Motorcycle Review Review: 2022 BMW F 900 R It was late April when I sidestanded the 2022 BMW F 900 R in front of Crystal Lake Cafe in Azusa, CA. Large piles of snow were abundant but melting rapidly, remnants of the atmospheric river that defined the winter of 2022 in California. A fellow motorcyclist noticed the dealer
Roundtrip Tour Premium Content Adventures Along the Mid Atlantic BDR It had been eight months since fellow board member and MABDR architect Kevin Woody and I joined the rest of the BDR team in late summber 2017 for the filming of the expedition documentary. When the opportunity arose to join four of our generous supporters for another go on this
Roundtrip Tour Premium Content 3 Days From Denver, CO to Princeton, OR Late June, Denver, CO. Summers here are always hot and dry, and I can’t wait to get out of the big city. I’ve got the last of my Mosko Moto bags packed. I throw the kickstand up, kick it into first gear, and I’m off. I won’
Urban Explorer Riding the Birthplace of California—San Diego, California San Diego is sometimes called the birthplace of California, as it was where early explorers first landed along the West Coast. The city has been a popular destination ever since. With a bustling downtown area populated with both old and new architecture, San Diego expresses itself with art, cafes, restaurants,
Motorcycle Review Review: Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Royal Enfield has come on very strong these past few years, tapping into the generational emergence of young people buying into active lifestyles, specifically motorcycling. The company (the oldest motorcycle manufacturer in the world) has managed to capture the fancy of newbies with a range of accessible, unintimidating smaller displacement
Columns Premium Content Whats in a name? The annals of motorcycling run deep with an eclectic array of manufacturers. Some are still with us, but many have long since shuttered. A good number of the companies got their names from the founder’s (or founders’) surnames, while others found lasting fame with anagrams, acronyms, or pure whimsy.
Motorcycle Review Review: 2023 Suzuki Boulevard C50T Since rebranding its cruiser lineup in 2005 as Boulevard, Suzuki has earned its share of fans for its metro cruiser—and for good reason. The Boulevard line currently features the C50, C50T, and M109R B.O.S.S. While the 109 sports the largest displacement in the group, the concept
Destinations Experience Gold Rush Past at Goldfield Ghost Town in Arizona Ancient volcanic and seismic activity in today’s Arizona created the Superstition Mountains and the valuable mineral deposits buried within. But their most valuable resource—gold—wasn’t discovered there until the early 1890s. That, along with the legend of the Lost Dutchman’s Mine, created a gold rush fever.
Columns A New Fear “Where will our first trip be?” I asked with a great deal of enthusiasm after the successful completion of motorcycle school. “To the parking lot,” my husband replied. We made plans that weekend to get my new Royal Enfield Himalayan. I wasn't sure what color I wanted yet,
Roundtrip Tour Premium Content Baja California: Life’s a Beach Baja California is a gentle introduction to the colorful world of Mexico. Crossing at Tijuana with a vehicle is easy. Too easy, in fact—traffic only slows a little for the open barriers, the wait-go signs that immediately turn green, and the yellow topes (infamously high Mexian speed bumps) before
Tips Slowing Things Down Smoothly Whether you are new to motorcycles or have been in the saddle for years, there are certain riding fundamentals that apply to everyone. They are there to help us stay safe and confident by providing an understanding of how our motorcycles have been designed to be ridden. Hopefully we can
Travel Guide 10 Unique Summer Motorcycle Trip Destinations in the U.S. At RoadRUNNER, we are always searching for new routes that take you to historically and socially significant destinations—and offer a fantastic riding experience. Here are 10 destinations to spark your wanderlust this summer. Cody, Wyoming Voted the Best Western Small Town by USA Today, Cody, WY, sits in the
Roundtrip Tour Premium Content Mexico, Part 2: South-Eastern Mexico After a long, relaxing stay in Oaxaca, we get itchy feet. Being an architect, Aidan is keen to visit Santuario del Gusano de Seda, an unusual exposed-concrete building housing a silkworm sanctuary in the mountains to the northeast. Since we set off rather late, it becomes a two-day ride and
Roundtrip Tour Premium Content Mexico, Part 1: Copper Canyon to Oaxaca Most people choose the southern ferry route to Mazatlán when moving from Baja California to mainland Mexico. But my partner Aidan and I have plans to explore the country’s northern regions, despite their notorious reputation. We have done our research, though, and feel safe enough—so long as we
Destinations The Charming Village of Mendocino, CA Perched on rugged cliffs above the Pacific Ocean’s crashing waves is the charming village of Mendocino, CA. It’s located some 170 miles north of San Francisco on California’s famously scenic Pacific Coast Highway. The village is part of Mendocino County, which lies between California’s Coastal Range
Motorcycle Review Review: 2023 Kawasaki Vulcan S Riding the 2023 Kawasaki Vulcan S home to Long Beach from the company’s headquarters in Foothill Ranch, I noticed many things. The 649cc parallel-twin powering the motorcycle is a peppy companion. The bike feels lighter than its 498-pound claimed curb weight suggests. Throttle response can be kind of light
Roundtrip Tour Premium Content An Épico Adventure in Colombia Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) was having a fundraiser that included auctions of goods and services. I saw a nine-day tour of Colombia, threw in a low-ball offer, and suddenly, I was headed for Santiago de Cali and Épico Moto Adventures’ Seven Wonders Tour. The extremely genial host Ricardo Congote greeted
Columns Premium Content Aprilia’s History of Racing Off-road racing was Aprilia's debut in competition. That’s nothing strange for a brand that revealed its off-road soul with its very first models in the ‘70s, such as the Scarabeo. In 1974, Aprilia’s first race bike was a 125cc motocross machine. As early as 1977 came
Destinations Premium Content In Pursuit of Wildness: The Carrizo Plain National Monument A sleeping giant lies on the valley floor between the Temblor Range and the Caliente Range. That is where this story begins. In 1857, the strongest earthquake in California’s recorded history ripped through the San Andreas Fault, wrenching the western side of the Carrizo Plain National Monument 31 feet
Motorcycle Review Review: 2023 Janus Halcyon 250 Awash in unending spectacle, it takes something special to command the attention of the average passerby in Venice Beach, the unofficial ogling capital of California. The Janus motorcycle I was riding had no problem drawing gazes, though. Maybe it was because two Janus models were puttering around the beach town
Columns Premium Content World Tour: How Not to Have an Adventure It was supposed to be a special day—the first of our round-the-world adventure. But all it turned out to be was a special kind of hell. Soon, though it got even worse… And fast. Not wanting to die on day one was the only thing we could think of
WEB Exclusive Premium Content Riding Mopeds from Paris to Dakar A motorcycle trip in Africa is always demanding, but on a moped like the Piaggio Ciao, it turns into an enormous challenge. That’s especially true when your journey takes you from Paris to Dakar in Senegal, covering almost 2,900 miles over 23 days in the summer. When preparing
Columns Premium Content KTM SM-T: A New Generation of Touring Travel In 2009, eager to stuff their LC8 V-twin into more motorcycles, KTM gave us the 990 Supermoto Travel or SM-T. It was more supermoto than traveler, but the upright riding position and perfect ergos meant you could absolutely crush the miles connecting twisty roads. The SM-T didn’t quite fit
Roundtrip Tour Premium Content North East Backcountry Discovery Route We began this ride in Bennington, VT, which is located in the southwestern corner of the state. Our plan was to pick up the North East Backcountry Discovery Route (NEBDR) for four days of adventure, riding through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Caleb and I woke early to get geared
Roundtrip Tour Premium Content Fine Writing and Riding Instruments There are certainly worse fates than to be lost in Italy on a Moto Guzzi. I’ve learned to not get too concerned about finding my way in foreign places. It always seems to work itself out. After all, it was mid-day and twilight was far off. I was safe
