A number of eyebrows were raised when BMW sold Husqvarna to Stefan Pierre of KTM, a mere five years after BMW acquired the Italian dirtbike mark from MV Agusta. BMW’s move makes sense in light of today’s announcement of a long-term cooperation agreement with India’s TVS Motor Company, positioning BMW for reentry into the sub-500cc market.

Well, actually Touratech CEO and adventure rider, Herbert Schwarz, talks a lot about Touratech accessories and very little about the bike, so we’ll just jump the video to that good bit.

At 150kg/330.7lbs ready to race the Canadian made Amarok is a pretty svelte beast of an elective bike. Filmed in the winter of 2012 inside the 140 year old barn where the Amarok P1 was born, co-founders Michael Uhlarik and Kevin O’Neil explain the philosophy behind the design, and the Amarok Racing team.

Nicky Hayden spices up a date with yet another supermodel, by sneaking out with Ducati’s new 2013 Hypermotard. How that boy must suffer… from Ducati marketing’s slightly cheesy scripts. Still the new Hypermotard steals the show; with 20 more bhp and 9lbs less weight than the outgoing, air-cooled 1100s.

As any of the leather chaps and jacket cruiser set knows, there’s a fine and uncomfortable line between motorcycle gear and what’s worn in the local fetish scene. Now, Puma’s Ducati Gear has made the jump from metrosexual to kink… And, from a marketing perspective that’s not a bad thing.

While it’s not going to win points for cinematography, Motorcycle.com has posted a video review of the 2013 liquid… Er, “Precision” cooled BMW R1200GS.

Celebrating the manliness of adventure motorcycling with craft cocktails and artisan food awaiting you at camp seems a bit incongruous, but that’s what the “Wilderness Collective – Legendary Adventures for Men” offers up.

Short documentary shot on super 16mm relating the hopes and desires of those who go for a road trip.

To say I’ve been anticipating Rally Raid Products UK EVO 2 690 Adventure R Kit is an understatement. For rougher riding, like that offered in British Columbia, the 690 Adventure R is a mythical beast that the dualsport and adventure market keeps asking KTM for, and KTM keeps ignoring. So, it’s great to see Rally Raid UK answer the call, especially given the quality of their previous tank kit.

Our late return of Triumph’s Tiger 800 XC (video) reveals more than a pattern of constant truancy and tardiness, it provides commentary on the form of adventure bikes and the nature of testing them compared to other types of motorcycle.

Forget what the Earth’s position around the sun says, judging by the encroachment of the snowline down the Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains, we’re facing the onset of winter on the West coast. That makes each ride a rarity, sparking in the firmament of suicidal-gray skies, a colour achieved in a tedium of dark and rainfall. The drizzle starts at Squamish, making the rocks slick under the Tiger 800 XC’s rear Heidenau K60. Shod in Pirelli MT-21s and significantly lighter, Bart’s KTM 690 Enduro R scampers ahead with the ride’s instigator astride.

Twisting the throttle on Triumph’s Tiger 800 XC and in slightly greasy mud the rear end swings around, same as in loose gravel and dusty silt. This defining trait of the Tiger has me considering the difference in power development between singles and twins versus inline threes and fours, and what that means for off-pavement riders and motorcycle designers.

I’ve just come from testing the Yamaha Super Tenere, and I’ll admit it, I found the non-defeat-able ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) uncongenial to off-road. The same goes for the traction control if you forget to turn it off. Which raises the question, if these safety systems and aids have the opposite effect on gravel, is there a way bike companies could better spend the resources they represent?

You’ve got to give kudos to the Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association for their Ride Lake Superior advertising campaign encouraging motorcyclists to the area. The site features a map section, with multiple circle tours of the area, highlighting accommodations and essential services for motorcyclists – accommodations, food, gas and motorcycle shops.

It’s after June 1st, 2012, and that strange nagging feeling you’re getting is the erosion of common sense from motorcycle laws here in BC. A re-emphasis of “The operator of a motorcycle must be seated astride the driver’s seat.” [see: Standing Illegal] comes packed with a $121.00 fine and the potential unconstitutional seizing of your motorcycle.

This spring, thanks to a rainy season, Death Valley became the driest destination in California for motorcycle adventure media; many of whom touted Death Valley as the upper end of intrepid Adventure. Looking at Mic Cumming, a long time street rider with a number of dirt outings countable on an amputee’s hand, we can’t help but think the hardcore context these outlets are giving to Death Valley might be harming the destinations adventure approachability.

One of the key focuses of the wordily titled document Gaining the Edge: A Five-year Strategy for Tourism in British Columbia 2012 – 2016 from the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation is the promotion of BC’s rural areas. At the moment I couldn’t agree more. Taking a new adventure convert out for a spin we’ve found a sand practice area, none of our group of four knew existed. While the new adventurist is seeing BC with an entirely novel sense of freedom, we’ve been reminded just how diverse our province is.

This is a farewell to one of the enduro riding trails where I cut my dirt riding teeth. Conveniently located off Highway 99, the Cheakamus Canyon trail offered excitement, challenge and just a hint of danger. Inevitably, it’s been dumbed down as part of the Sea to Sky Trail, connecting the communities from Squamish to D’Arcy.