quite pleased about the dry weather for my first time out.

Justin stresses the importance of looking far ahead and not getting concerned about obstacles right ahead of your front wheel. Staying loose and absorbing the bumps is important, too, and while it’s easy to freeze up and hold the bars with a vice grip is easy to do when you’re new to trail riding, the opposite is what you’re looking for. Remaining loose also ensures that you’re not going to accidentally open the throttle if you do hit an errant rock or boulder with your front wheel, which could see you careering into a bush or hedge.

During our course, Justin picks out some key features to try out new skills. For instance, a fairly moderate slope provides a great spot to test out some ‘paddling’, where you essentially leave the bike to tick over in first gear, leaving you to ‘paddle’ your legs at either side for extra control. It’s one of the best ways to navigate something like deep ruts and feels like a welcome backstop to trail riding as something you can rely upon if you find yourself in some difficult terrain. The ruts are rock-solid due to the lack of rain, too, so you do need to be careful when navigating them.

While you’re free to head out and explore Salisbury Plain without an instructor, it’s Justin’s knowledge which ensures we’re on the right route and heading in the right direction. The Plain is, of course, massive and it’s not uncommon for riders to get lost, particularly given that signposts aren’t plentiful. You’ve also got the British Army to look out for, which uses Salisbury Plain as one of its main exercise grounds. The Army has priority and will make its presence known with red flags, but as we pass tank tracks, it’s easy to see just how far and wide they get to.

There’s plenty of equipment to help make trail riding safer, too. A good helmet, often with a peak to help protect from the sun, is the key place to start, while textile-based jackets and trousers are a lightweight option which has become commonplace in off-road riding lately. If you’re looking to shop as close to home as possible, then Birmingham-based Merlin offers a number of trail-ready jackets and trousers, including the Borderland setup, which features D3O armour to help during any accidental spills. Likewise, you’ll find a number of companies which create full armour suits to go underneath jackets and these can provide even more protection. Tall boots are essential to keep your legs and ankles safe, too.

Did I manage to complete the day without falling off? Not entirely. Though you might think a tip-over would happen during the more technical sessions, I actually had a spill right outside the training centre on flat concrete. Fortunately, I could roll out of it and was quite pleased to get it out of the way.

By the time we turn back and head for home, it’s clear to feel just how physically demanding trail riding is. My arms ache and I feel like i’ve been standing on the pegs of the motorcycle for an eternity, so as we meander back through the woodlands that we started off in, I’m a little relieved to be taking a break, though it feels as though I’ve firmly got the off-road bug.

Trail riding might seem like something which is out of the realms of possibility to the true road rider, but even a day’s tuition showed me how addictive the prospect of exploring the countryside on two wheels can be. Guided tuition is certainly the best place to start, not just for the knowledge of how to ride off-road, but also for the expert ability to pick a route that offers a great experience without disturbing others or the environment.