Two Wheels, Endless Roads: How to Prepare for Your First Adventure Moto Trip

Getting Outfitted for Adventure Moto

I’ve been on the road full time now for over five years, spending a vast majority of that time in large, four-wheeled overland adventure-mobiles: First, a 4×4 Sportsmobile E350 van, and recently, a fully custom 4×4 Dodge Ram-based camper. A life of adventure is what I strive for; one requiring constant change, challenge and getting off the beaten path—and that means lots of off-pavement excursions.

While many people see living out of a relatively small, four-wheeled home as “roughing it,” it’s nothing compared to living off something much smaller than a camper or van—try a motorcycle. Life is all about perspective, and there might be no better way than chasing off road-travel goals on two wheels to provide it.

I learned this firsthand, when I recently took on a nearly month-long, 5,000-plus-mile motorcycle trip through the Northeast, focusing on adventures in Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador and Quebec.

The following tips were curbed from the lessons learned while on my first “real” motorcycle-bound, on- and off-road adventure. If you’ve always wanted to hit the road and hidden paths on a real seat-of-your-pants experience, read on. Perhaps, there’s a two-wheeled adventure in your future.

“Always remember that less is more, especially on a motorcycle.”

The Choice is Yours

Before embarking on an off-road adventure on two wheels, you are going to need a machine that can handle the task at hand. There are really only two classifications of motorcycle that will handle long-distance travel with an off-road focus, and both classifications often blur into a continuum of compromises.

Being realistic about your intended use will help you find the right machine to throw your leg over and take off on your next adventure. The most basic is called a “dual-sport” motorcycle, which is generally made up of small displacement dirt bikes that are street-legal—meaning they have appropriate indicator lights, mirrors, a speedometer, horn and a license-plate holder.

“Adventure” motorcycles are the second classification, which are specifically designed for long-distance travel on a wide range of surfaces. These bikes are generally 650cc or larger, have large-capacity fuel tanks that offer a 200-plus mile range, and provide wind protection in the form of fairings and a windshield.

Adventure motorcycles are also designed with the capability of carrying large loads, and doing so while keeping up with traffic on the highway. Be aware that these days, many people lump all dual-purpose motorcycles into the “adventure” motorcycle classification—this can range from tiny, barely-street-legal dirt bikes, all the way up to very street-oriented, large, sport-touring bikes, featuring some off-road components, like wire wheels.

“Much like getting a truck ready for going off road, you will also want to upgrade the bike in a few key ways, depending on the conditions and terrain you plan to ride.”

First Things First

There are a few questions you need to ask yourself when choosing a two-wheeled adventure partner: How experienced a rider are you—both on and off road? How much gear will you be traveling with? Will you have a passenger on the bike? How many miles do you plan to ride on highways? Will your off-pavement excursions include technical terrain? How available will replacement parts be, for your specific bike, in the area where you’ll be traveling? What is your overall budget for a motorcycle, riding gear and accessories?

The first step is to honestly assess your personal motorcycle skill level and propensity for risk. My first three times, ever, on motorcycles were on old, barely-running dirt bikes—all of which involved crashes and permanent scars. In all of my motorcycle experiences, I might have ridden about 5,000 miles total, with less than 500 of those being off the pavement.

While I did take a Harley Riders Edge course when I first got my license, and more recently, the Dirt 101/102 course with Puget Sound Safety Off Road, I’m still very much a beginner motorcyclist. Luckily, I have a pretty high-risk tolerance, enjoy new challenges and learn pretty quickly—even if that means accumulating some more scars along the way.

Even once you’ve answered all those questions, it can still be hard to find the “right” bike for you. A friend, and overland travel expert, once told me, “If you don’t look back at your motorcycle admiringly as you walk away from it, you chose the wrong bike.” I find this to be a great guiding principle, but only after you’ve answered the aforementioned questions, and refined your list of options to meet those requirements.

A Two-Wheel Partner

Way too often, the cool, shiny motivations, like being part of a group and impressing your friends, outweigh the functional requirements that will provide you with the most enjoyment on your specific adventures. With that said, you can also never have enough motorcycles, and you can always change up machines as your adventures, skills and desires change.

However, at the time of my latest purchase, I didn’t have the place to store, nor the finances to support, a quiver of motorcycles, and so, I needed to pick a single, versatile machine for the big, two-wheeled overland adventures I’d been dreaming up. Up until then, I had owned three motorcycles: an ’05 Suzuki SV650 S street bike, for about six months; a KTM 640 Adventure, for about six months; and my latest two-wheeled partner, a KTM 950 Adventure.

I had narrowed my choices down to a used Kawasaki KLR 650, a used KTM 950 Adventure or a new Honda Africa Twin 1,000. All three of these bikes offer quality off-road capabilities, can handle long highway stretches in relative comfort, and are relatively globally available.

The industry-leading BMW GS line of bikes was left off that list, but only because I was looking for something a bit different, and I couldn’t find a quality GS for a good price. The KLR is the most economical, reliable and common, but in my opinion, isn’t very exciting and lacks refinement. The Africa Twin is the most modern and comfortable, but hasn’t been proven, isn’t light and gets quite expensive once built out.

I settled on the middle-of-the-road option: the KTM 950 Adventure, a proven platform that’s extremely capable off road, reasonably priced, looks awesome and has two speeds—fast and faster. As a new-ish rider, that last part probably isn’t a positive, but it sure is fun!

Remember what I said about compromises? The KTM I chose isn’t all sunshine and rainbows—it does have a reputation for some reliability issues, has a smaller dealer network than the other options, and can be expensive to repair and maintain. Everything is a compromise with a do-it-all machine like this. But its impressive off-road prowess, aggressive styling, and the throttle’s ability to provide me endless smiles, are what sealed my decision. Best of all, I do look back at it admiringly every time I walk away.

Get Outfitted

Once you’ve decided which machine is right for you, you need to outfit it for the adventures ahead. Obviously, an adventure with two people trekking around the globe will entail different outfitting requirements than a weeklong solo adventure in the local mountains.

Much like getting a truck ready for going off road, you will also want to upgrade the bike in a few key ways, depending on the conditions and terrain you plan to ride. Things like auxiliary lighting, an engine skid plate, tank guards and better-than-factory tires, can all greatly improve your two-wheeled experience, as well as the likelihood of riding home when the beaten path is left in your rearview.

Always remember that less is more—especially on a motorcycle. The more weight you add to the bike, the less performance, durability and fuel economy you’ll get out of your machine. In order to carry all of your essentials, you’re going to need luggage of some sort. There are three general ways to do this: strap on some duffle bags and possibly wear a backpack, install soft luggage or mount hard luggage.

Each option has its pros and cons, but I’d warn against just strapping on some duffle bags and carrying gear in a backpack. Weight on your person is fatiguing, and lifts your center of gravity considerably when standing on the foot pegs. Strapping duffle bags on top of the bike also raises the center of gravity, and, generally, isn’t very secure.

Hard luggage is great for protecting your gear from the elements, as well as against fall overs and crashes. They also provide the most security for your gear, and can double as camp chairs and tables. Soft luggage is the way I decided to go with my adventure bike. I like the versatility, lighter weight and how easy they are to carry into a hotel room or check onto a plane. Soft luggage also has the benefit of being much less likely to injure your legs when you inevitably fall over or crash; it can also hold up to these inevitabilities better than hard luggage, requiring little to no repairs.

The Essentials

Once you have your luggage system figured out, don’t overfill it! The less stuff you carry, the better the bike will handle, the easier it will be to repack along the way, and the more food, extra fuel and other essentials you can carry, to best suit each leg of your journey.

In order to keep the moto rolling, no matter where you find yourself, you’ll want to carry a lightweight tool kit for your specific bike. Your kit should include the supplies necessary to handle a flat tire (tire levers, tire plugs, tube patches, extra tube and a compact 12v air compressor), and some basic fluids (chain lube, clutch oil and engine oil).

Whether you plan to camp or find lodging along the way, it is usually a good idea to bring a basic shelter and sleep system. This allows you to get further off the beaten path, and more comfortably deal with injuries, sickness and breakdowns along the way.

Water is heavy, but essential, so be sure to always have plenty on hand. It’s also a great idea to bring along a water-purification system—hydration is important. Also realize that “hanger” (anger induced by a lack of food) is a real thing, so be sure to carry a supply of quality snacks.

Protective Gear

Now that you have a trusty bike outfitted for your adventure, it’s time for quite possibly the most important part of the equation: the riding gear that will protect you from impacts and the elements.

The basics are a helmet, jacket, pants, boots and gloves. For adventure touring, it is important for these pieces to be waterproof, windproof and be able to handle a wide range of temperatures and conditions. High-end, waterproof, breathable fabrics, with lots of venting and layering options, are all essential to your riding comfort.

I tend to carry at least two pair of gloves with me at all times: one ultra-thin pair that provide me with the most dexterity possible, and an insulated pair that will keep my hands warm. Boots are offered in a huge range of styles, but since I travel off road quite often, I ride with a motocross-style, tall, armored boot, which is also waterproof and has slightly more mobility in the ankle, for ease of walking when off the bike.

A good helmet is also extremely important, and a quality fit is key here. I prefer a helmet with a visor and a clear shield, which I can wear sunglasses behind, for its versatility in all conditions. When the weather turns wet and/or cold, I also highly recommend a wind and waterproof balaclava, which will keep the elements off your neck, and from running down your jacket at the neck. Don’t skimp on the riding gear. Make sure you budget for quality gear as you outfit yourself and your bike.

The Options

If you somehow still have money left in the budget after planning for the adventures ahead, there are some luxury items that can make your adventure motorcycle experience that much more fun. One thing that I’m glad I splurged on are heated grips, as my hands easily get cold, especially in the wind and cold weather they often are exposed to while riding.

I also have a tall torso, and a taller windscreen helps keep the wind off my body, also reducing buffeting of the helmet. I was also lucky to find a bike with an already upgraded seat, which provides much more comfort than the stock unit.

A throttle lock, basically a rudimentary cruise control, is really handy to prevent wrist fatigue on those long highway stretches between off-road routes. Navigation can be done by paper maps, but I find that a combination of a few phone apps, specifically Google Maps and DeLorme Earthmate, and an all weather GPS unit, are quite nice to have, as well.

Quite possibly, the ultimate luxury is a Bluetooth headset, which can pipe music, directions and phone calls into your helmet from your smartphone, and also allows you to communicate with riding partners when traveling in a group.

“I didn’t have the place to store, nor the finances to support, a quiver of motorcycles, and so, I needed to pick a single, versatile machine for the big, two-wheeled overland adventures I’d been dreaming up.”

Hit the (Off) Road

Once you are all sorted with a bike, some basic tools, supplies, luggage and quality riding gear, it is time to throw a leg over your new stead and ride off into the distance. Remember, adventure is the key to this whole endeavor, in my opinion, so don’t fiddle with your setup for too long, as it will never be perfect or “done.”

I managed to find a well-kitted bike at a good price, and three weeks later, I took off on my first major motorcycle adventure. Over 26 days and 5,150 miles, I managed to traverse 13 states and provinces across the U.S. and Canada; travel about 2,000 miles off pavement; reach the Eastern-most point in North America; meet too many amazing people to count; and experience remote landscapes with all my senses.

I battled extreme winds, torrential downpours, thick fog, early-season snow, technical off-road terrain, endless miles of loose gravel, sickness, fall overs, a crash and a variety of mechanical failures—all of which combined to create memories that will last a lifetime, and that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I may call my large four-wheeled camper home on the road, but I’m already yearning for adventures on my much smaller, two-wheeled partner.