Styx In The Mud - Adventure Rider

A major part of adventure riding for newbies should include some level of training. As the growth in this segment of riding explodes in popularity there are no shortage of articles shaming the inexperienced rider getting in way over their skill level. That's not to say they can't handle a bike but there's a certain level of mastery that comes from growing up on a CR50 that cannot be taught while tearing up tarmac. There are a rising number of professional courses that can teach greenhorns and experienced riders alike. I highly recommend some instructional activities for anyone (myself included) who hasn't tried this style of riding.  They do book-up fast so plan ahead and reserve early.  With some of the fundamentals firmly planted the next step, like any good athlete or performer, is practice:  there's no substitute for first-hand experience off road .  Kawasaki KX-450F "trainer" To help ease my transition from blacktop to back-road I started by ge...

Having completed the acquisition of the majority of the apparel, camping equipment,  and the farkles, the next and final list of gear to get consists of the tools needed to keep from getting stranded on a single-track somewhere.  Hand Tools:  This list starts with the basic tool kit that comes with the bike (hex keys, box wrenches and a socket or two). I'll add to that a handful of essential sockets and a couple extra hex keys, torx drives and an actual screwdriver (the Philips kind, not the one with vodka). I'll also find a place to stow a pair of needle-nose pliers, adjustable wrench and a small set of locking pliers. These basics should be enough to get me out of a jam, take off a wheel, adjust bars, replace brake pads and remove the majority of the body work (should the need arise). All of these should fit nicely into a nylon tool pouch. Tire-changing/repair tool-kit Tire Tools:  The next set of tools are hopefully unnecessary but, given my skills, a...

It's been a few months but I finally have the majority of the camping gear ( part 2 ) and mods ( part 3 ) finished. As the date of our first ride is quickly approaching it's time to move on to the next part of the planning step: riding gear . Now, make no mistake: this is likely the most important step of trip planning and also one of the most tedious so, before beginning, a question that every rider should consider is what the most dangerous part of a trip will be. The answer, while not so obvious to most, is (in my opinion)  the squishy bit atop the bike . Yes, you, the rider are the biggest wild-card of the trip. In my years I've seen bikes flip end over end, skid down the highway sideways, bounce in and out of roadside ditches and then, with little or no effort, a handful of tip-ties and an occasional roll of duct-tape, be propped back up again and ridden home. Of course it can get much, MUCH worse but ask yourself which is stronger: the steel, aluminum and plastic t...