As 2020 comes to a close and we are looking toward to the future, planning adventures, short or long, near or far, we asked a select group of experienced travellers if they would share their top planning, packing and travel tips. Secrets, so to speak, that you need to know before you go. This is part ONE of a TWO part series, each featuring different travellers with a vast array of advice.

This past year international travel came to a halt as the pandemic spread around the world, but the power sports industry as a whole has seen a change that no one could have predicted. In this episode, a conversation about what happened and what it could mean for motorcyclists.

When you ride a motorcycle you need to make sure that you are visible. But, what attracts the attention of drivers the most? Bright coloured helmets, clothing? A light coloured motorcycle? There’s something that stands out much more than any of those things, something that Harry Hurt, author of the Hurt Report, the most detailed motorcycle accident report to this day, considered one of it’s major finds, referred to as the highest contrast possible.

Adventure Rider Radio’s exclusive Gearing Up segments are all about discovering some great gear, ideas and hacks that may make the difference between calling it quits or continuing your ride. And on this episode we talk to Paul Guillien of CruzTOOLS about custom made motorcycle tool roads and what you’ll find in them. And we’ve also got some tips about roadside tire repairs and the tools you’ll need to get the job done.

Our focus in motorcycling is usually about getting more traction, and rightfully so. We want tires that have good grip, we weight our pegs, we slide our bodies forward or back on our bikes. But, sometimes having less traction may actually work to your advantage. And on this episode of Rider Skills we have Bill Dragoo from DART to tell us about times when less traction is our friend and how to get comfortable in the low traction zone.

The Road to Gobblers Knob, Anyway, Where Was I?, In Clancy’s Boots and Way to Go are just a few of the 18 books written by author and journalist, Geoff Hill. Inspired by his own travels, Geoff is a successful travel writer, most of which is by motorcycle. He’s been shortlisted or won the UK travel Writer of the year nine times and has been hailed in reviews of his best selling books as one of the most talented and funniest travel writers in the industry. We caught up with Geoff Hill at his home in Belfast for a conversation about travel, people and of course, writing.

Michnus and Elsebie Olivier have to be two of the busiest people on the road with all their projects and business obligations, but after 10 years of travelling, they are still awed and inspired to explore, a true pair of adventurers. And now after seven months in lockdown due to the pandemic, they are once again on the move. The first thing they wanted to do was to head back to ride on the world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia, the magical Salar de Uyuni, which covers over 10,000 square kilometres, and is a phenomenal sight to behold. They also talk about what it’s like to travel in South America, about the variety of cultures, diverse landscapes, how much there is to explore and the ease of travel.

Travis and Chantil Gill left on a year long motorcycle adventure with the plan being to explore Morocco and as much of Europe as they could. They had spent years saving and preparing for this trip and with Coronavirus seemingly not too bad in the United States, they decided to take a chance and go ahead with their plans. But just a couple of weeks in to their trip, they found themselves in Spain stonewalled by the pandemic and looking for a place to bivouac.

There’s a first time for everything, including motorcycle travel, and there’s a lot to consider before heading out on the road. Novice travellers often learn through trial and error, but even seasoned motorcycle travellers can still make mistakes. Getting a heads up on common motorcycle travel mistakes just might give you enough insight to avoid those mistakes yourself, making your trip that much more rewarding.

In 2008 BMW introduced the GS Trophy, an international competition where riders from around the world take part in competing on some of the most challenging terrains in exotic locations, and they’ve since continued the competition with qualifier and final event sequels. But, why all the hype about the GS Trophy and what does it mean for adventure motorcycle culture? We talk to BMW Ambassador, Shawn Thomas to find out.

The mind is a powerful thing and when it’s working against you while riding your bike, then you may as well just get off and walk. Most riders have experienced what’s called choking, when you get confused, lose confidence, and find yourself riding like a beginner. Commonly what riders do when this happens is to stop riding or maybe just avoid those situations that make them feel uncomfortable. On this episode of our exclusive Rider Skills program, we have instructor Clinton Smout talking about how he helps riders who have had a dramatic experience overcome their mental blocks.

You’ve got your tool pouch packed with all the essentials for your motorcycle, and your tool box overflowing in your garage, but don’t forget about your most important tools - you use them every day, all day long, at home, at work, and when riding your motorcycle - your hands. It’s crucial that you take care of them, and part of doing that means investing in the right pair of gloves and handguards for your type of riding. But how do you know which gloves to choose and why? And what can handguards do for you? To find out the answers we spoke with Powersports industry leader, Tim Calhoun, and a designer at Barkbuster Handguards.

It’s been 13 years since their last production of Long Way Down, and good friends Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor are back again. This time they rode prototype electric Harley-Davidson LiveWires from the furthest point in South America, Ushuaia, to Los Angeles, culminating in another motorcycle travel series called Long Way Up, where once again they share their adventures with the world.

In 1995, having had three unsuccessful attempts to get through the Darien Gap and one successful Jeep crossing, Patty and Loren Upton took a two-wheel drive Rokon through the Darien Gap. They logged over 125 miles of jungles, rivers, mountains and swamp in 49 days, becoming the first people to cross the Darien Gap on a motorcycle all on land. From angry Kunas holding them and their Rokon ransom for $500, to repair set backs and even coming face to face with Colombian Guerrillas, the challenges they faced and friendships made were all part of their unforgettable adventures.

When it comes to getting sidetracked, Ian Coates is what some might call an expert. In 1999 he went on a four month motorcycle trip that lasted fourteen years and a few years ago he went for a day ride that took him a year. He’s actually been on the road for most of the last two decades. Fortunately, for Ian, he has a very understanding wife. And last month when we caught up with Ian, he was at home again in England waiting out the world pandemic and planning his next adventure. But for how long this time? And where has he been for the last few years?

This is the final chapter in the Southward Chronicles series where we followed Jeremy Kroeker and Elle West as they rode from Canada to Ushuaia. What’s it like to get back to normal life now that their year long adventure has come to an end and what does the future hold for them? And Back Country Discovery Routes is a non profit organization that creates off-byway routes - mainly dirt for adventure motorcyclists. They began with an idea and one route, and with a ton of effort and volunteer labour they have created one new route every year totalling 10 routes. How do they choose the routes, how challenging are they, do they rate them and how and who are they designed for?

If you’re going to ride in the mud with your adventure bike you’re going to need some specific skills for it. You’ll need to approach it differently than hard packed dirt and you really should be prepping your bike for it ahead of time. Mud riding is challenging, but the with the tips and tricks that professional rider and instructor, Chris Birch, shares with us on this episode of Rider Skills, you may just learn to love it.

If you’ve found yourself staring at the brake pad offerings for your motorcycle, wondering why the huge price difference between one over another or what the difference is between organic pads and sintered pads, you’re not alone. It’s a confusing process that often appears to be price driven - so you choose which ever pad you can afford or that fits into what you feel like spending when in fact that isn’t the way to choose at all. And what about that dreaded brake fade? What is it and why does it happen?

The Outback Way in Australia, also known as the Longest Shortcut, is a 2800 km trail passing through remote areas which means any adventurous off-roaders needs to be prepared for anything, including a medical emergency. Retired school teacher, Doug Mullett, decided to take his V-Strom on the Outback Way, which typically takes about a week to traverse. He took riding courses, a motorcycle first aid course and had detailed emergency plans in place. But even the best laid plans can lead to misadventures, and on two separate adventures in 10 months, the Royal Flying Doctor Service was called in to rescue Doug when on both occasions he came off his bike.

They called their group ‘The Siberian Seven’, the brainchild of retired rancher Kym Osborne and his wife, Lenore from Australia. Looking to step up their motorcycle adventures the plan was to travel to foreign countries where they couldn’t understand or read the local languages. They shipped their bikes from Melbourne to Vladivostok and over the six months on their motorcycle adventure they saw many incredible vistas and experienced everything from mishaps, broken bones, false accusations to tragedy.

When we last spoke with Jeremy Kroeker and Elle West in April, they were stuck in Uruguay for what they thought might be at least another month, possibly longer because of the pandemic. But, after several months, they’ve decided that it’s time to end their adventure and ship their motorcycles back to Canada, and then take a convoluted route, not their choice, to get back home. Some things can’t be predicted and their plans may have changed more than they could have ever imagined, but did they get out of the trip what they had hoped for? And what happens next for Jeremy and Elle?

Being in control of your motorcycle builds your confidence and more importantly also makes you a safer rider, especially when things go pear shaped. Off-road riding instructor, Jimmy Lewis, teaches us how to skid the rear wheel of our bikes for steering. In learning this advanced maneuver we also learn how to control our bike in a slide on the road, and once you’ve mastered doing it on purpose, you’ll know what to do when it happens by surprise. It’s also a fun and useful move for making quick no stop turns on to tight trails.

Long, short, cross country, group, solo and around the world trips. The choices are endless… but what if you’re time constricted yet want to do something fantastic and memorable, especially if you have to plan around work? This is where purpose driven planning comes in, and Thom Rieck has done just that in his home state of Minnesota. And motorcycle traveler Greg Frazier has ridden around the world six times and is the author of several books, his newest book is called Adventure Motorcyclist: Frazier Shrugged, a compilation of articles put together from decades of moto travel experience. Entertaining and even coarse at times, Greg’s an offbeat adventurer who has a wealth of information to share with anyone planning a motorcycle adventure.

Spoked wheels offer some advantages to the adventure rider, namely they are more flexible and forgiving in the rough stuff which is why most adventure bikes on the market have them. But that flexibility comes at a cost - and that’s what inside the tire - the tube. On this episode we talk with a tire expert, T.J. Tennent, who answers some questions we have, he dispels some myths and we also learn some interesting facts about tire tubes.

Ken and Carol Duval have been living and traveling on the road for 17 years on a 1989 motorcycle. And though they don’t have a website, they have found that the internet has been invaluable to them and has made travel so much better. Ken and Carol have made a lot of friends all over the world, and experience more than most of us ever will. And with years of packing for two on one bike, Carol also some great packing tips for all motorcycle travelers.

After planning for years, Martin Smith and six other riders from the USA and the UK went on a short trip to tour the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. Martin is a planner, and for him that’s a big part of the adventure. On this episode, he talks about the short trips he does, how he plans for them, how he budgets his time, and how he feels diligent planning can make for a better adventure .