#Adv

This one may or may not come as much of a surprise to those paying attention. If Harley-Davidson entering the adventure bike segment made waves, then doing so with such a solid offering from the get go was a tsunami that stirred up emotions all across the interwebs. Promising a machine that would compete with motorcycles the likes of BMW’s well-established and venerable GS line while having never operated in the segment previously was bold. The Pan America had detractors from the moment the plan was sussed out by our own Dennis Chung in 2017, where he surmised the moniker’s eventual product category: “… Even wilder, how about a full-fledged American-made ADV?” Wild, indeed. Mr. Chung. 

Anybody who’s not playing in the ADV sandbox isn’t really playing in 2022, and that’s why MV Agusta is now dipping an exploratory toe. Two toes: Lucky Explorer 5.5 and Lucky Explorer 9.5. The 5.5, which at some point may inherit the Elefant monicker, is to be powered by a 554 cc DOHC parallel Twin to come from MV’s Chinese partner, QJ. “Despite being a mid-sized bike,” says MV, “its appearance is that of a higher displacement travel-oriented motorcycle, capable of seducing European riders looking for a sturdy and unstoppable companion.”

MV Agusta revealed two new adventure bike “projects” at EICMA, the Lucky Explorer Project 9.5 shown here, and the smaller Lucky Explorer Project 5.5. Both models appear ready for production, but the “Project” in the name implies they are still prototypes, and it’s unclear whether they will eventually be sold with the Lucky Explorer name, or if they’ll actually be named for the bike that influenced their design: the Cagiva Elefant.

Ducati introduced the Multistrada 950 back in 2017 as a stepping stone into the Multistrada world. For 2022, Ducati wanted to make that move even easier, with a more accessible Multi V2, thanks to new and rider-friendly ergonomics, a thinner and lower seat, and a significant weight saving of 11 pounds. They also supply it in a 35kW (47 hp) format for A2 license holders in Europe.

MV Agusta is getting back in the adventure bike game with not one, but two new models to be unveiled at EICMA, November 23. Spy shots started circling around the internet recently of what was presumed to be an early prototype of the ADV, but MV has now confirmed the project with today’s press release (copied below).

The main beauty of Sardinia is the almost complete lack of Sardinians, which makes it hard to explain why the twisty roads that connect the villages on the Mediterranean’s second-biggest island are so perfectly maintained. The new Aprilia Tuareg 660 is up for all of them. There’s a lot of second and third gear work in there, which the optional quickshifter makes quick work of, and even the occasional first-gear corner when the fur is flying – also not a problem.

Dear Ryan Adams,

There’s no shortage of expensive, big-displacement, powerful Adventure-Touring motorcycles. Then there’s the mid-displacement segment that is oftentimes only marginally less expensive. Further down this segment, though, exists a sub-category of lightweight, affordable, small-displacement models that are oftentimes overshadowed by their aforementioned counterparts. It’s here where the 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan resides along with BMW’s G310GS and CSC’s RX4 Adventure among others.

Ducati updated its mid-sized adventure bike for 2022, reducing its weight, improving the ergonomics and updating the engine while renaming it from the Multistrada 950 to the Multistrada V2.

After a lengthy pandemic-caused delay, the 25th James Bond film, “No Time to Die” is finally going to premiere in a matter of weeks (Oct. 8 in the U.S.). Triumph was a partner for the film, supplying a Scrambler 1200 and a Tiger 900 for key action sequences in the movie.

Harley-Davidson sent out a press release making the bold claim that the Pan America 1250 Special is the best-selling adventure-touring motorcycle in North America. Unfortunately, the press release (included in full below) doesn’t provide any specific data to back up the claim.

Adventure riders know that choosing a jacket and pant that will offer versatility in a wide variety of scenarios is paramount to enjoying the ride. Fortunately for us, most manufacturers now make matching jacket and pant combos to offer suits that integrate seamlessly from a fit and function standpoint. It’s always a good idea to be realistic of your intentions when considering new gear, but thankfully with adventure gear, like adventure bikes, most are designed to do a little bit of everything. Below is our list of the best adventure suits on the market today.

Adventure boots are designed in a similar vein to adventure motorcycles, ready to handle the rigors of off-road, yet still be comfortable enough to use day in and day out. Adventure boots are made to be protective, but not as stiff as a motocross boot so that you can comfortably walk around the interesting places you may find along your way. Our list of the best adventure motorcycle boots shows what adventure riders have to choose from with but one click of the mouse.

Updated March 2021:

KTM hasn’t officially announced its 2021 1290 Super Adventure models yet, but it briefly published the pages for both the street-focused Super Adventure S and more off-road capable Super Adventure R on its website. The pages were quickly taken down, but we’ve managed to snag the details. Both models receive a number of updates, including a radar-based adaptive cruise control system for the S model.