The final day of this year’s Overland Expo brought with it the warm temperatures and sunshine most people expected of Northern Arizona. Despite a slightly thinned crowed, vendors and attendees filled the walkways and the driving course again resumed its activities. The better weather gave us a chance to look closer at some of the show’s more interesting offerings.
The demand for adventure bikes of all sizes has seen a number of manufacturers scrambling to develop new platforms. Honda, despite having a legendary history with bikes like the XR650 and Africa Twin, are relatively quiet in the adventure segment. This has left consumers wanting for a reliable Honda and now there is an option to fill that void. Rally Raid Products of the UK has a comprehensive kit which converts a Honda CB500X into a formidable travel platform. Soon to be made available through their US partner, Giant Loop, this bike is sure to gain more attention with those riders looking for smaller displacement options.
http://www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk http://giantloopmoto.com
The Ram pickup is continually gaining attention with the overland travel audience. Its capability off-road is clearly a primary driver behind this newfound popularity, as is the ability to shoulder a slide-in camper. AEV’s Ram is one of the most attractive full-size trucks we’ve ever seen.
They are rare, but they are still plying the roads and backroads around the world. The Unimog in its various iterations is always an intriguing element to every Overland Expo. This year was no different with a dozen of these behemoths on display.
If there was one noticeable difference to this year’s show it would be the explosive growth in the number of trailer offerings. This once niche corner of overlanding is seeing a number of quality offerings enter the segment. From sleep-in tear drops, to pop-ups and simple cargo haulers, there is now a trailer for every need.
And so another Overland Expo is in the books. For those willing to endure a little rain and mud, the show was a complete success. For those who ducked out early, they missed out on a beautiful day in the sun on the final day. We’ll see you all next year at Overland Expo 2016.
