Ultimate Adventure Bike

Is it a great time to be an adventure rider? Is it ever! There are more bikes to choose from than you can possibly dream of, and there are more riding opportunities on offer than you could ever point a Michelin Anakee Wild front tyre at, whether you want to do your own thing, or be part of an organised group ride. Adventure riding is a recipe for good times on two wheels and once you experience it for yourself, you’ll fully appreciate why more and more riders are loading up and heading for the hills. And a big part of what makes adventure riding so great, I reckon, is that it’s entirely your own gig. If you want to do it on a Himalayan and choof about the mountains while smelling the…

Mention the ‘C’ word to Clubby and he gets that chook’s bum kind of look. It’s the same look you get when your dog gobbles up cat poop with an intensity usually reserved for Schmackos. And they’ve gobbled it up so quickly there’s nothing you can do. And you know they are going to try to lick your face to share the moment. Well, that’s camping for Clubby. DOGGY BAG Palaver is a word frequently used by his Editorial Lordship and when it comes to camping, he’s pretty accurate; it’s an unnecessary, elaborate and complex procedure. I’ve just come back from a four-day adventure and you know what, I agree: this camping caper is way overrated. Why in the hell would you stuff about carrying all that gear hundreds of kilometres only to…

ZERO OUT NOW Is it a great time to be an adventure rider? Is it ever! There are more bikes to choose from than you can possibly dream of, and there are more riding opportunities on offer than you could ever point a Michelin Anakee Wild front tyre at, whether you want to do your own thing, or be part of an organised group ride. Adventure riding is a recipe for good times on two wheels and once you experience it for yourself, you’ll fully appreciate why more and more riders are loading up and heading for the hills. And a big part of what makes adventure riding so great, I reckon, is that it’s entirely your own gig. If you want to do it on a Himalayan and choof…

It’s all been going on in the world of Suzuki: World SX champ Ken Roczen pulled a rabbit out of a hat and signed on to ride for Suzuki in the AMA SX and MX in the USA one moment, and then — hold onto your hats! — the next moment the wraps came off yet another brand new Suzuki V-Strom. That’s right, V-Stroms have been breeding like rabbits in recent times and hot on the heels of the new V-Strom 1050 pairing and the V-Strom 800 DE, which are joining the long-standing V-Strom 650 XT, comes the arrival of the new V-Strom 250 SX in Australia. And it’s a bike that is set to provide a whole new generation of adventurers with an introduction to the V-Storming way of life. We…

Chinese-owned Italian brand Benelli looks set to deal a full-house of ADV hardware in 2023 after recently announcing a brace of new models that will be landing Down Under over coming months. Headlining Benelli’s ’23 adventure range is the TRK 702X, which is powered by a new parallel-twin cylinder engine that delivers 56kW at 8750rpm and 68.2Nm of torque at 6250rpm. The motor is housed in a steel tube frame that is matched with a USD fork and single shock rear end, with a 19-inch wheel up front and 17-inch wheel out back. The bike weighs in at 235kg wet, with a 20 litre fuel tank. Alongside the 702X, Benelli also offers a 702, which runs cast alloy wheels compared to the spoked wheels of the 702X. Benelli also offers a TRK 800,…

KTM has delivered a sharp upgrade to its mid-weight monarch: the 890 Adventure. The Austrian brand says the new bike has been crafted as the ultimate master of all conditions and distances. The raspy and responsive LC8 engine with ride-by-wire power remains, with output of 105hp and 100Nm of torque. A low centre of gravity with the low-slung 20-litre fuel tank design pushes the bike’s slim form to the fore and accentuates the ergos, while a seat height of 825mm from the two-piece saddle is possible, and saddle options and a lowering kit can take it even lower. The robust steel sub-frame means that the heaviest of pillions and packages are a breeze. For 2023 one of the most significant changes has been made to the front mask between the head of…