The Best Off-Road Schools to Hone Your Side-by-Side Skills
The fast-expanding lineup of side-by-sides on the market lets you explore places a 4x4 truck and SUV could never dream of reaching.
But in today’s industry, every new SXS seems to add more power and suspension travel with every passing season. The performance levels are borderline ludicrous, which makes it key for every driver and rider to dedicate time to safe practices before blasting out into the middle of nowhere to enjoy a day of side-by-side fun.
Starting at the controlled environment of a motorsports park is always a good bet, but enrolling in some professional training isn’t a bad idea either—for beginners and experts alike. Key elements of side-by-side safety include:
acclimating to seat and steering wheel positions
weight distribution principles
ideal tire pressures based on terrain
advanced drifting
recovery techniques
maintenance of machines
Luckily, these off-roading schools, courses, and coaches know more than a thing or two about pushing side-by-sides to the limit with safety as the No. 1 priority.
The Best Side-By-Side Skills Schools
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Butte, MT
Retired Air Force Master Chief Sergeant Rod Alne founded The Peak, Inc. in 2005 after 27 years of pararescue experience. His goal is to augment and improve upon military training for off-road drivers and riders, sharing extensive experience coaching special ops in the proper use of ATVs, UTVs, and motorbikes. The courses run the gamut from safe riding on hills, in washes, ripping across whoops, climbing ledges, and crossing ditches. A specific focus on field repairs and regular maintenance—as well as night riding and towing—all stem from Alne’s extensive history learning on the job, where mistakes have the most serious of consequences.
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South Burlington, VT
Open since 1993, 4X4 Center offers UTV, ATV, and hardcore SXS training courses for private owners and businesses. Each session starts with classroom time to familiarize students with basic mechanical functions, as well as the main risks. Then the class moves outdoors for coaching on everything from how to use four-wheel-drive systems to differentials, and safely handling power to braking with a focus on weight transfer. The skill of reading terrain takes high priority, as do the basics of tire pressure, recovery techniques, and spotting for other drivers. As an added bonus, the Vermont weather also allows for winter driving classes in snow and slush.
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Online and nationwide
For an even easier primer into the world of side-by-sides that requires less time and financial investment than attending an off-road school, go online and check out Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association's online course. This two-hour streaming lesson focuses on an introduction to safe SXS usage, with a certificate of completion given to all students who finish the full program. The site also provides a location-specific search function to a nationwide network of outdoor coaches for further opportunities to hone the skills referenced on-screen; you can search based on specific types of terrain.
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Starke, FL
RallyPro is located just southwest of Jacksonville, FL. As the name suggests, it focuses primarily on rally racing skills, but also offers ATV and UTV courses for new riders to better handle their side-by-sides. Participants can expect to learn maneuvers that are useful during steep hill climbs, descents, tight tree and water crossings, as well as safe use of recovery gear. There are even special classes dedicated to teenagers who may or may not have their drivers licenses yet.
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Yucca Valley, CA
Professional SXS driver Terry Madden got into racing after serving in the military and now supports veterans’ mental health by fostering enthusiasm and appreciation for off-road motorsports. He can be found at events like King of the Hammers, Nitrocross, and most other sanctioned off-road races in America. He also offers professional driver coaching and knows almost everyone in the off-roading industry. Riding out into Johnson Valley with Madden means more than simply learning side-by-side driving skills. It includes life lessons and an in-depth introduction to this exploding industry.
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Snoqualmie, WA
Arguably the most famous rally school in America, DirtFish in Snoqualmie, WA, doesn’t specifically offer SXS or UTV lessons. But a day at the expansive facility—which served as a filming location for many iconic scenes in the Twin Peaks TV series—introduces novice and expert drivers alike to the principles of car control behind the wheel of Subaru BRZ and STI rally cars. Slaloms in gravel, long-course flow, and dedicated drifting areas allow students to find a new level of performance and confidence that helps in all driving scenarios, from daily commuting to true rally racing and also the kind of higher-speed dune-charging fun allowed by the incredibly powerful side-by-sides on the market today.
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