Moto Adventurer

Teach Everyone to Ride Safely. The Clutch Can Come Later.

Posted on October 16, 2026 by MotoADVR

The American motorcycle industry has spent decades teaching new riders to operate motorcycles with manual transmissions, and for good reason. A clutch is an integral part of the traditional motorcycle experience, and most motorcyclists wouldn’t have it any other way. I saw this article the other day, and it feels more and more relevant as electric motorcycles and scooters become more common. We need to ask ourselves whether mastering a manual transmission should remain a requirement for motorcycle safety courses on the path to attain legal endorsement.

When I first got my motorcycle license, it was almost by accident. I knew I wanted a motorcycle, but they were expensive, and I was having a hard time saving enough to buy one. My wife’s boss was from India, and he approached me with an offer. “Hey, Drew, I have a scooter. I’d love to sell you cheap.” At the time, I kind of laughed at the idea because I didn’t want to ride a scooter. However, the price of entry was so low that I thought I was stupid to turn it down. I could get a scooter, take the test on it, get my endorsement, and buy a motorcycle later. Unaware of the Basic Rider Course endorsement opportunity, this seemed like smoother path than buying an expensive motorcycle and trying to take the test.

I don’t recommend that people follow my path, but one of the key lessons I learned was that once you get on the road, you are learning lessons about how to navigate through traffic, manage the rules of the road, avoid hazards, and control a two-wheel vehicle. That’s the most important part, and it’s something that was reinforced by a friend early in my riding career. He insisted that his daughter ride a scooter for her first year or so of her two-wheel journey. Most of the dangers you encounter on the road are about the terrain, your speed, and the other traffic. Understanding how to manage speed, stop in emergencies, maneuver around obstacles, identify potholes or animals on the road, and manage the motorcycle itself are the skills that keep you alive.

Practicality and Unintended Consequences

I’m now a Motorcycle Ohio instructor, and I just taught a class over the weekend. As I’m watching students learn, I see some riders really struggling to figure out how a clutch works. That is dominating most of their mental capacity, and it’s not helping them learn how to ride a motorcycle very well because they can’t get started properly. Managing and understanding the clutch takes a lot of practice, and you are by no means going to master it in two days in a parking lot. I still stall motorcycles from time to time, because operating a manual transmission is a perishable skill; anyone who returns to riding after just a few weeks of winter will recognize their skills aren’t as sharp as they were at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, stopping, swerving, maneuverability, and looking where you want to go are the priorities. People naturally have trouble looking where they want to go on a two-wheel vehicle, and understanding counter steering, braking, and how to manage the motorcycle’s weight are skills that deserve a rider’s full attention. Yes, it’s important to understand how a clutch works, but if we’re honestly concerned about getting more motorcyclists onto the road and making sure they survive the experience, the clutch isn’t necessary to learn those fundamental skills.

Consider what happens when someone wants to become a scooterist. To get their endorsement, they may take a safety class that requires them to learn a manual transmission. If they cannot learn it, they may wash out of the course before the second day and miss the key lessons. However, they can still get on their scooter, go take the test, and pass it; which is what I did. Wouldn’t we rather have people complete the safety course, and then we can have a different discussion about whether or not they understand a manual transmission later?

The Next Generation Is Already Here

We also have to understand that the culture has shifted. Manual transmissions used to be ubiquitous, and young people might have learned to drive a tractor or a farm truck before they were old enough to get a driver’s license. That’s not the case anymore. Kids today have electric bicycles and electric scooters all over the place. My nephew already had an electric motorcycle at like age 9. This is becoming a completely normal part of growing up, and the motorcycle industry needs to recognize that young people are already familiar with clutch-less two-wheel vehicles.

If you can already get the same endorsement on a scooter, why would we not create that option for electric motorcycles? We’re kind of silly to create a barrier to becoming a legal motorcyclist and a safe motorcyclist by forcing young riders to learn a manual transmission when they may never need one. Electric motorcycles are becoming an accessible way to enter the sport, and we should be encouraging riders to learn the skills they need to safely operate them rather than making them master a skill that may have nothing to do with the motorcycle they intend to ride.

Save the Manuals

I want to be clear about something. I prefer manual transmissions by far, and my cars have manual transmissions. That’s how much I love them. I think having a manual transmission is part of the motorcycle culture, and dismissing it completely is foolish. Motorcycles hark back to a simpler, more visceral time and experience. In a world of automatic everything and technology everything, motorcycles mean that the rider has to use every single appendage and be extremely dialed in to what they’re doing. Having a manual transmission is part of the allure for lots of people.

I think everyone should learn to drive a manual transmission, and I even think we could alleviate a lot of stop-and-go traffic if more people drove manuals. However, that’s just not going to happen, and I don’t think forcing it in the motorcycle space just because we can is something we have to do. I’m not against teaching the clutch, and I think everyone should have the opportunity to learn it. I just don’t think making it a requirement is necessary when the cost and complexity create an additional barrier to entry.

Give Electric Riders a Path Forward

I think there should be an electric motorcycle course, or at least a curriculum that states would accept. The course would need to be different because you literally ride an electric motorcycle differently than a traditional motorcycle. Instead of using a clutch for engine braking, you have to use the brakes differently, and some of the exercises and teaching methods would need to change. However, the core pieces of the course should remain focused on maneuverability, braking, swerving, traffic awareness, and learning how to safely control a motorcycle.

I don’t care who delivers the course. It could be the state, independent contractors, or private companies. Harley-Davidson already offers classes, just as states offer their own basic rider courses. There are multiple ways to make it happen, and the state should create a curriculum that’s acceptable so that licensed entities can begin offering it.

The mechanics of riding a motorcycle are tough enough for people to learn. If they’ve already mastered those things on the road without a clutch, going into a parking lot and learning a clutch isn’t a big deal. We shouldn’t allow the challenge of learning a manual transmission to distract from the most important lessons a new rider needs to understand. Let’s teach riders how to be safe. That’s the priority.

Posted in Opinion | Tagged Basic Rider Course, BRC, e-moto, electric motorcycle, Motorcycle, Motorcycle Safety, MSF | 3 Comments

KTM’s 690 Rally: The Lightweight Adventure Bike We’ve Been Asking For?

Posted on October 15, 2026 by MotoADVR

When KTM introduced the 690 Rally, the comparisons came almost immediately. Yamaha Ténéré 700, Aprilia Tuareg 660, the usual middleweight adventure motorcycles, but I think they’re looking at this the wrong way. I’m not saying we need to completely rethink what constitutes a lightweight motorcycle, a middleweight, a dual sport, or an adventure bike. Those classifications exist for good reasons. Displacement is useful shorthand; most of the time, engine size, weight, intended use, and the type of rider all move together.

But every once in a while, a motorcycle comes along that stands apart. I think the KTM 690 Rally may be one of those motorcycles. The mistake, in my opinion, is assuming that the person buying a 690 Rally is a middleweight adventure shopper simply because the engine displacement and horsepower numbers hung on it. I don’t think they are. I think the use case is lightweight ADV.

Look at the numbers; the 690 Rally is arguably the lightest motorcycle in the performance envelope that people are calling “middleweight.” It has substantially more suspension travel than the typical middleweight adventure motorcycle. It has the kind of ground clearance, wheel configuration, and off-road focus that you normally associate with a dual sport or lightweight adventure bike. In fact, with the exception of displacement and horsepower, it has more in common with something like a CRF300L Rally than it does with a Ténéré 700.

Taking a closer look, I think the customer who buys a CRF300L Rally has a lot more in common with the customer who buys a KTM 690 Rally than the person who buys a Ténéré 700 has with the 690 Rally. That doesn’t mean the 690 Rally is a CRF300L Rally. Obviously, it isn’t. It’s a much more powerful motorcycle, but the intended use case is much more simlar.

I’m the Customer KTM Is Chasing

I very well recognize that I’m a niche customer. I ride to the trail most of the time. This season,I think I’ve pulled a trailer once; it’s probably 10-20% of my riding experience each year. Regardless of our feelings, at this stage, gasoline is getting mighty expensive. Trailering is surely more comfortable, but it costs money. If I can ride marginally less difficult trails and commute on the motorcycle, for me, that’s a more cost-effective and enjoyable way to get to the same place.

But there’s another relevant part of my use case: I ride alone and often in places with especially difficult trails. I need a motorcycle that I can rely upon that isn’t going to put me in a position where I’m going to injure myself because I picked the wrong motorcycle for the terrain. I suspect I’m more toward the extreme end of the spectrum than most riders, considering I ask a lot from both myself and the motorcycle. I might ride a couple hours on the highway in the morning, then go ride some of the scariest public roads I’ve ever found, and then ride home. I could end up doing 200 miles of pavement before I even get to off-road riding. That’s an extreme use case, but I don’t think I’m the only person moving in this direction.

Two Markets Are Starting to Collide

Dual-sport riders are getting older. A lot of them eventually want something more comfortable. They want to ride farther and do more adventure-riding things without giving up the ability to ride difficult terrain. At the same time, adventure riders are also getting older. They’re looking at their 450-pound motorcycles and thinking, I’d really like something lighter. They don’t necessarily want to give up the places they’re riding. They just want a motorcycle that makes the experience easier.

Simultaneously we’ve got newer riders gaining confidence. They’re looking at what other people are doing and thinking, “I’m missing out on opportunities because my motorcycle isn’t capable enough.” We’re getting to the point where riders can purchase that capability without having to build it themselves. That’s important, because until now, those two markets haven’t really merged.

I’m seeing this evolution firsthand. Hosting an Appalachian Adventure Rally, I’m seeing heavy adventure motorcycles, dual sports, and even plated race bikes all showing up to ride the exact same difficult trails. It’s wild. The market is shifting, and I think KTM has recognized that.

So What Exactly Is the 690 Rally?

This is where I think people are going to have a hard time with the bike. Some people are going to look at it and say, “That’s a dual sport with a windshield.” Other people are going to look at it and say, “That’s an adventure bike.” And then the adventure-bike people are going to say, “Sure, it looks like an adventure bike, but it’s going to be less comfortable than my Ténéré 700.”

They all have a point. The 690 Rally isn’t going to be the most comfortable adventure motorcycle. It’s not going to be the lightest dual sport. It’s not going to have the luggage capacity of a traditional ADV, and it’s not going to have the smoothness of a twin-cylinder motorcycle. But that’s exactly why I think people are going to struggle to categorize it.

If KTM had simply made another 450-pound adventure motorcycle with a 700cc twin, nobody would be having this conversation. Instead, they made something that has the power of a middleweight, the weight of a lightweight, the suspension of a serious off-road motorcycle, and enough wind protection and fuel capacity to actually get you to the trail. That’s the unicorn ADV riders’ claimed they wanted.

But the Compromises

I’m not blind to the compromises. Engine vibration is probably the biggest question mark for me personally. I’ve not traditionally liked big single-cylinder engines. Spending 16-hour days in the saddle is not uncommon for me.That’s my bread and butter. So if the vibration on the 690 Rally becomes irritating after several hours, that’s a legitimate problem. However, that’s probably a six or seven out of ten concern. But while iit is significant, it may not be a deal breaker. My Ténéré 700, WR250R and Scrambler all have some irksome vibration in various conditions and I haven’t kicked them out yet. Wind buffeting is another concern, but windscreens can be changed; vibration is harder to fix. That’s one of the things I’m going to be watching very closely as these motorcycles get into the hands of actual customers.

I’m also very interested in the front fuel tanks and the ability to switch between the front and rear tanks. We’ve heard people discuss the way the rear tank on the 690 Enduro can affect the bike’s handling. If moving some of that fuel forward changes the way the motorcycle feels, that could be a really important part of the equation.

Who Shouldn’t Buy One?

Who should actually buy a 690 Rally is an important question. If you’re going to spend more than 51 percent of your time on pavement, particularly if you’re going to spend significant amounts of time on the highway, I think there are other motorcycles that are probably going to make you happier. If you want huge luggage capacity, passenger capability, and all-day highway comfort, this probably isn’t the motorcycle for you.

I’m concerned that adventure riders are going to flock to the 690 Rally because it looks like a race bike, because it looks like something that went to Dakar, and because they want to own a motorcycle that looks like that. Then however, when they discover that it’s not the comfortable adventure motorcycle they actually wanted, they’ll start overpopulating the marketplace (asking retail prices no doubt). Honestly that probably works out for me; in a few years, there might be some reasonably used 690 Rallies sitting around for people who actually want them.

But What Happens If KTM Gets This Right?

If everyone classifies the 690 Rally as a middleweight, then KTM may have just raised the performance envelope for the entire middleweight class. Now we’re looking for lighter motorcycles with higher performance suspension and similar power. If we classify it as a lightweight, we’re looking for something else entirely. We’re asking for lighter motorcycles with more performance and more off-road capability. And that’s exactly what the 690 Rally does. It still outperforms a CRF300L Rally, but it doesn’t carry the weight penalty of the CF Moto Ibex 450 or typical middleweight adventure motorcycle. That’s the interesting part.

Adventure riders will always want a lighter motorcycle. Dual-sport motorcyclists, especially as they age, are always going to want a more comfortable motorcycle. This motorcycle starts to fix both problems. It doesn’t completely solve either one, and that’s why people are going to shit on it. The off-road crowd is going to say it’s too heavy. The adventure crowd is going to say it’s not comfortable enough. The dual-sport crowd is going to say it’s too expensive. And they’re all going to be right about something. But maybe that’s the point.

KTM may have just delivered to us the unicorn motorcycle we’ve been asking for. A motorcycle that can ride hundreds of miles of pavement, get you to the trail without a trailer, and then take you into terrain where a 450-pound adventure motorcycle starts becoming a liability. It isn’t perfect. I’m not even sure yet whether I’d personally tolerate the vibration on the long highway rides; but I’m piqued to find out. For the first time (in recent history), we’re getting very close to a motorcycle that bridges the gap between the lightweight dual sport and the middleweight adventure motorcycle without simply becoming another heavy adventure bike.

If KTM has actually figured this out, the really interesting question isn’t whether the 690 Rally belongs in the lightweight class or the middleweight class. It’s whether those of us who have been asking for this motorcycle are finally going to get exactly what we asked for. And then complain about it anyway.

Posted in Opinion | Tagged Adventure, dual sport, KTM, KTM 690 Enduro, KTM 690 Rally, KTM Adventure, Motorcycle, Triumph Motorcycles | Leave a comment

Kawasaki KLX300 XPL: Another Win for the Lightweight ADV Motorcycle Segment

Posted on October 14, 2026 by MotoADVR

Yesterday Kawasaki Announced the 2027 release of the new KLX XPL. I’m excited to see another addition to what we’ll call the lightweight ADV or travel dual-sport category. I’ve been a fan of the CRF300L, the WR250R, and the KLX300 for many years, and I’ve been a big proponent of the CRF300L Rally as an ideal adventure bike for people on a budget or just getting into adventure riding. So it’s awesome to see Kawasaki throw its hat in the ring.

For people who have been paying attention, Kawasaki has been keeping an eye on the consumer who wants a longer-distance dual-sport for on-road and off-road exploring. They’ve brought back the Sherpa recently, so I’m super excited to see the KLX300 XPL come out.

For folks who haven’t caught the specs yet, you can now get a KLX300 outfitted with a windshield, a mounting bar for navigation, and hand guards. Some of the published performance specs are also a little higher. I’m a fan of the retro styling, too. I like the round headlight, and I think Kawasaki has created something that stands out.

However, I’m disappointed to see that they kept the two-gallon tank. I can understand wanting to keep the price in line with the Sherpa, and I like that traditional farm-bike approach, with a rear rack and straightforward design. But if I were the marketing person or design engineer at Kawasaki, I would have put a three-gallon plastic tank on it and gone head-to-head against the CRF300L Rally.

The Honda is clearly the closest competitor, especially on price. You’re looking at around 333 pounds for the CRF300L Rally versus under 314 pounds for the KLX300 XPL. You’re getting a lighter bike with the Kawasaki, and you could argue it’s better prepared to be ridden harder in terms of weight and suspension performance.

Unfortunately, you’re also getting a lot more fuel capacity with the Honda’s three-plus-gallon tank. If you’re serious about longer-range riding, you’re probably going to prefer the Honda. The XPL could leave people with some range anxiety. When I rode my 250L with a two-gallon tank, I was looking for gas every 90 miles, if not more, and that kind of sucks.

You could probably find an aftermarket Acerbis tank relatively cheaply, but you’re still getting more bike for the money out of the box with the CRF300L Rally. At this price point, I think Kawasaki should have included a skid plate or given the bike more fuel capacity. I’d take the Kawasaki’s performance and buy an aftermarket tank for another $300, but that makes the XPL look a shade overpriced.

Ultimately, I’m excited to see another entry in this segment. My typical definition of a lightweight adventure bike is a 21-inch front wheel, an engine under 600cc, and a factory windshield. The XPL blurs those lines because it’s clearly a dual-sport with a windshield, round headlight, and rear rack. But I’m okay with that. I like manufacturers adding new things and shaking up the market. I’m happy to see more competitors in the lightweight adventure bike segment.

Posted in Opinion | Tagged ADV, Adventure, Adventure Motorcycle, dual sport, Motorcycle, street & trail | 2 Comments

KTM’s 990 Adventure Spy Shots: Cautiously Optimistic, but What’s the Plan?

Posted on October 13, 2026 by MotoADVR

I’m always excited to see something new come out of a performance brand. I’m always excited to see any new motorcycle come out, for that matter. But I’m a little hesitant to see what KTM is actually doing because I think they need to fix their reputation when it comes to reliability.

I think people associate the KTM 890 parallel-twin engine with “cheese cams” because of the camshaft reliability issues they’ve had. So if KTM wants to move forward, I think they’re going to have to do something really hardcore to help boost their image. They’re going to have to convince people that this new motorcycle is fundamentally different from what came before it.

Generally speaking, KTM has performed as a manufacturer of performance tools, and each of those tools has a job. You can buy a KTM 350 race bike in several different trims, and each one has a very specific customer it’s intended for. I can see KTM successfully pulling off something similar with the 990 Adventure, but who is the customer for this motorcycle? More and more adventure riders seem to be moving from bigger bikes down to middleweight and lightweight ADV bikes. So why are we going in the other direction?

I’ll hypothesize that KTM is trying to create a direct competitor to the Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports. They’re building a higher-performance, larger-displacement adventure-tourer geared toward people who don’t leave the pavement. The extra performance and range would be appreciated, while the additional weight wouldn’t be as noticeable.

Okay, I can get on board with that. I think Bajaj and KTM recognize that the vast majority of adventure riders don’t actually go off-road, and there’s an opportunity to attract more pavement-oriented riders. These are people who want a motorcycle that can do both without looking like some granddad sport-tourer while simultaneously avoiding the adventure Decepticon styling of the KTM 890. I’m absolutely open to that idea, but I think KTM needs to be smart and tactical about how it approaches this motorcycle.

The spy shots appear to show a 21-inch front wheel and an 18-inch rear. I’d be shocked if those dimensions didn’t carry over to production, but they also make me question whether KTM is really targeting the pavement-oriented adventure-touring market I’m imagining. Of course, these are just spy shots. We don’t actually know where KTM is going with this yet.

Regardless of the final specifications, KTM needs to demonstrate that this parallel-twin engine is dramatically different from the 890’s. They’re going to have to invest in engineering and marketing to explain those changes. I’d want to see a substantial redesign, not simply assurances that they’ve improved the camshafts. Otherwise, people are going to look at this motorcycle and wonder whether the reliability concerns have really been addressed. I’d also like to see technology trickle down from the KTM 1390 Adventure, including electronic suspension and the other technology increasingly expected on an adventure-touring motorcycle.

I want KTM to be successful. I can understand the logic behind a larger, more road-oriented adventure bike, and I think there’s a potential market for it. But pricing is critical. If KTM launches this motorcycle at a significant premium over the 890 Adventure, I think the market is going to struggle with it.

For now, I’m cautiously optimistic. I just want to see KTM deliver a motorcycle with a clear purpose, a compelling value proposition, and a reliability story that riders can believe in. Because if KTM wants to move the adventure-touring market forward, it needs to give riders a compelling reason to choose the 990 Adventure.

Posted in Opinion | Tagged KTM, ADV, Adventure, Adventure Motorcycle, Motorcycle, | 2 Comments

Open Letter to Suzuki: It’s Time for a DR-Z “Adventure”

Posted on September 24, 2026 by MotoADVR

Dear Suzuki,

I think it’s time to put a navigation tower on the DR-Z4s.

The Winds are Shifting

There are a lot of things converging in the motorcycle market right now that make me think Suzuki has a pretty obvious opportunity sitting right in front of it. KTM has finally decided to put a rally tower on the 690 platform, something individual owners have been doing to their 690 Enduro Rs for years. Despite how much effort various companies have put into low-displacement twins, there’s still demand for “rally” or adventure style singles. People are buying aftermarket nav towers and installing them on their dual-sport bikes because they want to maintain aggressive off-road capability and low weight while adding some street comfort. Unfortunately, despite adding the word “Adventure” to a lot of these small-displacement twins, manufacturers continue to use street bikes as the framework, with most “lightweight” ADV bikes still tipping scales over 400 pounds.

Enter Suzuki; here’s their opportunity to build a lightweight ADV on the bones of the DR-Z4s platform. The DR-Z already gives them most of what they need. Install a windshield and adventure half-fairing, add another gallon or so of fuel capacity, make sure the subframe can handle reasonable luggage. With some massaging of the gearbox ratios, you’ve got the foundation for a legitimate lightweight adventure motorcycle.

Who is the customer?

I continue to see more and more women enter the adventure space. Seat height continues to be a hurdle, but weight is arguably more significant for many riders. If they don’t have someone else to ride with, they’re picking up heavy bikes solo, if at all. I’ve seen riders buying windshields for WR250Rs and CRF300Ls for exactly this reason. Honda already has the CRF300L Rally, and the 450RL. Suzuki doesn’t currently have a competitor sitting between those two bikes. This is an opportunity.

Age is another factor. When I first started hosting rallies nearly ten years ago, a lot of older riders were showing up on big bikes like the 1200 GS. Every year, I see the bikes getting smaller and smaller. There are a lot of people who still want to adventure ride, but they want maximum off-road performance and the least amount of weight possible. The DR-Z4S weighs somewhere around 320 pounds, so even after adding a rally fairing, more fuel and the equipment necessary for adventure riding, Suzuki could still have a very manageable motorcycle that is comparable on the scales to the 690 Rally.

I can already hear people complaining about the five-speed transmission. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a deal breaker. If there isn’t room in the existing engine casing to add a sixth gear, but Suzuki doesn’t necessarily need to add one. They could change the gear ratios so that fifth gear behaves more like a sixth gear on the highway while maintaining a useful spread through the other four gears for off-road riding. The goal isn’t necessarily six gears; it’s having a high-speed gear that lets you get on the interstate without rattling the fillings out of your jaws while still having a good spread of gears to use off-road.

The Time is Now

Suzuki has traditionally been the reasonable, affordable choice. They may have been more aggressive on the performance edge in the past, but for the many years now Suzuki has been the budget-conscious decision with Japanese reliability. Budgets are getting tighter, and there is no doubt that I am the target use-case customer for the KTM 690 Rally. But I’m not the customer with the budget for that motorcycle. Suzuki could offer something much closer to my price range. Give me the legacy, trustworthiness and reliability of the DR-Z400 with the modern upgrades of the DR-Z4S, then give it some pavement chops so my adventure never ends.

That’s the pitch.

Suzuki, build us a 4-Strom.

Posted in Opinion | Tagged ADV, Adventure, Adventure Rally, concept, concept motorcycle, DR-Z4s, DRZ, DRZ-400, Dual-Sport, Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rally, Ralleye, rally, Suzuki | Leave a comment

Would a Ténéré 900 Redefine the Adventure Flagship?

Posted on September 18, 2026 by MotoADVR

After Yamaha teased a 3-beat heartbeat photo captioned “Redefine the standard”, rumors are circulating about he possibility of a Ténéré 900. On the heels of the Super Ténéré’s retirement, I’ve considered the possibility that Yamaha may legitimately launch a new Ténéré with its 3-cylinder CP3 engine from the Tracer 9. Yamaha’s CP3 has no shortage of fans and accolades; meanwhile, many Americans undoubtedly bemoan the “touring” capability of the Ténéré 700, considering our lust for more “power”. Dropping a 900 with dirt chops in a country densely populated with interstate freeways makes a lot of sense. However, what if Yamaha not only launches a Ténéré 900, but actually adopts a sub-1000cc motorcycle as its Adventure Touring Flagship?

The Super Ténéré had something of a cult following, and I think that’s because it filled a very specific niche. Yamaha gave riders a sensible alternative to the increasingly sophisticated and expensive adventure motorcycles coming out of Europe. BMW and Triumph had motorcycles that were arguably more exciting, more technologically advanced and, let’s be honest, better looking. The Super Ténéré wasn’t necessarily the motorcycle you bought because it was the sexiest thing on the showroom floor; you bought it because it made sense. With shaft drive, spoke wheels, and long-distance capability, it was competitive with Europe, but with Japanese reliability. Long Haul Paul put more than 70,000 miles on his whilst ignoring all routine maintenance outside of changing the oil. That motorcycle eventually accumulated something in the neighborhood of 200,000 miles and landed at the Barber Motorcycle Museum. That reputation is what creates a cult following. The Super Ténéré wasn’t perfect, but held its value and never quit.

Despite reliability, tastes shift and motorcycles grow old and stale. The Super Ténéré had become pretty dated by the time Yamaha finally discontinued it. Its last major update was over a decade ago, and the motorcycle was already carrying more weight than many of its newer competitors. If Yamaha wanted to continue competing in the 1200cc adventure segment, it might be time for a clean sheet. I’m not convinced Yamaha saw enough of market demand to justify doing that.

This is where I think the demographics of the motorcycle industry become important. I’ve written about this before, and I think the problem is accelerating. The motorcycle industry is getting older, and that creates some interesting consequences. The people who can afford expensive motorcycles are increasingly older riders, but those same riders are eventually going to start questioning whether they really want to manage a 600-pound motorcycle off-road. At the other end of the spectrum, younger riders are dealing with an entirely different problem: affordability.

That’s a pretty significant problem for a motorcycle manufacturer. If your growth depends on selling increasingly expensive motorcycles to an aging customer base, eventually you have to start asking yourself where the next customers are coming from. I don’t think this means the large adventure motorcycle is going away. There will always be people who want ADV Touring yachts. But I do think the industry has to recognize that bigger isn’t necessarily where the growth is going to come from.

BMW has done an excellent job of capturing the premium customer in the heavyweight adventure segment. If someone has the money to spend on an expensive adventure motorcycle and wants the biggest, most sophisticated machine they can buy, BMW makes a compelling argument. I’m not sure Yamaha is going to win that customer by building a new 1200cc motorcycle and trying to out-BMW the Bavarians. That’s not really ever been Yamaha’s niche.

When Yamaha introduced the T7, the adventure industry was still dominated by 1200s, with the middleweight segment firmly in the 800 range. Then Yamaha showed up with a 700 and, instead of apologizing for the fact that it was smaller, they demonstrated what you could actually do with a lighter motorcycle with Pol Tarress at the helm, taking the T7 to the limits of its capability. Instead of increasing horsepower and technology, the Ténéré 700 arrived with less tech and less weight, asking the question of whether riders actually need a bigger motorcycle. When the “Bike of the year” articles continued to be dominated by horsepower and tech creep, Yamaha went the other direction, and the industry changed.

Now take that philosophy and apply it to the 900cc CP3 engine. That’s where I think things get interesting. The Tracer 9 already demonstrates that Yamaha has a very capable 900cc-class triple that can deliver substantially more performance than the Ténéré 700. A Ténéré 900 could take that engine and build an actual adventure-tourer with it rather than engineering a new heavyweight twin with T7 vibes.

In my mind, that means something more street-oriented than the Ténéré 700. A 19-inch front wheel and 17-inch rear would make sense, with a “World Raid” trim available with a 21-18 combo for those inclined. Better wind protection, better highway comfort, and a more touring-oriented chassis would allow it to cover greater distance while still being perfectly happy on gravel and forest service roads. I don’t think Yamaha needs to make a T9 better off-road than the T7. It needs to be better at everything the 700 isn’t designed to do. That distinction is important because a Ténéré 900 isn’t replacing the 700; the two motorcycles should complement each other. The 700 remains the lighter, more dirt-oriented option, while the 900 could give riders more power, more creature comforts, with more capability for long-distance riding. That would also give Yamaha a motorcycle that appeals to the rider who likes the idea of an adventure motorcycle but truthfully spends more of their time on pavement.

Like the XSR 900 and MT-09, a Ténéré 900 puts Yamaha into direct competition with Triumph and their Tiger 900. Triumph has already demonstrated that there is a market for a middleweight adventure motorcycle that can do a lot of things well. In fact, I’d argue that the Tiger 900 is probably more relevant to Triumph’s adventure lineup today than their Tiger 1200. You simply don’t see as many 1200 Tigers in the wild. That’s anecdotal, but I think it illustrates something happening in the market. The middleweight adventure motorcycle isn’t necessarily a compromise anymore. It may actually be the sweet spot.

Yamaha has an opportunity to take that idea a step further. If they can put modern electronics, rider aids and touring features into a Ténéré 900 while keeping the price below comparable European motorcycles, they have a compelling package while playing to their strengths. A T9 would have enough engine to comfortably eat up highway miles, enough suspension and chassis capability to leave the pavement when the road gets interesting, and less weight than the big adventure motorcycles. Begging the question: Do I need 140-plus Horsepower?

There will always be people who want more power and another inch of suspension travel. That’s not going away. But I think there is a growing group of riders who are beginning to realize that more motorcycle doesn’t necessarily mean more enjoyment. In fact, for some riders, it means the opposite. This becomes particularly relevant as the motorcycle population ages. Eventually, the guy who has enough money to buy a 1300 GSA decides that he has the money but not the desire to pick it up when it falls over.

That’s where I think Yamaha could again be ahead of the curve. I don’t think a Ténéré 900 would represent Yamaha giving up on what we’ve seen as a flagship adventure motorcycle. I think it’s Yamaha redefining what a flagship adventure motorcycle is.

For years, the motorcycle industry has treated displacement as a proxy for status. Bigger engines, more power, more electronic features, and naturally higher prices. BMW has shamelessly taken that philosophy to its extreme with their “Gelände/Straße” big-bore boxers. Is Yamaha again headed in the opposite direction?

If the Ténéré 900 becomes the flagship of Yamaha’s adventure lineup, I think it will symbolize something much bigger than the replacement of the Super Ténéré. It will mean that a major manufacturer believes a sub-1000cc motorcycle can be the premium choice in one of the few growing segments of the motorcycle industry. Post-2020, I think this is a big deal.

The Super Ténéré was the sensible alternative to the big European adventure motorcycles in its era. Maybe the Ténéré 900 will be the sensible alternative to the big European adventure motorcycles of today. If Yamaha can deliver the performance, technology and comfort people expect from a flagship while taking a significant amount of weight and cost out of the equation, I’m not sure they’re following the market. I think they’re leading it.

I want to reiterate that this is speculation on my part. I read the news, I watch what manufacturers are doing, I watch what riders are buying and I draw conclusions. Conclusions that could be blatantly false. But when I look at what Yamaha has already done with the Tracer 700, Tracer 9, and the Ténéré 700, considering the incredible success of the CP3 platform, and the direction I see the adventure market moving, a Ténéré 900 flagship makes a lot of sense. Both in terms of lighter being better, but also Yamaha being the tip of the spear.

History is littered with false prophecies, so I could be completely wrong. But Yamaha wants to throw down in the knobby 900 space… I’m here for it. Here are some photos of my buddy’s Tracer 9 with some AI Knobbies:

Posted in Opinion | Tagged ADV, Adventure, Adventure Motorcycle, Adventure Touring, Motorcycle, Tenere 700, Tenere 900, Touring Motorcycle, Tracer 9 GT, tracer 900, Yamaha, Yamaha CP3, Yamaha Motorcycles | Leave a comment

What is AI Slop Doing to Motorcycle Journalism?

Posted on September 12, 2026 by MotoADVR

I’ve had quite a few people ask me what I think about the rumored Yamaha Ténéré 900. I’m excited about the possibility of a new Yamaha adventure touring motorcycle, and I think there’s plenty of legitimate discussion to be had about what Yamaha might do with it. While I plan to unpack my thoughts about a future T9 soon, what has me more stirred is the number of fake motorcycle images showing up on social feeds and “journalistic” websites. Post-Photoshop, most images these days are AI-generated, but unfortunately are too often being presented as legitimate. This concern gains merit considering it comes on the heels of BMW releasing halfway legit photos of their new 450 in AI-generated backgrounds, assuming those motorcycles were real anyway…

I don’t have a problem with somebody making AI images of motorcycles. People have been doing this sort of thing for years. Before AI, people used Photoshop and other tools to create concept motorcycles, sometimes because they hoped a manufacturer would build something similar and sometimes simply because they thought it was fun. There’s nothing wrong with that. The problem starts when those images are sold as legitimate in a story about a motorcycle that doesn’t actually exist. It’s one thing when it’s Yamaha posting a SolidWorks rendering of a bike; it’s another when “HotBikez” channel on Facebook posts an uncaptioned “rendering”, making similar claims. There’s a big difference between showing somebody what you think a motorcycle might look like and convincing them that you’re showing them the OEM’s media of the motorcycle itself.

The Problem Isn’t AI

The T7 was a big deal; a T9 will be an equally big deal, and people want to talk about it. That’s part of the fun of following the motorcycle industry. People want to speculate about what the motorcycle might look like, what engine it might use, what features it might have, and whether it will eventually replace something that’s already in Yamaha’s lineup. That’s all fair game. The problem is that the message gets noisy when people start presenting things that aren’t real as though they are. The biggest issue isn’t that somebody made a fake motorcycle; it’s the misinformation.

If I publish an article that says, “I think Yamaha might build a Ténéré 900,” that’s clearly speculation. If I put an AI-generated photograph next to that article that looks like an actual leaked Yamaha photograph, a lot of people are going to assume that the picture is evidence that the motorcycle exists. It isn’t. At that point, we’re no longer having a conversation about what Yamaha might build. We’re having a conversation about a cartoon, while claiming it’s real. Undoubtedly, no shortage of people taking advantage of these situations to get clicks, and I’m concerned about the consequences.

We’re Stealing People’s Time

People are trying to have an earnest conversation. They want to debate things on their merits, and when you give them things that are false, you’re taking people’s time away from them. People look at a picture, and they can see it with their own eyes, so they naturally start making assumptions about the features of the motorcycle. They might debate the headlights & fairing, the suspension, the wheels, or whatever else is visible in the image, but none of that stuff is necessarily true. The person who created the image got the engagement they were looking for, while everybody else spent their time discussing a motorcycle that doesn’t exist.

Once you’ve wasted people’s time, they’re going to be reluctant to invest again. That’s where I think the unintended consequences become more serious. People aren’t just going to be skeptical of that particular image. Eventually they’re going to become skeptical of the entire conversation. If you can’t tell whether the picture you’re looking at came from Yamaha, a legitimate spy photographer, a motorcycle journalist, or somebody sitting at home generating images with AI, why would you trust any of it?

When Misunderstanding Gets Awkward

In the past couple years, I’ve had friends and family members send me photos and videos like, “Hey, Kawasaki is launching this new motorcycle.” After which I have to deliver the bad news. Sorry, it’s fake.

Until recently, the imagery was often an old motorcycle from the 1990s with some minor changes made to it using AI. YouTube was loaded with these fake reveal videos recently. However, the person sending it to me wasn’t trying to deceive anybody. They believed it was real, but now they’re embarrassed because they sent something to somebody that turned out to be fake.

While most folks can chalk this up to a funny mistake, over time I don’t think this ends in simply a trivial consequence. People are trying to trust one another. They’re sharing things they think are interesting. They’re having conversations about motorcycles with their friends. If somebody gets embarrassed enough times, eventually they stop sharing things. Worse, slowly we all stop trusting anything as “journalism” anymore because we can’t tell what’s legitimate anymore.

We’ve All Been Sucked Into This

The other part of this is that I don’t think we can put all of the blame on the people making these images. We’re all a little bit responsible for this. We as consumers have been herded into these spaces to behave this way, and we’ve been sucked into the clickbait. Social media is fueled by engagement, and the easiest way to get engagement is to give people something they want to see. A new motorcycle is perfect for that. People are interested in it before the manufacturer has even announced it, so if you can produce an image that looks like the motorcycle they’ve been waiting for, you’ve already got an audience. Then we make it worse by sharing it.

If we’re fooled and we share something without checking it, we’re participating in the same system. More importantly, if we later find out that we were wrong and simply move on without acknowledging it, we’re missing an opportunity to establish trust.

I’m not innocent either; I too have been fooled before. All of us have. I’d rather somebody tell me they got fooled than pretend they knew the answer all along. That’s the honesty that needs to come back into this conversation. And more importantly, resist the urge to proliferate the slop by mindlessly hitting the share buttons.

How Do You Know What’s Real?

Anytime somebody tells me something about a new motorcycle, I typically go to established motorcycle journalism outlets. I look at RevZilla’s Common Tread and VisorDown in the UK, along with several other European motorcycle publications. Europe tends to get a lot of motorcycles that we don’t get here in the United States, and even if they come here, Europe still tends to get them first, so those outlets are often a good place to start. I’ll search those websites and see whether there’s actually an article about the motorcycle. That’s important because legitimate motorcycle journalists are generally trying to be first to report legitimate news from the OEMs. If something real has happened, you’re probably going to find somebody who has written about it. There’s also an important distinction between an article that says, “We expect to see a new motorcycle from Yamaha,” and an article that says, “Here is the new Yamaha.” Those are two completely different things, and a reputable journalist should make that distinction clear. YouTube and Social are full of absolutist titles, while written articles leave room for nuance.

The other thing I look for is legitimate spy photography. There are outlets that tend to get spy photographs of motorcycles, and those photographs are often terrible. They’re low quality, the motorcycle might be covered in camouflage, and you may not be able to see much of anything. But that’s actually useful because it’s a photograph of a real motorcycle. You can look at the components in the spy shot and compare them to whatever you’re seeing in the latest AI-generated image. Does the image you’re looking at actually resemble the components on the spy motorcycle? Or did somebody simply create a motorcycle that looks like what they think Yamaha should build? That’s another distinction.

Accountability Matters

For me, one of the most important things about journalism is the byline. You should be able to read an article and know who published it. You should know when it was published, because the date tells you what information was available at the time. You should also be able to identify the source of the information. Even if people are using AI to write or edit articles, the human responsible’s name should still be on the article.

If somebody is using AI to help produce motorcycle journalism, I don’t have a problem with that. If AI eventually becomes capable of publishing motorcycle news on its own, I’m not necessarily opposed to that either. But that AI still needs a name, and there needs to be a date stamp on the article. There also need to be references that allow the reader to go back and determine where the information came from.

The same thing applies to photographs. If Yamaha supplied the photograph, say that it’s a Yamaha photograph. If it’s a legitimate spy photograph, tell me where it came from. If it’s a rendering, tell me that it’s a rendering. If AI created it, tell me that too. The ability to establish where something came from is going to become increasingly important as AI becomes increasingly capable.

Show Me Your Sources

I think we’re going to see more and more motorcycle websites and social media accounts that are essentially built around AI-generated content. Considering the breadth of AI-generated and rendered video now on YouTube, it’s all but inevitable. The problem isn’t necessarily that the content is generated by AI; the problem is: where is the accountability behind it?

If you’re publishing something, I should be able to figure out who you are. I should be able to see when you published it and where you got the information. If you’re making a claim about a new motorcycle, there should be some way for me to verify that claim. I believe this is the, albeit vague, but thin line that separates journalism from somebody simply trying to get clicks.

Ideally, this is where established motorcycle websites may still have an advantage. They have a reputation to maintain. They have writers whose names are attached to their work. They have a history of publishing information that can be checked against what actually happened. In my opinion, the more legit outlets have comment sections where readers can challenge the information being published in real time. Sometimes the readers are wrong. Occasionally the journalists make mistakes, but there’s at least a mechanism for somebody to say, “Wait a minute. Where did you get that?”

A lot of the websites and social media accounts publishing clickbait motorcycle news don’t have accountability. You don’t really know who they are, where the information came from, or who is responsible for it. Sometimes there isn’t even a way to challenge what they’ve published. Ironically, a lot of “legit” non-motorcycle outlets have disabled comments, but that’s a different discussion. But in both cases, when entertainment dresses up as journalism, it’s debasing the value of information.

The Ténéré 900 Is Just the Latest Example

That’s really where I land on the Ténéré 900 rumors. I’m excited about the possibility of a new Yamaha adventure touring motorcycle, and I’m interested in seeing what Yamaha actually builds. But I’m not going to pretend I know what the motorcycle looks like based on an AI-generated photograph. There’s nothing wrong with speculation. There’s nothing wrong with creating a rendering and saying, “This is what I think Yamaha might build.” That’s part of the fun of following motorcycles. But there’s a difference between speculation and misinformation. If you want to create an imaginary motorcycle, go ahead. If you want to use AI to make the imaginary motorcycle look incredibly realistic, that’s fine too. Just tell people what they’re looking at. Put labels on the photo or at least in the caption below it, because once you’ve convinced somebody that an imaginary motorcycle is real, you’ve changed the conversation. People start making assumptions about something that doesn’t exist; they share it with their friends, and eventually somebody gets fooled, which slows legitimate debate when people are concerned about being wrong or embarrassed.

More importantly, every time this happens, we’re making it a little harder to trust the next thing we see. That’s what scares me the most. The motorcycle industry is going to use AI. Motorcycle journalists are going to use AI. Motorcycle enthusiasts are going to use AI (guilty as charged). That’s not going away, but if we’re going to keep talking about motorcycles on the internet, we’re going to have to put a little more effort into knowing where the information came from.

Help me fight the slop. Call out people sharing fake stuff without context. I get it when it’s clearly cartoonish, tongue-in-cheek, and for a good laugh. But all too often, people are speaking with authority about vaporware. Tell “journalistic” outlets to publish bylines and caption photos as “rendered” when that’s the case. Don’t settle for less, or “Idiocracy” takes yet another step toward becoming a documentary.

Posted in Opinion | Tagged Adventure, Adventure Motorcycle, AI, AI rendering, AI Slop, Journalism, Motorcycle, Motorcycle Journalism, technology, Tenere 900, Tracer 9, Travel, writing, Yamaha, Yamaha Motorcycles | 1 Comment

What Accessories Should You Buy for Your New ADV Motorcycle?

Posted on January 23, 2026 by MotoADVR

You’ve spent months dreaming about a new ADV motorcycle, and now it’s finally in your garage. Undoubtedly, you expect to bolt some accessories on this new “dual purpose” machine, but where do you start?

1. Change the Odometer

Whatever that odometer reads on the new machine in your garage, ride it until it’s about 1,000 miles higher. I get it, we all want luggage, phone mounts, and anodized farkles, but the number one priority should be understanding what the bike is like in stock form. The internet is full of people trying to sell you something. You need suspension upgrades because “it wasn’t sprung for American waistlines”, you need a new intake because “the EPI has choked out all the power”, and lord knows what else. All of those things may be true, but don’t take some “influencer’s” word for it, you may find much of the stock equipment suits your needs just fine. Far better to spend that money on gas and tires than dealing with “The People of Marketplace” trying to get your money back out of an unneeded accessory.

2. Functional Form

As the odometer starts counting up, you’ll quickly decide if the bike fits you ergonomically. Are the levers set at a tilt angle that’s comfortable when riding in your preferred terrain while sitting or standing? Are the foot pegs & pedals set to the correct height? Does the wind screen cause buffeting?

Pegs, levers, pedals, handle bars and even the seat are all adjustable and replaceable if necessary. The longer you spend on the bike, the more comfort dominates your attention (or distracts for that matter), and thus why it’s the first priority after simply riding it. Hat tip to my buddy Andy over at Heavy Enduro, he re-iterated to me how important this is. Make the motorcycle fit you, and if you’re struggling to make it work, instructors like Heavy Enduro, Appalachian ADV, and even Chris Byrch’s videos will usually drive you in the right direction. If you’re struggling, leave a comment and I’ll get you connected with someone.

3. Plug In

Like cars, motorcycles sit more than they move and their batteries are notoriously short lived. Lots of people already know this, but buy a Battery Tender and a “pigtail” to make it easier to keep your battery topped off when it’s parked, especially during colder months.

Truth be told, while I am a proponent of the former, my battery tender pigtail is actually used more to power accessories on my bike than keeping the battery charged. Yes, you can pull off the tank and wire all kinds of accessory harnesses to the battery, but for the more frugal among us, lots of accessories run just fine off an SAE “pigtail” connector. That’s how I’ve powered my GPS, gear, and phone chargers for a decade but more on that later.

4. Protect Your Digits

While most of us ADV folk aren’t chasing down their buddies through the roost of a harescramble, the occasional tree branch or sapling is still a threat to your fingers. More importantly, a set of hand guards can protect your brake and clutch levers from being bent or broken in the event of a tip-over. Lots of internet wisdom is going to insist you buy a set of metal handguards to properly protect your hands and levers. While I don’t entirely disagree, many touring ADV riders will find there are plastic alternatives, including factory options that work decently in many situations. Metal “wrap around” style hand guards are the most effective I’ve encountered for preventing a broken lever, but I’ve also seen asphalt crashes where factory (Triumph Tiger) plastic hand guards still protected the levers; your mileage may vary (YMMV).

5. Bolster Your Undercarriage

Similar to handguards, off-road oriented ADV riders will benefit significantly more from a sturdy skid plate more so than touring riders. If gravel fire roads are the deepest you want to venture into the woods, many factory skid plates will be sufficient. For folks looking to dip their toe into more adversarial terrain, aluminum is recommended, but there are also several High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic skid plates that are up to the task. When choosing a skid plate, it’s wise to chat with someone else that not only owns the same bike you have, but also prefers similar riding terrain. Aluminum can handle the bumps and rogue rocks, but can often be dented and scratched which can get hung up on obstacles. Plastic tends to be lighter and “slide” better over fixed objects, but flexes under pressure and can result in an oil sump puncture depending on your bike design.

6. Baggage Claim

Again, for off-road focused adventurers, skid plate probably takes priority over “where do I put my stuff”, but undoubtedly this step is again inverted for touring riders. Luggage is a very wide segment, from tank, tail, and fender bags, to panniers and backpacks; let alone the hard versus soft luggage debate. Even when I’m packed as light as possible, I typically have a tank or bar bag to hold visor cleaner, charging cables for my comms, phone, or navigation. In spring and fall all the required layers will quickly mean I need a tail bag or panniers to stuff all the thermals into mid-afternoon, and obviously a weekend camping trip is an entire discussion about luggage and packing.

A couple things to keep in mind when shopping luggage, when riding off-road, lower is better. Tall tail bags, “top boxes”, or bulky tank bags raise the bike’s center of gravity, which you’ll be fighting in the event of a tip-over. Tank bags are infinitely user friendly in the parking lot, and yet tend to open in a stupid fashion, which often means stuff falling out at inopportune times when parked awkwardly on a side-stand in the middle of the woods where your essential items are likely to find convenient camouflage right behind some old dry leaves. I run a tank bag almost constantly, but know now, they do make motion more difficult when riding off-road (you can’t lean forward if they’re bulky). In a similar fashion, I’m a proponent of soft luggage. There are many advantages to hard luggage, especially when traveling long distance and not tent camping among others, but off-road soft luggage usually offers more forgiveness when you make a poor line choice. That said, I’ve been hung up on a tree and knocked over by soft luggage as well. Soft luggage does have some “give”, but if you pack too much crap and don’t realize how wide those panniers make the back end of the bike, you’ll get schooled by nature pretty quickly in the woods.

7. Tired Tires

If your bike is new, you paid a lot of money for new tires, you should really get your money’s worth, hence driving up the odometer. At some point you’ve worn out the factory buns, so it’s time for a replacement. I’ve written a list of articles about tires, so be sure to check those out, but ultimately, I recommend purchasing more tire than you need as replacement. If you’re newer to off-road riding, even if you lean toward touring, I recommend looking for chunkier ADV tires with larger gaps between the lugs so you’re better prepared when the pavement ends. An experienced rider can handle gravel roads confidently on almost any tire, but when pavement riders are first learning off-road skills, the added confidence and stopping power that comes with a fresh set of 50/50 Adventure tires is worth it initially. Per previous articles, you can spend all kinds of money on ADV tires, but there are many affordable aggressive ADV tires available as well. Once you’re comfortable on your chosen terrain, it makes more sense to nitpick ADV tires and shave pennies or gain mileage.

8. Wayfinding

Most of us end up following our friends around most of the time, but at some point, it’s convenient to have a little help getting to the start locations for rides or have the ability to leave mid-stream and not be lost. There are more navigation options than ever these days, from mobile apps, dedicated GPS devices, to the more advanced rally style navigation tablets. Traditional nav device installation means removing the tank, installing a wiring harness to the battery, routing it around all the factory cables and up to the handlebars. Alternatively, with an SAE pigtail connector, you can buy an SAE extension cable or cigarette lighter adapter and connect your devices in a tank bag. I run the same 2 navigation devices on all three of my motorcycles, so this has been my go-to for many years now. I recently installed a 1-meter SAE pigtail under the tanks of two of my bikes, so the power connection is actually near the handlebars at all times; removing the need for a tank bag (assuming your device cables are tied up neatly).

In addition to supplying power, you need to mount said devices with some sort of handlebar or dash clamp. There are a bunch of namebrand phone mounts out there. For GPS and tablets, RAM sells several different mounting options, which have served me well for a decade, but more and more options are showing up on the market almost daily. When choosing a mounting location, keep in mind the mount needs to handle heavy shocks and vibration from unimproved roads. You want to make sure you can read your speedometer unless you plan to use your device to track your speed. A word to the wise, most phone apps don’t display current speed very large on the screen, so your attention will be distracted from the road a lot longer than you want it to. Reaching up to check your trip odometer and knocking your phone off at 35MPH is something none of us want to experience, so remember to leave toom to reach your key to turn off the bike. You’ll also want to see your trip odometer or fuel gauge. There are apps out there that can keep track of all that, but it’s also one more thing you may need a gloved hand to search for, which is less than ideal in cold weather, even with touchscreen gloves.

9. Brace for Impact

Crash protection is heavily debated. There are typically 2 schools of thought here: first, buy crash bars to keep the bike looking clean in case of a tip-over, then just remove (or paint) them when selling the bike; or second, just replace the broken plastics from the crash (some people buy a second set of plastics right away and put the factory covers back on when they sell the bike).

I’m of the mindset that energy has to go somewhere; if you bolt bars to an engine to protect your plastics, said bars are translating the crash energy into the frame or engine instead of cracking a radiator shroud. “Crash” bars on some bikes handle that just fine; others can crack an engine case in a bad spill or freak crash. As with skid plates, talk with other people who have your bike and the same impact protection you’re looking to buy. Look at how it’s mounted, pay attention to how it will bend when it falls over, and also when it gets grabbed by a tree or a root when sliding in a fall. Per previous comments, ADV touring riders are less likely to have adverse effects from installing engine bars if they fall over infrequently; riders on more difficult terrain are likely to drop the bike often enough that over time the impact protection will bend. Another wise comment from my buddy Andy, when you disassemble the impact protection for bike maintenance, it may prove impossible to re-install it because it’s now bent so heavily. The more modern bikes are now being designed with better impact protection from the factory, which are less likely to damage important parts and easier to work around, but if you’re on an older generation bike, be mindful.

10. Chop Don’t Shop

Unless you’re buying the first generation of an ADV machine, there’s (almost) guaranteed to be an entire catalogue of color matched farkles from every brand under the sun to customize your motorcycle. If how your bike looks is the majority of why you like motorcycles, the world is your oyster (and I doubt you made it this far into this article). On the flipside, if function trumps fashion in your world, sometimes a Dremel tool, wire cutters, and a utility knife will save you money and get you where you want to go faster. You can spend $200 on a “tail tidy”, but sometimes you can cut all the excess plastic crap off the factory “fender” pretty cleanly for free. If the bike falls over and bends a lever, you can hack off the bent end with a band saw, sand down the corners and have a new shorty lever for free-ninety-nine.

I lean heavily into 50/50 off-road pavement riding, thus I typically end up breaking factory turn signals and levers before spending money on aftermarket options. However, if you speed date a new motorcycle every 2 years, that’s probably bad advice. Used buyers would prefer to see a motorcycle that looks like it rolled off the factory floor yesterday, so scratched paint and dirt stained accessories is less appealing. Alternatively, if you’re shaving pennies or in it for the long-haul with this machine, factory equipment usually works just fine. If something breaks, now you have a good excuse to upgrade to something more robust; along with seeing what has practical value versus what looks cool.

Zero Sum Game?

Ay Dee Vee is actually an old Indian expression for “compromise”. The adventure segment is always trading road performance for more off pavement performance or vice versa. You can up-armor your ADV steed to keep from breaking stuff when you fall. Simultaneously you’re making it heavier, making it harder to pick up, straining your endurance, which makes you fall more. You can choose tires that last forever, but suck in the mud; you can install dirt bike tires for awesome off-road grip, but then change tires every 2,000 miles or less. There is no magic bullet; so keep in mind, you can go bankrupt buying stuff for your bike, but in the end, saddle time, gasoline, and training are usually worth more than the gadget someone is selling you to “make you a better rider”.

What’s been your experience with ADV accessories?

If you want an even deeper dive into this, check out this podcast

Posted in Opinion | Tagged ADV, ADV Motorcycle, Adventure, Adventure Motorcycle, Custom Motorcycle, cycling, Motorcycle, Motorcycle Accessories, Motorcycle luggage, Motorcycles, Navigation, Skid plate, Tenere 700, Travel | 3 Comments

What’s on Your Moto Bucket List?

Posted on January 8, 2026 by MotoADVR

Since 2019, life has had a firm hand on the wheel so I rode when I could and adjusted riding plans based on what opportunities presented themselves. For the time being, things have been stable, and I want to get back to putting targets on the calendar and making firmer plans to go out and tackle challenges I’ve had my eyes on.

Birch Knob Observation Tower (VA KY line)

Social media is a wild place these days, and while I’m getting inundated with AI garbage, I did catch a cool post featuring photos of the Birch Knob observation tower in the Kentucky-Virginia state line. Having ridden to Black Mountain and along the Virginia border on my way to the Triumph Dragon Raid, I’m looking forward to a return trip. There are 300 road miles from my place to the tower along the least remarkable route. 600 miles round trip would be a big investment, even Moreso after I plan exclusive to and from routes to tie in the best ribbons of mountain asphalt. It’ll be a long ride, but definitely in reach for a long day trip.

Valley View Ferry in KY

Undoubtedly motorcyclists have one foot in the past. If you talk to enough of them, you’ll find no shortage of history buffs, including bridge hunters. No stranger to those interests, I enjoy the occasional amphibious assault on rural backroads thanks to a local ferry. As it turns out, the oldest operating business in the commonwealth of Kentucky is the Valley View Ferry, connecting commuters from Richmond and Lexington. With operations dating back to the 1780’s, it’s said Daniel Boone, Henry Clay, and Ulysses S. Grant all crossed the Kentucky river aboard a Valley View Ferry. Open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, 364 days a year, the Valley View ferry can now transport 3 vehicles at a time along Kentucky Highway 169 across the river thanks to its upgrade in 2000 when there was only room for 2 cars. Only 3 hours from home, Richmond is any easy day trip on the highway… however I expect this to rapidly turn into a bridge and ferry tour considering there are 2 other ferries on either end of a ride to that location.

Switzer Covered Bridge

Speaking of bridges, the Switzer Covered Bridge is the last of the 11 historic covered bridges left standing in Kentucky that I’ve not seen. When I started this silly motorcycle journey of exploring the forgotten bluegrass backroads, there were 13 historic covered bridges. Weather and the owner claimed one, while arson claimed the longest span in the state in 2021 (after millions were just spent to restore it). Just like Valley View Ferry, if you’re a history nerd and want to peel back the veil of modernity, you’d be wise to do so. Between Frankfurt and Lexington, it’ll be easy to pick up Valley View Ferry and the Switzer bridge in the same ride. Let’s hope I have all the Pins on the map at the same time when I lay out that route.

Lockegee Rock (outside cave run lake)

Scurrying along cliff lines and exploring rock shelters has been a favorite pastime of mine for as long as I can remember. I probably visit at least one Red River Gorge staples once a year but somehow have not ventured far enough east to see Lockegee rock up to this point. I actually went right past it last year while working on updates to the BRAP) but didn’t have time to stop. A scenic ride across the gravel of Clark Mountain Road, Lockegee rock is yet another eastern Kentucky Appalachian overlook just outside Morehead, KY. Albeit, this is an easy “bucket list” item, but a theme I want to become recurring. Is there a perfect view hidden in the mountains? If I may steal a movie line from “The Last Samurai”, “You could spend a lifetime looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life.”

Expand the BRAP

For the past two springs I’ve spent the warming months shaping up the Bluegrass Regional Adventure Passageway (BRAP) between South Portsmouth and Slade, Kentucky. While looking around for more dirt I stumbled on a network of county roads near Grayson I want to add to the BRAP as a “Bonus Loop”. Hopefully spring of 2026 will be equally productive, and I’ll get a chance to add almost 200 miles to the existing 600 miles adventure loop connecting Ohio and Kentucky’s existing adventure routes.

DBBB expansions x2

Last spring the Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway (DBBB) launched a new expansion southeast of Booneville adding almost 200 miles to the existing multi-purpose overland route. This spring I expect to see a similar expansion get launched further south from the recent addition. It’s almost a 4-hour commute from Dayton to Booneville, making a recon ride around a 200 mile loop a challenging endeavor in a day, let alone if the starting point moves further south and away from the interstate. Despite commute, I’m hopeful I can ride both extensions in completeness, even if it’s broken up in sections before the first snow falls next winter.

Adventure speed run

Longtime readers know I’m a sucker to endurance challenges. I hate riding the highway (I’m bored), but I enjoy a good Iron Butt challenge, and while I’ve participated in a 24-hour off-road team race, I’ve yet to tackle a mixed terrain endurance challenge. The Southern Ohio Adventure Loop (SOAL) is in my backyard and where I’ve been cutting my teeth on ADV riding since day one. The SOAL is over 200 miles in length, more if you include challenge sections. I’ve circumnavigated the SOAL main loop in a day in the past, now I want to throw in some challenge sections and tackle the loop at (mostly) legal speeds in a non-stop ride to and from the driveway to see what’s possible.

The SOAL speedrun is the first step stone toward a larger challenge of completing the entire 600-mile main loop around the BRAP in a day. Including commuting from home, the trip to and from Portsmouth adds an additional 200 miles to the grand total. It took me 18 hours to ride 1015 miles on the pavement, but is 800 miles of mixed surface backroad riding even possible in 24 hours? Only one way to find out.

From there the ultimate challenge is signing up to compete in a 24-Hours-of-Appalachia (24HoA) challenge. As a fundraiser for an Appalachian focused charity, Jedediah Smith organizes several regional overland challenge routes intended to be completed in 24 hours or less. Smitten with the idea from the moment I heard about it, after shooting some trail photos of their final round this year I’m really keen to attempt one this year if I can swing it. After seeing their rain photos from this spring I’m very concerned about fitness, but as most folks can relate, ultimately time flexibility is the biggest challenge.

Brent’s back door

After wandering around the SOAL since 2016, I figured most of the challenge sections were relatively tame. Emboldened by my ignorance, I turned down a challenge section named “Brent’s Back Door” on my T7 in the fall of 2024. I was in for a rude awakening. A forgotten doubletrack trace hidden in unmarked state land, the track was tough to follow, and the challenges increased as I ventured deeper in the holler. Losing sight of the track, and quickly losing daylight, I turned my pig around to escape back to paved safety. That was the wiser decision, considering I got stuck at least twice trying to fight by way back out. Similar to the Spaas Creek challenge that gave birth to Appalachian overland fever (LINK), I’ve since seen “Brent’s Backdoor” in its entirety on a little bike; Kaida San (my T7) is ready for a rematch in 2026.

Hare Scramble the T7

With over 12,000 miles on the Tenny’s odometer… I’ve yet to line up for a competitive event. The last couple years have been “rebuilding” and growth chapters in my motorcycle journey, but I want to take the T7 to a local hare scramble and see how it goes after competing on the less capable Triumph for two seasons. Last year I found myself trapped under the bike after taking a bad line; fitness is going to be critical this year if I want to race alongside dirtbikes safely. With KXCR currently on hiatus, it means racing in the local Ohio or Indiana cross country series thus far have been less than big bike friendly. Here’s to surviving another battle with mother nature on an inappropriate machine; bonus if we can influence local race series to add a big bike class.

Posted in Opinion | Tagged Adventure, Adventure Motorcycle, Appalachia, bike, Bucket List, Kentucky, kentucky travel, Motorcycle, Tenere 700, Travel, Triumph Scrambler, WR250R | 1 Comment

Ducati Desmo 450 EDX: A Closer First Look

Posted on December 17, 2025 by MotoADVR

A few weeks back, my buddy Andy reached out to me to saying he recently started working at Rahal Ducati Indianapolis. As it turns out, a mutual acquaintance was unpacking a new 2026 Ducati Desmo 450 EDX and suggested it would be a great time for me to visit.

In late 2023, Ducati announced its intentions to enter the off-road racing scene. Ducati finished in the top 10 of MXGP in Europe this year, with announcements for the factory supercross team for 2026 here in the States. On the heels of the motocross bike, their cross-country (hare scramble) machine is just starting to hit dealer floors, and presumably an enduro bike shortly behind it. As an amateur XC racer, I was anxious to see the new Ducati up close, including a better look under the covers, considering this is one of the first “EDX” (Enduro-cross) machines to be unpacked in America.

Looking over the details, I was struck by the smooth and tidy body plastics. As a shadetree mechanic, I immediately noted that some of the bolt-on details are also conveniently marked with torque values. The airbox cover is conveniently tool-less, while the seat requires an 8mm socket; some may bemoan the bolted seat retention, however I’ve seen no shortage of seatless race bikes returning to the pits in recent years. The Frame rails are adorned with integrated frame protectors to keep the boot scuffs at bay. Ducati fitted the EDX with a beefy kickstand, including a retaining strap which I appreciate, reminiscent of an Austrian alternative.

I’m told the frame and suspension of the bike might be a bit Honda-inspired; the 49mm Showa forks certainly coincide with that assertion. Looking closely at the details, the throttle body and intake boot are routed up and over the shock mount, versus the tight side-squeeze around the shock spring I’m more accustomed to seeing. While the MX and EDX aren’t equipped with a fan, there is an integrated coolant temperature sensor mounted to the head, and the radiators have all the mounting points integrated for a Ducati factory option that we’ll hopefully see offered standard on an enduro model.

Like the MX, as far as instrumentation, the EDX only has an EFI light and an hour-meter. The EDX bars don’t have any type of switch cubes, only the traditional electric start and engine stop buttons; however, there is a button panel for Traction Control (DTC) and Quick Shifter (DQS) adjustments. I’m told the wiring harness for all 3 models is identical, meaning there are connectors already in place for lights. After doing a little math from Ducati’s website, the fully fueled 450 EDX should be right around 249 pounds ready to ride and set buyers back $12,495 plus tax, title, and dealer fees which is right on par with their European competitors.

Looking forward

Motocross and Cross-country off-road racing may not be everyone’s forte, but I’m especially looking forward to the enduro model arriving on U.S. shores. A 450 moto bike may be a lot of machine for many of us dirt gumbies here on the East Coast, but I suspect many dual-sport enthusiast are much more anxious to get their hands on a big thumper that’s prepared to lug through the Appalachian hollers. I’m also told that, thus far, models arriving in the U.S. can be purchased with titles. As we wait to see if Ducati plans to bring a fully street-legal model to the States, I suspect potential buyers can get their hands on some light kits soon. I look forward to seeing these desmodromic 450 beasts in the woods. In the meantime, here’s a gallery of up-close photos peeking under the covers that is less available elsewhere.

SPECIFICATIONS	MX / EDX
Engine	Desmo450, single cylinder, Desmodromic timing system, 4 valves DOHC, hydraulic tensioner, semi dry sump, liquid cooled
Displacement	449.6 cc
Bore x Stroke	96 mm x 62.1 mm
Compression Ratio	13.5:1
Power	63.5 hp @ 9,400 rpm
Torque	39 lb ft @ 7,500 rpm
Fuel Injection	Keihin injector, Mikuni 44mm throttle body
Gearbox	5 gears with Quick Shift only up
Final drive	13T Front sprocket 49T Rear sprocket 520 DID chain
Clutch	Multiplate clutch with hydraulic control
Frame	Cast Aluminum with welded, forged, &extruded parts.
Front suspension	Showa 49mm USD front fork; fully adjustable
Rear suspension	Showa linkage mono shock, fully adjustable
Front Wheel	1.6” x 21” Takasago Excel rim
Rear Wheel	2.15” x 19”/ 2.15” x 18” Takasago Excel rim
Wheel Travel (Front/Rear)	12.2″ F & 11.6″ R / 12.2″ F & 11.9″ R
Front Brake	Galfer 260 mm single disc Brembo 2-piston floating caliper
Rear Brake	Galfer 240 mm single disc Brembo 1-piston floating caliper
Instrumentation	Hourmeter only
Wet weight no fuel	231 lb / 236 lb
Seat Height	38.2 in
Wheelbase	58.8 in
Rake	27.3°
Trail	4.65 in / 4.6 in
Fuel Tank Capacity	1.9 US gal / 2.2 US gal
Rider Aides	Riding Modes Ducati Traction Control Engine Brake Control Ducati Fall Detection Wifi module & X-Link App
Standard Equipment	Lithium-ion battery Hourmeter Quick shift up Power Launch Handguards (EDX) Skid plate (EDX)
Ducati Conventional Warranty:	3 months or 20 hours of use
Maintenance service intervals	Oil and oil filter service 15 hours Piston replacement 45 hours Main engine service 90 hours Valve clearance check 45 hours

Posted in Bikes | Tagged 450 motocross, Cross-country, Ducati, Ducati Corse, Ducati Desmo, Ducati Desmo 450, Ducati Desmo 450 EDX, Ducati Desmo 450 MX, Ducati Desmo Enduro, Ducati Indianapolis, Harescramble, Kentucky, motocross, Motorcycle, Scrambler | 2 Comments

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Birch Knob Observation Tower (VA KY line)

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Switzer Covered Bridge

Lockegee Rock (outside cave run lake)

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Adventure speed run

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Hare Scramble the T7

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Looking forward

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