My first offroad experience with this bike came when I attended a weekend long off road training at the Rawhyde Offroad Adventure training in Valencia, Ca.  Attending this class was the best thing I could have done.  Not only does it give you skills and confidence in the dirt, it also increased my confidence in the motorcycle and the way it would handle both on and off road.
                                                                   

The group rallied around me after my first drop.
Bike was well protected, so very little damage.