To the north, Canada and Alaska offer thousands of miles of lonely gravel roads, big skies and massive wildlife. To the south, Mexico has its own offerings from single-track trails to unpaved roads to empty desert dunes and coastal beach riding—not to mention the intrigue of a culture and language different from the States. But nearby to Mexico, there’s another option that has become more open in recent years. If you can figure out how to ride Cuba, you’ll have an experience that will be far different from life at home.

While you do see more modern cars, particularly around tourist areas, vintage autos are kept on the road with baling wire and prayer and continue to move many Cubans around day-to-day. Photo: Ivana Casanova/Shutterstock.com

Generally speaking, Cuba is under a trade embargo by the US government, and that historically made travel there difficult for Americans. However, determined US-based travelers can still visit there through one of several legally-prescribed loopholes; see the feds’ explanation of those rules here. Some Americans simply travel to Mexico or Central America and use air or sea travel to reach Cuba from there. I am not recommending this, as the US government says that “Travel to Cuba for tourist activities remains prohibited by statute.” I do know US residents who have done this, and they didn’t get locked up. YMMV, but a scrap with the feds is something I don’t want, and I doubt you want it either.

Decayed, crumbling industrial infrastructure is everywhere in Cuba. Some of it is still operational, some isn’t, but at least it provides a local watchman with work, keeping scrap thieves at bay. Photo: action sports/Shutterstock.com

Where should you go, if you get to Cuba on your own, and not with an organized outing like Exit Tours? Over the years, there have been various rental opportunities if you want an ADV bike or Harley-Davidson. From my observation, a low-slung cruiser would be a terrible idea on Cuba’s potholed roads, so if you’re going to rent a motorcycle, you would be best-off renting a Beemer. Chris Baker, who literally wrote the book on touring Cuba on a GS (Mi Moto Fidele) appears to be affiliated with Profil Cuba-Reisen, which operates tours but also does motorcycle rentals—see their website here. There may be other, similar private-enterprise rental operators down in Cuba; I have certainly heard of more operators, but the country’s political and economic situation means they may be here today, gone tomorrow.

The state-owned Cubacar Transtur service also reportedly offers motorcycle rental of small-cc machines, which are all that locals use anyway. Given the inefficiencies of Cuba’s Communist system, I would be loath to base any vacation plans around the rental of a vehicle through this service.

Although Cuba’s Communist government was once officially atheist, that designation was changed in 1992. In reality, the influence of the colonial-era church has never gone away, as seen here in the architecture of Remedios. Photo: nikolpetr/Shutterstock.com

There’s another way to travel Cuba on two wheels, one that I’ve done a couple of times in the past, and I have friends who have done it as well. Most resorts aimed at Europeans or Canadians have scooter rentals on-site. These are intended for tourists who only want to travel a few minutes to the beach or local markets, but in my experience, nobody is stopping you from taking them much, much farther afield. Or, that was the case a decade ago, at least—I haven’t been back to Cuba in a few years.

The stereotypical Cuban beach is covered in tourists, but if you explore, you can easily find empty coastline. Just be careful you don’t end up in a place that the military doesn’t want you to be. In my experience, they’re used to dealing with clueless outsiders, and are generally gracious. Photo: murkalor/Shutterstock.com

You might poo-poo the idea of touring on a piddly 50cc step-through, and I will admit it wouldn’t be my first choice either. Even the 125cc motorcycles that locals use would be a better option. However, the scooter came without the requirement for a government-approved guide, and it was easily fixed when I ran into a minor problem (a leaky tire), as the local mechanics knew the bike well. The under-seat storage allowed me to securely carry a few basics. When I met locals, they assumed (rightly) that I was a clueless traveler, not a foreign saboteur looking to cause trouble. The rental fee was reasonable, under $25 a day, and the scooter didn’t use any amount of fuel (which was cheap anyway). And, surprisingly, the low horsepower didn’t really matter, because horsepower is inherently better than donkey power, and when I visited, that’s what many locals were still using.

Horses and donkeys still move many locals around Cuba. This is the city of Trinidad, which has much of the architecture from the city’s sugar plantation days remaining intact. Now, it is a UNESCO site. Photo: Giovel Miguel/Shutterstock.com

One great thing about riding in Cuba is that, generally speaking, I found it very safe. I’m sure you can find trouble if you hang around seedy parts of town after dark, but because of the strong grip the government has on the country, there appeared to be no danger of being mugged or otherwise endangered by criminals. I’m sure it happens in larger cities, but I was riding around the countryside. I do note the Canadian government currently advises travelers to “exercise a high degree of caution” when visiting the country.

I did have to watch out for speedy tourists in rented Fiat 500s and Suzuki Jimnys, but aside from that sort of traffic, there wasn’t really much danger from cars. When I stayed on Cayo Santa Maria, the worst part of the scooter ride was the long slog against afternoon headwinds as I crawled along the causeway at turtle speed.

Not every street in Trinidad has charming old-world cobblestones. A small motorcycle like this is what locals ride, with some Chinese and even Japanese bikes mixed in with the old Combloc two-strokes and the vintage Harleys. If you could rent one of these, it would be far better than a scooter. Photo: EB Adventure Photography/Shutterstock.com

If I was to return to Cuba specifically for a scooter tour, I’d carefully assess which resorts had scooters available and plan on doing day excursions. This isn’t the same experience as traveling around the island’s bed-and-breakfast system (a homestay in Cuba is known as a casa particular, and these are government-sanctioned private enterprises). The homestays allow you to meet very interesting people and have frank conversations. However, you could still cover quite a bit of ground in a day and meet plenty of locals. One of my friends did this a few years back, basing day trips out of a resort in the island’s mountainous southern section, and he highly enjoyed it. I think that’s where I’d go to next time.

Cuba has a lot more than beaches and colonial architecture to offer. The hills in the island’s south offer gorgeous scenery if you care to travel on two wheels to see them. Photo: Milosz Maslanka/Shutterstock.com

But if you’ve got the money, and you want a nice bike and experienced guide and you don’t mind touring in a group, an organized ride like Exit Tours or Edelweiss can be a very enjoyable option. I met the Edelweiss group once when I was down there, and I will say that while I didn’t think the Harleys they were riding were well-suited for the roads (they also do ADV bike tours), I was nevertheless jealous that they were enjoying a proper tour through the country, while all I was seeing was the local area…

Is Cuba for you? I know lots of people shy away from the country because of its Communist regime. While the government might not be to your liking, I think such feelings could be tempered by realizing that, for many Cubans, you are not only a way for them to earn a better livelihood, but also a representative of a different form of government. Your behavior towards them could be seen as a way of representing the advantages you see in your own political system.

Many Cubans live in ramshackle houses that are heavily damaged when hurricanes blow over the island. Photo: Laetitia Fernandez/Shutterstock.com

The main reason I can think of to stay away is the general shortage of food and other supplies. Cuba has not quite recovered from issues raised in the COVID-19 pandemic, and locals have difficulty accessing basic necessities. Perhaps you can use your trip to help locals in some way—I know many tourists bring clothes and toiletries to give to locals when they arrive. YMMV, but don’t be shocked if you get to your accommodations and find the diet is very limited. Whether you blame the Communist government or the American embargo, life in Cuba has not turned out the way that the general population had hoped when they overthrew their previous leadership in the 1950s.

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By their very nature, internal combustion engines are tuned to run most efficiently at certain rpm ranges. A variable valve timing system helps the engine run efficiently across a wider rpm range, burning less fuel and/or making more power. This is especially useful in the mid-2020s as environmental regulations require manufacturers to clean up their bike’s tailpipe emissions.

Variable valve technology first hit the moto market in very crude form in the 1980s, with the mid-2000s Kawasaki GTR1400 engine the first motorcycle with a proper modern variable valve timing system. In recent years, variable valve timing became widespread across high-performance streetbikes and has now spread through manufacturers’ lineups to even include lowly A1-legal 125 models in Europe—where, arguably, the technology’s impact is the most noticeable, as it allows the small engine to make more power through the entire rev range.

The latest patent drawings of Suzuki’s variable valve timing system show a single overhead cam design with valvetrain’s lift and duration adjustable through hydraulic actuation. This would be different from systems like BMW’s Shiftcam setup, which only manipulates the intake valves.

The Suzuki V-Strom 250 could benefit from this upgrade in months or years to come. Photo: Suzuki

The patent drawings published by Visordown show the Suzuki system fitted to their 250 parallel twin engine, as used in the GW250 (which sold in the U.S. for a while) as well as the V-Strom 250 and other machines in global markets. The variable valve tech would allow the engine to make more power or perhaps reduce its carbon emissions, both of which help Suzuki sell more bikes in countries like Indonesia, where quarter-liter machines are hot tickets.

Suzuki has been working on this technology for a while, with other mags publishing similar drawings over the past couple of years. Expect to see it hit the market, as the engineers in Hamamatsu figure out how to extract maximum value from their current internal combustion designs.

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Much of GIVI’s existing luggage lineup fits to the NX as long as you buy the right racks. Photo: GIVI

Luggage

GIVI is maybe best-known for its luggage setups, and it has expanded its offerings to the NX500 with pannier racks for the Outback Monokey Cam-Side system. There’s also a pannier rack setup for Monokey cases, long-sold in GIVI’s catalog. If you have a set of GIVI cases sitting around that were previously used on another bike, you can repurpose them to your NX500. The same goes for Monokey or Monolock top boxes, with GIVI offering a rear rack for the NX500 that fits those as well. GIVI also makes a ring for the fuel fill neck that lets you fit Tanklock and TanklockED tankbags.

Armor

If you want to protect your NX500, you can buy upper and lower engine crash bars from GIVI, made of black tube steel, 25mm in diameter. They also have a black-painted mesh radiator guard to stop flying rocks from denting or destroying your rad.

A windscreen keeps the weather off you. Just make sure you remember to scrub the bugs off every now and then. Photo: GIVI

Other useful parts

GIVI also has a sidestand foot, extended windscreen and rear hugger-style mudguard available for the NX500. Little bits like this like this make life on the road easier, and if you’re in a mood to spend, GIVI has all this and more. See their entire lineup for the NX listed at GIVI USA’s website here.

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Fast Ride To Profitability

Stark’s road to record profitability comes after a little over two years of production. In a press release, Anton Wass, Stark’s CEO said:

“This achievement comes barely two years after Stark Future’s first commercial sales, remarkably faster than incumbent EV leaders, and more resembling the growth rates of some of the world’s most successful technology firms in history. We have been steadily approaching this profitability event, driven by the popularity of the off-road VARG MX, but the phenomenal reception of the newly available Stark VARG EX, the company’s groundbreaking street-legal Enduro model, has brought this landmark occasion.”

Comparison To Other Electric Vehicle Manufacturers

In light of the financial performance of other electric motorcycle manufacturers, Stark stands out as a company that quickly took itself from its startup phase, to a business concern that can boast about its positive profitability. In discussing its quick ride to being profitable, Stark compared itself to other electric vehicle companies both of the two wheel and four wheel varieties.

Stark says that Tesla needed 17 years to achieve sustained profitability and received billions of dollars annually selling regulatory credits to other automakers. In contrast, Stark says that its operations are funded through motorcycle sales alone. They also pointed to the Chinese company NIO who has a similar product driven revenue stream which they say only reached profitability after eight years.

Stark’s corporate headquarters. Photo: Stark Future

Getting To Electric Motorcycle Profitability

Stark says its primary ambition is to “…design, develop, and manufacture cutting-edge electric motorcycles to push boundaries of performance and set new standards for sustainability in the industry.” Going forward, Stark plans to remain focused in the Motocross and Enduro segments, in much larger motorcycle categories.

About their tech and manufacture, Paul Soucy, Stark’s Chief Technology Officer said:

“We will continue to innovate at the component level and in the greater model range so electric motorcycles in all categories can outperform traditional machines in every way.”

That is a pretty significant claim. It will be interesting to see whether Stark keep keep itself on the trail to meeting or exceeding their ICE counterparts while continuing profitability.

Can Stark Continue Its Success?

Stark’s quick rise to profitability is a positive marker for an industry that has seen hard financial times. Several electric motorcycle companies have already folded. Others like Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire brand would seem to a have a long and arduous road to profitability ahead of them if they are to succeed. Perhaps Stark has found the secret sauce of electric motorcycle manufacturing in a niche in which it can excel. We’ll keep you in the loop about Stark as more detailed info arrives about their machines and financial results.

The post Will Electric Motorcycles Ever Be Profitable? Ask Stark Future appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Scorpion EXO-GT930 EXO-COM helmet (25% off)

Scorpion’s modular comes with a drop-down sun visor, a detachable peak for when you’re using it as an open-face, and even the EXO-COM BlueTooth communicator, so you can tune into your phone’s music or talk to other riders with compatible headsets. It’s a lot of helmet for three hundred bucks, which is the sale price, but note that Revzilla only has L and XL sizes left.

Aerostich jackets (various discounts)

Aerostich has a bunch of jackets marked down, with savings ranging from 27 percent to 50 percent off. A wide range of colors, and they have both Roadcrafters and Dariens. See the range here.

Leatt 5.5 body protector (closeout pricing)

A snug-fitting set of armor for wearing under your outer equipment (jacket or jersey). Protection for your chest, back, shoulder, sides and elbows, with multi-plate articulation so you’re always covered. Lots of ventilation slots to flow cooling air, and compatible with Leatt’s neck brace system. The armor combines theLEATT HDPE High Density Poly Ethylene hardshell outer protective shield with their 3DF foam for impact absorption. CE-certified for Level 2 in the back and chest, Level 1 in the elbows and shoulder. $349.99 on sale.

Garmin eTrex 32x GPS (refurb pricing)

While a GPS specifically made for motorcycles has some advantages, a handheld can also work well for some users, especially for riders on smaller dual sport bikes. This comes with a 2.2-inch sunlight-readable display, and it’s preloaded with TopoActive maps with routable roads and trails. Eight gigs of internal memory, and it takes a microSD card for expandable memory. Canbe powered by two AA batteries, which makes it much easier to add to the handlebars of a DR-Z or an XT or whatever. The refurbed units are $189.95; see more here.

REV’IT! Sand 4 H2O Gloves (30% off)

These gloves come with a waterproof liner to keep water out, and keep the chill of cool weather at bay. The exterior gives you protection from a mixture of leather and woven aramid fiber (similar to Kevlar). There’s a molded TPR guard to protect your knuckles, and sliders in the fingers, thumb and pulm as well. A set of inserts in the fingertips let you manage touchscreens. Good gloves for touring; they’re $111.99 on sale.

Bell Bullitt helmet (40% off)

A popular retro-style fullface. Simple, smooth, and despite the minimal exterior vents, it’s not oppressively hot to wear if you crack that faceshield open. A multi-density EPS liner protects your brain, and a fiber composite shell keeps weight down. But it’s the little things; the leather trim, metal mesh on the intake vents, and so on, that really make this popular. Sale price: $263.97.

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In fact, the limited-edition RX model is one of the most plastic-free nakeds on the market, not just because it has more minimal bodywork than much of the competition, but also because much of that bodywork is made of carbon-fiber, not ABS or fiberglass or whatever they’re making standard fairings from these days. The front fender and some other pieces are made of the lightweight material, but take note that Triumph still claims a 439-pound curb weight for the RX, more-or-less the same as other Speed Triple models, which lends credence to our suspicion that most weight figures published are approximations anyway. Even the Akrapovic muffler, certainly lighter than the stock unit, did not turn this into a Skinny Minnie Miller machine.

Photo: Triumph

That new can did not add any muscle, either. The engine is unchanged from the 12-valve 1160cc triple that the standard Speed Triple uses, and it’s rated for the same 180.5 horsepower and 94.4 pound-feet of torque as the RS model. Limiting production to 1,200 units has added no speed.

So what’s so great about the new RX model? Along with the carbon-fiber and the trick-looking, trick-sounding exhaust, there’s a new Ohlins SD EC electronically-adjustable steering damper instead of the RS model’s manual-adjust damper. The Ohlins SmartEC3 electronic semi-active suspension from the RS model is also fitted to the RS model, as well as the same Brembo Stylema brake calipers and MCS radial master cylinder.

Photo: Triumph

The RX also gets clip-on bars, a machined top triple clamp yoke and pegs that are higher and farther-back. Add in a re-shaped seat, and you have a bike that is even better-suited for sporty riding than the RS. The RX’s $21,495 MSRP in the US is $1,500 more than the RS, but for a rider wanting sporty track performance, that price difference is probably well worth it.

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The truth is, when people get their first motorcycle, they inevitably start throwing money at it. New bodywork, heated grips, luggage, whatever—the urge to customize your bike for function, performance and aesthetics is just part of the motorcycle experience. And yet, I am a firm believer that many riders are missing out on the greatest improvement of all—improving themselves.

Living out in the rear end of North America’s northeast, I rarely have the chance to do quality rider training, but I am always grateful when that opportunity comes my way. It’s fun to practice and perfect old skills; it’s even better when you learn new skills. Last year’s trip to the Traction eRag’s XTADV skills camp stands out as some of the most enjoyable time I’ve ever spent on a motorcycle, and not only was it a fun week, but the skills learned will stay with me as long as I keep my practice up. At some point, I need to get back out there for the Level 2 clinic, to practice my dirt bike wheelies, log punches and other skills.

Older riders as well as young will benefit from advanced training. Photo: AnnaTamila/Shutterstock.com

When that week was over, Riley Harlton (of the Awesome Players YouTube channel) said in a YouTube video that he was humbled by the experience, despite years of practicing his skills with his friends, and that he was inspired to make seeking ongoing raining a yearly priority going forward. I felt the same, and it makes sense. As Dallas said often during the drills, not only will the skills you learn help you appreciate riding more, they may save your life.

That’s a point worth mentioning, emphasizing, because one of the most common themes I see in the general headlines related to motorcycling is: “Middle-Aged Or Elderly Rider Dies In Crash.” Decades ago, the stereotype was that a young kid would get a screaming high-horsepower machine and rev his way to Kingdom Come. In the past few years, it’s mostly older riders who are dying instead.

There are several reasons for this. Statistically speaking, there are more older riders than younger riders. The younger riders today wear more, and better, gear than they used to (indeed, the older riders dying now are often from the same generation that saw so many younger riders die years ago, partially thanks to a lack of good gear, and you’ve certainly got to suspect a correlation).

Buying a big bike, overloading it, and then pushing that machine beyond the rider’s limits is a recipe for trouble at any age, but especially as a rider’s motor skills deteriorate. Photo: maRRitch/Shutterstock.com

But one of the biggest reasons that older riders die is that their skills decline as they age—and in some cases, due to the different standard for acquiring a motorcycle license in the past, some of those riders may have never had the needed skills to begin with. For riders in this position, added or advanced training makes a lot of sense. And that’s why, over in Europe, we see organizations like the UK’s Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), and Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) pushing training over there. On April 15, the ACEM and FIM launched a campaign pushing this message; the Learn–Ride–Enjoy–Repeat program is intended to get riders interested in improving themselves, and their skills.

This is good. But what won’t be good is, if advanced training starts to be required. Especially if that training gets expensive.

The reality is that Europe and North America’s roads are filled with an aging population whose skills are deteriorating. Every once in a while, when you hear of some blue-haired 80-year-old running over a cyclist, or even when you get stuck behind one in traffic, the grumbling about requiring testing for elderly motorists gains some momentum.

I think this might not be a terrible idea. While I am loath to introduce any more nanny-state safety provisions into the rulebooks, the idea of requiring a no-cost road test to prove you’re capable of not running over other people (in the case of a car driver) or running off the road yourself (in the case of a motorcyclist) is not completely out of line. On public roads, the existence of a licensing system implies some responsibility on the part of the state to make sure motorists are not a danger to others. A road test to keep your motorcycle license would probably deter some riders from staying in the game, or perhaps from re-entering, though.

Requiring a semi-regular road test would probably deter some older motorcyclists from re-entering the two-wheeled life, but following that with mandatory advanced training would be a much tougher pill to swallow. Photo: ALPA PROD/Shutterstock.com

But what would be a bad idea is, if older riders faced mandatory advanced training at high cost. It would almost certainly drive a large percentage of motorcyclists away.

When I look at the current crop of young riders in my area, I see the cost of the mandatory training in my region does hold a lot of people back from getting their motorcycle license. However, if they’re keen enough, they will eventually follow through on their dreams and do their course. But that’s just the start of the expense; high insurance rates, the cost of good gear, not to mention the ever-increasing price tag of a reliable and fun motorcycle, is hard for the young rider to handle. All through that, though, they’re told their costs will drop as they get older.

But if those costs start to pick up again, it’s easy to imagine a lot of riders getting very disenchanted with the two-wheeled life, and instead going to buy the Miata/Charger/Wrangler of their dreams.

So like I said, the push towards voluntary advanced training is good, but the industry needs to very carefully weigh the risk-reward of making training mandatory. In an age where—gasp!—moto non-profits may be staffed by non-riders, motorcyclists and the powersports industry need to start keeping a careful eye on the ideas put forward by the organizations that represent them. A good idea can turn into a bad idea, if it becomes mandatory and expensive.

Trail Break runs on the first Monday of every month, unless Zac forgets about it, or gets worked up about something in the days in-between scheduled columns.

The post The Good And Potentially Not-So-Good Of Advanced Rider Training appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Here’s the official description of the 90-minute film from Universal:

Dakar: Race Against the Desert provides intimate and exhilarating access to the world’s toughest motorsport challenge. Through interconnected stories of grit, teamwork and determination we follow Dakar legends, Carlos Sainz Snr, Sébastien Loeb, Nassar Al-Attiya and Toby Price alongside the rally’s youngest stars Cristina Gutiérrez, Seth Quintero and Mason Klein as they push themselves and their vehicles to the limit. Dakar: Race Against the Desert redefines the audiovisual experience of this race, and documentary filmmaking, as we journey at break-neck speeds through the high-octane, unceasing action that is the Dakar motor rally.

Elsewhere, we see that the film combines race footage, including scenes shot in the cockpit. Supposedly there is little in the way of talking-heads footage, but let’s be realistic here. No matter how hard the filmmakers worked to keep a fast pace, the pot will only boil so hot when you realize that this is from the 2023 Dakar. A lot has happened in the last couple of years, and we already know who won the race. For hardcore fans, you can only create so much tension. And of course, this race does not solely focus on motorcycles. so the two-wheels-only crowd might get put off.

But for the rest of the world, this may be a great way to expose people to the wild world of rally raid, just as Dust To Glory shared the Baja 1000 with a much wider audience that had never previously heard of desert racing.

The post New Dakar Documentary Releases Today appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Tech talk

First, some background. The Canyon debuted in three sub-models last August (see initial write-up here). There’s the standard Canyon, the up-spec’d Canyon XT model and the full-lux Canyon Redrock. At their core, all three machines are based on the same engine—the three-cylinder Rotax Ace, also used elsewhere in Can-Am’s three-wheeler lineup, and even in other powersports products in various configurations. Here, it has 1330 cc capacity, putting out 115 horsepower and 96 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed semi-auto gearbox; the rider uses a paddle shifter on the right-hand grip for upshifts. The Canyon downshifts automatically, or you can override the system and trigger the downshifts through the paddle shifter. This is a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, with a drive belt instead of a chain or shaft.

The Canyon lineup comes with Sport, All-Road, Rally, and Normal riding modes, to help you suit power delivery to your riding conditions (you can also use a user-defined mode on the Redrock). The Vehicle Stability System helps manage the braking system and TC to help you keep everything more-or-less in-line and headed where you’re steering.

The electronics are managed through an array of switches and buttons that initially look as confusing as the controls of a B52 bomber. However, by the end of my morning on the bike… errrrr… trike, the controls were mostly intuitive. It helped that the 10.25-inch TFT screen let you know what was going on with straightforward language, with no weird icons or acronyms to confuse the rider. The screen is Apple CarPlay-compatible, but does not work with Android Auto yet.

Aside from those boxes of controls, the handlebars look naked; there’s no clutch lever and no brake lever. Front and rear braking is combined, and managed through a foot pedal. There are 270 mm disc brakes up front, with a fixed four-piston Brembo caliper. In back there is a single 270 mm disc with single-piston floating caliper and integrated parking brake, which is electrically actuated.And there are three wheels, not two, with Can-Am’s usual two-in-front, one-in-back arrangement. The wheels are cast aluminum, with XPS Adventure tires standard front and rear, specifically made for this machine. The front tire size is K155/65 R16 72H. Rear tire size is K225/50 R15 84H. Ground clearance is 6.3 inches.

Seat height is a very manageable 33.2 inches, and the base model Canyon weighs 996 pounds dry; the luggage package included on the XT and Redrock models pushes weight up to 1036 pounds. The top box and side cases combine for 120 liters of space

Aside from the luggage package, the other main difference between the base model, the XT and the Redrock is the suspension. All models have double A-arms up front with Sachs shocks and a swingarm setup in rear. The base model has a basic Sachs shock in rear; the XT has a self-leveling rear suspension from Sachs for a better-performing ride. The Redrock has the full-lux semi-active KYB Smart-Shox (purpose-built for this vehicle) that auto-adjust to suit your riding conditions. On the Redrock, you can choose from pre-set suspension performance profiles (whether you want comfort or sporty performance).

No, you can’t mount a winch there. I asked.

The Redrock and XT also have heated grips for passenger and pilot, and the Redrock has a backup camera. All of the upgraded features of the Redrock or XT can be added to the base model as well, along with more than 20 accessories that attach via Can-Am’s proprietary LinQ system, as also used on their ATVs and watercraft and more. Some of the accessories from Can-Am’s other powersports vehicles are drop-in fit to the Canyon, which is handy if you want, say, a cooler for the backcountry…

Our intrepid editor loads an extra sweater in his topbox as he notes the foul weather ahead.

On the pavement

Enough jabber about specs, how does the thing ride? Noting the rain, I made sure to grab a Redrock model, with heated grips (but alas, no heated seat for the rider, only for the passenger, since this one hadn’t been fully tricked out). Note that this was my first time ever aboard a Can-Am three-wheeler, and all I’d ever heard from my moto-journo friends who had ridden them before was:

• “The vehicle’s stability system steered me into a lake”
• “Those things want to drive off the road and the only thing keeping them on there is constant interference from the electronics”
• “The three-wheeled design means they hit every bump and pothole, because you can’t steer around them all”

I am happy to report that I did not run into a lake, and that the electronics are much-improved over earlier versions. As for the challenges of riding a three-wheels-wide machine, well, that’s part of the game.

Hanging off the side doesn’t really do much to help the Canyon’s handling. It’s heavy and planted and the electronics keep you going where the handlebars are pointed.

Heading out the parking lot and into the town, and then into the nearby mountains, I was pleased to find that while the Canyon certainly felt different from a motorcycle, it was still quite fun. You’re steering this ride, not counter-steering, and at higher speeds on the road, you’re using a lot of muscle compared to a motorcycle; shifting your weight around does little to change the balance of the machine, only of your own body’s c-of-g. Acceleration is fun, certainly not as fast as a motorcycle but then again, you’re not riding a motorcycle, so stop whining and enjoy the ride for what it is.

Want to take things from safe to sporty? The Can-Am allows you to change electro-settings on the fly, unlike the nanny-like worrywarts that design other vehicles. As for the paddle shifter and foot-pedal-only braking system, Can-Am staffers warned us we’d be stabbing for non-existent brake and clutch levers, but I honestly didn’t find this too bad. Over a few days of riding, I think you’d subconsciously deal with this quirk as easily as those riders who own both left-hand-shift and right-hand-shift motorcycles.

Note that you can’t really pull up alongside a friend at a traffic light to chat, when you’re riding this machine. They’re just too wide.

When it comes time to stop, the binders slow these things down in a hurry. I didn’t get much opportunity to practice emergency stops on pavement, but at one point in the afternoon I made sure I had lots of space around me on the road and smashed the gear pedal down a few times. Again, you might be able to stop a motorcycle a bit more quickly, but that would be because the Can-Am is heavier, not because it has poor brakes. You can scrub speed quite quickly.

All that bodywork (including an adjustable windshield) keeps you fairly comfortable, even in foul weather.

I wondered if, at the end of the day, the Canyon’s unfamiliar steering system would leave me with stiff back muscles or other discomfort. This didn’t happen; in fact, the adjustable windshield and all the other bodywork did a pretty good job of keeping the weather off me all day, and the seat was very comfortable, so I ended the ride feeling less beat than I had when I’d spent the previous weekend on my Super Tenere.

Off the pavement

Let’s get one thing straight here: The Can-Am Canyon is not an off-road vehicle. It is intended, as the staffers say, for “all roads.” This is partly because, remember, new-production three-wheeled off-road vehicles have been more-or-less illegal since the Honda ATC and Yamaha Trimoto and all the rest of those lovely contraptions were banned from sale in North America.

It is also wise to remember that this is a heavy, wide machine, and that means that even if it was legal, it would not be suitable for your OHV park, and you’d start breaking things quickly if you headed down single track. Even a lot of two-track would be challenging. A BDR would be very difficult, although some keeners might make it work.

This cliffside road would have been downright dangerous for many riders on two wheels.

One of the first questions I asked at the press intro was whether you can mount a winch to the front of the Canyon. The answer was no, you cannot. Getting this 1000ish-pound machine stuck would be no fun at all.

So who is it for? Can-Am says this machine is made to make unpaved roads easily accessible to anyone, and the unpaved sections of our ride demonstrated that. Whether you were sitting or standing, the Canyon easily chugged along through sandy and muddy sections with no drama. This is where the electronic safety gadgets really make themselves known; in a couple of places, I tried to send the Redrock sideways and was rewarded with instantly-neutered throttle response. The same happened in another area where I tried some figure 8s in sandy soil, and a hillclimb on loose terrain. The Canyon will get you through loose stuff with no problem at all, but it won’t let you get too squirrely.

You can somewhat overcome this by changing your ride mode, but that only makes the electro-interference less intrusive; it does not remove it completely. And when you turn off the Canyon, you must re-set the ride mode to the more aggressive off-pavement profiles.

The Canyon handled the slop nicely, and I think that with even more time aboard the trike, it would have been a lot more fun as I learned the limits of its handling.

In other words: This machine does exactly what Can-Am says. It opens adventure travel on unpaved roads to just about anyone. It does not allow much in the way of hoonery. Buy a motorcycle if you want that.

To me, the greatest display of the Canyon’s capabilities was a ride around a slippery mountainside clay road during a rainstorm. This section would have been challenging for many experienced motorcyclists; noobs would have had no chance. But we just plugged away and got around it with relative ease on the Can-Ams. I will say it was slightly unnerving, trusting unfamiliar three-wheeled handling dynamics, which were quite apparently being kept on-track by a busy traction control system, but it worked.

No worries about riding through slick mud on this stable platform.

So who’s it for?

First off, you’ve got to have money to afford the Canyon. The base model is priced at $25,299 in the US; the XT is $29,799 and the Redrock is $32,299 (Canadian pricing is $30,999, $36,999 and $40,499 respectively). This is before you start accessorizing or paying taxes and other fees.

But for those who’ve got the dough: I think, as Can-Am says, the Canyon does a good job of making the world more accessible, whether that’s on unpaved roads or beat-up pavement. For older riders, or perhaps those with a disability, the Canyon might not take you down the tight trails, but it will expand your horizons nevertheless.

I tried to leave a big spray of roost here, but the electronics said no. Tinkering with the TC settings (you can even make a custom mode on the Redrock model) might have let me hoon around quite a bit more.

It also allows a rider to carry a lot of luggage without too much concern for the weight. This fact, combined with the ease of riding, makes me think these will become quite popular machines for exploring the north. Just think: There’s no real romance in sliding around Labrador or Alaska or the Yukon Territory on a long, straight mucky road; you aren’t corner-carving on those highways. A machine like the Canyon will not only let inexperienced or disabled riders travel to such destinations in safety, it might also work well for riders who need to bring a lot of equipment—a CPAP machine or whatever. Or what if you want to bring a pillion rider, but you want to keep things as safe as possible? There are more people in these situations than you might realize.

For me, I am not going to sell my motorcycle collection and buy a Canyon, but I am looking forward to the next time I get a chance to ride one. With the ability to haul a lot of gas, camping equipment and fishing gear, I might have found a fun machine for a freelance trout-chasing trip to the Canadian north…

The base model in foreground, with accessory gas jug; the XT behind it, and the Redrock in back.

See Can-Am’s Canyon lineup at BRP’s website here.

Photos: Align Media

The post Can-Am Canyon: Dr. Strangewheels, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Trike appeared first on Adventure Rider.

I’m gonna throw out a disclaimer here: Between flights across the continent and camping and family duty this week, I haven’t had enough spare time to sit down and watch any of this for myself. I did finally break down and sign up for Apple TV recently, so I expect I’ll get around to it … when riding season wraps up in the fall, maybe. Why watch a moto-show, when you can live it out for yourself?

But here’s the gist of what the reviewers are saying at this point. Some of them seem to think it’s an enjoyable enough show, but there’s no real tension. The Telegraph’s review opens with the following headline and sub-head:

Long Way Home, review: what Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman need to do is have more rows

The friends are reunited again on Apple TV+ for another Top Gear-style quest, but what it’s lacking is Top Gear-style grit

As we told you previously, this series’ story follows McGregor and Boorman running around European countries on vintage motorcycles (a 1974 Moto Guzzi Eldorado for McGregor, a BMW R75/5 for Boorman). Instead of a RTW rip, they’re on a Scotland-to-Scandinavia run, then off through the Baltics and then back across Europe through England, covering 10,000 miles over 17 countries in total.

Obviously, this makes for a much different trip without the challenges they faced in the wilderness regions of Africa, Asia and South America in their previous Long Way series. In his review for the Telegraph, Benji Wilson’s review writes:

There have been tweaks to the format to keep things interesting. Along with the new, circular route – one that begins and ends at (one of) McGregor’s houses and so allows for some celebrity nosing – this time they have rubbish bikes. Or “vintage,” depending on whether you like looking at motorbikes or riding them. This means you get a whole Pimp My Ride-style episode as their 50-year-old steeds are brought back to life, but it also means that the bikes are highly temperamental.

It would be enough to drive most people to distraction, but although this is McGregor and Boorman’s fourth outing in just over two decades, they get along just swell. That’s great for them, less so for Long Way Home, because the doctrine for this kind of blokeish, warm-ale and bad denim cannonball run is the Top Gear specials.

The Sunday Times review was more kind (see here for the whole thing), pointing out there was indeed some trouble along the way, although certainly not the same sort of trip as their previous jaunts:

If you enjoyed the prior three series, the Long Way Home is more of the same, and that’s no bad thing at all. If you’re a biker, it will also make you pine for the open road. One wonders if, with both gentlemen are now in their mid to late 50s (Boorman, 58, McGregor, 54), they’ll chalk this one up as their final televised adventure together and settle into old age without having to sleep in tents, risk serious injury and deal with the logistics of epic round-the-world journeys.

In The Upcoming, Christina Yang says the latest Long Way series is a “reflective follow-up” to the previous entries:

While The Long Way Home documents fewer natural challenges than its predecessors, the mechanical quirks and tribulations of the aged bikes are shown with dramatic flair, highlighting the inherent risks of traversing empty roads on unpredictable vehicles. The absence of the extreme landscapes featured in previous installments is apparent at first, but the series ultimately finds its identity in the quieter moments.

So should you watch? Maybe it depends on whether or not you can actually go riding yourself? If so, maybe you want to save this for a rainy day. YMMV…

The post Ewan And Charley’s Latest Long-Way Adventure Is Streaming Now appeared first on Adventure Rider.

First up, there’s a new ride-by-wire throttle system. This is the key to most of the electronic updates, as it allowed Yamaha to include both Sport and Street riding modes, and a third mode that is user-customizable. Traction control interference level is two-level adjustable, and both the standard Tracer 7 as well as the Tracer 7 GT get cruise control for 2025-onwards as well (a welcome addition for many touring riders). Note that the cruise control system only works in third gear or higher, at speeds above 40 km/h.

To help you control the new features, Yamaha gave riders an updated dash, with 5-inch TFT screen and new switchgear to help navigate the menus. The TFT can connect to your phone through Yamaha’s free MyRide app, and you can also get free turn-by-turn navigation through the Garmin StreetCross app. There is also a new USB-C charging port to help keep your phone or GPS powered up while you’re on the move.

The changes are not restricted to the electronics; the CP2 engine (same as the Tenere 700) is also updated to be Euro5+ compliant, but since output remains at 72ish horsepower at 8,750 rpm and 50ish pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm, most riders will notice little difference—except, perhaps, the updated slip-assist clutch.

Other updated hard parts include a new windscreen, new, larger 18-liter fuel tank, a stretched-out swingarm for added stability (now 40 mm longer) and revised 41 mm USD fork.

All in all, a good load of improvements for one of the most affordable touring bikes on the market. For North American customers, there’s just one problem: At this point, Yamaha only brings the three-cylinder Tracer 9 series across the pond. The twin-cylinder tourer has not been offered here yet, although several other CP2-powered machines are sold Stateside.

The post Yamaha’s Tracer 7 Sport Tourer Gets An Electro-Overhaul appeared first on Adventure Rider.

My Laker DC10 banked in the last of the evening light above New York as it began its approach to JFK. We landed in darkness and taxied to our gate among what seemed like thousands of coloured lights. The magic was dispelled quickly when the woman at the Immigration counter refused to give me permission to stay the six weeks until my onward plane booking. Four weeks or nothing. The bloke at Customs, on the other hand, was a fellow motorcyclist and volunteered lots of advice when he saw my helmet. Much of it proved to be wrong, but his heart was in the right place.

It was somewhere near here that I met the Marine who gave me the flag on my office wall.

A few days later I was in a diner somewhere in upstate New York, wondering how I might be able to turn the bottomless cup of coffee into a decent if necessarily much smaller dose of Joe. A uniformed bloke a couple of tables away picked up on my accent and came over to talk to me. He had been in the Marine Corps and now handled police, fire and ambulance duties for the town. After asking me to wait where I was, he went home to collect a small American flag and a large US Marines sticker which he gave me solemnly. I still have the flag in my office. He also paid for my breakfast.

It sure gets hot in Mississippi, although it can’t match northern India in the runup to the monsoon.

A week or so later again, a woman behind the counter of a Southern diner refused to let me pay for my breakfast. While I ate, she told me how great the United States was and how grateful she was to have been born here. This became a regular feature of my stops.

As soon as people heard my voice and realised that I was a furriner, they sang the praises of their country. They might have been Black, White or Latino; a sheriff or a barkeep; a gas monkey or the supervisor at a campground, the story was the same. I eventually realised that Americans kept their prejudices in house. The Southerners distrusted New Yorkers while they in turn didn’t like Californians; up in the Rockies anyone from either coast was subject of suspicion. And so on. But for a visitor, all they wanted to do was sing the country’s praises.

Whenever I visit Death Valley, I take a photo of myself with the traction engine. This is the first one.

There was another factor at play. I had stopped at a small post office somewhere in the Corn Belt when the Postmaster recognised my accent. “You’re from Oztraya!” he said. “I was in Sydney on R&R. You from Sydney? Oh, man, that was great. What’s the beer – Reesches! Great beer! And… and the girls…” Ah yes. During the Vietnam War (or the American War as the Vietnamese call it), Sydney was a major R&R destination for US troops.

R&R can stand for several phrases but is usually understood to mean “Rest & Relaxation” or “Rest & Recovery”. None of those words is true. Temporarily released from the meat grinder of Ia Drang or wherever they had been posted, they threw themselves into Sydney’s accommodating social life with a vengeance. The beer, the beaches, barbecues, night clubs, football games (Australia has three codes of football), even bush walks – and of course the girls – created lifelong memories. I was to benefit from that more than once when ex-GIs (and especially Marines) heard that Sydney was my home.

Aspencade in Ruidoso NM was my first opportunity to see big American tourers en masse.

I was somewhere near Dalhart in Texas when I had (another) flat tire. This time, and unusually, it was the front wheel. I was in a very small town: little more than a bar, a garage and a couple of dusty houses. I propped the bike up on its side stand and slumped into the near-empty bar. Sure enough, when I ordered a beer one of the few customers came over and said, “You’re an Aussie! I was in Sydney on R&R from ‘Nam!” before listing all the usual attractions, this time beginning with the girls. I really am grateful to Sydney girls for the way they, ah, treated the troops.

The campground sign somewhere in Alabama said “Do not feed the alligators”. I was too tired that night to worry.

When I told him I had a flat tire, he jumped straight into action. I intended to just fix the flat, but he wouldn’t hear of it. The garage had been closed for a decade, but there was a bike shop in the next town but one and he would take the wheel and get it repaired and in the meantime – he looked over at the barkeep – I was to be given all the beer and anything else I wanted, on his tab.

He came back weaving noticeably some hours later with the tube repaired and accompanied by a couple of buddies who had also been on R&R in Sydney. He’d run into them at the bike shop, they’d repaired to a bar while he told the story of my arrival and several beers were consumed and now he’d brought them back to meet me. I’ll bet that bar has not heard “Waltzing Matilda” and “All My Exes Live in Texas” sung by four voices at 2 AM again since that night.

I may not have left my heart in San Francisco, but I left a few bucks at a bike shop for repairs.

Sometimes it was just plain hospitality. I had set up my little tent in a campground somewhere near Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan and was downing a beer while trying to decide what I would choose for dinner out of the two or three options I had. A bloke from a fishing party across the way came over and gave me what must have been damn near a kilo of freshly smoked fish. I can still remember that taste, and the feeling of acceptance.

Reached the Pacific Ocean despite all the liquid hospitality.

And while we’re on the subject of acceptance: although it was August, it was very cold when reached Yellowstone, and I had decided on the luxury of a basic cabin at the Old Faithful Lodge.  Late that night I was in the main bar of the Inn, happily nursing a whiskey, when it started to snow. All the staff started whoopin’ and hollerin’. One of the servers told me that since the Inn was closed at Christmas, the staff celebrated their Christmas whenever the first snow of the year fell. It might have been unusually early, but it was snowing and therefore it was Christmas. Then she invited me to the staff Christmas party.

The US in 1980… just “Getting through / Tangled up in (red white and) blue…”

(Photos: The Bear)

The post Tangled Up in Red, White & Blue appeared first on Adventure Rider.

And then, somewhere between “I can totally survive on instant coffee” and “I might actually commit crimes without proper espresso,” we start making … adjustments to our priorities.

The Coffee Situation

I’ll go first: I carry a mini espresso machine. Yes, a machine. Yes, it takes up precious space that could be used for, oh, I don’t know, a spare tube. And yes, without good coffee, I would choose violence.

Is it practical? About as practical as wearing an evening gown to change your oil. Does it belong on an adventure bike? Absolutely not. Will you pry it from my cold, caffeinated hands? Also absolutely not.

Because here’s the thing about good coffee in the middle of nowhere: it’s not just about the caffeine. It’s about that moment of civilization when you’re six months into your trip, haven’t seen a proper road in days, and are questioning every life choice that led you here. That’s when pulling out that tiny Wacaco espresso maker and making a proper cup of coffee feels less like luxury and more like emergency mental health equipment.

The “But Why Though?” Collection

And I’m not alone in this. I’ve witnessed adventure riders carrying items that would make minimalist touring purists cry:

• A mini blender. Because apparently, someone decided that smoothies are non-negotiable, even in Morocco. “It’s for proper nutrition,” they said, while blending fresh dates with questionable yogurt from a local market.
• A chihuahua. Yes, a live one. Tucked into a specially modified tank bag, living its best adventure life while the rest of us question our reality. The sight of a fully loaded Harley ridden by a jolly, bearded Argentine man on his way to Alaska, one tiny dog head popping out of the luggage, is something that stays with you.
• A full-size sleeping mattress. Not those lightweight, inflatable camping mats. No, I’m talking about proper, comfort-first, might-as-well-bring-your-bedroom-with-you mattress. Because apparently, some people draw the line at compromising sleep quality, even if it means their bike looks like a traveling furniture store.

The Justification Game

The best part about carrying ridiculous luxury items? The increasingly elaborate justifications we create for them:

“It’s actually a safety item” – Me, explaining why an espresso machine is crucial survival gear. Because have you seen me try to navigate social pleasantries or a cold morning in the mountains without coffee? Nobody needs that.

“It’s for health” – The smoothie guy in Morocco, while his blender echoed through a valley probably never before graced with the sound of liquified fruits. He’s not wrong; I’ve seen that blender turn questionable market finds into something approaching nutrition.

“He’s Satan incarnate, but I got him after the divorce” – The Chihuahua man, explaining how his tiny co-pilot barks at every wrong turn.

“It makes for a good backrest” – Full-size mattress guy, who probably enjoys the comfiest seat and the best sleep in the adventure riding community. Meanwhile, the rest of us are trying to convince ourselves that sleeping on what feels like a bag of rocks is “character building.”

When Luxury Saves the Day

Here’s the thing about these supposedly unnecessary items: sometimes they become the heroes of unlikely stories:

That espresso machine? It once helped me make friends with a group of very serious-looking border guards who turned out to be coffee enthusiasts.

The blender guy? Possibly ended up making smoothies for an entire village in Northern Africa, becoming a local legend

That Chihuahua? Likely turned out to be excellent at warning his owner about approaching wildlife.

The mattress? I’m improvising here, but it could have become an impromptu rescue sled during a particularly muddy situation.

The Real Truth

When you think about it, maybe these aren’t really luxury items at all. Maybe they’re the things that keep us sane when we’re far from home, tackling trails we have no business being on, in weather that makes us question our life choices.

Because let’s face it – adventure riding is already a tad unhinged. What’s a little extra madness in the form of espresso machines and snarling chihuahuas? At least we’ll be well-caffeinated and less alone while we’re getting lost in three countries at once.

So here’s to the unnecessary necessities, the impractical practicals, and all the ridiculous items we strap to our bikes against all logic and reason. Because sometimes, the most important survival gear isn’t on any packing list.

What’s your unnecessary necessary? Drop it in the comments below – judgment-free zone here. (Unless you’re carrying a karaoke machine. Then we need to talk).

The post Luxury Items That Have No Business Being on an Adventure Bike appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Here’s another shot, this one taken moments before someone shouted “Đi!” The rider in the blue-gray T-shirt looks particularly focused and calm, don’t you think?

What time was that?

Given that he gets up “at Stupid O’clock” for half of his working week, @Shaggie is “disinclined to get up early on [his] days off,” but he did just that on this particular day a week or so ago, “and am pleased I did.” That’s a 1999 Honda VTR1000F (one owner), photographed at Governors Bay in Canterbury, New Zealand. Want to see more of Shaggie’s work? Check here on advrider.com.

NZ foliage

Here’s a shot from @Kiwial of his Suzuki GS-X taken a week ago before “a nice stand of pure Rimu trees (endemic conifer) at Bruce Bay on the Westcoast of the South Island in New Zealand.”

Foresting

Here are some shots from @Hyguy of his 2023 Suzuki V-Strom DE (and some of him, too) enjoying the greenery of the northeastern United States a few days ago.

Since my planned moto-camping trip to Gettysburg was washed out this weekend; I took an unplanned solo day ride to the George Washington National Forest on Saturday.  The ride was 225 miles round trip and took me from central Virginia down to the Glenwood & Pedlar Ranger Districts near the area of Oronoco.  I rode on 3 forest road trails: Big Piney, Hog Camp & Cow Camp Road.  Fairly easy loose and packed gravel 2 track with some dirt and washouts.  The GW Forest always brings the smiles!!

Stripes!

@4skins sent us this image of two members of the Banded Galloway family staring with envy at him and his 2021 KTM Adventure S. He tells us the obvious: “There is no motorcycle in the frame.” But then goes on to say, “But I was seated astride one when I took the pic and I thought it was pretty cool and worth sharing. The stripe on the bulls is replicated in the reflection on the pond.” This photo is another from New Zealand – we’re extra lucky today! – and was taken a few weeks ago near Motueka, in the Tasman District of the South Island.

Note: a late correction: @4skins wrote “Banded Galloway,” but we mistakenly changed that to “Branded.” A poster let us know it should be “Belted Galloway.” We can see that the striped critters are annoyed with us.

Riding in the UK

Here are some photos from one of our most frequent contributors, @Peter640, who was in the United Kingdom last week with his 2014 BMW R1200 GS (named “Bison”).

The first couple of days with Bison blasting about the Suffolk countryside have been wonderful! I have a few days in the UK before crossing to Holland and then heading north!

More can be found in this year’s ride report: Jahtaavat Poroja / Chasing Reindeer …

I hope you like them, I think that the new phone camera is doing a good job!

That new phone camera is an iPhone 16 Pro, and yes, it’s doing a wonderful job, but hey, it’s the singer, not the song, so thanks to Peter640 for doing his part! And with that, we’ll have to say so long and be well, but we’ll come back next week, and for goodness’ sake, if any of you have photos you’d like to share, don’t be shy! It’s the orange blob right below this.

The post Photos of the Week (19-2025) appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Life On The Edge has been available on DVD for a while, but if you fancy watching it for free, check it out below. Here’s what the description says to expect:

Nick Sanders: Life on the Edge is a fast-moving, sometimes cheeky, always surprising snapshot of a life spent chasing the horizon — and filming every mad moment along the way.

This motorcycle cinema souvenir brings together clips and stories from over 30 years of adventures: seven times around the world, wild rides in sidecars, canal boat disasters, a convoy to Timbuktu, and even the never-before-seen art-movie Road Head.

It’s a historical collection with edge, energy, and humour — from sinking boats to blowing engines and riding faster than anyone thought possible. Whether you’re a fan of the Fastest Man Around the World, Parallel World, or just want to know what it’s like to live full-throttle for a lifetime, this one’s for you.

It’s raw, it’s fun, and it’s very, very Nick.

– Nick

Sanders has been going around the world on motorcycles since 1992, when he took a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 RTW on a 60,000-kilometer, seven-month trip. He’s also spent plenty of time on bicycle journeys, and even other oddball choices such as a hot air balloon.

The post Nick Sanders Vintage Video: Life On The Edge appeared first on Adventure Rider.

The story so far

In early 2020, Damon debuted electric motorcycle prototypes at CES in Las Vegas. Previously known for R&D in the world of motorcycle safety tech, Damon’s new machines (looking like a hybrid of an EV powertrain with a modified Yamaha chassis) were shown with promises of next-generation performance, radical technology and production starting within a short time.

Since then, it’s been promise after promise, but Damon has delivered no motorcycles to customers five years later. Plans for production in British Columbia went up in smoke; a proposed move to California production seems to be stalled as well, with online posts purporting to show empty rooms on the site Damon said they were building their production facility. Despite announcing deals with component suppliers, showing off new prototypes and constantly saying they were only a few months away from building bikes, Damon has shown no concrete proof that customers are likely to receive the fruits of their down-payments. A recent team-up with Milan-based Engines Engineering looked promising, especially when combined with the fact that founder Jay Giraud and Amber Spencer (Damon’s Chief Media Officer, and Giraud’s partner) had left the company.

But news of new partnerships and leadership has not been enough for investors. At its IPO on the NASDAQ exchange, Damon was reportedly looking for $12 a share; they have consistently traded at a fraction of that price (highest was $4.95, and that didn’t last for long). In recent weeks have plummeted well below value of a penny a share, with concerns over shareholder dilution (meaning the company is selling more shares that drops the value of the shares they already sold). Because of all this, the NASDAQ stopped Damon from trading on April 29, and the company is currently evaluating its next moves. There’s talk of it joining an over-the-counter market if they can’t straighten things out with the NASDAQ, and despite what Reddit thinks, that’s not a good thing.

The future?

It looks like Damon’s made all the money it will make off the stock market at this point, and no motorcycles have been delivered yet. Despite the deal with Engines Engineering, the company will still need cash to move forward, and with private investment options already tapped hard, and now an apparent end to stock market fund raising, it is hard to imagine Damon will move forward in coming months as they recently promised.

The post Trouble In The Stock Market: Damon Motorcycles Share Price Drops Below A Penny appeared first on Adventure Rider.

XS Origins

The Honda CB750 gets lots of love for revolutionizing the Japanese motorcycle industry, and the rest of the world’s moto industry with it, in the years following its 1969 debut. No doubt the original four-cylinder Honda was a game-changer, but I believe the Yamaha XS1, which hit the market only a few months later, was also a very important player in that era.

Consider the facts. While the CB had lots of power, disc brakes and an exciting new engine, the XS1 was introduced with more familiar components. Drum brakes front and rear, a parallel twin engine with 360-degree crank and a look that screamed “Brit bike.”

The original XS1 was Yamaha’s first four-stroke motorcycle. The technology was refined from an earlier German design. Photo: Yamaha

The XS’s air-cooled 653cc powerplant was the first four-stroke engine from Yamaha, which might have caused some buyers to beware, given the teething problems that many OEMs face on early-production machines. But there were no real problems with the XS because it was proven technology at launch; it was actually based on a 500cc parallel twin from German manufacturer Hosk, dating back to the mid-’50s. Hosk designed a big-bore version of that engine, then Showa bought Hosk, then Yamaha bought Showa, and by the late ’60s they had refined the design into an engine that looked like a classic British twin-cylinder, but with a SOHC top end instead of fussy pushrods.

The machine was an instant hit with riders, quickly evolving into the XS2 and then the XS650. Unlike the SOHC CB750, which went out of production in 1978, the XS’s production ran until at least 1984, depending what market you were in. There was a standard model that looked a lot like a Bonneville, with a straight seat and general Brit bike vibes. In later years, Yamaha tied itself to the custom/cruiser scene with a Special and Heritage Special version of the XS, with a low-rider stepped seat, lots of chrome and buckhorn handlebars. I owned one of these for a while, and it was a good, beginner-friendly machine.

Drum brakes were standard on the first-gen XS, updated to a disc setup in front in later years. Every XS I have seen still had a rear drum brake for the full production run, Photo: Yamaha

That long production run and high customer demand in Europe, North America and Australia meant Yamaha made a lot of these bikes. Most estimates run around 300,000 machines in total. And while there were a few updates over the years, even after the XS2 became the XS650, the formula was the same basic design, and many of the updated parts on later models (disc brakes, electronic ignition) could be fitted to older machines. None of the updates changed the fact that this was a low-performance machine (50ish horsepower, and about 430 pounds wet), but better brakes and a more reliable ignition were still welcomed by most practical riders.

What made the XS great?

If you wanted a full-sized, uncomplicated, affordable motorcycle that looked right and felt right, the XS was a great choice. Not everyone wanted to chase four-cylinder performance, and if you didn’t need a 750 or 900, the XS was there at a lower price, excellent reliability and lighter weight than even middleweight fours like the CB550.

One of the easiest engines to maintain that Japan ever made, in my opinion. I owned one, and found it easy for even a new rider to tinker with. Also, note the crusty condition. The last XS650s were made 40 years ago, so this is the norm for most private-sale machines. Photo: Uud N. Hudana/Shutterstock.com

And it was easy to work on and modify. After only a couple of years on the US market, tuner Shell Thuett had Kenny Roberts winning AMA dirt track races with an XS-powered flat tracker. In the following years, plenty more were turned into flat trackers, then street trackers, cafe racers, choppers, brats, and whatever else you could imagine.

To this day, the XS650 has some of the best aftermarket parts support of any vintage Japanese motorcycle, with Mike’s XS providing any kind of useful part imaginable. You can get the basic stuff needed to keep your bike going in mostly-stock form, or you can go for a big-bore kit, upgraded ignition and lots of other fun stuff. Other places will sell you an ignition, cam and crankshaft rephased to 277 degrees, to theoretically smooth out engine vibration as well as change the bike’s power delivery.

Check out that oil cooler! This Indonesian-owned machine has some basic modifications that should improve performance without trying to transform the look. Photo: Ahmad Sibawaihi7/Shutterstock.com

This means customization of these machines ranges from mild to wild, and they may be the most hacked-up Japanese motorcycle ever made, even more-so than the CB series. I think Yamaha’s SR400/SR500 series would probably be the closest competition, due to its even longer production run, but I don’t think anything else comes close.

Buying an XS650

A good-condition XS650 in good running order, with minimal modification, is hard to find, but a slightly crusty example is not terribly difficult to pin down. This 1975 model, for sale in Maryland for $2,500, is more-or-less what you can find without looking too hard, and that price is probably in the ballpark of what most sellers expect for a bike like this (this doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to get it).

A 1974 machine for sale in Michigan shows one route that a lot of custom builders took; the XS was easy to chop. Photo: Classic Car Deals

Heading over to Autotrader, you can see this 1974 model pictured above for sale at a classic motorcycle dealership in Michigan. Asking price: A cool $7,495. Is a vintage chopper worth that money? YMMV…

Another modified XS, this one not for sale as far as we know. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Photo: Alpix 1/Shutterstock.com

In the US, flat-tracker style builds have long been popular, with Omar’s a go-to source for many builders wanting fiberglass bodywork. Seen an example below.

The XS is a popular base for tracker-style customs. Photo: Omar’s

I have also seen some XT-looking dual sports made of the XS650, and thanks to the power pulses delivered by that twin-cylinder’s firing order (basically, it runs like a single cylinder with two pistons), they hook up well in the dirt. It is certainly a good base for a scrambler build—see here for a whole host of examples.

Whatever your taste, there is at least one advantage to buying a customized XS—it will generally be in better cosmetic condition than a stocker, and often will have the ignition and maybe other components upgraded. If done correctly, these mods will save you work and expense down the road. Again, YMMV…

The post The Yamaha XS650 Can Be Anything You Want appeared first on Adventure Rider.

We’ve put together a quiz that tests your knowledge of motorcycle systems and components. But the questions aren’t that straight forward. The answers aren’t difficult, the more difficult part is determining what the question is really asking. It’s sort of like a “Jeopardy” challenge.

You’ll likely know all the answers. But you’re going to have to figure out the best answer to each.

Good luck and let us know how you did in the comments below.

The post Parts Bin Identification appeared first on Adventure Rider.

You can listen to this week’s Lowdown Show podcast here, or via the embedded link underneath.

If you prefer to take in your podcasts in video form, we’ve also got that option for you below. Remember that if you subscribe to our YouTube channel, and you’re receiving notifications, you’ll get these updates as soon as they’re loaded up to YouTube.

Along with past episodes of The Lowdown Podcast, our YouTube channel also has bike reviews, interviews and other useful content for adventure riders and serious motorcyclists in general.

Want to subscribe with another podcast listening platform? Podfollow’s link here will direct you to whichever podcast service you prefer.

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The post From Never Riding a Motorcycle to Exploring Africa on Two Wheels appeared first on Adventure Rider.

In honor of that 1990 date, there will only be 1,990 of these bikes made globally. US customers will pay $25,399, both other countries will pay in their local currencies.

Here’s how H-D describes the differences on the Gray Ghost:

Stunning Reflection Finish

The Fat Boy is a big, bold motorcycle designed for riders who want to make a statement. That statement is amplified by an Icons Collection Fat Boy Gray Ghost model that will shimmer in sunlight like it was machined from a solid alloy billet and polished to a mirror finish. The Reflection finish is created using the physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, also known as thin film coating, in which a solid material is vaporized in a vacuum and deposited onto the surface of a part, in this case the fuel tank and motorcycle fenders. This is accomplished by applying a positive charge to the solid material (an aluminum alloy) and a negative charge to the motorcycle part. Following the deposition process, the part is painted with a standard clear coat finish.

PVD has been used in the past by Harley-Davidson to finish some small parts such as tank medallions and exhaust shields. Its use on the Fat Boy Gray Ghost model fenders and fuel tank is the first time PVD has been used on parts this large for a production Harley-Davidson® model. The precision of this coating results in a stunning finish that is chrome-like in appearance but is more comprehensive than chrome plating and thus will meet Harley-Davidson standards for corrosion resistance that are not possible with chroming on these parts.

Chrome side covers complete the bike’s overall bright finish, complemented by a frame finished in bright silver powder coat. Styling cues inspired by the original Fat Boy model include a round air cleaner, yellow accents on the lower rocker covers, powertrain covers, and tank console insert. Additional details—such as a leather seat valance with lacing and tassels, and a black leather tank strap with laced edging—add to the nostalgic aesthetic. Three-dimensional fuel tank medallions replicate the iconic winged graphic from the original Fat Boy. A commemorative tank console insert is etched with the bike’s unique serialization number, while the Icons Collection medallion is positioned on the rear fender.

Lakester cast aluminum wheels, exclusive to the Fat Boy model, emphasize a bold stance. High-performance Michelin® Scorcher® 11 tires (Front 160/60R18, Rear 240/40R18) enhance the ride.

Elevated Performance and Technology

The Fat Boy Gray Ghost model shares the elevated performance and technical features introduced with the 2025 Fat Boy motorcycle.

NEW Milwaukee-Eight® 117 Custom powertrain is tuned to deliver 101 horsepower (75 kW) and 122 lb. ft. (171 Nm) peak torque, a power increase – 7 percent more horsepower and 3 percent more torque – over the 2024 Fat Boy 114 model.
This engine is equipped with a 2-into-2 exhaust with individual catalysts. Mufflers feature advanced lightweight material that works to trim high frequencies and emphasize low frequencies for a powerful sound.
Four-valve cylinder heads feature revised combustion chamber shape, oval intake ports and low-profile intake valve seats designed to improve performance and fuel economy.
Engine oil is routed from a frame-mounted oil cooler through cylinder head cooling passages. This cylinder head cooling system further optimizes thermal comfort for the rider, especially in low-speed riding situations and hot weather.

NEW Suspension is recalibrated to optimize rider comfort.
Dual-bending valve 49 mm forks keep front wheel in contact with the road surface a comfortable ride.
Under-seat hydraulic pre-load adjustment allows the rider to maintain optimal rear suspension performance for the prevailing load and road conditions.

NEW Selectable Ride Modes (Road, Rain and Sport) electronically control the performance characteristics of the motorcycle and the level of technology intervention.

NEW Rider Safety Enhancements by Harley-Davidson is a collection of technologies designed to enhance rider confidence during unexpected situations or adverse road conditions.
o Straight Line/Cornering Antilock Braking System (ABS/C-ABS)

o Straight Line/Cornering Traction Control System (TCS/C-TCS)

o Straight Line/Cornering Drag Torque Slip Control (DSCS/C-DSCS)

o Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS)

NEW All-LED Lighting – including headlamp, tail and brake lights and signals – enhance conspicuity.

NEW USB-C Power Port offers faster data transfer than the previous USB-A port, reversible plug orientation, and compatibility with newer devices. The port location is at the front-left side of the motorcycle beneath the fuel tank.

NEW Heated Gear Connectors have been relocated from behind a side panel to the top of the rear fender below the seat where they are much easier to access.

NEW 5-Inch Console-Mounted instrument places an analog speedometer above a multi-function LCD digital display. The rider can use the Trip hand control button to scroll through available information in the LCD display

See more details at Harley-Davidson’s website here.

The post New Special-Edition Harley-Davidson Fat Boy: Enter The Gray Ghost! appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Writing fiction about motorcycles is a hard thing to pull off. First, you’ve got to actually know what you’re talking about, and most schlockmeister authors don’t know a thing about bikes. Second, if you’re writing a book about one-percenters or other unsavory characters, it’s hard to avoid Sons of Anarchy-style silliness. I’m happy to report that Running On Empty, Mark Richardson’s latest novel, avoids both those dangers.

If you pay attention to ADVrider, you might remember Richardson’s appearance on The Lowdown Podcast. His written work has also appeared in the ADVrider Journal printed magazine. Although most of Richardson’s writing has been about cars (he ran the Wheels section of the Toronto Star for years), he is an avid motorcyclist and has crossed North America twice on a DR600. Once, he even wrote a non-fiction book about it, and it’s pretty good.

Mark Richardson on his second cross-US journey on his DR600. Photo: Courtesy of Mark Richardson

Richardson’s latest fiction work draws heavily on his own experiences traveling the States on two wheels, and I think that’s what I like about it best. Running On Empty opens by weaving together the story of two characters; Zack, a stereotypical North American “biker” (scruffy, blue-collar, kind of shady, but not a gang member) and Grant (a wet-behind-the-ears new rider, who works as a sort of auto journalist/influencer). Zack’s a new character; Grant appeared as a secondary character in Richardson’s previous novel.

Both riders are headed to Sturgis on Harley-Davidsons for very different reasons when their paths collide in South Dakota. From there, the tale heads in a direction very unlike most biker fiction, which generally revolves around silly, made-up one-percenter gangs, with lots of gratuitous sex, drugs and violence. This book isn’t really like that; it’s more of a standard thriller, not unlike something you’d get in a Jack Reacher novel, but thankfully not that dumbed-down. There are no brawny super-fighters here, but also no super-smart former secret agents or anything else like that. Zack and Grant are average people; you probably know somebody like them.

At its core, the story revolves around Zack running from debts incurred from nasty, violent people in the present, while trying to sort out the mess of his past, when he was part of an extremist religious cult (also nasty and violent). I won’t spoil the entire plot here, but it has plenty of twists you don’t expect. And like I said, although it’s biker-focused, there’s no one-percenter stupidity here.

My favorite parts of the book are the description of Grant and Zack’s ride to Sturgis and then beyond to California to straighten out family ties that were destroyed by Zack’s past in the violent cult (shades of Waco, Texas for sure). The descriptions of riding through places like the Million Dollar Highway are accurate, and Richardson says that’s because he based them on his own experiences. The characters may be fictional, but the places and the bikes and the descriptions of life on the road are not.

This is Richardson’s second novel, and I hope it’s not his last. The end of the tale leaves a door open to future adventures, perhaps involving these characters again or using them to springboard new characters in a new book, like Richardson did in his last book. Maybe his next tale could be of somebody riding their ADV dreams, moving beyond the world of Harley-Davidsons and bikers? I think people would welcome a good novel along those lines, and he certainly has the travels to base it on, just like this book was based on real-life trips taken.

Running On Empty is currently listed on Amazon.com for $14.99 in paperback, $6.99 in Kindle e-book format for US customers. Canadians pay $8.99 for the Kindle e-book, or $19.99 for the paperback.

Richardson’s also launching a new non-fiction book right now, about the Trans Canada Highway. It’s called The Drive Across Canada, and if you like the fiction of Running On Empty or his earlier work Zen And Now, I presume you’ll like this one as well. It’ll be available in the US in June of 2025; see more here.

The post Running On Empty appeared first on Adventure Rider.

The bike in question can be seen above, as exhibited at the 2025 Beijing International Motorcycle Exhibition, which ran April 10-13. Honda’s Motor Macau shared the image on their Instagram page, and didn’t really give any details on the machine. No details on power or range or anything else that matters. The press release they referred to in their post here did link to an official Honda PR release, but that also gave no details (although they did have pictures of a wild Pac-Man themed display. Apparently corporate wonks have more of a sense of fun in the Asian moto market).

The photos of the bike do give us some hints, though. First up, note the dual disc brake setup in the front. That definitely means sporty performance, or at least more sporty than Honda’s previous electric motorcycles, which were optimized for pizza delivery boys and postal workers, not urban hoons. The CBR500 had a single brake disc for years; it runs a dual disc setup now. It seems reasonable to expect the new EV to at least be on par with that bike’s performance, which is certainly adequate for a lot of fun, although far from a superbike or even a supersport.

We expect more photos and maybe even a full reveal on this fall’s show circuit. Photo: Honda

A USD fork and single-sided swingarm are also signals to sporting intentions. And with Honda promising 30 new electric motorcycles by 2030, which is less than five years away, surely we’re going to see at least some of those bikes intended for usage beyond urban delivery roles, and hopefully beyond city limits?

Honda has already released a couple of early concepts in this series; see our coverage below.

Honda Reveals Two Electric Concept Bikes

Stay tuned on this one. Honda’s move into EVs will potentially be the biggest shift in motorcycling since they introduced the CB750 in 1969. But then again, we thought it was a big deal when Harley-Davidson brought out the LiveWire, and that certainly hasn’t panned out as hoped. Honda is a lot bigger than H-D, with more resources to plan, produce and sustain the company through lean times, but a failed machine is still a failed machine, and Honda has their share of those too (remember the DN-01?). Even an impressive new 30-bike EV lineup will still need people to buy them, which has been LiveWire’s problem so far. Legislation requiring EVs in many overseas countries will probably help Honda succeed where Harley is failing, though.

The post Honda Shows New Electric Motorcycle, Shares No Important Details appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Sherco made the following announcement on social media this week, announcing the coup:

We are pleased to announce the signing of Bradley Cox to strengthen our Sherco TVS Rally team, alongside Lorenzo Santolino and Harith Noah.

Over the past seasons, Bradley has proven to be one of the rising talents in the discipline. Winner of the Rally2 World Cup in 2024, he will step up this year to the RallyGP category.

At 27 years old and originally from South Africa, he will make his official debut at home, during the World Championship round at the Safari Rally, from May 18 to 24.

Bradley Cox:

“I am very excited to be joining the Sherco Factory Racing Team. It is a dream come true to ride for a Factory team and I am looking forward to what is to come. I already have spent some days on the bike and I feel super comfortable and at home on it. Excited for the races that are coming up for us and especially the W2RC round in South Africa!”

Career highlights:

2022: W2RC debut in Rally2

2023: First Rally2 victory (4 Rally2 wins in total over 10 rounds in 3 seasons)

2024: Rally2 World Cup winner

2025: Promotion to RallyGP, first official factory rider contract

Signing Cox gives Sherco one of the most promising young riders in rally raid. Photo: Sherco

The post Rally Raid News: Bradley Cox Signs With Sherco appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Traction eRag teaches a range of moto-clinics and runs off-road and dual-sport tours through British Columbia; they also run the XTADV program, which is sort of a dirt bike cross-training clinic. The idea is, you learn basics of off-road motorcycle control while tootling about on a small, manageable dirt bike. In theory, you can explore and improve your own limits while not having to worry about bashing up your big GS in a crash (or bashing yourself up in a crash, trapped under your GS).

I did the program in 2024, and considered it well worth the time, especially for someone who’s been tootling around off-road for years but never really focused on nailing the basic building blocks of dirt biking. If you came into the ADV or dual sport world without doing time on a trail bike or MX machine first, then XTADV can teach you a lot. See my write-up on the program here.

That program was great, but it only starts your training journey. For 2025, there’s a new XTADV Level 2 program that takes you to the next step. As with the first part of this program, you’re looking at a five-day course at the eRag training facility in the beautiful British Columbia mountains, where you will eat like a king and hang out around the camp when you aren’t riding:

XTADV level 2 is an advanced course that will arm you with the skills required to confidently attack logs, ruts and other obstacles that are commonly found on the trail. We use lightweight 250cc machines to make the skills needed for large displacement ADV and dual-sport bikes MUCH easier and more forgiving to learn.

This adventure has thick Canadian forest, pristine lakes, staggering vistas and incredible camaraderie. Ride ribbony trails through majestic Douglas Fir forests while encountering jaw dropping vistas all connected by an unrivalled network of transit roads.

XTADV is a perfect combination of training, riding and exploration, incredible scenery, great food and good friends. The skills you take home from this course will guide you through the rest of your two-wheeled life!

Trust me, it’s a good time.

If you think you want to learn more, check out the eRag site here. And note that not everyone who applies will necessarily get a slot; they interview for these places, to make sure it’s a good fit for everyone involved.

The post Traction eRag Offering “Level Two” XTADV Program appeared first on Adventure Rider.

“Over the past sixty years, Motorbooks has become a staple in the lives of transportation enthusiasts worldwide,” said Zack Miller, Group Publisher, in a press release. “Our commitment to quality and our passion for all things on wheels have driven us to deliver exceptional books that educate, inspire, and entertain our readers.”

A look through Motorbooks’ motorcycle selection reveals a variety of topics. The largest category is coffee table books about specific manufacturers, such as Ducati, BMW, Triumph, and several for Harley-Davidson. Books on motorcycle culture include The Original Wild Ones by Bill Hayes and Tom Cotter’s collection of barn find stories. Well-known riders such as Valentino Rossi, Steve McQueen, and MotoLady are also represented. They have a few books on riding techniques. How to Ride Off-Road Motorcycles by Gary LaPlante may be of particular interest to us. Motorbooks has a good selection of books about working on your motorcycle, from the essentials and setting up your shop to specific guides for classic Japanese motorcycles and Harley-Davidson big twins. Guides to touring North America in general and the Pacific Northwest in particular round out their selection.

To celebrate this milestone, Motorbooks is planning a series of special events and promotions throughout the year. Fans can look forward to exciting new titles, and exclusive promotions paying homage to the rich history and exciting future of transportation publishing.

We don’t know the details yet, but we look forward to seeing what events and promotions are coming along, as well as any new releases in the motorcycle arena.

The post Motorbooks Celebrates 60th Anniversary appeared first on Adventure Rider.

The RT has more bodywork than the RS, and a different suspension; both work together to not only offer more road comfort, but also boost the MSRP over the RS. The machines share the same engine and much of the same electronics package, though, and many chassis components are very similar.

Because of the RT’s lux packaging, its accessories differ somewhat from the RS. Here’s a look at some of what you can add on; these are split into packages related to the trim level you buy, as well as individual options that can be added to any specific bike.

Alpine White Package

Gearshift Assist Pro or Automatic Shift Assistant, Ride Modes Pro, DCA Dynamic Chassis Adaption, Riding Assistant, Sport Brake, Central Locking, Anti-Theft Alarm, Centerstand, Variable Luggage System, Headlight Pro, Audio System, LED Auxiliary Lights, Comfort Rider’s Seat, Comfort Passenger’s Seat.

The next level up:

Style Triple Black / Style Impulse / Style Option 719 Package

Gearshift Assist Pro or Automatic Shift Assistant, Ride Modes Pro, DCA Dynamic Chassis Adaption, Riding Assistant, Sport Brake, Central Locking, Anti-Theft Alarm, Centerstand, Variable Luggage System, Headlight Pro, Audio System, LED Auxiliary Lights, Comfort Rider’s Seat, Comfort Passenger’s Seat, Variable Wind Deflector, Topcase carrier and Topcase, 12v outlet for passenger.

And you can add these options to any of the RT models:

Individual Options

• Aluminum fuel tank with dark tinted clear coat.
• Audio Pro.
• Design Option wheels with red stripe and “1300” lettering.
• Forged Handlebars.
• Windshield, high.
• Windshield Sport.
• Variable Wind Deflector.
• Tubular handlebars.
• Comfort rider’s seat with seat heating.
• Comfort passenger’s seat with seat heating.
• Option 719 Milled Parts Package Shadow.
• Option 719 Wheel Sport.

Along with these farkles:

Accessories

• Case protector.
• Topcase large 54 liters, electrified.
• Topcase small 39 liters.
• Case Liner topcase large/small.
• Case Liner cases left/right.
• Additional Topcase brake light.
• Engine protection bar.
• Comfort windscreen.
• Adjustable rider footrests.

Lots of options to get spendy, if that’s what you want! See photos of the new bike below, all courtesy of BMW Motorrad:

The post BMW R 1300 RT appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Formula Drift champion Fredric Aasbo walks through the essential steps of properly loading a trailer using the 2025 Toyota Tundra and a GR Supra as the test case. Whether you’re new to trailering or just need a refresher, here’s what you need to know.

Choosing the Right Hitch

The post How To Load A Trailer The Right Way appeared first on Adventure Rider.

That’s the message in an email published by several moto-mags over the past few days. Here’s what Tim Pilg, president of Beta USA, had to say. The message starts with:

As we all can see and hear, there are many changes going on with our government and how imported items are being handled. About a month ago, our President announced a 10% Tariff on items coming in from Europe, three days later he announced and additional 25% for a total of 30% tariffs. Four days after that, he put a 90 day hold on the additional 20% and left the 10% in tact. With our motorcycles being manufactured in Italy, we obviously have been hit with the 10% tariff on all remaining containers arriving at the USA port.

However, we have elected to keep all of the 2025 model pricing in tact with no additional increases. Our 2025 models have been selling extremely well so we decided to absorb the tariff and keep the prices the same.

That’s great news for buyers, but maybe not for Beta’s bottom line. However, such temporary hits are sometimes worth it from a business perspective. The problem is, these are potentially not temporary hits, and the tariffs could actually increase. Reading onward:

We do not know what will happen after the 90 days is up however. If the additional 20% is enforced, this will change things for the future as we all know that you cannot “absorb” a 30% hit so we will see what happens for the 2026 model year. We all hope that the tariff will not go above the current 10%.

We have a good stock of 2025 models and the remaining 2025 models should all arrive to our USA warehouse or to dealers by the time the 90-day possible hike happens so it may be a great time to pick up a new Beta.

If you want to see what Beta is all about, they still have demo days scheduled for 2025. And remember, Beta also just introduced their Alp 4.0 dual sport/scrambler platform to the US market, so if you’re looking to pick up one of these dual sports before the pricing gets higher, now’s your chance.

The post Despite Tariffs, Beta Holds The Line On 2025 Pricing In US Market appeared first on Adventure Rider.

While the MOTORRAD article is understandably European-focused, let’s take a look at the global picture. This does not mean the end of the G 310 as we know it. The R and GS versions will continue to be available in other parts of the world, as well as the G 310 RR, which isn’t sold in Europe. Production partner TVS will continue to build it in India and export it to non-Euro 5+ countries. This isn’t the end of BMW’s single-cylinder motorcycle for all global markets.

Or is it? Not in a bad way, but perhaps as an opportunity for the G 310 to evolve. We previously reported on a new 300 single that TVS has developed on its own. This 35 horsepower, 21 lb-ft engine beats BMW’s numbers, as well as the Kawasaki KLX300, Honda CRF300L, and Yamaha WR250R. While it has not yet appeared in a production motorcycle, why would TVS develop it this far if production was not its goal? Perhaps this engine has a future in the next version of the BMW G 310, tuned to meet Euro 5+ and bound for worldwide distribution. The current model has been in production since 2016, and may be due for an extensive overhaul. Perhaps, rather than updating the existing engine for just another year or two of production, BMW and TVS may be putting their efforts toward a new and improved model. Kawasaki temporarily discontinued the KLR650 for emission reasons and came back strong with the third-generation model, so this can be a successful strategy. We’ll have to see what BMW has up its sleeve. In the meantime, this could be a good time to score a deal on the current BMW G 310.

The post BMW G 310 Discontinued for Europe appeared first on Adventure Rider.

Sales of the brand’s electric motorcycles continue to be dismal. Since its inception in 2019, LiveWire has only sold somewhere around 2,350 motorcycles. Worse still, despite now having four models to choose from in their product lineup, sales totals continue to slump. Q1 of 2025 saw the electric motorcycle manufacturer selling only 33 bikes across its four bike portfolio.

In Q1 of 2025, LiveWire reported losses in unit sales (72 percent), STACYC balance bike sales (33 percent), and revenue (43 percent). The only news with positive results was that the company’s operating loss declined to $20M (32 percent) year over year.

Analyst Questions

For the last couple of quarterly meetings, analysts have asked Harley-Davidson Chairman and CEO Jochen Zeitz and LiveWire CEO Karim Donnez about LiveWire’s lagging sales and financial losses. The answers provided have been less than detailed, with comments about market volatility and the macroeconomic market issues.

Image: Harley-Davidson

Cutting The Cord

Up until now, perhaps the most telling detail came during Harley-Davidson’s Q4 2024 quarterly meeting. At the time, Zeitz told investors and analysts that if LiveWire’s performance didn’t improve, Harley-Davidson would look at other “optionalities.” While it was an answer, it was still a pretty fuzzy one, yet analysts seemed to accept it.

However, this quarter was different. Questions from investor analysts about LiveWire’s financial performance were more pointed. It seemed that they wanted some more detailed information about what they could expect to see from LiveWire and how Harley-Davidson intended to handle the LiveWire brand in the future. For the most part, Zeitz’s and Donnez’s responses were about cutting costs.

But when pressed, Zeitz told investors that Harley-Davidson had not committed any more money to LiveWire beyond the $100M loan agreement it had agreed to in 2024. How much of that money has already been disbursed or used is unclear. However, it is a marker that the MoCo has limits on its funding of LiveWire.

How Long?

The question now becomes how much of the $100M loan LiveWire has already expended. Even if LiveWire hasn’t spent a dime of that loan facility, it would seem that the time for the LiveWire brand is very limited. Having reported a $20M operating loss in its latest quarter, LiveWire doesn’t have many quarters of funding left.

They will almost immediately have to convert their losses into gains, and that scenario does not seem likely. With continually declining sales and only 33 bikes sold in Q1, there’s little chance that LiveWire will sell enough bikes to keep the doors open before it runs out of Harley’s cash.  Could they seek funding elsewhere? It’s possible, but where would that money come from? What would they tell their new investors about how they will succeed?

For now, it seems that LiveWire is standing on a precipice staring into oblivion: their only salvation is a fraying cord that is the $100M loan given to it by Harley-Davidson. How long that cord will last isn’t known, but LiveWire is going to have to find a more secure perch to keep from falling into the dark pit. Unfortunately for the brand, however, it seems the stones of its foundation are slowly crumbling, and no one at LiveWire is able to stop it.

The post Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire Investment Will Grow No More, For Now appeared first on Adventure Rider.