Having already had the privilege of putting the Hest Foamy mattress and pillow to the test, I eagerly seized the opportunity to evaluate the Hest down comforter and coordinating top sheet. In the mountains of Northern New Mexico, as the fall leaves were meeting the first snow dustings of the season, I found a cozy…
Mosko Moto Gnome—The Small Tank Bag That Packs a Big Punch
There’s a lot to be said about a little tank bag. I’ve been just as guilty as the next ADV rider, packing out a full-size tank bag with all the things I think I needed, only to not use half of it. Worse even is restriction of movement – or worse still – restriction of…
Colorado’s Million Dollar Highway
Editor’s Note: Colorado’s Million Dollar Highway was originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2023 Issue. They say the Million Dollar Highway begins and ends between the Colorado mountain towns of Silverton and Ouray, but traverse it, and you’ll also discover a plethora of dirt road hideaways laced with abundant scenery, lakes and streams, ample camping…
Motorcycle Helmets That Won’t Break the Bank—Without Compromising Comfort, Function, and Durability
Since I acquired my BMW F 750 GS a couple of years ago, I’ve gone through several helmets. It isn’t easy deciding which exactly fits the bill, and so much depends on the type of riding you do. Having said that, we riders are all looking for a few things in common: noise reduction, great…
Dunlop Trailmax Missions versus Shinko E804/E805 Adventure Trail Tires
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Spring 2023 Issue. I was never so excited to wear a set of tires down. My 2020 BMW F 750 GS had come with a set of 80/20s, Michelin Anakee 3s. For that 80 percent of paved road, those Anakees clung to the tarmac, snug…
Hest Foamy and Camp Pillow :: The Dreamy Camping Mattress
Hest’s five-star reviews come from expedition sea kayakers, sailboat captains, avid campers, vanlifers, car campers, sleepers with hip problems, slide sleepers, you name it. Their single biggest issue is a lack of comfortable sleep outdoors. Hest has the answer. I discovered Hest Foamy and Camp Pillow when I needed a break from venturing around the…
Women in Moto :: Buy the Right Insurance and Practice Braking
Scott O’Sullivan considers himself to be a motorcycle lawyer first and a personal injury lawyer second. The Denver, Colorado-based attorney created the group, Rider Justice, five years ago as the motorcycle advocacy arm of The O’Sullivan Law Firm, P.C. and has since advocated for and helped injured riders for more than 20 years. What’s to…
Kitanica Scorpion Pack :: A Full-service Lumbar Carrying System
The Kitanica Scorpion Pack is much like a compact backpack—durable enough for long hikes or rides and practical enough to carry everything you might need for a daylong excursion. I took this pack for a day’s journey through the rugged New Mexico wilderness but first tried it out on my BMW F 750 GS. The…
Women in Moto :: Anatomy of a Female Rider
It wasn’t easy for Jocelin Snow to start riding motorcycles. As a teenager, she lived in a small town where girls just didn’t ride motorized bikes. But most of all, her parents disapproved. “My father was a principal, and my mother was a nurse. He said, ‘No daughter of mine is going to ride a…
Moto Cinch MX:: The Smarter Way to Transport Your Motorcycle
The makers of Moto Cinch MX aptly named this innovative product that makes transporting your motorcycle a breeze. I have watched a multitude of videos and scoured numerous forums for the perfect way to transport my motorcycle, but no one offered real solutions. I ride a BMW F 750 GS, but my buddy with an…
Shad TR40 Terra Adventure Saddlebags
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Winter 2022 Issue. For its 50th Anniversary in June, Shad debuted its newest motorcycle soft bag in Barcelona, Spain, and now Shad TR40 Terra Adventure Saddlebags are available in the United States. Each lightweight bag offers a 32-liter capacity and up to 22 pounds of…
Women in Moto :: What Challenges You?
We asked some prominent, active female riders about what challenges they face in a male-dominated industry. We also asked them to share the more advantageous aspects of being a female rider. Here is what they had to say: Katrina Corcoran, Motorcycle Adventurer, Digital Creator, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Challenge The biggest challenge I faced…
Winter Solstice Road Trip :: Witnessing the Ancient Solar Event
North American adventurers will soon set their GPSs in the direction of New Mexico to watch the sun rise and set in the state’s barren desserts, endless landscapes offering ancient architecture aligned with the winter solstice. A little further south, there is a large labyrinth tucked into the hillside of New Mexico’s Jemez Mountains. The…
Women in Moto :: An Industry Poised to Meet Their Needs
In 1945, my mother rode a Triumph T100. She wasn’t bigger than spit at 5’ 2” and maybe 100 pounds soaking wet. She’s 94 now and still has fond memories of riding the bike with her best friend on the back, taking off to the breezy Connecticut coastline during the summer months. She had first…
Ride in Luxurious Safety :: Artemis by Klim
Ladies, if you want to fall in love and be loved back, head to Klim for Artemis gear and wrap yourselves in luxury and safety as you ride. I was already impressed upon unpacking the jacket and pant set in peyote/potter’s clay, the beautiful desert colors of where I live. The look at feel of…
The Great Gravel Boom :: 4,000 riders expected at Garmin UNBOUND Gravel 2023
unbound adjective un·bound | \ən-ˈbau̇nd\ 1: having no limit The gravel race that began with 34 participants in 2006 will boom through the scenic rolling hills of Kansas’ Tallgrass Prairie in 2023, with thousands of cyclists clamoring for a lottery ticket to ride. Although participants will hit blacktop roads in smaller sections, the vast…
No Time to Die :: James Bond Triumph to be auctioned at Christie’s
Admirers of the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE, the stunt bike that carried James Bond (Daniel Craig) through a city street chase ending in an epic jump into the piazza in the movie No Time to Die, have almost no time (just 12 hours) to register to bid on the iconic bike. Bidding starts in…
Redefined Sound :: Cardo’s Connect App 5.7 Update
This week saw great news for Cardo Freecom X and Spirit users, the new 5.7 Cardo Connect App update which promises to greatly improve listener experience. The best motorcycle Bluetooth headsets continue to get ample time in moto forums. There are as many impassioned arguments for either side as there are dedicated and loyal users….
Exploring America’s Swampiest State :: The Florida Adventure Trail
It took a lot of dirt to raise Jon Birkmire. A lot of water, too. As a child growing up in Florida, there’s hardly a river, beach, or dirt road he hasn’t explored in the peninsula state known for its abundance of coastline, swamps, alligators, and snakes. So ten years ago when he discovered Florida…
Electric Adventure :: Zero’s 2023 DSR/X
In another month or so I’ll be staring at a mechanic’s bill for a 24,000-mile valve adjustment on my BMW F 750 GS. It won’t be pretty. I’ve learned to change my own oil, maintain my chain, and flush my brake fluid just to keep the labor bill in check. Considering motorcycle manufacturers have made…