Based on his many years experience as a competitor in world championship off-road motorcycle rallies including the Dakar rally and the Baja 1000 and the crash statistics he saw in his position as CEO of Hatton Insurance Agency ltd,Don saw a need for improved rider training and safety for the fast growing adventure riding segment of motorcycling .

10 years ago Hatton Insurance Agency originally developed the school to promote motorcycle insurance and safe off-road motorcycling, Fast forward to today Off-roads skills Canada has become one of the top off-road adventure motorcycle training courses in the Country.

In August 2015, Don was invited to travel to Germany, by BMW Motorrad. He successfully completed and passed their challenging off-road motorcycle training program. Don is now one of a handful of instructors worldwide holding the the prestigious title of certified BMW Motorrad Trainer.

The combination of years in the saddle, racing, teaching, and now being certified by BMW Motorrad, puts Don in a special position when it comes to teaching you the skills you need to ride your own adventure. There may be a lot of trainers out there, but Dons background makes his school unique. He has a keen eye, able to assess your riding technique, and give you feedback to improve your bike handling ability.

At Off-road Skills Canada, Don believes in having smaller classes, maximizing interaction and feedback with students. The maximum ratio is one instructor to six students.

Small classes also mean that you’ll get to know your riding mates in a supportive and inclusive atmosphere. You’ll share your trials and successes as you progress through the challenges.

There will be lots of saddle time, lots of instructor attention. We will take the time you need to learn and understand the drills and concepts in the course and apply them in your riding. It’s a shared goal, to become a competent off-road adventure rider, so you will be able to ride your own adventure.

Training is on actual mountain roads and trails, You will have an adventure ride on some of the island’s most beautiful trails and back roads.

Don’s philosophy:

“I really enjoy teaching people riding skills, and I feel confident that when they’ve passed my course, they’ll be competent, and able to handle off-road riding comfortably.”

Dons Off-road skills training course utilizes the Cowichan Valleys extensive mountain trail network you will train with Don in the  areas mountains. The Cowichan Valley is a beautiful location, and the terrain offers a unique opportunity for training. It is varied – bumpy, hilly, steep, water crossing, dirt, grass. In short, it is not like the terrain of other training facilities you may have seen online. The uniqueness of the area will unquestionably accelerate your learning and skills acquisition. Yes it is challenging, Don’s Off-road Skills training will get you riding your own adventure, whatever that may be.
Don’t forget your camera…the views are amazing!!

Cancellation of booking by the customer
All requests for cancellations must be in writing and sent by either post or email. Upon receipt either of a letter or email requesting cancellation,OFF-ROAD SKILLS CANADA will acknowledge said cancellation within 5 days. Until the customer has received this confirmation the original booking remains valid.
The customer will be charged on the following basis:
29 or more days prior to the event start date – 20% administration/overheads fee.
Up to and including 28 days prior to the event start date – the fee is not refundable or transferable.
During the course, if a customer is unable to continue with training, for whatever reason, no refund of the course cost will be given.