#Adv

We’ve been giddy about small-displacement-sized adventure bikes since testing the CSC Cyclone a couple years ago. Enter 2016 EICMA and not only does Honda announce the 2017 CRF250L Rally, but so does Suzuki bring forth a mini-ADV bike with its V-Strom 250/ABS.

A year ago at EICMA, Honda debuted its intriguing City Adventure concept, combining an adventure-bike design with a scooter platform. Today, Honda officially presented the final production version in the 2017 X-ADV. At the moment, the X-ADV has only been announced for Europe and it’s not likely to be brought over to the U.S.

Only a few days earlier, I had started my journey at BMW’s Off-Road Academy, run by RawHyde Adventures at its ranch in Southern California for the “Intro to Adventure” course. I learned the basics: riding tight lines through trees, traversing hills, and going through sand.

Honda has released a new video teasing its upcoming adventure scooter. The new video is longer and offers a better look at the scooter, which we expect to be sold under the name “ X-ADV,” than the first teaser video released last month. The latest teaser shows the scooter tackling some off-road terrain on the island of Sardinia before heading into an urban area.

Ever since Triumph announced its 2016 model line at EICMA, we’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the updated Tiger Explorer line. As we’ve noted before, the Explorer models have been divided between the XR models, which receives more street-oriented cast wheels, and the XC models, featuring dirt-friendly wire-spoke wheels. All Explorer models are based on the same platform (meaning the same engine, basic suspension specs and wheel sizes) with the designations signifying trim packages. The Explorer XCA tested here represents the top of the Explorer line.

While Dunlop was in town to show off its new Elite 4, it went ahead and dropped its new Adventure bike tire on us too: The new Trailsmart replaces the long-running Trailmax TR91.

The 2016 Africa Twin is the first model to feature Honda’s next-gen Dual Clutch Transmission, and the only ADV bike in the world equipped with such technology. This is a significant achievement not for the sake of new technology, but because the technology works pretty well, which is why my initial review – and this video – focuses on the DCT’s use and performance. However, the story was a little light when it comes to other areas of the bike’s performance. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to address a few omissions.

The Africa Twin is one of the most beloved Hondas to never have been imported to the United States. In 1986, the NXR750 Africa Twin factory racer made its debut at the then Paris-Dakar Rally. The bike was powered by a V-Twin engine, while the rally largely took place on the African continent – hence its Africa Twin namesake.

The rendering above comes courtesy of www.IndianCarsBikes.in which illustrates its ideas for what the upcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan might look like. We think it probably overestimates the amount of suspension travel and windscreen height. The exhaust design also seems unlikely, with low routing that would be damaged in off-road riding and a muffler that is way too small to adequately quiet a biggish Single.

The 2015 Aprilia Caponord Rally sails through as the Noale firm’s flagship touring and adventure bike. The Rally is high-tech where the absolute highlight is the ADD (Aprilia Dynamic Damping), which makes any ride, fast or slow, comfortable and safe. Traction control, sophisticated ABS brakes and smoother ride-by-wire throttle response are other highlights which make the Caponord Rally a treat to ride.

Instead of two specially-prepped BMW R1150GS Adventures, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman should have split Long Way Round riding duties between stock versions of the GSA and KTM’s (at the time) 950 Adventure. An epic shootout of 20,000 around-the-world miles! Alas, they did not. Leaving moto hacks such as myself and John Burns to venture less than twenty-hundred miles within the confines of the state of California. Kind of the opposite of epic.