#Touring

We already knew Victory‘s Cross Country (and Cross Roads) were great bikes, comparing favorably with their big-inch cruiser rivals since their launch in 2009.

I guess I’m not really a joiner. I’ve certainly been on a million group rides, mostly as a result of my “work,” which on the best days consists of going on new-bike launches with a sometimes international contingent, and “comparison tests” with close compadres, many of whom I have ridden with for years.

When it comes to an affordable, lightweight, all-weather adventure-touring outfit from a reputable high-end manufacturer of technically advanced riding gear, Klim’s Overland Jacket and Pants fit the bill.

Not five miles away from where I sit on a small bench overlooking the beautiful, fly fishing-friendly Injebreck Reservoir in the village of Baldwin on the Isle of Man, tens of thousands of visitors are here for the TT. They fill the pubs, crowd the stores, and rip around the Mountain Course at up to 150 mph on their motorbikes. Yet, all I can hear is the bleating of sheep.

The original idea was to seek out the best roads in Arkansas, a task I realized would be impossible in the few days I had to spend here, even with the aid of my excellent Butler Map of the Ozarks. As it turns out, any road in Arkansas that’s not an interstate is a great motorcycle road; bike tires should wear evenly here from shoulder to shoulder with no need at all for a harder compound in the middle.

I was on the glorious Pacific Coast Highway aboard the new K1600GTL Exclusive when I had a thought that might be controversial. I imagined that Soichiro Honda, if given the choice, would prefer to be riding BMW’s new flagship rather than his eponymously named company’s iconic Gold Wing.

In this week’s Church of MO feature, it’s a battle of two bulbous tourers capable of circling laps around the country without breaking a sweat. The year: 2000. The bikes: Honda’s classic GL 1500 Gold Wing and BMW’s K1200LT. The journey: to discover all that Southern California has to offer. It was a closely fought battle with both bikes shining in certain areas and faltering in others. In the end, however, the winner stole the hearts of our then-MO staff. Read on to see the outcome.

Cruisers have always been about the essence of motorcycling, stripping motorcycles down to their core: an engine, a seat, a pair of wheels and little else. Naturally, when thinking about the essential elements of motorcycling, thoughts of the open road come to mind. The dream of packing just what you need on your bike and pointing the front wheel towards destinations unknown looms large in many cruiser riders’ hearts.

There predictably comes a time each and every year when my feelings toward the cold greyness of the winter season transition from mere apathy and disdain to pure, unadulterated loathing. The timing may vary from year to year, but the record-breaking plethora of snow and sub-zero temperatures this particular winter had me climbing the walls and looking to escape Mother Nature’s icy wrath before I went postal.

Aprilia has been missing from the Adventure-Touring landscape for some time. With focus placed on its two-time World Superbike Championship-winning RSV4 Superbike, now that the racing landscape has been conquered, the Noale marque is carrying that success in other directions with the Caponord 1200 ABS Travel Pack. With four patents to its name, Aprilia is entering the ultra-competitive Adventure-Touring market with guns a-blazing.

Harley-Davidson revealed the new SuperLow 1200T, adding a light-touring Sportster model to its already impressively growing 2014 product lineup. Equipped with a detachable windscreen and quick-detach saddlebags and a price starting at $11,799, the SuperLow 1200T becomes the smallest and most affordable touring model among Harley-Davidson’s current offerings.

The big V-Strom returns for 2014 in a much anticipated reincarnation of its original form. Obvious outward appearances aside, the new Strom boasts increased displacement and midrange power from its redesigned V-Twin, better handling and improved stability from its new chassis, and an electronics package including non-switchable ABS and a three-position Traction Control system; TC a first for any Suzuki motorcycle.

Rivalry (ˈrīvəlrē) n., Competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same field.

Just in time for the EICMA show in Milan, Honda has officially revealed the 2014 CTX1300 to the world press, and it looks exactly like the spy photos we posted on October 21st. While a bit of the surprise has been spoiled, the increased anticipation that has built around the CTX should offset any corporate disappointment from the snafu. Now, with official Honda documents in hand, we can tell you all you need to know about the CTX1300.

Ever since man bolted a motor to a bicycle, touring has been one of the true joys of motorcycling. Sure, bouncing around town from errand to errand is easy, and commuting to work is practical – but travel by motorcycle expands the mind, relaxes the spirit and enriches the soul. There’s nothing quite like it.