Photography by Kira Hak On a cool January night, we sat tucked into a small shelter made of piled stones and tried to warm ourselves beside a stubborn fire. This part was supposed to be the relaxing bit after a long day’s ride. Dinner was almost ready when an odd flashlight pattern was revealed in…
ADV Moto Tires :: Ridden and Reviewed – UPDATED
Real World ADV Tire Ratings Editor’s note: this article was updated on April 23, 2024 to include Motoz tires. Choosing the right ADV tires for an adventure ride is a crap shoot unless you know the exact conditions you’ll encounter. Do you start with an aggressive tread and leave half of it on the highway…
Triumph 400 Singles for 2024
Triumph’s new 400 singles are ready to duke it out in the light-middleweight market. Sized right to encourage new riders and large enough to cross the continent, they’re also priced to be tempting. Very tempting: the Speed 400 roadster starts at $4995.00, with the dirt-ready Scrambler 400 X fetching $5595.00. Others in the 400cc arena…
Overland Events and Rallies You Don’t Want to Miss This Spring
Lead photo courtesy of Weird Wild West SOUTHWEST USA Adventure Van Expo When: April 13-24, 2024 Where: Scottsdale, Arizona The Adventure Van Expo series returns for 2024 with a packed schedule of events, including the first of the season in Scottsdale, Arizona. Lively music, food trucks, vendors, and camping converge in this all-ages celebration of…
Field Tested :: AltRider T7 Center Stand and Crash Bars
AltRider Center Stand AltRider’s motto could easily be, “find a need and fill it.” From a Ténéré 700 perspective, they’ve created better crash bars, an adjustable kick stand, three-position lowering links, and several other key items. Their latest effort for the Ténéré is an all-aluminum center stand. The OEM stand on my T7 is fully…
Small Bike Adventure Tour – Part 2
Back in the Saddle (continued from Part 1) A locally sourced breakfast at the Cuyama Buckhorn prepped us for a long day in the saddle. Back on 166, we made tracks for Cerro Noroeste Road to start a 2,000-foot climb to the enclave of Pine Mountain Club. The small bikes were willing, but taxed. With…
Small Bike Adventure Tour – Part 1
Small bike adventure touring may sound cringeworthy to some riders, but that’s how I began exploring the backcountry while in high school. Schlepping my camping gear in a Kelty frame pack was an adventure in itself. Many years and miles later, and with Honda’s XR150L test bike in my garage, I was curious to see…
Ride That Monkey :: One Young Man’s RTW Journey on a Mini Moto
Having spent a fair amount of time in Portugal, I can confidently relate two things about the Portuguese people. Firstly, they are generally wonderful with great humanity, compassion, and culture. Secondly, the Portuguese are incredibly proud of their history, punching far above their weight to become one of the greatest nations of explorers that have…
Triumph Tiger 1200 Updates for 2024
The 2024 Tiger 1200 line received several key updates designed to refine their already capable motorcycles. The new Triumph Tigers are easier to to ride off-road, more comfortable for eating pavement miles, better in the corners, and friendlier to their riders. The bikes in question are the Rally and GT Explorer models, the only two…
BDR NorCal Revealed
BDR NorCal has arrived. This is the news we’ve been waiting for since Backcountry Discovery Routes teased the new route in November 2023. On February 17, 2024, the organization screened the feature-length film for this BDR. The BDR folks also revealed the route on their website, made GPX files available and put maps in the…
Mosko Moto Dusty Lizard Campout Rocks Moab
The Dusty Lizard Campout by Mosko Moto scuttles into Moab, Utah, this April 19-21. It’s time to gear up, set the GPS, and prep your ADV machine for a spring trip to the canyon country. Red rocks, great rides, good food, and loads of fun await attendees at this event. Where? Area-BFE may sound like…
The Highest Road in the World :: Video of the Week
Lead photo by Spenser Robert At 19,300 feet, Umling La is the world’s highest paved road and motorable mountain pass. Located in Ladakh, India, the pass requires a 1,000-mile journey from Delhi, consisting of traffic jams, washed-out roads, and, eventually, the risk of altitude sickness. For Zack Courts and Spurgeon Dunbar of Team CTXP, this…
F Series BMW GS Models for 2024
BMW’s F series adventure bike line features all new machines for 2024. It includes an F 800 GS, F 900 GS, and F 900 Adventure (GSA). They get a new powerplant and a whole lot more. When the F 800 GS debuted in 2018, its lesser sibling was the F 700 GS. They shared the…
CABDR-North Video Released
Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) is about to announce the layout of their latest creation, the Northern California BDR, or CABDR-North. The new route completes a continuous BDR from Mexico to Canada. The reveal happens on Saturday, February 17, when their feature-length film premieres in Sacramento, California. Meantime, whet your curiosity on the trailer. Watch as…
Triumph Scrambler 1200 Models for 2024
Triumph is fielding two Scrambler 1200 models in 2024. The 1200 XE returns with upgrades and the 1200 X debuts as a more accessible model in both cost and ergonomics. The fraternal twins both run Triumph’s 1200cc Bonneville engine in a re-tuned state to deliver maximum power at lower rpm. Its claimed 89 horsepower are…
Wim Dussel’s 1950s Photo Collection Brings Global Scooter Travel To Life
Photography by Wim Dussel (1920-2004), courtesy of the International Institute of Social History Dutch photojournalist Wim Dussel had a gift for capturing the simple moments of everyday life, revealing their true beauty. He gravitated toward markets, schools, streets, and the daily hustle and bustle of work—scenes so ordinary that, as travelers, we often don’t bother…
Taking the Slow Road From Arizona to Oregon
Photos by Eva Rupert and Bill Dragoo Traveling by motorcycle during the summer months is a game of chance for those of us who live in the desert. The days are hot, and the storms seem to come out of nowhere. We plot our routes through the high country whenever possible, pack our rain gear…
Field Tested :: Giant Loop Adventure Gear
Giant Loop has been creating innovative motorcycle luggage since 2008 when they hit the trail with their original horseshoe-shaped bag. Beginning with the Great Basin model, GL has used Rugged Bomb Shell vinyl-coated polyester with great success. The 8-liter Fandango tank bag and Pannier Pockets reviewed here are both constructed from it. As you’ll see,…
790 Adventure Returns to KTM Lineup for 2024
KTM’s 790 Adventure has returned from the grave for 2024, but this is no Zombie-cycle. Changes to several areas breathe new life into the retired machine, improving its overall performance while making it easier to enjoy and easier on the planet. Spoiler: $10,990 buys a lot of motorcycle. KTM Motor Mods Known for its quick…
Backcountry Discovery Routes Teases NorCal BDR
The Southern California Backcountry Discovery Route has a reputation for being one of the most arduous on BDR’s roster. Its 820 miles offer plenty of variable conditions and technical tests to challenge adventure riders from the Mexican border all the way to the central Sierra Nevada. Recently, BDR teased an all-new route for the Golden…