Do you know what makes me so frustrated that sometimes I just want to eat a bunch of cheese and sit on a rat? The way people ignore safety. It is like buying cereal without any milk. You don’t need to but when time comes to eating you are gonna wish you had some.

On the other hand, I get that we must be reasonable. We don’t need MotoGP leathers on scooters riding around the back yard, and we won’t let the fact that every dual sport rider isn’t an EMT stop us from going “braap braap” up a poorly marked hill climb.

It is a balance.
​
When it comes to motorcycle safety, there are three areas to be aware of: what injuries are mostly likely, what training is most helpful, and what gear are the “must haves.”

​Injuries
 
Injuries happen. No one is perfect, and roads/trails are even less perfect. When you are out in the woods on two wheels, things happen. In 2025, I was up in Allegheny National Forest. I returned from the trails when two other riders at base camp grabbed me.
 
“Are you the EMT?” one asked. “My buddy might have broken something.”
 
Looking their friend over, he had certainly broken his collarbone in multiple places. It happened going slow on a rock garden up a hill when he fell. Most people would have seen the challenging terrain ahead combined with their injury and decided that they needed help to get out. That man was not most people.
 
Instead, he somehow risked further injury and rode out of the woods and all the way back to base camp. At any time that injury could have gotten worse, and if it was worse, it would have taken the entire group of riders to help get him to a dirt road where an ambulance could have reached him.
 
Tenacity and a lack of knowing the risks (combined with a “just gotta do it attitude”) worked out in favor of everyone that day. We got him to a hospital and there were multiple fractures, combined with a lot of stories at the campfire that night.
 
Most of the data that is shared to the motorcycle community is from NHSTA and deals with riders on the street. This is where we learn that most accidents happen from riding too fast into turns or from drivers making left hand turns clipping or running over motorcyclists.
 
Most injuries on the road are lower extremities and head trauma. The most vulnerable body parts are broken legs, road rash, and head injuries. During my attendance at the 2025 National Motorcycle Safety Conference last year, I wanted to discuss off-road injuries. I was given a large amount of street crash data, but they didn’t have anything for riding trails.
 
We generally get off-road data from hospital visits and not police traffic reports. That means that the data is less comprehensive, but it is still there. It is estimated that there are significantly fewer fatalities riding off road per month (10 vs 528) than on the street. We can make educated guesses why, but I suspect it is that most off road riders are not going at higher speeds within a trail and generally with less competing traffic.
 
Unlike roadside injuries, most breaks are higher up around the torso shoulders and arms. Roadside injuries often have higher risk for traumatic brain injuries than on the trails (even when considering the more likelihood of a street motorcyclist wearing more gear). 

​Training
 
The challenge with off/backroad riding is usually access to EMS when there is an injury. The national average response of an ambulance is 5-15 minutes and includes a truck for transport, lots of trained professionals, lots of life saving equipment, and good communications with a hospital full of specialists.
 
On a Triumph demo ride in 2021, the rider in front of me went wide on a steep hill with a sharp right at the top. He ended up kissing the front of a Toyota Sienna. The rest of the riders rushed to the down man screaming about his leg. When they got there they all just stood looking.
 
It wasn’t heroic, it was needed action and an automatic reaction. I sent people appropriate distances up and down the hill to control traffic. I could tell by the lack of guarding of the abdomen that he likely didn’t have any stomach issues, but he would not flex his back, which made me worry there might be a spinal injury. His one leg was pulled close to him so he could try and hold it steady.  Someone tried to help take off his helmet to make him comfortable.
 
I had enough training with the fire departments in the UK to do a quick assessment. We did not remove the helmet. We held his neck stead to stop further neck injury. We kept him still and focused until the ambulance came within five minutes less than a mile down the road.
 
Even with little training (I was not an EMT yet), the goal is to ensure no further harm happens when there is an accident as we do what we can to get a downed person to the right care.
 
If someone is on a rough remote trail, every one- or two-man carry is about 1 mile per hour. Communications may be limited to specialized satellite devices, which will only contact the nearest EMS who may not be able to reach the injured individual. Life flights do not fly when they can’t land, if there are high winds or poor weather conditions.
 
This is why it is important to encourage every rider in the woods to take first aid training. These classes can be the difference between life and death considering a serious bleeding injury can result in mortality within 3 minutes. These classes can be done through the Red Cross, local EMS or organizations like mine (i.e. Roll Model), Road Guardians and others like Survival Med.
 
The Red Cross information states that even basic first aid can reduce death by shock, spinal injury and traumatic bleeding. That is a possible 60% reduction in fatalities.
 
It does take some time and investment, but as little as four hours of training could make a significant difference in a "not if but when” injury. 

Gear “Must Haves”
 
No one needs to go crazy shopping. Without any knowledge of what you need could result in $200 band aid kits. Once you do your first Google search, there will be endless advertising campaigns to “spend, spend, spend” on gadgets.
 
As a former boy scout, and a man over 50 years old with some money to buy the fun toys, when I started shopping for my medical kit, I made some unstrategic purchases. Social Media ads will try to sell these amazing, packaged trauma kits or field emergency bags. This is only to find it has a subpar tourniquet and scissors about as useful as those found in any kindergarten classroom. They also had overpriced packets of sunscreen and aspirin that cost more than you would find behind the counter at a quick-mart gas station. A big $200 bag of goodies that could have been purchased for $30 at Wal-Mart, and I still left over half of the materials at home.
 
Most big medical kits are good for your house but not what you need on the trail. Let me save you the money I wasted by sharing what gear you must have and what gear just takes up space.
 
Trauma Kit vs First Aid Kit
 
Everyone should have what I call an “ouch pouch.” This is the first aid kit with band aids, aspirin, allergy pills, etc. These are the things you would keep in your medicine cabinet at home. Nothing is needed more than what could fit in a pocket.
 
A trauma kit is a specialized bag of serious first aid. It should be able to be grabbed off the bike within a few seconds. This kit does not need to be big. The big concerns are bleeding, spine injuries and shock.  I think there are multiple levels of kits to create but the small kit is all that would be the minimum needed to be effective
 
Small: A quality tourniquet, trauma scissors, permanent marker, duct tape, and emergency blanket.
 
From this kit just about anything can be transformed into the tools and supplies needed to save a life. Clothes can be repurposed into bandages. Chest seals can be made from plastic bags with duct tape. There are no limits.
 
Medium: Add sterile gloves, gauze, triangle bandages, chest seal, and a flexible splint.
 
This is my minimal trauma bag. Flexible splints do not take up much room but can be a neck brace as well as secure broken bones. Gauze (especially hemostatic gauze) is better than a t-shirt for packing a wound. It absorbs more, packs smaller and may help quick clotting. Bandages are good for securing things, and a triangle bandage is perfect for keeping an arm secure when a collar bone or ulna breaks.
 
Large:  A large bag will have more of the same as the small and medium bag, but may also have sterile water, Israeli bandages, different size dressings, disinfectants, glucose, lights and whistles.
 
This is the bag you would normally find at camp or in the car. Not that you can’t take them (I normally have a large bag when I am sweep for a group) but it takes up space carrying everything and the kitchen sink.
 
Remember it is about risk management and a give and take on guessing how much gear you are likely to need. So it is more likely I will have a small kit in the woods behind my house and a larger kit when I do my trip around the world. 

​Be Prepared Within Reason 
 
Life is risky. Some sports and activities are riskier than others. It doesn’t take a lot of training and gear to significantly increase survivability. At the same time, not everyone wants to study first aid and be a volunteer medic. That is the choice we make and the risk we take.
 
I started taking first aid classes in high school for the boy scouts, and then to be a lifeguard. I was required to do TCCC trauma training for my military service. I took biker down classes in the UK in case I had an accident, I would know what to do.
 
I didn’t decide to be an EMT until I started riding the trails. I attended rallies, and noticed the number of injuries that happened daily. Luckily, nothing life threatening; however, these people were nowhere near EMS to get care. Everything from heat exhaustion to broken ribs and legs.  I felt if I got trained, I could help.
 
It was my first tour getting experience on an ambulance team that I realized how powerful simple training can save a life.
 
We came to a home with an elderly man who was non-responsive. His heart wasn’t beating. His mouth was gapped open and arms were stiff. We started CPR. I sat over him doing chest compressions humming “Baby Shark” to keep the pace. His ribs cracked and each push felt like I was doing something unnatural. We transported him to the hospital within minutes when I was told to stop compressions. To my surprise, he had a pulse and breath and he was aware.
 
After 40 years of taking CPR classes every two years and never thinking about if I would use the skill, I did. A man is alive. I was prepared.
 
That is the point. We may never need a trauma kit. We may never use the skills. It may seem to have been a waste of education and training.
 
Then again, someday you might make the difference between life and death.

Epilogue by Kane Wagner of Appalachian ADV

Josh has been a huge supporter of Appalachian ADV from attending just about every event and clinic that we run to acting as our Medic at our Tours and Rallies to performing his Biker Down: Now What?! presentations at multiple rallies. He is always seeking out skills, whether on a motorbike or Wilderness First Responder and even running as a volunteer EMT on ambulance runs around the Pittsburgh area. And he is eager to share his trauma and first aid knowledge with the ADV & Dual Sport Community. Look for his Biker Down presentation at our Rallies as well as a bunch of other ones in the region!

@Ride_Safer724 on Instagram

​I started these Explore with Appalachian ADV: The 100 articles at the end of the 2021 event season with the intention to highlight the goals of Appalachian ADV using a mostly visual representation. The 100 photos selected for that initial article were taken by various people, including myself, at the events Appalachian ADV held from our first in 2020 through the last in 2021, as well as a couple events that we supported. My goal with the article was to help people get to know Appalachian ADV and for them to see the riders having a good time out in our slice of the region. I wanted to showcase the beauty, ruggedness, small town charms, great riding and community building camaraderie that our events captured. Those very first two events in particular brought together a bunch of guys that became friends through those rides and helped to start the Appalachian ADV Inner Circle.

As each year passed and Appalachian ADV continued to progress, these Explore articles continued to be a visual highlight reel from each event season that helped capture our little community within the ADV and Dual Sport community. I am not a professional photographer by any means, but as we pushed out more events and clinics I also had the opportunity to slightly improve my photo taking skills. The last couple of Explore articles I decided that I wanted to only utilize my own photos.

Why not grab really good shots from other folks for these articles, you may be asking? Well a new intention started to rise up and although it may have been a bit subliminal… I wanted people to see our community in action through my eyes. Seeing people pushing their limits, enjoying nature, finding confidence, building friendships. A part of me still can’t believe that the Appalachian ADV Experiment is still chugging along. That people from 24 different states, the District of Columbia, and a couple Canadian Provinces have come to hang out with us. That I get the opportunity to share the joys of getting motorcycles dirty for a living. It has been very rewarding to meet so many great people. Particularly special to help some of them enter into ADV and watch their growth as riders. Super awesome to see so many come back out to help me build that ‘family reunion vibe’.

I try to capture different moments during these events and clinics and when I am attempting to select 100 photos out of the couple thousand I take each year, it can be daunting. My first round usually gets me about 200 photos, the easy part. The hard part is paring that down to just 100. So sometimes I have to take out a few favorites to make sure I can tell the whole story of the year but if you follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts they all definitely get a bunch of play over there! I post something to social media just about every day so if these 100 grabbed your attention then head over there for more!
​
I’ve become a quick draw with the cell phone camera partially out of necessity but also because I am trying to capture a moment in time that is real. Ideally the person or people in the frame don’t realize that I am taking a picture but sometimes that is also the point, to ham it up once in a while! The photos may be from and of my perspective but hopefully the viewer of the article can also picture themselves in the shot and it interests them enough to come out and see what this Appalachian ADV Experiment is all about. And if they have been around, fuel to help stoke the fire and get back out here with us to keep the Appalachian ADV Community strong!

​I can’t state enough how grateful I am to our Appalachian ADV Community. I appreciate everyone coming out to Have Fun, Take Chances with me! Appalachian ADV is what it is because of folks like Jim & Reiko (Fools Ride Rally & Level 2 Clinics Hosts), Dick & the Street Track ‘n Trail Crew (Level 1 Clinics & Great Adventures Rally Hosts), and everyone in the Appalachian ADV Inner Circle (Scout Teams, Leads, & Sweeps). The support from the family, AKA the Best Base Camp Crew in the business, is what helps keep this thing afloat. Also our collaborators, partners, and sponsors help make all of our Clinics and Events special.
 
The 100 photos above help tell the story of Appalachian ADV in 2025! So many great memories. So many awesome people!

• 6100+ miles of ADV, ADV Dual Sporting, and Dual Sport riding
• 7000+ miles in the truck hauling bikes around
• 90 days in the saddle at various Events, Clinics, and Scouting Sessions!
  • 31 of those 90 days were for 18 different Riding Clinics
• Coordinated 24 total riding events and clinics; Participated in 5 friends' rallies
• August was the busiest month of riding: 13 days in the saddle running our PA Wilds Tour, two Level 1 Clinics, a Level 2 Clinic, and a Private Clinic
• Hosted Backcountry Discovery Routes Documentary Premiers at Motozilli of Warren, OH; Point View of Canfield, OH; The Fools Ride on April Fools' Ride Rally in Richmond, OH; and the Great Adventures Begin Here Rally at Street Track n' Trail in Conneaut Lake, PA 
• Participated in the Adventure Riders OHiO Annual Potluck and was a guest speaker at the BMW Motorcycle Owners of Cleveland’s All Things ADV Seminar as well as Kissell Motorsports’ Soggy Bottom MotoFest.

The pictures are in random order and all taken by Kane from Appalachian ADV.  Check out the action from:

• The 5th Annual Fools Ride on April Fools Ride ADV, Dual Sport, & ADV Dual Sporting Rally in Richmond, OH
• The 4th year of running ADV and Dual Sport Riding Clinics in Conneaut Lake, PA and the first year in Richmond, OH
• Guest Level 2 Riding Clinic as well as a couple awesome days of riding at the 304 Detour Rally in Fairmont, WV
• The 4th Annual Great Adventures Begin Here ADV Rally hosted by Street Track 'n Trail in Conneaut Lake, PA
• The 3rd Annual American Legion Fundraiser Group Ride hosted by Birdfish Brewery in Columbiana, OH
• The 5th Annual (& 8th running of) Allegheny Backcountry Adventure Loop Guided ADV Tour in Western Pennsylvania
• The 4th Annual Allegheny Jamboree Powersports Rally in Marienville, PA (this event has been retired!)
• The 6th Annual Explore The PA Wilds Four Tour in North Central Pennsylvania
• Scouting for the 2026 Wildcatters Adventure Rally near Titusville, PA (new event!)
• Scouting for the 2027 Bald Eagle Guided Tour near Millheim, PA (more information and official title coming soon!)
• Scouting for the Appalachian ADV Clinic & Group Ride at the upcoming Hogrock Adventure Rally in Cave-in-Rock, Illinois
• Soggy Bottom MotoFest in Port Matilda, PA (second year talking and riding)
• Wailin' Wayne Weekend in Nelsonville, OH (led groups on our Wailin's ADV Dual Sporting Loop for the 5th year -but 8th year attending- and provided a few door prizes)
• Red River Scramble in Beattyville, KY (we provided a few door prizes and thoroughly enjoyed the awesome dual sport riding for the 3rd year)
• Chilly Willy Weekend in Uwharrie National Forest, NC (we provided a few door prizes for the 2nd year and did some ADV Dual Sporting in the sand trails and also on the slick ice-like OHV trails for the first year!)

​Kane is the founder of Appalachian ADV – Adventure & Dual Sport Motorbiking LLC, formed as an outlet for creativity in written word, captured visual art, and route development. Two wheels and a motor are his adrenaline junkie delivery system of choice, providing natural highs delivered through dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins that act as the catalysts for his motorbiking experience. His goal is to bring people of diverse backgrounds together to create common bonds through shared adversity on his ADV & “ADV Dual Sporting” routes as well as building confidence by overcoming those joyous hardships. Kane and Appalachian ADV aim to use motorbikes, the beauty and challenges of nature, and a healthy dose of those happy hormones to give people opportunities to enjoy life, unplug, find much needed commonality, and to Have Fun, Take Chances…

So how can you mitigate the risks of dropping pressures? Know your bike and carry appropriate tools. If you are running tubeless I would not drop that PSI too low. If you bend a rim then you won’t be fixing that on the side of the trail. I suggest people carry a spare tube even if your bike runs tubeless. If you do bend a rim, at least you can get yourself out of there and back on the road safely. Since you are carrying the appropriate tools, you can also put air back into your tires with an air pump before jumping on a long stretch of tarmac to avoid the overheating issue. 

For a tubeless bike it makes sense to try and patch a puncture first because you can do that without removing the wheel. But when I used to run tubeless I would carry a tube as it can come in super handy in certain circumstances. If the tire rips (instead of a puncture) you are now screwed on the side of the trail as many patch kits won’t be able to appropriately seal a rip. Same premise if you end up with damage to the sidewall of the tire or bend a rim as these can’t be patched. But removing the valve stem and slapping a tube in there will at least get you back on the road and home safely. Heck, you can potentially just keep riding and fix it when you eventually find your way home!

​If you are running tubes, it's also a good idea to carry spare tubes. Personally, I won’t patch a tube and will just replace it with a new one. The integrity of the tube has been compromised, even if you patch it so I don’t feel comfortable going too crazy off-road (or too fast on pavement) which means my fun factor decreases. With slapping a spare tube in, I feel like I can go crazy again and not be thinking about holding back because of a potential repeat when a patch fails. With a tube puncture the wheel pretty much has to come off the bike anyway so if I’m already that far I’ll just swap out the tube. No way to patch up a ripped off valve stem also so carrying extra tubes helps mitigate several potential issues.

​​It is worth mentioning that there are generally a few different tube thicknesses to choose from and those can also help mitigate some of the risks of flats. Generally speaking, a thinner tube is better for street riding (helps avoid heat build up) and increasing the thickness will offer more puncture and pinch flat resistance when treking off-road (and more resistance to tire/tube shifts). For this article, a standard tube is around 1-1.75 mm, a heavy-duty (HD) tube is around 2-3 mm, and an ultra-heavy-duty (UHD) is around 3.5-4 mm. For my T7, I have been using the HD and even with dropping the pressures I have had no pinch flats so far (knock on wood!). I found that the UHD can be a real pain when you are trying to change the tires and unless you are going to be doing some racing, it is probably overkill.

If you are looking to carry less stuff, then the best practice is to just carry a front tube. The larger diameter will easily fit in a rear tire and be enough to get you out of a sticky situation and back home. The same can't be said for attempting to stretch a rear tube into a front tire. When it comes to tube style, I will generally just carry a standard tube to also save a little room.

If you don’t change your own tires, I suggest you do it once in a while on your garage floor so that you have some level of comfort and you are not adding to an already potentially stressful situation on the side of a trail. This way you also know what tools to bring in that tool roll when it comes to pulling the wheel off the bike and the tire off of the wheel. I recommend practicing at home because flat tires are one of the most common trailside issues, so preparation is key.

Something else to think about when looking at tires is the tire compound - hard versus soft. Due to the size/weight of my ADV bike I generally opt for a stiffer tire like the MOTOZ. I am less concerned about dropping pressures due to those stiff sidewalls and how well they stick to the bead. The stiffer tires are more rugged which means they last longer and take a beating but they can be a bear to change. I usually run a softer tire on my Dual Sport so that the tire grabs more in off-road terrain. Since the ADV bike is going to see more pavement than the Dual Sport, a harder tire that still has a great knobbly pattern will last longer (and I can still drag pegs with my super aggressive Motoz). The softer Dual Sport tire doesn’t see as much time on pavement and dives a bit deeper into more technical off-road terrain so I opt for something softer. Pavement versus a soft compound means a tire will wear out faster than something a bit stiffer.

And worth a further mention, weather is a wildcard. I dropped weather nuggets up above a bit but it can definitely make a huge difference. Water tends to make terrain surfaces change. Wet paved roads can get slippery, especially where there is paint, railroad crossings, or tar snakes. Pools of water can also cause hydroplaning if moving at excessive speeds through too high of a volume. Most street oriented tires will maintain great traction on wet pavement but the knobbier the tire the higher the potential of losing traction. Since the knobby tire has less surface area touching the pavement, there is a risk of traction loss when it is wet.

Wet trails will also raise the technical aspect of riding. Some wetness helps on dirt and gravel roads to keep down the dust and a thin layer of water can also help with tackiness on some non-pavement surfaces. But, water will eventually create mud, fill ruts with murky water hiding obstructions, make rocks and other surfaces slippery, etc. I try to rate trails on a sliding scale as weather conditions will change some of the technical aspects of traversing the terrain. Some of the Fools Ride Dual Sport terrain is a bit easier in the middle of a dry summer compared to the usual soak of the Spring thaw in April. Due to that little bit of H20, the limitations of tires will be met faster when conditions are wet, muddy, snowy, or generally loose and slippery if they are not designed to be more off-road oriented (i.e. big knobs, big gaps).

​The last thing I want to bring up is that it is a good idea to keep up on the maintenance of your bike, in general. In the realm of tires, how serviceable are they? When the treads start to grind down, it is probably time to start looking at replacements. You are not saving all that much money by extending their use and allowing them to hit or go past the wear bars. There is also a safety risk inherent in a lack of appropriate maintenance, in general. When it comes to tires you are increasing your risk of losing traction and dropping the bike causing potential damage to the bike and/or your person or, worse case scenario, a blow out at speed causing a wreck. As mentioned earlier, tire issues are the most common roadside/trailside mechanical problem so why add to that risk? Oil changes, air filter changes, and tire swaps are generally fairly easy, straight forward maintenance items that can help you save a couple bucks and get you more familiar with your bike and on a path to tackle more intricate maintenance. Better to gain comfort in your garage than blind troubleshooting in the middle of the woods.

So take those off-road/on-road numbers with a grain of salt and think about them more as a suggestion or a range of potential capabilities in ideal conditions. Some manufacturers do a pretty decent job of attempting to classify and describe their tires for the main intended use. But they seem to be the ones that make more aggressive, off-road oriented tires. When looking around, take into account the potential variables in the riding area you are planning to go, the potential conditions depending on recent and forecasted weather, and your skill level in ideal as well as less than ideal road/trail conditions. So. Many. Variables! Good motorcyclists are like scientists: experimenting, reassessing data, and constantly trying to improve.

The three Dunlop ADV tires above visually display the "Grooves versus Knobs" topic. The tread patterns on the middle and right tires also display the off-set pattern in a unique way with a Chevrolet logo style pattern in the middle with offsets as you move out:

1. Dunlop Trailmax Mission, rated 40/60 (off-road/on-road)
2. Dunlop Trailmax Raid, rated 60/40
3. Dunlop D908 Rally Raid, not rated by manufacturer but retail have rated 80/20 or 90/10

​The following several graphics will display various tires from various manufacturers and are grouped to help aid in deciphering the "pavement" vs "non-pavement" (dirt/gravel road) vs "off-road" (trail) as well as highlighting the Four Subcategories of ADV Riding. Off-Road/On-Road ratios are provided and are either taken from the manufacturers if possible or retail, depending on availability of the information.

Tires in the above graphic are designed more for pavement to non-pavement (gravel and dirt roads). Listed below starting with upper left, lower left, then moving right:

1. Pirelli Scorpion Trail II Adventure tire, no rating found, street tire not ideal for off-pavement riding
2. Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR, rated 30/70 (off-road/on-road); they have a similarly patterned Rally Adventouring that is rated 50/50 with bigger gaps
3. Dunlop Trailmax Mission, 40/60 
4. Continental TKC70, 30/70
5. Continental TKC70 Rocks, 40/60
6. MOTOZ Tractionator GPS, 50/50 when mounted normal but off-road ratio increases when mounted in reverse
7. Heidenau K60 Scout, 50/50

The GPS and K60 Scout displayed have a flat center patch to aid in a more comfortable street ride but that patch will slide easier on grass, dirt, and other loose surfaces. The K60 Scout will lose that centerpatch once you get around a 140/80-18 which helps it handle off-pavement and off-road better but many ADV bikes take a larger tire and will get the centerpatch.

Many of these tires I would almost consider grooved even though some have a knob-like pattern due to the large flat surfaces and small spaces in between. The Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR has become a common selection from the OEMs on their new bikes, probably due to the aesthetics. They do great on pavement and gravel but will struggle, as all of these would, when it comes to off-road style riding in less than ideal conditions. Pirelli may be the worst when it comes to trying to sell more rubber through heightened ratings and somewhat incorrect wording as they list those STRs as "off-road racing" and "trail on/off".

Tires in the above graphic are designed for pavement to non-pavement (gravel and dirt roads) and light duty off-road (trails). Listed below starting with upper left moving right:

1. Continental TKC80, rated 60/40 (off-road/on-road)
2. Kenda Big Block, 50/50
3. Shinko 805 Adventure Trail, 60/40 (804 is the front tire, 805 is the rear)
4. Dunlop Trailmax Raid, 60/40
5. Michelin Anakee Wild, 50/50
6. Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41, 60-40

The first three tires have that straight across tread pattern mentioned in the article above and will allow a bit more side to side movement in the rear. If you take a closer look at those three you will notice that the tread pattern is very similar but they have varied off-road/on-road ratios. That Shinko has a huge paddle that can help getting through loose terrain. That straight across pattern can be super fun once you dial in your breaking traction with throttle skills and sliding that rear end around! The last three have a slightly off-set pattern to help aid in a better control of traction.

Tires in the above graphic are designed for pavement to non-pavement (gravel and dirt roads) and off-road (trails). Listed below starting with upper left moving right:​

1. Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41, rated 60-40 (off-road/On-Road)... Yes they are on the last list too. I have ridden these on the T7 through all of the ANF trails. The terrain was in decent condition with no rain for a couple of weeks so to help drive home some of the points from the article, this tire did a great job in ideal conditions through off-road terrain. The knobs aren't as big as some of the others on this list but the gaps are wide which allow loose terrain to be evacuated farily easily and the off-set pattern helps with all around traction.
2. Heidenau K60 Ranger Dual Sport, 70/30
3. Tusk 2Track Adventure, 70/30
4. Mitas Enduro Trail XT+, 80/20
5. Dunlop D908 Rally Raid, not rated by manufacturer but retail has rated 80/20 or 90/10

After Motoz Tires, the Dunlop D908 Rally Raid and Bridgestone Battlax were a couple favorites for my style of riding.

The Motoz Tyres off-road line up.

1. Motoz Tractionator Dual Venture Front, 70/30 (off-road/on-road), reversible to extend life of tire
2. Motoz Tractionator Adventure Rear, 70/30
3. Motoz Tractionator Rallz Front, 80/20
4. Motoz Tractionator Rallz Rear, 80/20
5. Motoz Tractionator Desert HT Front, 90/10
6. Motoz Tractionator Desert HT Rear, 90/10

Big knobs, big gaps, off-set pattern, stiffer rubber, purpose built. Motoz. Take a test ride on a set through The Power of MOTOZ!

​These tire graphics listed above are not an end all be all as there are many other tires out there. My goal was to try and group a few to get a visual representation of the things I am looking at when reviewing tires. Some clue as to where some of those tires might fall when it comes to the items I discussed above. A generalization to aid in selecting tires but as stated all over this article, you need to take into account many different factors and realize that some things may fit in multiple places. My favorite may not be someone else's favorite but the only way to find the thing you are looking for is through gaining experience through experimentation.
​
There is no unicorn, no silver bullet, no one ring to rule them all. There can only be your favorite bike, tire, farkle, thing. And only one way to find “it”...experience.

100 photos telling the story of Appalachian ADV in 2024! A killer year of riding with new and old friends!

• 6154 miles of ADV, ADV Dual Sporting, and Dual Sport riding!
• 6077 miles in the truck hauling bikes around!
• 74 days in the saddle, rode at least 1 day in all 12 months
• April was the busiest month of riding: 12 days in the saddle scouting for and running The Fools and holding several Clinics
• Coordinated 21 events and clinics; Participated in 3 friends' events
• Hosted Backcountry Discovery Routes Documentary Premiers at Mosites Motorsports in Pittsburgh, PA; The Fools Ride on April Fools' Ride Rally in Richmond, OH; and the Great Adventures Begin Here Rally at Street Track n' Trail in Conneaut Lake, PA 

The pictures above are in random order and all taken by Kane from Appalachian ADV.  Check out the action from:

• The Fools Ride on April Fools Ride ADV, Dual Sport, & ADV Dual Sporting Rally
• Beginner to Intermediate ADV and Dual Sport Riding Clinics, hosted by Street Track 'n Trail
• Great Adventures Begin Here ADV Rally, hosted by Street Track 'n Trail
• American Legion Fundraiser Group Rides, hosted by Birdfish Brewery
• Allegheny Backcountry Adventure Loop Guided ADV Tour
• Allegheny Jamboree Powersports Rally, hosted by Forest Lodge and Campground
• Explore The PA Wilds Four Tour
• Soggy Bottom MotoFest (Appalachian ADV presentation and general moto-tomfoolery)
• Wailin' Wayne Weekend (led groups on our Wailin's ADV Dual Sporting Loop and provided a few door prizes)
• Red River Scramble (we provided a few door prizes and partook in more moto-tomfoolery!)

I can't thank my Base Camp Crew enough... Mama Wags, Wife Ashley, Cousin Jackie, and Dawson the Son have been extremely supportive and have enjoyed hanging out with everyone! Jim & Reiko continue to host a bunch of Fools. Dick and company up at Street Track n' Trail have been amazing. The support of these two groups has made the current scope of Appalachian ADV possible. The BDR, Gryphon, MOTOZ, Barkbusters... I am super happy and appreciative that you have come along for the ride.

Lastly, our Friends and Collaborators mentioned above and below also helped to make our events special in 2024! Give 'em a click and your support as well! Tell 'em Appalachian ADV sent ya!

• Moto Camp Nerd
• Purple Lizard Maps
• Adventure Motorcycle Magazine
• Ohio's Windy 9
• Infamous Adventure Routes
• KickstandsUp
• American Motorcyclist Association​
• Art by Jacquelyne Bader
• Courtney Churry, LMT
• Knarps Adventure Division
• DC Dirt Camp
• Tom Macconnel Photography
• Lost At Last Adventure Travel
• Point View Cycle
• Tallboys & Trackmasters
• Pit Pass Moto
• Postindustrial Media
• XpeditionPGH
• Life's Journey at 50
• Cross Adventuring
• US Motorcycle Coaching Association

I look forward to riding with you in 2025!

Check out our new venture.... The Appalachian ADV Community Podcast! ​Kane sits down with friends and collaborators to talk motorcycles, events, and about the ADV Community.

Check out previous The 100 articles too!

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Carmen from Postindustrial Media for one of their new recurring featurettes called Three Questions.  A fun and quick look at what, where, and why...  Click the graphic to check it out!

The 2023 Appalachian ADV riding season, in 100 pictures! Another stellar year of riding in the books! As we move into 2024 we want to look back to take into account all of the awesome people we had the opportunity to ride with, both old and new friends. 

• 5293 miles of ADV, ADV Dual Sporting, and Dual Sport riding!
• 6939 miles in the truck hauling bikes around!
• 69 days in the saddle, rode at least 1 day in all 12 months
• April was the busiest month of riding: 13 days in the saddle scouting for and running The Fools and holding several Clinics
• Coordinated and participated in 26 events (22 riding events and 4 non-riding; coordinated 21) including hosting a Backcountry Discovery Routes Documentary Premier at the Adventure Riders of Ohio Potluck!

The pictures above are in random order and all but two were taken by Kane from Appalachian ADV.  Check out the action from:

• The Fools Ride on April Fools Ride ADV & ADV Dual Sporting Rally featuring a Backcountry Discovery Routes Documentary Premier
• Beginner to Intermediate ADV and Dual Sport Riding Clinics, hosted by Street Track 'n Trail
• Great Adventures Begin Here ADV Rally & Backcountry Discovery Routes Documentary Premier, hosted by Street Track 'n Trail
• American Legion Fundraiser Group Rides, hosted by Birdfish Brewery
• Allegheny Backcountry Adventure Loop Guided ADV Tour
• Allegheny Jamboree Powersports Rally
• Explore The PA Wilds Four Tour
• BMW MOA Rally - 50th Anniversary (The Tank Tenere 700 was showcased at the Denali Electronics booth with a few other awesome bikes!)
• Wailin' Wayne Weekend (led groups on our Wailin's ADV Dual Sporting Loop and provided a few door prizes!)
• Red River Scramble (the first true test of the new KLX and we provided a few door prizes!)

A huge debt of gratitude to everyone who helped us make 2023 a great riding year! First and foremost the Family Base Camp Crew! Cousin Jackie, Mama Wags, my son Dawson, and the Wife Ashley...couldn't have done it without your support.  Jim and Reiko for continuing to host a bunch of Fools. OGB, Trever, Ed, Buzzsaw, Marsh, Kurt, Jamie, Eric, & Jim for helping me scout &/or sweep &/or lead! Dick, Bryan, Quinton & the whole crew at Street Track 'n Trail! Chad from the BMW MOA and Wailin' Wayne fame. Matt with Life's Journey at 50, Tambra & Mike with Cross Adventuring, and Drew from Moto Adventurer Unscripted (and Red River Scramble) for helping me spread the word (check out the "Owner" subpage for links to our conversations with these guys)! Gary, Jenny, and Melissa from Gryphon. Brian from MOTOZ Tires USA. All of my friends and fellow Ambassadors at the Backcountry Discovery Routes! If you came out to tear it up with us, THANK YOU and I look forward to seeing you again in 2024! If you missed us, plenty of opportunities coming up!

Lastly, our Friends and Collaborators mentioned above and below also helped to make our events special in 2023! Give 'em a click and your support as well! Tell 'em Appalachian ADV sent ya!

• Moto Camp Nerd
• Purple Lizard Maps
• Adventure Motorcycle Magazine
• Ohio's Windy 9
• Infamous Adventure Routes
• Twisted Throttle
• KickstandsUp
• Forest Lodge and Campground of Marienville
• Black Forest Inn
• American Motorcyclist Association​
• Art by Jacquelyne Bader
• MotoMachines 

Want to see more pictures of the action over the years? Click the links below for more of the Explore with Appalachian ADV: The 100 series!

The Vancouver Textile Jacket and Indy Textile Pants

The Vancouver jacket is one of the best textiles I've had. The outer shell has a great design with many pockets, really good venting, and a removable neck gaiter. The lower back pocket is roomy (bigger than average), and there is a place to put a water bladder in the upper back also. Some of the finer details show Gryphon’s desire to create a great riding experience with items such as easy pull zippers for gloved hands, soft fleece lining in the hand pockets, and a neoprene collar.

The included puffer jacket does not zip onto the outer shell but does have connection points. This helps hold in heat better when it is cold outside but you do have two separate jackets that need to be zipped. The set up is very warm but the puffer is bulky for storage purposes. When I would head out on a ride with the puffer and inevitably get too warm when hitting the off road sections, I would need to plan ahead on storage of the puffer. Gryphon, ever desiring to make the best gear, has already made adjustments to some of the pain points in all of their riding gear as they get more seasons under their belt including thinning down the puffer jacket.

Vancouver feature highlights: 
-Waterproof and breathable 
-Great drop panel venting in the front and back, plus zippered venting on the shoulders and wrists 
-Removable neck gaiter 
-Tons of storage space including multiple pockets, a large cargo pocket in the rear, and a water bladder holder 
-Multiple adjustment points to tailor the fit 
-Removable day puffer jacket included (adding even more pockets!).​

The Tucson Mesh Transition Jacket is sharp looking with great features and quickly became a favorite. Attempting to bridge the gap between a straight mesh jacket like the Warrior and the vented textile jackets like the Vancouver, Gryphon’s transition jackets have the outer mesh style set up with a removable liner that is both wind and water resistant. The liner zips directly into the shell and the setup also offers internal connection points at the end of the sleeves. The shell also has waterproof zippering on the external pockets. Colored and reflective highlights adorn the jacket and provide a unique design that is eye-catching, which helps when dodging traffic.

Tucson feature highlights:
-Water resistant removable interior thermal liner with full sleeves for wind and rain protection 
-Tons of pockets including three external waterproof, two in the liner, and two on the inside of the shell
-600 Denier KRYPTONITE anti-abrasive outer shell
-Comfortable neoprene collar
-6 Point comfort fit adjustment system (hip/bicep/wrist).

The Hi-Flo Mesh Pants get some high flow! Tons of mesh with textile reinforced knees and seat offer protection and air flow. The knee pads are also honeycomb style and their pockets have two different placement possibilities for some adjustability. Straight forward summer riding pants that have held up beautifully during all of my on- and off-road escapades (including some time on the ground!). As in the Indy Textile Pants, you'll want to replace the hip pads if you'll be hitting the dirt.

Hi-Flo feature highlights:
-Nice and meshy to keep out the sweaty
-Multiple adjustment points for a comfortable fit including stretch panels
-Big bottom cuffs to fit larger ADV boots
-Waist adjusters and a double snap above the fly.​

​A minefield of a rock garden lay in wait just ahead of the idling Yamaha Tenere 700.  The rider quickly contemplates his line as the bike creeps along the trail, inching ever closer to the chaos.  Time for slow has passed, with a flick of the wrist the T7 begins its bobbing and weaving through the gauntlet.  Bangs and bashes sound from below, letting the rider know there is carnage under tire.  With confidence, inspired by the Black Dog Cycle Works Ultimate Skid Plate, the rider knows the thick aluminum plate and steel subframes will not only take a licking but will absorb the impacts and protect the precious undercarriage.

​My first impressions of the BDCW Ultimate Skid Plate when I pulled it out of the shipping box: solid, sleek, and minimalist.  Not to say too small but on the contrary, they made the perfect sized armor to do the job right and to stay out of the way.  The low profile of the plate provides excellent ground clearance and is “sized right” to cover the major components on the belly of the bike.  BDCW both powder and clear coated the Ultimate Skid Plate for a smooth and sturdy finish that looks BA and uses four flush mount bolts to hold the plate in place over two “reinforced” submounts.

​A rider, enjoying the gnarly terrain, miscalculated an obstacle and found himself at the bottom of the lonely ravine.  Unable to remove himself from his precarious situation, a call to the cavalry in the form of the electromagnetic low tone blast of his motorcycle horn acted as an SOS.  Luckily other riders heard the Denali scream.  The SoundBomb, twice as loud as the stock horn, was able to penetrate the dense valley covering and begin the process of motorcycle recovery from the wilderness trap…

​The motorbike screams down the paved pathway, leaning hard in the twisty turns.  Rider in bliss feeling the weightlessness of a perfect curve, perfect trajectory, perfect lean angle, perfect braking, perfect acceleration…the point of nirvana.  A motorcyclist’s dream.  As the rider exits the sweeping turn the dream quickly intensifies into a nightmare.  An unaware local is backing out of a hidden driveway and is on a collision trajectory.  The experienced rider quickly employs evasive maneuvers: downshift, brakes, and a healthy blast of a SoundBomb!  Denali to the rescue as the 4-wheeled operator hears the loud 113 decibel low tone horn and slams the brakes.  Our evasive rider was given the opportunity to find the appropriate exit path, thanks to a SoundBomb, from curve to stopped vehicle and safe passage onto the next twisty…

​At 113 decibels the distinct low-tone sound from the Denali Electronics SoundBomb Mini Motorcycle Horn is twice as loud as a typical 100 decibel disc horn. The SoundBomb is designed to be a direct Plug & Play upgrade from your factory horn requiring no additional relay or wiring harness as long as the original horn has blade-style electrical connections. When stock isn't quite enough, be heard with the SoundBomb Mini!

Check out the Denali Electronics Blog for the original version of this article...it is mostly different!  The DENALI SoundBomb Mini is EASY to Install

Check out a slightly different version of this review in Adventure Motorcycle Magazine!  This product review was originally released in the November/December 2022 Issue Number 131!  It can also be found digitally over on the ADVMotoMag website...

The 2022 riding year, in 100 photos!  Appalachian ADV had a great year of riding with new and old friends.  As we ride into 2023 we wanted to take account of all the awesome people, amazing places, and killer ADV and ADV Dual Sporting that 2022 brought our way.

• 5,710 hard fought miles of riding: mostly 2-lane pavers, gravel, dirt, as well as drivable trails, OHM trails, and single track.
• 59 days of riding, in the saddle every month of 2022 except January. 
• August was our busiest month with 13 days of riding and 3 events.
• Coordinated and participated in 13 total events: 11 coordinated riding events, 1 non-riding Backcountry Discovery Routes Documentary Premier at Birdfish Brewery, and 1 coordinated/lead group rides at Wailin' Wayne Weekend (lead groups 3 of the 5 days of the WWW event).
• Lead our biggest group at Wailin' Wayne with 35 riders.
• Held our first official Beginner to Intermediate ADV Riding Clinic Hosted by Street Track 'n Trail.

The pictures above are in random order and include photos taken by Kane from Appalachian ADV as well as from some of our event participants!  

• Hippo Saved My Hands Daytripper
• The Fools Ride on April Fools' Ride Rally
• Street Track 'n Trail WYBDR Documentary Premier Adventure Weekend
• 3 tours of the Allegheny Backcountry Adventure Loop (both Beginner-Intermediate and Intermediate-Expert)
• ANF OHM and ADV Group Rides
• Explore The PA Wilds Four Tour
• Bald Eagle Jamboree ADV Dual Sporting Rally
• Street Track 'n Trail Adventure Weekend II
• Beginner to Intermediate ADV Riding Clinic Hosted by Street Track 'n Trail
• The Majestic Trails Group Rides
• Wailin' Wayne Weekend (some photos provided courtesy of Ohio's Windy 9)
• Some photos taken from scouting missions for our various events

A big thanks to everyone who came out to an event with us or decided to jump in with Kane for Wailin's ADV Dual Sporting Loop at WWW!  I hope to see you, with some of your friends, in 2023!  Head over to our Events Page to see where we'll be in 2023!  If you haven't already, sign up for our Sporadic Newsletter while you're over there to be notified first when we release an article or update our event calendar.  We also provide exclusive deals through our newsletter!

None of this would be possible without the help of the Appalachian ADV Inner Circle and our Base Camp Crew.  Our Inner Circle crew helps scout as well as sweep or lead rides at our events.  Huge thanks to Jim, OGB, Buzzsaw, Marsh, and Ed.  I can never thank Mama Wags, my wife Ashley, and Cousin Jackie enough for giving everybody that comes out to our events that Friends and Family feel.  

Appalachian ADV is looking forward to a busy 2023 and we hope to see you at one of our rides!

This article can also be found on the Reviews Section of the Pacific Powersports website.

Head over to our Events page to check out our ADV Ride Clinics, Group Rides, Rallies, and Tours! Sign up for an event and get an exclusive discount on a set of MOTOZ for your ride!

Kane is the founder of Appalachian ADV – Adventure & Dual Sport Motorbiking LLC, formed as an outlet for creativity in written word, captured visual art, and route development.  Two wheels and a motor are his adrenaline junkie delivery system of choice, providing natural highs delivered through dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins that act as the catalysts for his motorbiking experience.  His goal is to bring people of diverse backgrounds together to create common bonds through shared adversity on his ADV & “ADV Dual Sporting” routes as well as building confidence by overcoming those joyous hardships.  Kane and Appalachian ADV aim to use motorbikes, the beauty and challenges of nature, and a healthy dose of those happy hormones to give people opportunities to enjoy life, unplug, find much needed commonality, and to Have Fun, Take Chances…​

Over this past riding season I've had the opportunity to test out the Zoleo Satellite Communicator with accompanying Phone App (Android) and this article will serve as a brief overview of the company's services as well as my take on the device, Phone App, and service plans.  If you are unfamiliar with Satellite Communicators they generally allow a user that is out of cell phone coverage to utilize Satellite GPS systems to communicate to someone back home or to contact emergency services.  Generally the device will communicate some type of message along with your GPS coordinates.  Most devices will also throw down "breadcrumbs" at designated intervals to allow your family to see where you have been and where you may be at if something happened to you and you don't have the ability to utilize the SOS functions of the device.  The major benefits of using this type of device is piece of mind for you and your family at home and the fact that emergency services can easily find you if the need arises.

For the past couple several years I have utilized the Spot Gen3 Satellite Communicator so the functionality does not correlate fully with the Zoleo device.  That particular version of the Spot does not offer direct 2-way communications.  The Spot Gen3 has a couple pre-defined messages that you can set up on their website before heading out so you can somewhat communicate with your people at home but there is no way for them to respond or for you to give any specifics.  The SOS functionality is pretty much the same between the two devices.  Spot does have devices with similar functionality but since I have not used them I will not make any comparisons with those particular products.  A final disclaimer, I was provided the Zoleo unit at no cost but I have been dutifully paying the monthly fees to maintain the service to the device.

​Before my thoughts can be shared on the Zoleo device and the accompanying Phone App, I will give a brief overview.  The Zoleo unit itself is small (3.58"x2.6"x1.06"), lightweight (5.3 ounces), and dust/water/shock resistant (IP68-4.9 feet for 30 minutes / MIL-STD 810G).  The SOS button has a cover as to not allow any false alarms and the internal GPS chip is accurate to 8.2 feet.  There is also a Check-In button that will shoot out a message and GPS coordinates to your designated pre-loaded contacts through your Zoleo website account.  The battery is a rechargeable internal (not removable) Lithium Ion with a life of 200+ hours that will recharge in approximately two hours.  The Zoleo device will operate in a temperature range of -4˚F to 131˚F with a slightly smaller range for charging the battery of 32˚F to 113˚F.  The unit will connect on the Iridium satellite network through the GLONASS Global Navigation Satellite System and also through Bluetooth to your cell phone.  The Zoleo Communication Device MSRPs for $199 USD.
 
The accompanying Zoleo Phone App is free on the Apple App Store or through Google Play.  The device and App allow for two-way messaging with your contacts as well as with Zoleo's 24/7 emergency response coordination partner via satellite, cellular, or WiFi through text, email, or App-to-App.  Depending on available services, the App will automatically switch to the available service.  Zoleo provides each device with a unique SMS number and email address to deliver messages back and forth and if your family at home downloads the Zoleo App they will automatically get your messages there along with the ability to track your location.  There is a limit on character count for messages but it differs depending on service type (the App will display and count down automatically): SMS/Text 160 characters, email 200, & App-to-App 950. 

Another nice feature of the Zoleo App is the on demand local weather forecasts through AerisWeather.  Forecasts include your current location and the ability to search for weather along your planned route, even when outside of cellular service.  Before you head out you can download a high-resolution offline map to use to help search for weather once you are off the grid.  Forget to download the offline map?  You can also use a search bar to plug in coordinates or type in the name of the location to view the forecast.

Zoleo offers three different service plans (Basic, In Touch, & Unlimited), each on a month-to-month basis with the ability to suspend, change, or cancel at any time.  All plans offer unlimited cellular and WiFi messages but differ on the number of satellite messages that are included.  The Basic plan is $20 per month and includes 25 satellite messages per month, the In Touch is $35 with 250 messages, and the Unlimited plan is $50 with no limits on satellite messages.  No worries if you do go over your allotment if you are on the first two plans, satellite messages are still available but will cost you $0.50 for each message above your limit.  They also offer add-on message bundles at a reduced cost if you know you are going to be out for a while (20 messages for $8 or 75 for $15). 

Another optional add-on is their Location Share+ subscription which will add $6 a month to your subscription fees.  When you are out and about the check-in contacts that you choose will be able to view your breadcrumb trail on a map via the Zoleo Phone App at intervals that you designate (6 minutes, 12 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or 4 hours).  This service also includes unlimited check-in and location share messages.  Something to note, the more frequent the Zoleo device has to drop a breadcrumb the more juice is drained from the battery.

Overall I think the unit is small, light, rugged, and easily attaches to my riding vest with a strip of paracord (Zoleo does sell cradle kits to attach to your person or vehicle).  The device/Phone App combo is an awesome upgrade from the previous SatComm brand I was using.  I am really impressed with the battery life, using the Location Share set at 12 minutes.  I used it over several 5 day tours, turned it off at night, and used less than 40% of the battery without recharging it at all over the ride.  The simplicity of the functions on the unit itself are great.  I used the Check-In button to notify my crew as well as some of our customers' families that we were leaving camp in the morning and when we made it to the next camp at night.  The Phone App (Android) is also user friendly and having the ability to directly text my crew regardless of cell phone coverage is perfect for the type of Adventure Motorcycling my company performs.  The weather function on the App also proved useful for us to plan our riding gear for the day (cold weather gear, rain gear, layering, etc.).  

A benefit for Appalachian ADV, since we are providing Outfitter & Guiding services, is that if the State we are holding an event utilizes Text-to-911 services we can directly contact local emergency services when cell service is non-existent and provide GPS location as well as more readily communicate a potential emergency situation for our riders.  This provides a piece of mind for not only our customers but also for their family’s back home.  Of course if the Guide goes down, we make sure to include how to access the SOS function of the Zoleo device in our Riders’ Safety Briefings.  

I was previously using a Spot Gen3.  A couple things that I felt were good options with Spot: the ability to Check-In/Location Share with more than five contacts* (many more with Spot) and the ability to view the Location Shares and Check-Ins on a map on the Spot website or directly in an email/SMS/Text as opposed to having to use a dedicated phone App (*To Note: you can load an unlimited number of contacts on your website account but only two can be designated as your SOS contacts and five can be designated as your check-in and Location Share+ contacts).  Restricting the Zoleo Check-Ins to five contacts that have to download the phone App is not ideal but the fact that I can directly text message anyone helps partially make up for that limitation (although I am limited to the total number of text messages I can send before being charged extra since I am not using the Unlimited plan).  Compared to the fact that I could not directly communicate back and forth with the Spot, this is definitely not a deal breaker, especially since the pricing is similar.  I generally have more than five customers on Guided Tours, the ideal situation is to use the Check-In to send to customers' families at home so that they don't worry about their Adventurer when we are out on the tour (without having to use my allotment of text messages and run the risk of getting caught up with a chatty family member).  The Zoleo also allows me to communicate directly with local 911 services to help someone else or utilize the SOS function directly for myself whereas the Spot can only be used for my own emergency situations.  

Overall, I feel the Zoleo product with included phone App is an amazing product at a reasonable price.  I do believe the Zoleo to be superior to the Spot Gen3, but adding more contacts and having a web-based place for Location Share/Check-In would drastically set Zoleo apart from the competition.  For our Guided Tours, I have a basecamp crew that will meet us at certain points along our routing.  For our Rallies, the crew isn't moving around as much but for both of these events I could see the benefit of having a second Zoleo unit for the basecamp crew.  Many of the locations we pass through, as well as some of our basecamp locations, have sporadic cell phone coverage.  Having two units that the riding group and basecamp crew could use to communicate regardless of cell phone coverage would come in extremely handy.

Ever hear of "safety in numbers"? Well even if you ride solo you are never alone with a GPS communicator. ADV riding has its risks, that is why we do it, but having a device like this can be the difference between a bad situation getting worse or save you from a life-threatening scenario. At the very least, peace of mind for you and your family.

Ride Safe.  Have Fun, Take Chances!

​A windy gravel road led the #TankTenere700 through the wilderness and into a forgotten thoroughfare. The rough track following the contours of the land, snaking to and fro...up and down. An embedded slab of rock grants the rider an opportunity to fly for a moment, off its ledge and into a banking turn. A leaning power slide keeps them on track and in line for the next rock garden enjoyment. As the track descends off the ridge and towards the valley floor the ruts from recent storm water drainage provide more excitement. Nothing like an unmaintained dirt road to provide a rider an opportunity of #ADVDualSporting.

​Rider and conveyance pick their way through the remaining unmaintained road while dodging ruts, catching airtime over whoops, and navigating a couple hill climbs.  As dusk approaches and the floor morphs to pavement the rider starts to feel the hunger.  Dinner is hot and the mileage is long...  A quick set of taps on the Denali Ram Mounted phone and “fastest route” turn-by-turn directions are being called out to the rider through the Sena bluetooth intercom.  

In spite of the harsh conditions of the previous escapades, the Denali Wireless Charging Phone Mount showed that it can withstand repeated exposure to extreme outdoor environments.  RAM Mounts are built tough and lock in the Denali Electronics phone cradle tight inside the cockpit, tucked in and shielded behind the windscreen.  The carrier is designed to fit many different models of cell phones and will charge the phone wirelessly, even through waterproof cell phone covers.  The included Denali wiring harness provides a simple plug-&-play connection to a CANsmart Controller but can also be connected directly to your vehicle’s battery or factory USB port.

The inspiration for that tale of adventure came from a scouting mission for our Fools Ride on April Fools' Ride ADV & ADV Dual Sporting Rally!  Wanna see that creek crossing in person?!  Head over to our Events Page for more information and to snag your tickets!

​Kane is the founder of Appalachian ADV – Adventure & Dual Sport Motorbiking LLC, formed as an outlet for creativity in written word, captured visual art, and route development.  Two wheels and a motor are his adrenaline junkie delivery system of choice, providing natural highs delivered through dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins that act as the catalysts for his motorbiking experience.  His goal is to bring people of diverse backgrounds together to create common bonds through shared adversity on his ADV & “ADV Dual Sporting” routes as well as building confidence by overcoming those joyous hardships.  Kane and Appalachian ADV aim to use motorbikes, the beauty and challenges of nature, and a healthy dose of those happy hormones to give people opportunities to enjoy life, unplug, find much needed commonality, and to Have Fun, Take Chances…

May 6-7, 2022
Join Appalachian ADV at Street Track 'n Trail for two days of ADVENTURE! Join us Friday afternoon at STnT where we will have free camping and a Slow Race Competition!  We'll start Saturday with a short Group Ride hitting some pavement, a ton of dirt roads, a couple optional Off-Road Challenge areas, and a tour of a local ghost town!  The grand finale will be a showing of the WYBDR Documentary from the Backcountry Discovery Routes!  There is no cost to attend the event but please register via the link!

Wyoming BDR Adventure Weekend & Documentary Premiere

​Learn more about the mission of the BDR and enjoy Adventure Motorcycling at its finest! Watch as the BDR Expedition Team tackles its 11th route moto-camping through 1,000 miles of rugged Wyoming terrain spanning from the northern border of Colorado to the southern border of Montana. Watch the BDR team and their trusty Adventure & Dual Sport Motorbikes tackle the high elevation mountain ranges, vast high-desert regions, cross two major rim escarpments, descend several gorges and pass through many other remote and seldom visited areas, and historic mining towns.

Join Appalachian ADV at our three Allegheny Region events! Spots are limited for the Guided Tour!

Street Track 'n Trail's Great Adventures Begin Here ADV Rally

Allegheny Backcountry Adventure Loop Beginner-Intermediate Guided ADV Tour

Wildcatters Adventure Rally 

AppalachianADV.com/Events

We also run our Level 1 Beginner to Intemediate ADV & Dual Sport Riding Clinics in the region!

Kane is the founder of Appalachian ADV – Adventure & Dual Sport Motorbiking LLC, formed as an outlet for creativity in written word, captured visual art, and route development.  Two wheels and a motor are his adrenaline junkie delivery system of choice, providing natural highs delivered through dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins that act as the catalysts for his motorbiking experience.  His goal is to bring people of diverse backgrounds together to create common bonds through shared adversity on his ADV & “ADV Dual Sporting” routes as well as building confidence by overcoming those joyous hardships.  Kane and Appalachian ADV aim to use motorbikes, the beauty and challenges of nature, and a healthy dose of those happy hormones to give people opportunities to enjoy life, unplug, find much needed commonality, and to Have Fun, Take Chances…

Storytelling through photography... There you have it, 100 photos of Adventure!  Rallies, Guided Tours, Group Rides, Adventure Touring, ADV riding, ADV Dual Sporting, Dual Sporting, Moto-Camping, Mom-And-Pops, Wilderness & Sightseeing.  

Photographs taken by Kane from Appalachian ADV as well as from some of our new friends that have come along for the journey!  If you see your photo above (in front of or behind the camera) or if you were along for one of the rides, let us know what you thought of our adventure together in the comments below, via our social media contacts linked below, or through Messenger!  Your reviews may find their way to other locations on our website!

Photos above are in random order but include:

2020 Brush Creek Daytripper Rally
2020 PA Wilds Hardcore ADV Tour
2021 Fools Ride on April Fools' Ride ADV Rally
2021 Allegheny Backcountry Adventure Loop Guided Tour
2021 Allegheny OHM Group Ride
2021 PA Wilds Hardcore ADV Tour
Scouting Mission for the 2022 Bald Eagle Jamboree Rally

2020 & 2021 Wailin' Wayne Weekend - The Appalachian ADV "Wailin's ADV Dual Sporting Loop"
2021 Red Clay Rally - Team Appalachian ADV

Head over to our Events page and come along with us on one of our next Adventures!  

​Remember to.......... Have Fun, Take Chances!

The cart before the horse…  Sometime in 2017 I decided to check out a show I heard about called Ride with Norman Reedus.  I thought it was a great concept and felt the exposure of motorcycles to a wider audience was a good thing, even if it didn’t involve my subgenre of ADV riding.  A big star like Norman Reedus, of Boondock Saints and Walking Dead fame, with the motorcycle as a main character and THE major plot of the show could do nothing else but highlight the amazing benefits and adventurous possibilities of life on two wheels.

In the very first episode of Ride, Norman’s plan was to tackle the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) but first hooks up with Roland Sands, a champion motorcycle racer turned custom bike builder.  The two ride around Palos Verdes for a while but eventually break off and go their own ways.  Before Norman heads off for his PCH journey, a conversation about the custom bike that  he had been riding leads to an interesting exchange.  Before parting ways, they came to the conclusion that Norman should continue to use Roland's custom bike for the PCH ride and just bring it back to him when he’s done.  Asking if he is sure about the use of this very awesome and very expensive bike, Roland responds with an unequivocal yes and, "...have fun take chances...".
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I was somewhat floored by the sentiment of the conversation.  And by the nature of those four words, they captured a certain essence of motorbiking in my mind.  I immediately rewound the video and listened to the exchange again, focusing on: Have Fun, Take Chances.  In that moment Roland Sands was extremely gracious by lending a bike but took it a step further.  Not only did he want Norman to have a good time but he wanted him to ride uninhibited, to not have a feel of a borrowed bike but as his own.  To truly get into the moment, and Ride.​

Take Chances.  They don’t (all) have to be dumb chances, we can take smart chances!  Adventure and risk are in the eye of the beholder. There may be some obstacles I am comfortable taking a chance on, but another might not be as willing (or vice versa).  To build skills in motorbiking you have to acknowledge and take on risk, take chances.  The only way to improve your abilities is to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, ideally in a risk mitigating way.  Build your skills by starting small and pushing yourself in small increments.  Practice, pick yourself up when you fall, and don’t get discouraged.  With each chance you take, you gain wisdom that will be used to push yourself through the next risk.

In the context of what Appalachian ADV as a whole stands for, “Have Fun, Take Chances” also has an aspect of bringing riders together to take the individual aspect of ADV and Dual Sport motorcycling and turning it into a team sport.  Getting big bikes through rugged terrain can sometimes take a team effort, can get you out of your comfort zone, and is an amazing experience.

It is Fun to take Chances.

Safety Third? It has recently come to mind that our motto of "Have Fun, Take Chances" kinda implies that safety is third. I am the coach for our Riding Clinics, after all. Although I believe safety is EXTREMELY important it should not be the end all, be all. If safety was top priority, would we even kick a leg over the risky two wheeled danger machine? We do attempt to mitigate the risk and danger through ATGATT, motorcycle armor (skid plate, crash bars, etc.) and maintenance, daily riders' meetings, providing opportunities to grow through Riding Clinics and other events with various skill level opportunities to build experience and skills, and the tons of man hours to thoroughly plan each event. 

That does not mean that we make motorcycle riding "safe", but maybe slightly safer. It is counter-intuitive to tell people that safety is always first. That leaves no room for taking on risk, pushing your limits, and growing as a rider or a person for that matter. We must all assess our own risk tolerance and decide when to rearrange that order and put safety first, but we can't always lead with safety above all else. 

So is safety third? Yes and no. Our motto "Have Fun, Take Chances" highlights our goal to allow people a place to enjoy life and push their limits so they may grow. It is up to each individual to perform a risk assessment of the terrain in front of them, the help around them, and find the confidence inside them to decide what order to put those three.

Have Fun, Take Chances... make smart choices to assess your risk and desired level of safety!

​The constant change of the forest floor keeps the rider shifting around the cockpit. Standing, sitting, repositioning weight and body position to equilibrate the T7's 450 pounds. A synergistic blend of the balanced power of machine and the loose attack stance of rider, with the aid of the sticky Yamaha Mono-Seat and Tank Grips to keep the rider firmly planted. No time to dally, the contours of the land require utmost attention.

Check out part two of our Mercenary's tale... The Mercenary and the Protector

​We eventually made our way to the Ohio River but not before a greasy boulder filled hill climb and descent had us working up a sweat.  Once at the river, a nice surprise was in store for the team as we led them out onto a rocky peninsula where their rubber touched the mighty Ohio!  The previous day, on the Brush Creek Daytripper Route, everyone had a chance to see the river from a higher vantage point a few miles upstream (as noted in the opening picture).  To do so, they had to tackle the hardest and longest challenge spot of the day but the view was well worth the work.  It would also prove the worth of those R&G Engine Case Covers

​After giving everyone a chance to do some big bike hill climbing we now have to finish the second half of this off road bonanza.  A long steady decline with plenty of rocks starts us off before flattening out and heading back towards our entrance.  Another burned out vehicle greets us at the bottom of our ascent and then we hit the trickiest section of the climb.  Embedded and loose rocks, accompanied by washed out ruts and downed trees to dodge greet us as we begin our climb.  The occasional mud pit and the weathered terrain keep us on our toes until we reach the top.  We dip into the woods again, climb a short rock face and splash through more mud bogs to our power line trail exit.  Big bikes tackling small bike terrain: #ADVDualSporting.
 
Flashback to the waterlogged Hardcore Encore… we bid adieu to our close up view of the great river and take a nice twisty paver back into the hills of the Northeast Ohio River Valley, following the ebb and flow of another tributary.  We soon arrive at our next off road spot after a spirited peg scraping uphill climb, an old abandoned farm road.  The beginning is 2-track but flat with large water and mud filled ruts.  Don’t get too close to the Tidy Tail boys or you may get a dirty shower!  As we descend back into the valley the terrain changes to rock.  Returning to the canopy, the thoroughfare is muddy with a few spots of running water.  We each pick our lines, sometimes dodging and sometimes traversing large embedded rocks with a few smaller loose ones to make it interesting.

​The R&G Engine Case Covers proved their worth and helped fend off a few of Mother Earth’s attacks.  Or was I attacking and she was defending?  Either way, glad to keep my beautiful CP2 engine from getting dinged up!  The solid hardened plastic Covers are molded to fit my T7’s geometry and R&G has customized Engine Covers for many other models as well.  They were extremely easy to install, loosen and remove four bolts and attach the Covers with replacement bolts provided in the kit.  Best to tighten everything to spec according to the manufacturer’s guidelines!  With the wet and muddy conditions, I was also happy to have the R&G Frame Inserts keeping debris and water out of where those ruffians shouldn’t be!  No fuss, no muss on install for these bad boys...just push them in by hand and start riding!

As with any rally, bonds were formed or strengthened.  Isn’t that the main point of putting on an ADV Dual Sporting motorbike weekend?!  Form a team of riders, take those riders out and challenge their skills on various terrain, help each other traverse the rough stuff when needed, and sit around a campfire later that night and laugh about our mistakes so that we may learn from them.  In doing so, friendships are forged on the playing field and solidified eating excellent BBQ downed with your favorite frosty beverage (alcoholic or non) at the end of the day with tents, bonfires, and laughter as the backdrop.
 
A special thank-you to everyone who came out to the 1st Annual Fools Ride on April Fools’ Ride ADV Rally and my sincere appreciation to all of you for hanging out with me in the woods for a weekend.  Big Thanks to Mama Wags for heading down and playing caterer serving us Fools breakfast and dinner, on her birthday nonetheless!  To Jim and Reiko who played Host to a bunch of Fools, I cannot express enough my gratitude for opening up your property and providing the perfect base camp for an amazing weekend.  Lastly, I have to thank Twisted Throttle, Backcountry Discovery Routes, Moto-Recon, and Birdfish Brewery for providing items for the participant goodie bags and door prizes!  Hope to see you at the Next Fools…or one of #AppalachianADV’s other rides!  Check our current event schedule HERE!!!