Slide to survive!

Schools and experience centres where you can learn to ride a bike off-road come in many and various forms, whether that be our own recent exploits riding big Triumph adventure bikes through even bigger puddles in Wales or learning to green lane in the Peak District. Plenty of specialist centres will teach you everything from trials to motocross as well. But there’s one discipline you may not have heard of before, but could be the most fun, useful and accessible of all.
The Royal Enfield Slide School opened this year in two locations in the UK, with equivalents also operating in Italy, the low countries, the USA and India. It’s inspired by brand’s title sponsor role for the Progressive American Flat Track Series, with bikes supplied by Royal Enfield for a fully coach-led introduction to the sport on dedicated dirt track ovals. All you need is your off-road riding kit and a willingness to learn.

That and an interest in learning to slide on bikes barely mustering 40 horsepower around a 300-metre shale track with an expert on hand to give you all the pointers you need. We went along to find out how it all works, and what it’s all about.
The UK Slide School is operated by Dirt Craft, in turn run by professional flat track racer (and two-time British champion) Gary Birtwhistle. It’s based at Iwade near Sittingbourne in Kent, with another venue in Leicester and the bikes are specially adapted Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450s, with full-day courses from a very reasonable £220 and shorter ‘Basic Skills’ tasters for half that. Our day starts mid-morning with around 20 riders of varying ages and experience. It opens with a relaxed introduction by Gary and his small team, with the emphasis very much on fun with the additional hope of improving speed and skills, those relating to machine control and managing grip very much relevant to road riding according to our hosts. From there we’re split into smaller groups and get to work. Clothing-wise full face helmets and long, enduro or moto style boots are required, but beyond that textiles, leathers or even riding jeans are sufficient. So far, so familiar…

We’re then issued with what are effectively metal sandals, which is to say strap-on steel ‘soles’ racers use on their left boots for flat track and speedway, and which look like something from a suit of armour. Then we’re introduced to the bikes themselves which, although evidently derived from the Guerrilla 450, have been modified with a new one-piece tank and seat unit, bigger 19-inch flat track wheels, knobbly tyres and wide race bars. Regular roadgoing parts like the numberplate, mudguards, lights and even – gulp – the front brake have all been chucked away, the result being a fully authentic looking flat track weapon.
As we head out on track for our first introductory session behind Gary it’s immediately clear any anxiety is misplaced. For the first 10 minutes we circulate at 10-second intervals through a couple of cones placed on the main straight to keep speeds down. To that end we’re barely in second gear, and only going about 15-20mph. The track has also been wetted to improve grip and all that’s asked of us is to potter around, familiarise ourselves with the bikes and not get suckered into any heroics. In the heat of the summer sunshine five or six laps is plenty.

At these speeds most of us notch into second, leave it there, then fumble through the turns getting used to the front and rear grip, experiment with dragging our steel-shod boots then, at best, gas it a bit out of bends for little snatches of rear end slide.
For our second session the cones are removed, we’re all more comfortable and consistent and I’m starting to believe that, maybe, I’ll be able to do a decent rear end slide before the day is out. With the very basics covered, Gary gathers us together again and talks more about body position and lines. The former is crucial as, with most of us from a road bike background, we need to adopt the off-road practice of sitting more forward to take the weight off the rear to help it break free, and also raise our elbows for easier throttle control mid-turn. I’m also trying, as instructed, to plant my left foot wider, as I’ve already accidentally knocked the gear lever into neutral on corner entry, which is mildly worrying when you then realise how much you depend on using the engine to slow in the absence of a front brake…

There’s time for one more session before lunch then the same routine continues through the afternoon. Throughout it all Gary and the team are a constant delight, and full of enthusiasm. The bikes are also great fun, and take some of the intimidation factor out of what is otherwise an alien – if controlled – environment. Along the way I learn more skills in terms of slides, grip, body positioning and more than I thought this old dog was capable of. Do I perfect that full-on, extended sideways slide? Not quite, but I do lots of little ones and get the feeling it could come with further practice…
In conclusion Slide School is a fun, novel and surprisingly accessible day out. If you can ride a bike, are aged 18 or over and have access to basic riding kit it’s a very down-to-earth and affordable way to experience something different without the need for race leathers or extensive track knowledge. Better than that it’s also a great way to learn new bike skills that may, one day, prove useful out on the public road. Photos: Jamie Morris