The wait is over: Honda’s 2023 XR150L dual-sport motorcycle has hit American shores. Honda introduced the friendly, inexpensive dual-sport at a late-June press launch in Solvang, California. Expedition Portal was there to ride the XR and report on it. Honda Comes Through with the XR150L First announced back in March, this beginner-friendly bike is aimed…
Ural Upgrades Gear Up Engine and Drivetrain for 2023
In the motorcycle world, there’s nothing quite like the Ural Gear Up. The Russian three-wheeled, side-car-ed, two-wheel drive ADV anarchist has soldiered across the globe through peacetime and wars both hot and cold since 1941, and very little about the bike has changed in the interim. But big shifts have been afoot at Ural. Currently…
Overland News of the Week
Danner Announces First Modern, Recraftable Hiking Boot First up in this week’s overland news is the Mountain 600 Leaf GTX which represents “a step forward in Danner’s mission to combine outdoor performance with a reduced carbon footprint.” The boot is available for both men and women and can be resoled and reconditioned via Danner’s Recrafting…
Overland Expo PNW—July 7-9, 2023
I’ve always considered Oregon—especially the Eastern desert regions—to be an overlooked and underrated overlanding destination. Like all Western states, Oregon contains a huge variety of landscapes, and they belie the rain- and IPA-soaked Portlandia stereotypes. Nearly 53% of the state is public land, and there are many miles of dirt to explore, from Arch Rock…
R1250 GS Ultimate Edition
Motorcycles like the BMW R 1250 GS Ultimate Edition only come around every 100 years or so. This year BMW Motorrad marks a century of building motorcycles and chose the R 1250 GS to carry the banner…in the United Kingdom. Sorry Yanks, this beauty is only for those across the pond. We do get two…
Outdoor Adventure X: A Mountain Festival Tailored for the Adventurer, June 17-18, 2023
We often encourage overland travelers to travel with a purpose, and what better purpose could there be than to turn to adventure to explore the great outdoors? The famed Snowbasin Resort in Huntsville, Utah, is set to be the stunning alpine location for Overland Expo’s cousin event, namely, the Outdoor Adventure X festival. This festival…
Honda Will Sell the Transalp Adventure Bike in America
The mid-size adventure motorcycle market has seen quite a few entrants in recent years, with welter-weight ADV bikes from nearly all the major manufacturers (and most of the small ones) available, save for one. That may be changing as it appears Honda will offer its XL750 Transalp adventure bike for sale in the US. Currently…
New Honda SCL500 Scrambler
With the new SCL500 Honda has found yet another home for its 471cc parallel-twin four-stroke, the motor that powers their Rebel 500, CB500X, CB500F and CBR500R models. This time it’s another take on the scrambler style so popular in the 70s and 80s. For those who aren’t familiar, scramblers are street motorcycles that have off-pavement…
VAHNA Motorcycle Film Festival – Submissions Now Open
VAHNA, a lushly illustrated and beautifully written print magazine that features motorcycle stories from all over the globe, has announced that submissions are open for the 2023 VAHNA Motorcycle Film Festival and competition presented by Triumph Motorcycles. The festival tour “[celebrates] the art of motorcycle cinematography [and] offers filmmakers a platform to showcase their unique…
Triumph Tiger Ultimate Overland Motorcycle 2023 Unveiled at Overland Expo West
Prepare yourselves bikers, Overland Expo has unveiled its highly anticipated Ultimate Overland Motorcycle 2023 at Overland Expo West, and it is a drool-worthy machine fully prepared for an RTW adventure. Based on the Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro, the custom-built motorcycle was built to represent the pinnacle of overland adventure and incorporates components from top…
Women’s Motorcycle Show Returns June 17
Whack a piñata, play on the Hot Wheels track, or wander through the impressive collection of motorcycle vendors. Where? At the 8th Women’s Motorcycle Show. It returns to Los Angeles in June, bringing a full day of motos, plus live music and plenty to see and do. Though it’s put on by women, for women,…
Overland News of the Week
The Overland Embassy, Transportation for Motorcycles over the Darién Gap The Overland Embassy (located in Parque Lefevre, Panama City) is offering shipping and airfreight transportation for motorcycles. The airfreight option takes just three days from “drop off to drive off” in Bogotá, Colombia. Alternatively, you can opt for the shared container option, which is significantly…
Overland Expo West Returns to Flagstaff, May 19-21
Like the proverbial swallows to Capistrano, overlanders will be returning to Flagstaff, Arizona, for the 2023 edition of Overland Expo West, May 19-21. Ticket prices range from $490 for the full, weekend-long Overland Experience pass to just $20 for a one-day pass on Sunday. Held again at the sprawling Fort Tuthill County Park, you can…
Honda Trail125 :: New Color, New Engine
Honda continues to reveal new and updated motorcycles for the overlander. Joining the XR150L and CRF300LS models we reported earlier is the popular Trail125. Not only will it show up in a sage-y Pearl Organic Green instead of the classic red, but the 2023 125 sports a new engine. Even easier to ride than the…
Overland News of the Week
Gerber Gear Launches More Than Ready Camp Essentials As part of its More Than Ready campaign, Gerber Gear has released a wide range of multi-tools, knives, axes, and other camp essentials for 2023. Lightweight items like the Stake Out and Armbar Scout multi-tools feature a plain edge blade, bottle opener, and scissors in a compact…
Gaia GPS Teams Up with Backcountry Discovery Routes
For the last decade, Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) has been introducing brass ring-level overland expeditions across North America. These multi-day DIY routes traverse large swaths of the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States, as well as every Western state save Montana. Aimed primarily at the dual-sport and adventure moto set, these off-pavement routes come with free…
Giant Loop 12th Annual Ride, June 1-4
Giant Loop’s annual ride returns for its twelfth year, June 1-4. Join the fun at Crane Hot Springs, Oregon, where Giant Loop has reserved the entire site. There are 600 riders already confirmed to attend. No wonder the Giant Loop Ride has become the largest dual sport and adventure motorcycle rally event in the state,…
Aether Rides Again – 6th Annual Rally May 5-7
Aether is back in Town–Pioneertown, that is–for their 6th annual rally. Within spitting distance of Joshua Tree National Park, the venue offers both motel and camping accommodations in the wide-open spaces. You may have seen last year’s rally on Expedition Portal. Ticket prices include all food, beverages, group rides, sponsor activations, campfires, and other amenities…
Hatfield-McCoy Trails Partners with onX Offroad
OnX Offoad Shows the Way Navigating the Hatfield-McCoy Trail (HMT) System, with its over 1000 miles trails will soon be easier. Navigation app developer onX Offroad and Hatfield-McCoy are partnering up to improve the user experience in the forests of West Virginia. Adding the Hatfield-McCoy to onX Offroad’s 600,000-plus miles of mapping data will improve…
Overland News of the Week
Black Diamond Introduces New Pursuit Packs, Trekking Poles, and Apparel Black Diamond’s Pursuit Series of packs, poles, and apparel is lightweight gear perfect for springtime adventures. Products include unisex FLZ trekking poles, which incorporate ergonomic cork grips, interchangeable carbide tech tips, a Z-pole collapsible system, Solution 2.0 wrist straps made from post-consumer recycled fibers, and…