#adventure

I can feel the hair raise on the back of my neck as a smile stretches across my face. The beautiful cacophonous uproar of 20 Ducati Multistradas sitting, waiting to dance their way up the ancient volcano we are standing on. Here we are on Gran Canaria for the introduction of the 2018 Ducati Multistrada and, to be honest, I don’t think the smile has left my face since.

Adventure bikes are wonderfully versatile for all types of riding, making the ADV class one of the hottest segments in contemporary motorcycling. The best of them retail at north of $15,000 and can soar above $20k. But are those heavyweights really the best ADVs? A simple tip-over off the beaten path might have you wishing you were on a bike that was 100 or more pounds lighter and much less costly to repair.

To the rest of us, 2021 my seem like its a long way away. For Moto Guzzi, the year – and the company’s centenary – are close enough to start planning for. Case-in-point is the Moto Guzzi Concept V85, the first example of a new line of motorcycles that the folks in Mandello del Lario are developing for the celebration. This line of motorcycles will fall between the V7 and V9 families and the 1400 cruiser line. The cut of the Concept V85 is distinctly adventure-oriented. What many riders may not know is that Moto Guzzi has a long history with off-road motorcycles – though its recent offerings may be lacking much in that regard – that reaches back to the four gold medals won in the Six Day Reliability Trial in 1939 through to the Paris-Dakar rallies in the mid-1980s. The V85 is designed to appeal to riders “who, while never ceasing to dream of Dakar, yearn for a bike that revives the spirit of adventure on their daily journeys.”

Honda released a single dimly-lit image teasing a new Africa Twin model to be revealed Nov. 6 at the 2017 EICMA show in Milan, Italy. The teaser affirms what we previously reported, that a new, more off-road capable Africa Twin is on the way.

The California Air Resources Board has issued an executive order certifying the 2018 KTM 1290 Super Adventure S. Previously announced at EICMA last year alongside the Super Adventure R and T, the S version was offered in other markets but did not join its siblings in the U.S. as 2017 models. The CARB certification suggests that will change for 2018.

A new, more adventure-focused version of the Honda Africa Twin may be on its way, offering more off-road capability and a larger fuel tank. The new model may make its debut in a couple of weeks at EICMA as a 2018 model. It will likely be based on the Africa Twin Adventure Sports Concept (pictured above) that was shown off in early 2016.

Hitting the road (or trail) on a motorcycle can make you feel like a modern day cowboy chasing the sun into a horizon of new experiences and foreign places. I think just about every motorcyclist will agree with me in saying that there’s an air of adventure that is inherently built into every bike. Whether it’s on or off-road, motorcycles can take you places in a way other vehicles cannot.

Yes, we just included the new 2017 Ducati Multistrada 950 in a little three-bike comparison test last week, where it finished less than one percentage point away from the win. Since then, I’ve had the chance to spend more time on the bike in my native habitat, and I can now reconfirm how right I was in the first place! As usual. Mostly.

Riding a motorcycle all the way to the Arctic Ocean is a bucket list item for many motorcyclists. As one who has taken this trip, I can attest to its beauty and challenges, particularly the 800 mile round trip along the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay, AK (né Deadhorse). Since the road is largely made of compressed gravel and dirt, an ADV bike is ideal for this undertaking. I chose a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra for this four day endeavor. (You can read about my experience here. Scroll about halfway down the page.)

Last week, Yamaha released a video teasing a new product launch for Sept. 6, with the tantalizing title “Your Adventure Awaits.” Naturally, this led to assumptions it’s for the launch of the production version of the T7 concept Yamaha presented at EICMA.

There comes a time in our lives when we find ourselves looking to purchase a new motorcycle, whether new to us or brand-spanking new from the showroom. But, wait, is that model due for an update? Should you wait for the new one or buy an older model to save some cash?

The adventure-bike market is one of the hottest segments in motorcycling, inspiring riders both new and old to seek adventures across horizons both near and far. BMW was the segment’s progenitor, debuting the oddball R80 G/S in 1980. That first G/S had a Boxer motor that displaced 798cc, just like the parallel-Twin F800GS introduced in 2008.

Yours truly was a big fan of the bigger ’Strom upon its redesign for 2014, and so was our man T. Roderick when he rode the new bike, but maybe to a lesser extent. It was hard to argue with Suzuki’s punched-out-to 1037cc tuned-for-torque L-Twin allied with the V-Strom 1000’s low-mass approach, and it still is.

The way our Suzuki rep ’splained it, is that it’s a 2018 model if it’s being produced in 2017. Go figure… anyway, the V-Strom 1000 was new in 2015. For 2018, it’s received a few significant upgrades to make it even more likeable, not to mention safer, including the addition of the new 1000XT version in the lead image.

Suzuki summoned the usual suspects to Lake Arrowhead, California, to show off the latest updates to its excellent ADV bikes. That’s the new V-Strom 650XT in the lead photo, distinguishable from the base model 650 by its wire-spoke tubeless wheels, yellow paint, hand guards and lower engine cowl/modesty panel. An aesthetic overhaul now makes it barely distinguishable from the big V-Strom 1000; know the 650 by its silver engine cases and lack of SUZUKI on the sides of its plush seat.