The Rodeo was popular with spectators. (Photos: Bill Dragoo)

RawHyde’s Adventure Rider Challenge 2009 gets underway.

The event was designed to test competitors’ riding abilities and showcase some of the world’s best motorcycles.

The Pendulum was the centrepiece of the Adventure Rider Challenge.

Returning for the third consecutive year, the RawHyde Adventure Rider Challenge once again attracted some of America's most devout adventure riders. The event, staged at the RawHyde centre north of Los Angeles between May 14 and 17, attracted over 200 riders of all abilities for an action-packed weekend.

The RawHyde Adventure Rider Challenge is the brainchild of Jim Hyde, an American entrepreneur and motorcycle enthusiast who hit upon the idea in 2007. Having founded RawHyde Adventures - a rider training centre in California, in 2003 - Jim subsequently identified a niche in the adventure riding market. "In the USA, many people who own GS motorcycles don't do adventure riding and instead use the bikes for touring, street riding and commuting, which is great, but I wanted to offer them the opportunity to experience the true potential of their machines in a challenging setting," says Jim.  Two years later, the event is growing rapidly in both popularity and stature and has become a regular fixture in America's motorcycling calendar

In late 2008, RawHyde Adventures was appointed as an Official BMW Off-road Academy by BMW Motorrad USA.  BMW provides RawHyde with a fleet of R 1200 GS and F 800 GS motorcycles to provide their fly-in customers and others who don't choose to use their own bike with an appropriate mount for their training.

For 2009, the Adventure Rider Challenge once again featured four days of activities designed to test competitors' riding abilities and showcase the potential of some of the world's best adventure motorcycles. "We recognised that a competition would not be to everyone's taste - some people would just like to participate for the experience," he continues. "But, we also knew that many GS owners are former motocross and enduro riders and as a result, they'd be looking for a challenge, so we formulated an event that would suit everybody's requirements."

Although there were activities designed to satisfy the most competitive participants, the focus of the 2009 Adventure Rider Challenge was challenging rides around California's coastline and the Mojave Desert. With a choice of several routes dependant on ability and confidence, riders could test themselves or simply enjoy a relaxed ride and the idyllic scenery of the Californian hills. In addition to the adventure rides, participants were invited to pit their riding skills against each other during the Rodeo, a series of skills tests including a half-mile long enduro track and the unique 'hay bales' course. Elsewhere, riders were faced with the Pit and the Pendulum - two 'special stages'. The Pit - a team exercise in which groups of three riders were tasked with navigating their machines through a deep ravine - was a mile-long test of ingenuity, teamwork and riding skill. Meanwhile, the Pendulum was the Adventure Riders Challenge centrepiece and involved the participants picking their way through a 70-foot trestle while ten large padded pendulums swung ominously in front of them.

"The event went exactly as planned, the turnout was great and everybody who attended had a good time and the various aspects of the weekend were all well received," Jim explains. "The sense of camaraderie during the event was fantastic. One of the participants had only been riding for a year and was ploughing on, in what must have been very difficult conditions for her, but everybody was cheering for her and giving her plenty of support. She completed the event and goes away with an experience she will hopefully never forget."

"The Rodeo was probably the most popular event of the weekend," he continues. "There was a fantastic hilltop viewing point which was packed out. The Pit was also really popular. The competitors found this aspect of the weekend really tough. Even though it was a fairly short course - taking about 20 minutes from start to finish - the riding was incredibly tough and the competitors were gasping for air after they had finished!"

Despite the Adventure Rider Challenge being open to riders of all machines, BMW Motorrad had the strongest presence at the event, with over 120 of the 200 participants opting to ride the BMW R 1200 GS, with a further 25 riders putting their trust in the F 800 GS. Jim explains that the Adventure Rider Challenge has been well-supported by the German manufacturer: "Three years ago I approached BMW Motorrad USA with the plan for the Rider Challenge. I'd noticed that BMW Motorrad had held events like this elsewhere in the world and felt that something like this would be popular here in the USA. Since then, we've had its full support."

Among this year's competitors was BMW Motorrad USA Vice-President Pieter de Waal, one of the Adventure Rider Challenge's biggest advocates. "An important element of our US strategy is to focus on the big GS's," says Pieter. "Using the GS for the purpose it was built for whilst having fun was really important and the camaraderie that the event offered was fantastic. In my opinion the Adventure Rider Challenge is the pinnacle of GS riding. I hope to see the Adventure Rider Challenge grow into a major annual - or even international - event in future. With Jim Hyde's enthusiasm and skill, we have just the right partner to pull it off."

For more information on RawHyde Adventures, visit www.rawhyde-offroad.com and for more details on the Adventure Rider Challenge 2009, including videos and images, visit www.adventureriderchallenge.com

Photos:  Bill Dragoo