RoadRUNNER

The Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee is one of the most famous motorcycling roads in the country, if not the entire world. In Texas, however, you’ll find the whipping tail of a more unassuming reptile that is no less enjoyable to ride. The Lizard’s Tail is a collection of roads near Fort Worth, skirting the shoreline of Lake Worth.

Back in 1980, when the BMW R 80 G/S kicked off the big adventure bike segment, machines like today’s test contenders would have been unimaginable. A displacement that once defined the “Big GS” now lives in the mid-size class or is marketed as entry-level. Meanwhile, big dual sport machines have largely dethroned the classic touring bike. Thanks to modern engineering and tire technology, you can now ride a heavy ADV bike hard enough to embarrass sportbike riders on a twisty road.

Is it gravel or paved?” The question comes up often on online motorcycle forums when riders are attempting to figure out the composition of a specific road along their route. We’re all “adventurers,” but deep down, most of us know that we can’t handle a full-sized bike like Christian Pfeiffer at the Erzberg Rodeo. Throw in a passenger and luggage, and we tend to stick to the pavement, even on “adventure” machines.

Forest-covered hills, rushing streams and rivers, and twisty undulating roads await you in the Ozarks of Missouri. Within this green landscape are hidden many unforgettable motorcycle adventures in a picturesque setting. Your greatest challenge in heading to the Missouri Ozarks is deciding where to ride. The area is covered in squiggly, fun-to-ride backroads, many of which take you to can’t-miss locations.

Yamaha brought electronic technologies once reserved for its flagship YZF-R1 sportbike to the 2025 YZF-R9. Now, the tech is making an appearance on the new YZF-R7. I’ll get into the nuts and volts in a moment, but for now, it’s important to know that all the upgrades the R7 received for 2026 amounted to an MSRP increase of only $200.

With “Ham and Moto,” I’m not talking about ham dinners and motorcycles. No, I’m referring to riding a motorcycle somewhere, setting up a Ham radio, and talking to other amateur radio operators around the world. Amateur radio, or Ham radio, is the operation of a two-way radio at certain frequencies that are globally recognized. Think of it as your common campground FRS radio, but with the ability to communicate over short and long distances.

Americade was always the highlight of the season for us. Since it required a long trip, we made sure to get the most out of it. In 2008, Florian and I trailered two press bikes up to Lake George by car, while Manuel flew in later. After the event, we planned a Shamrock Tour® in Ohio with Jim Parks and his local friend, Steve Mauk. From Lake George, we headed to Buffalo to pick up Manuel from the airport and decided to make a quick detour to see Niagara Falls.

Imagine cowboys riding across a wide-open prairie, with snowcapped mountains towering in the distance. You have just pictured Wyoming. If you’ve been longing for big skies, breathtaking mountain views, unmatched natural beauty, and a real trip into American frontier history, Wyoming is where you will find it. With renowned national parks, Wild West wagon routes that you can still ride, and some of the twistiest roads in the country, Wyoming will make you feel like a cowboy.

CFMoto has revealed the new 2027 Ibex 950 ADV motorcycle. To knowledgeable adventure riders, the chassis and specs of the Chinese brand’s latest offering may look strangely familiar. That would be because most body components and the engine come from existing bikes. CFMoto has lifted the majority of the chassis directly from the Ibex 800. Meanwhile, the powerplant is KTM’s 990 LC8c parallel-twin engine, which we’re already familiar with from the 990 Duke.

I dream of New England. In my mind’s eye, I see picturesque little towns, fall foliage, wooded hills, and mile after mile of quiet country roads. But there are layers to New England. There are stories beyond the stereotypes, characters beyond the clichés. This is a story about those layers, about the people who crossed oceans and continents searching for new lives in the New World. I can see the clouds from my hotel window in Nashua, NH. This is my home base for a week in late September.