Dakar is the largest city in Senegal, and also the country’s capital. Most of the overlanding crowd, however, associates the word “Dakar” with an insane off-road vehicle speed race—or with a fraction less hyperbole, the world’s toughest motorsport challenge. Founded in 1977, the race, originally called the Paris-Dakar Rally, staged from Paris, France across the…
Arabia Makes Soldiers of Us All
Press Release (unedited) SS2: Arabia Makes Soldiers of Us All So, Which of the Racers Are Ready to Fight for Their Dreams? Words: Westx1000 Photos: Justin W. Coffey This article was written by Westx1000 on Day 3 of the 43rd Dakar Rally and is a snapshot of coverage for that day. This year (2021) marks…
Triumph’s New Riding Essentials Line
Triumph Motorcycles has launched a new “Riding Essentials” line to keep riders safe and dry. Their new packable gear helps you be seen while riding during these darker, wetter months. The primary focus for the Riding Essentials line design was to have the gear accessible to the rider. Items can be stored within reach at…
Klim—New and Redesigned Women’s Motorcycle Jackets
The female rider is no stranger to the difficulties of finding woman-designed motorcycle apparel. I’m always excited to see the industry is realizing the need for gear tailored to the female form, and Klim is one such manufacturer recognizing that need (though the jackets still focus on street riders, and not the ADV/off-roading ladies, but,…
UBCO’s 2×2 Utility Electric Vehicle
UPDATE: check out the UBCO app. Whatever your opinion on electric vehicles, one category is taking off, and that’s the 2×2 UEV (Utility Electric Vehicle). These rugged, on- and off-road e-bikes are so popular that UBCO—a UEV founder—has been backordered for months. Although the bikes are hitting US dealers now, most have been preordered and…
RawHyde Adventures’ ZAKAR Event Center and a New Fleet of GS Bikes
RawHyde Adventures has some exciting news for 2021. The “#1 enduro training facility in the country” will open its newly finished ZAKAR event center to the public. ZAKAR stands for Zombie Apocalypse Kompund At Rawhyde. If you’re curious about the name, read more here. The event center sits on 2,500 acres in the Mojave Desert…
Overland News of the Week
GoSun Brew If you think there are too many coffee gadgets available to us caffeine-loving, shaky-handed, hot-drink enthusiasts, I hate to break it to you, but you’re wrong. There are never enough coffee gadgets (wink, wink). And if you are one of those folks who like to brew coffee on the go, then say hello…
Stacie London—In a Straight Line
The first thing that catches me when I watch the film In A Straight Line is that Stacie B. London’s nail polish isn’t scratched or chipped. The film opens with her wrenching on a 1967 Harley Davidson Aermacchi, and those red-hot nails—like fast cars and stilettos—are flawless. This, however, is no indication that the vintage car…
Riding Solo Episodes by Sterling Noren
Sterling Noren, adventure travel filmmaker, set off in July of 2020 on a BMW GS, riding solo throughout the western US. His 6,000-mile, 30-day journey is available for viewing on the Motorcycle Travel Channel. The Riding Solo series captures the widespread, stark beauty still prevalent in the US, even while it seems these places are…
OnX Goes 3D for Pre-run Planning
Like myself, many of you have enjoyed the OnX Offroad app since it launched in 2019. They have now expanded their service to include 3D mapping for unique trails and roads for planning and viewing purposes. The benefits of diving into your route before you even turn off the pavement include viewing technical features on…
Ensure Valuable Items are Theftproof On Your Motorcycle
When my husband, Dave, and I were planning our round-the-world trip, one of our biggest conundrums was how to ensure our valuable items were theftproof on our motorcycles when we weren’t there. Helmets, riding jackets, tank bags—we didn’t want to walk around with that stuff all day. For solo travelers, it’s even harder; they don’t…
Overland Expo West Postponed to September 24-26, 2021
Indianapolis, Indiana — Lodestone Events, producers of the Overland Expo event series, has postponed Overland Expo West to September 24-26, 2021. Traditionally held mid-May in Flagstaff, AZ, Overland Expo West has been postponed to ensure the health and safety of fans, exhibitors, staff, and the surrounding Flagstaff community. “Overland Expo West is our flagship and…
Kevin Gallas Goes Where No Rider Has Gone Before
I lost track of how many times I yelled “Dear god!” and other things I can’t write while watching this eight-minute clip of Kevin Gallas. With his Yamaha Tenere 700, Kevin rides where no man has gone before. Well, almost. There are the stunning nature shots, and other places ADV bikes are made for, but…
New, More Powerful V7 Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi has proudly announced its new 2021 V7 engine. In the late ’60s, Moto Guzzi delivered the V-twin engine that became what the company would be known for. More than 50 years after the first unit’s launch, the new V7 is an important and exciting reveal for this iconic Italian leader in motorcycle design….
Backcountry Discovery Routes’ Holiday Auction
Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) is holding its fifth annual Holiday Auction. Head over right now until December 20 to place bids on items that will no doubt increase your fun factor—or someone else’s. Choose from brands such as Touratech, Klim, and Mosko Moto. Custom adventure rides are also on the auction block, along with skills…
Be Seen In These Darker Months, Day And Night
Sometimes we have to—or even want to—ride in the dark or at other low-light times of the day, which makes it hard to be seen. What can we do about it? Light up that machine! Before we get into some tips for being seen better while riding, let’s first look at some free or low-cost…
MotoVentures New Adventure Bike Challenge Course
MotoVentures, based out of Anza, California, has added a new adventure bike challenge course to their 350-acre track. The course includes “…short steep climbs, tight turns, hill turns, a log crossing, a narrow beam ride, loose sidehills, sand wash, uphill switchbacks, down-hill slalom, a hill climb, downhill rain ruts, and a hill turn slalom.” That…
One for the Road
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal’s Fall 2020 Issue. Let’s accept that adventure motorcycling means long, unsupported journeys across the world’s developing nations, lately redefined as the Global South. Overlanding is another word for it, as distinct from regular touring vacations or even gnarly domestic adventures that aren’t hard to have…
Road to Mekong: Interview with Jai Bharathi
On the back cover of her book, Road to Mekong, Jai Bharathi stands in a black motorcycle jacket, one foot propped up on the footpeg of her Bajaj Dominar 400 motorbike. Her look is casual, but Jai is anything but. This woman is a force. From the South Indian city of Hyderabad, Jai’s first experience…
Overland Vehicle Rental Guide: Campervans, Trucks, and Motorcycles
Compiling an overland vehicle rental guide is a challenging objective, primarily because the term “overlanding” has gotten a bit muddy, and I quickly found myself wondering what the most accurate definition is. I chuckled when my initial search led me straight to the Overland Journal podcast and Scott Brady’s discussion with Matt Scott about the…