Daily motorbike news, views & reviews
Adventure motorcycle riding is one of the fastest-growing categories in the motorcycle industry. Riders are seeking performance, touring abilities and off-road capabilities all wrapped up in the one all-round vehicle. We preview coming adventure models, how much they will cost, their technical specifications and styling. We also road test adventure bikes specifically for their ability to perform to the purpose they are intended. Is it more off-road than on-road, will it tour, will it handle the rough stuff, will it take luggage, will it suit two-up adventures?
When Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor rode around the world in 2004 on BMW R 1150 GS Adventure bikes we saw how difficult the bigger bikes were in tough terrain. Since then, BMW has gone to an R 1200 GS and now an even bigger R 1250 GS. Meanwhile, Ducati from a Multistrada 1200 to 1260 …
Contributed post In the military world, UTV means “utility tactical vehicle” and it can be an important little “buggy” for bringing in supplies to tough-to-get-to locations and other off-road duties. In the civilian world, UTV may stand for “utility task vehicle” (or sometimes, “utility terrain vehicle”), but minus the combat aspect, it’s basically the same. …
Two years after the unveiling of the Suzuki V-Strom 250, the Baby-Strom is finally here, joining a new baby adventure touring sector for novice riders. The DL250 ABS ($7190 ride away) joins a burgeoning crop of baby adventurers: Benelli Leoncino Trail ($9590 ride away), BMW R 310 GS ($5790 + ORC), Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 ($11,990 …
Benelli has launched the TRK 502 X into the new baby adventure bike market in Australia. The learner-approved baby adventurer is kitted out with a range of features to help it tackle some adventure touring, or as the company says “traverse the harshest terrains”. They include a 19-inch front wheel, high exhaust and ground clearance, …
Honda Motorcycles Australia says it is “pleased to announce the pricing for the anticipated 2018 Africa Twin variants”, however there is nothing pleasing about the price hike on the big adventure motorcycles. The Africa Twin CRF100L has been updated with Throttle By Wire engine management with four riding modes, expanded seven-stage Honda Selectable Torque Control …
The 2018 Triumph Tiger 1200 has more than 100 upgrades and a 10kg saving, but it will cost between $2400 and $2600 more. Now called the Tiger 1200, dropping the Explorer from the name, the new bikes arrive in Australia from February. The XRx will be $24,200 (previously $22,700), the XCx is $25,600 (was $24,200), …
Do you really need a big adventure bike to do a big adventure like Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor did around the world? This video shows how a Harley-Davidson in the right hands can do some adventure work while a BMW R 1200 GS in the wrong hands can be a handful! How embarrassing! While …
Revived Italian motorcycle manufacturer SWM is adding two new models to its 600cc Superdual adventure thumper. The Superdual X features 21/18-inch wheels instead of the 19/17-inch combination of the standard model. Those wheels are fitted with Metzeler Sahara 3 tyres for hardcore adventure and the bike has switchable ABS. It arrives later this month at …
Revived Italian motorcycle manufacturer SWM will enter the growing mid-sized adventure bike market with the arrival of the Superdual this month (May 2017). A pre-production model was displayed at the 2016 Moto Expo in Melbourne and SWM Australia spokesman Stephen “Tuffy” Tuff says it attracted a lot of interest. It arrives in the next few …
It’s taken more than three years, but CFMoto is finally releasing its 650MT adventure tourer in Australia at a bargain price. CFMoto Australia is offering the bike from launch in mid-May until end of July 2017 at a $500 discount on the ride-away price. The bike comes in two models: $6990 ride away for the …