Himalayas
What It’s Like to Ride a Motorcycle Through the Himalayas
What riding a motorcycle through the Himalayas is really like - roads, water crossings, weather, altitude and bikes - plus the four India tours and how to choose your own.
What riding a motorcycle through the Himalayas is really like - roads, water crossings, weather, altitude and bikes - plus the four India tours and how to choose your own.
For a bike to conquer just about every off-road challenge on the planet, the KTM 450 would be the one you’d choose. Whether it’s on the race tracks of the world championship motocross, the stadiums of American Supercross, the rocky cauldrons of world enduro or even the endless sands of the Dakar, the Austrian 450 has dominated and conquered them all and we've reviewed the way it rides.
If you are wondering whether the Iran-Israel conflict could affect your Ride Expeditions trip, here is the straight answer. Right now, our destinations are not affected, but wider travel disruption can influence flights, routing and insurance, so this page explains exactly how we assess the situation and what happens if plans change.
I have never been one of those people who win competitions. When I entered the Ride Expeditions draw at the motorcycle show in Birmingham, it was more of a ‘why not?’ moment than anything serious. My partner, Renata, and I were wandering the halls with our five-year-old son, who was climbing onto every bike, quad […]
Finding the best adventure bike boots can be tricky. You want comfort for the long days, protection for the spills, and something that won’t give up halfway through a muddy trail. We’ve been riding with these boots on real trips from dusty trails in Cambodia to wet mountain passes in Laos to see which ones […]
Ride Expeditions is closely monitoring the situation in line with official UK Foreign Office guidance. Our team is subscribed to FCDO alerts and remains in constant contact with our guides and partners in Cambodia. Based on the current advisory, we have made a limited and precautionary adjustment to our January Hidden Kingdom adventure bike tour.
Planning a motorcycle tour is not only a matter of choosing where to ride. It is also about deciding how you want the journey to feel. Some riders prefer the comfort of a guided group with a professional team handling the work behind the scenes. Others enjoy the freedom of riding on their own schedule […]
Winter’s coming, but keep your boots on! HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS Chasing Summer on two Wheels. The gloomy season’s on its way: shorter days, frosty mornings, and bikes parked for longer than we’d like. We love to say all weather is riding weather (and […]
Chasing the Sahara… Morocco’s On! HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS MOROCCO 1000km Across Dunes, Desert and Mountains. Chasing the Sahara – Our Brand New Tour: Morocco’s finally happening – and it’s everything we hoped for. This ride has been years in the making, and now it’s ready to roll. Designed […]
What It’s Like to Ride Morocco’s Ultimate Enduro Playground If you’ve ever daydreamed about ripping across the Sahara on a dirt bike, carving fresh lines through towering golden dunes with nothing but sand and silence in every direction – this one’s for you. The thrill of adventure, captured at the summit of a dune There […]
Went for a ride in Cambodia. Came home with three new tours. Classic. View in browser HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS Brand New Experiences Adventure Tours in Cambodia We rode out in Cambodia to test how the CF Moto 450MT would handle the jungle routes and temple trails in a country best known for its […]
A trip to Colombia – A brand new route on the Honda XRE 300 Destination: Colombia | Tour: Hidden Treasures | Adventure Style: Lightweight ADV An easier-to-manage off-road adventure trip to Colombia built for even a beginner off-roader. Hidden Treasures is a lightweight off-road tour perfect for those who want to get their toes wet…and it’s […]
Discounts as Rare as a Perfectly Clean Bike. HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS Been There, Ridden That? You’re in Luck. If you’ve ridden with us before, you already know the deal—epic roads, unbeatable adventures, and stories that get wilder every time you tell them. But here’s something new: as a past rider, you’re getting 25% […]
Last Minute Discounts – Up to 25% off on these tours HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS Last minute discounts Up to 25% off Are any of these incredible adventures already on your wish list? Here’s the perfect opportunity to make it happen! Our past riders will receive a generous 25% discount, while new riders can […]
Adventures worth bragging about – stories and souvenirs View in browser HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS Adventures worth bragging about Stories and Souvenirs There’s adventure, and then there’s what we do. If you’re yawning at the thought of another “exotic” resort vacation, let’s talk Cambodia and Colombia on two wheels… These aren’t your […]
New Routes, New Adventures View in browser HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS Three new routes for you this year…so far. New Routes, New Adventures. We mentioned that there were new adventures on the horizon. Well, meet the champion routes that will keep your engines revving this year. Gobi Explorer Hidden Treasures Himalayan Legends We Have […]
Adventure for Christmas anyone? HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS It’s that time of the year Wrap-Up Miles of Memories This Christmas Still wondering about the perfect Christmas gift for your loved ones? Whether it’s for your wife, husband, brother, dad, or lifelong friend, why not make this year extraordinary with the gift of adventure? Adventures […]
HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS Spotlight on Adventure in November Adventure is in our DNA What do the Husqvarna Norden 901, BMW R1250 GS ,and Honda CB500X all have in common? They’re big bikes, made for exploring extraordinary destinations like South Africa’s endless mountain passes, lush coastal roads, or riding beside wildlife on thrilling safaris in […]
A New Himalayan Experience HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS New Heights In The Himalayas New routes, new bikes, additional dates, and a brand new beast of a tour! We’re thrilled to launch our adapted Himalayan tour series: new routes, recently added 2025 & 2026 dates due to high demand, and a beast of a tour […]
25% Discount, anyone? Happy Diwali! HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS THANK YOU & HAPPY DIWALI To our incredible Himalayan support team This year we led over 200 guests across some of the highest mountain passes in the world. That’s pretty incredible, and we’re immensely grateful to our guests who joined us. But today, the spotlight […]
An adventure in Patagonia View in browser HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS We ride in an adventure To the end of the world PATAGONIA | CHILE | ARGENTINA Standing at the southernmost tip of the Americas, in Ushuaia, aptly named “The World’s End”, you can’t help but feel a profound sense of accomplishment. This scenic […]
Reaching New Heights in the Himalayas HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS Himalayan Recce Reaching New Heights Last month we mentioned that Toby is taking a special trip to the highest motorable pass in the world, Umling La. The trip has been spectacular and we’ve shared the progress on social media (it’s clear to see Toby’s […]
Danie | Himalayan Escape | 21 July 2024 Tour Leader: Danie Van Zyl | Group Size: 14 riders | Himalayan Escape Premium 8-day Motorcycle Tour The guys on the 21st July Himalayan Escape tour were amazing. They were an incredible group to ride with and get to know. We had great fun through the Himalayan […]
Welcome to Ride Expeditions HOME WHAT WE DO TOURS ABR Adventure The last few months have been action-packed. We found ourselves at the ABR festival, gave away some free Enduristan gear, and signed up for more festivals. We also listened to you and launched a tour in Rajasthan, India – set to be a whopper […]
Hi, Fellow Adventurers! It’s been a busy time of late… But not only with our tours currently on the go in Mongolia, India and Southern Africa. We’ve also been busy prepping for the UK’s biggest and best motorcycle festival – ABR. That’s right, it’s festival time! ABR Festival Time […]
Greetings from Ride Expeditions HQ! Time for a quick pit stop to fill you in on all the wild and wonderful happenings since our last chat. Let’s pick up where we left off… We ended 2023 with a BANG and man, we’ve had an action packed start to 2024! We’ve had numerous departures […]
So let’s start our review of the Husqvarna Norden 901 with a quick recap … When KTM bought the Husqvarna brand from BMW back in 2013, they were only interested in one thing. Although the German manufacturing giant had developed some interesting and innovative motorcycles in the six brief years that they owned the historic Swedish […]
For our 2023 KTM 890 Adventure R Review we need to start with a bit of a history lesson. Way back in the Spring of 2019, KTM introduced their all-new adventure bike, the 790 Adventure, a machine that was both much anticipated and ground-breaking in equal measure. While the other manufacturers were busy chasing the premier class […]
New Year – New Adventure! Ride Expeditions Tours for Early 2024 Scarily enough, the year seems to have whizzed by and 2024 is just a couple of brief months away! As we head towards Christmas it’s all too easy to get mired in the chaos and wrapping paper. But rather than just park up the […]
GREETINGS FROM RIDE HQ! We’d like to kick off the newsletter with a hearty THANK YOU to all the brave explorers who have joined our adventures since we last spoke. That’s everyone on the recently completed: Tribal Trails in Vietnam, Cape Town to Victoria Falls and the return Victoria Falls – Cape Town trips in […]
A LITTLE BIKE WITH A BIG PUNCH When Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman set out on a couple of BMWs for a round the world trip, nobody, including them, could have anticipated the effect that their trip would have. At that time back in 2004, adventure travel was traditional the reserve of wizened, dust covered […]
A MOTOCROSS HELMET FOR ADVENTURE RIDERS? Helmet choice for motorcyclists is a very complicated decision. With quite so many brands, styles and designs available, not to mention price ranges that go from £50 to well over £500, picking the right helmet is not an easy task. But for the combination of safety, style and value […]
ADVENTURE AND ROAD TOURS So you’re about to book one of Ride Expeditions incredible motorcycle adventures, but what bike are you going to ride? We have a range of adventure bikes available, from the lovely Honda CB500 X right up to the Daddy of them all – the mighty BMW R1250 GS. Which you choose […]
ESSENTIAL TRAVEL STUFF – A CHECKLIST For this blog we’ve prepared a Motorcycle Tour checklist: Essential stuff before you travel …. So you’ve finally taken the plunge and booked your epic motorcycle adventure with Ride Expeditions. And first off – Congratulations! So many riders talk about doing these trips but never quite get round to […]
DIRT BIKE TOURS This blog is all about Ride Expeditions’ Rides – the bikes for dirt bike tours. OK – you’ve spent years of riding the trails and tracks in your home country with your mates, but after reading yet another incredible story about an dirt bike adventure in your favourite magazine, not to mention watching […]
At Ride Expeditions, we are all about adventure motorcycling. Since way back in 2012 when we ran our first tours in Cambodia, that’s been our mission and we love it. And now over a decade later, we run tours across three continents, from Patagonia to Mongolia, Vietnam to India, Africa to Colombia. Our riders come […]
Hello to al of our lovely riders & readers across the globe.So what’s the latest here in the World of Ride..? Over in South America Henk and a group of adventure seeking riders have just this minute finished living it up over in Patagonia for the last World’s End of the season. There was a […]
So, you have finally taken the plunge and booked up for a motorcycle tour. The date is in the diary, you’ve booked your time off work and you are excited as hell. But now comes the tricky bit – what riding kit do I need to take on the trip? At Ride Expeditions we are […]
Well, we thought it’s about time to send out an update to all of our lovely rider readers… We’ve been remiss recently, what with all the busyness of running rides and riding recces taking precedence over the poor ol’ neglected newsletter. This year alone we have already run 8 incredible tours across South America & South East […]
At Ride Expeditions, we are addicted to motorcycle adventures. From our very first tours in Cambodia, to our ever popular Himalayan rides and our epic journeys across South Africa and Mongolia, we just love riding bikes and exploring all over the world. But there can be few journeys more exciting than one that takes you […]
We wanted to do something for the environment to help offset the carbon footprint from riding motorbikes all over the world. Which is where The World Land Trust, comes in, a non-profit organisation with a focus on global reforestation, land purchase as a tool for conservation, and carbon balanced. For each and every rider that […]
From the very beginning, we at Ride Expeditions have always wanted to give back in some way. As Cambodia was the very first country in which we ran our tours, it seemed fitting that we chose a local charity based there. We chose to donate to M’Lop Tapang, a local non-profit organisation that is based in Sihanoukville. […]
Motorcycle Tour Tips – Getting the Best from your adventure So you’ve finally decided to do it. You’ve always wanted to go on a motorcycle tour and this year is the year it’s going to happen. But before you head out on the trip of a lifetime – hopefully with Ride Expeditions – here’s a […]
Adventure riding Basics – So you want to hit the dirt? Adventure bikes are the biggest selling sector of today’s motorcycle market. When once the dealerships would be stocked with race replicas and perhaps the odd sleek tourer bedecked with matching luggage, the showrooms are now packed to the gunwales with towering adventure machines, bristling […]
I first visited Peru and Bolivia in 2007. I mountain biked the infamous ‘death road’, ventured into the salt flats of Salar de Uyuni in a 4×4, floated onto Lake Titicaca and hiked into the Amazon. Peru and Bolivia remain two of my most favourite countries in the World and I can’t believe I’ve not […]
As you can imagine, covid was not kind to us in the tourism industry. The Patagonian tourism industry took an especially hard hit, with many hotels boarding up their doors & bike rental companies selling off their entire fleets. From our point of view, once you add inflated prices and motorcycle dealer supply issues into […]
RIDE EXPEDITIONS LTD October Greetings to all our readers & riders across the world! We’re having a blast over here in the World of Ride Expeditions, with 2 fantastic tours that ran simultaneously this month:the Tribal Trails dirt bike ride in Vietnam & the new Victoria Falls to Cape Town ride. LET’S GO TO ‘GONIA […]
Much like Arnie in the Terminator, we’re back! So far 2022 has been a strange old year for Ride Expeditions… running some tours (yay!), cancelling others (boo) raking in new bookings and dealing with complicated, ever changing travel restrictions. But with 2022 seeing our operations finally return, we’ve needed to rapidly grow our team (during the […]
Cambodia is where Ride Expeditions was born back in 2012. In fact, we started out as ‘Ride Cambodia’. My wife and I lived in Cambodia for the best part of 4 years while we were getting the company off of the ground and, needless to say, we just love the place! And we know it […]
Hello riders & readers! Well, after the recent record breaking temperatures felt across the UK, people may be excused for asking ‘Why go abroad?’ But as someone that is subscribed to our newsletter, the answer is simple. You’re not looking for lazy lounging ~ at least not all of the time ~ you’re looking for adventure! And guess […]
WHY HELLO THERE… Hope all is well in your world? From our side we’ve been busy bees, running rides from South Africa to South America. On a less exotic side of things, some of the UK team have been hanging out in a field in Warwickshire. As you do… ABR Festival 2022 has to have […]
BACK UP & RUNNING! A big hello to all our lovely riders & readers! We hope you’re well wherever you are and whatever you are up to. Starting as we mean to continue, 2022 has gotten off to a flying start. With an incredible 4 tours under our belt, we have already broken […]
MERRY CHRISTMAS SEASON TO YOU ALL! Hopefully you are enjoying the festive season so far, wether you are hitting up Christmas parties like a social butterfly or using Omicron as the perfect excuse to be a Grinch and stay home in your jammies drinking eggnog… Whatever floats your boat. Over here at Ride HQ […]
Happy Monday everyone! With another year of cancelled adventures almost behind us, we’re looking ahead to 2022 (I’m sure we were saying a similar thing last year, but seriously, 2022 has to be better right?!!) and we’ll be kicking off a brand new year in Colombia and Cambodia. With restrictions lifted and borders open, it seems […]
SOUTH AFRICA IS OFF THE NAUGHTY LIST! And as a British company, we can’t bloody wait! It’s finally been announced that South Africa has been removed from the dread list. No more travel ban, hotel quarantine or PCR tests for vaccinated Brits! For those of you riders able to travel to SA and keen for an […]
Where to begin? This newsletter is an especially exciting one for us, as for the first time in over 15 long months we have actually had a tour out! I know, we can scarcely believe it either. Not only that but we (over in Blighty) recently got the news regarding relaxed amber list country […]
FIRST OF ALL, A MASSIVE THANKS TO YOU! We’d like to start off by saying a big fat old ‘Thank You’ from the bottom of our bike boots to everyone who was so kind to donate to our fundraiser. With over £6,000 raised, the response was incredible and way beyond anything we had expected or […]
<!doctype html> Hello all! Before we get started – this isn’t one of our usual newsletters in which we give you updates on our tours. Instead we’d like to raise a little awareness to some causes which are close to our hearts – issues that are a result of, or worsened by, this relentless pandemic. […]
Whether Royal Enfields or dirt bikes are your thing, Colombia is an absolute gem!
Henk rides past a lion and soils himself, we barter our services, newest tour manager JC is initiated & we join AITO!
Henk is out planning Cape Town to Vic Falls, we're gearing up for the Prize Draw and we've just released a new adventure in Laos... it's all good!
Hello all, So, with most of us being confined to barracks for weeks on end then the DIY jobs should all be completed, you’ve probably got vastly fitter and healthier, learned a new language and taught yourself to play the clarinet. Or maybe you’ve not shaved for days, you live in pyjamas and are now drowning under pizza […]
So how are we all coping with the new normal? Staying indoors may be the right thing to do but being ordered to slob around at home isn’t as fun as you might think. Hopefully by now the bike has been fully serviced, the garage totally cleaned and organised, the lawn mowed within an inch […]
2020 Royal Enfield Himalayan… What’s new? Since the incredible and it has to be said, unexpected popularity of Ewan Mc Gregor and Charley Boorman’s Long Way Round TV series in 2004 and the subsequent repeat on the BBC in 2008, adventure motorcycling has enjoyed an amazing upward trajectory. Today almost every mainstream manufacturer has at […]
Morning All Well, the world is a pretty different place since our last newsletter as we all struggle to adapt to the rapidly changing reality caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While in many places it might still be possible to get out on the bike for a ride, it’s pretty clear that the changes to […]
FIRST LOOK So on first glance at the new bike, it would be easy to think that beyond a capacity to hike from 1,000 from 1,100 cc, that Honda have done very little to the new Africa Twin. A bit wider maybe, a bit of a cosmetic tweak, but otherwise nothing special. Yet that is […]
Off-Road Adventure Bike Riding – 10 Basic Tips… So you’ve bought yourself an adventure bike and you are thinking about venturing off-road for the first time. And why not? Your bike is capable of tackling some pretty challenging terrain so it would be a shame not to explore away from the tarmac. But before you […]
Good morning All It’s been a month since our last update and since then the world seems to have gone a bit mad. Corona virus has brought China to a standstill and it’s evident that the effects have been felt all over the world. In the UK, biblical storms have been lashing the country from […]
Cambodia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, so as you can imagine, for us, riding motorcycles in Cambodia is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Even after years of experiencing all it has to offer, this country still gets us all hot under the collar every time we touch down at the […]
Good morning all and welcome to a brand-new decade! Hard to imagine it’s 2020 – seems only yesterday we were worrying about the Millennium Bug! But before we head down too much of a nostalgic route and say things like ‘I remember when all this was just fields’ it’s time to launch into the new year. […]
Riding a motorcycle in the Himalayas is something very special. Carving through stunning scenery to the thump of a Royal Enfield motor is the most wonderful way to explore the amazing landscapes in this incredible region – no wonder our Himalayan Heights, Valley of the Gods & Himalayan Escape tours have been the best sellers […]
If you are new to off road riding, it can be a daunting experience even for the most experienced road rider. Riding away from the tarmac requires a whole new skill set that doesn’t come naturally, and that can be a big shock when you go out for the first time, especially if the rest […]
Hello and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our readers and riders! Well it’s been a fantastically busy year for Ride Expeditions. We’ve expanded into South America riding a recce tour and then running the first full customer tour in Colombia this October, and after a similar recce tour in Mongolia we’ve got […]
Mongolia is the latest destination to be added to Ride Expeditions’ growing list of hand crafted motorcycle tour destinations. The ‘Warrior’s Trail’ will offer our customers an incredible opportunity to explore this amazing country. It’s a unique place that we want to share with you. But let’s cut to the chase – what are our […]
Riding a motorcycle is a truly life affirming experience. Compared to the confines of a family saloon, exploring the world on two wheels offers a totally immersive and involving experience that simply cannot be matched. At Ride Expeditions, we’re lucky enough to ride some of the best roads in the world and have a chance […]
KTM 790 ADVENTURE VS YAMAHA TENERE 700… So they are the two most eagerly awaited bikes to ever hit the adventure market. From the Austrian giant KTM – their all-new 790 Adventure and Adventure R promised to revolutionise the sector, whereas for Yamaha, the Tenere 700 had to continue a proud heritage of a bike […]
Morning All It’s a bright and crisp November morning in the UK, there’s a sprinkling of frost in the air and there are floods all over. Over in South Africa it’s the complete opposite with baking sunshine and tinder dry trails to ride, and the team have just got back from the epic Cape Crusader […]
Wearing proper boots when on a motorcycle is important. As the part of your body that is closest to the ground, your feet are going to be first to make contact if things go wrong so they need to be up to the job. But for adventure trips they need to do so much more […]
KTM chose the enormous EICMA in Italy show to finally reveal the smallest addition to their travel range – the much rumoured and highly anticipated KTM 390 Adventure. With design cues clearly taken from the KTM 790 Adventure released earlier this year, the bike is the company’s first model to target the small adventure bike […]
Hi Everybody, Another month slips by effortlessly like a gear change on a BMW R1250 GSA with a quick-shifter, and now we’re already waist deep into October. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the clocks are about to go back and plunge us into long dark evenings once more, whereas you lucky people […]
So you are going on a big trip on your bike and you need some carrying capacity to hold all those travel essentials for your trip. But which should you choose – Hard Luggage or Soft Motorcycle Luggage? Ride Expeditions looks what you should consider before making your decision and then what options you should […]
You would think that motorcycle manufacturers would be pretty good at designing something as simple as a pair of footpegs for your brand new and extremely expensive motorcycle. And yet often what you get looks like a school metalwork project, and as for any type of design or clever technology, you can forget it. Perhaps […]
If you do a lot of travelling on your motorcycle, you tend to get good at packing. You know to travel light, you know to bring things to make life nicer, you know to pack your toolkit. But what about those bits that don’t appear on any list, but you always need. Those tiny little […]
Good Morning Campers and welcome to the September Newsletter. In the UK the best of the summer is fading away like the morning dew as we slip gently into the the russet glory of autumn. And with still plenty of riding to be done from Cambodia to Colombia before the end of the decade, it’s […]
Yamaha Tenere 700 Review… It must be one of the most hotly anticipated bikes ever, but the all new Yamaha Tenere 700 is finally here and in Europe at least, in the dealerships. But has the bike been worth it – have Yamaha pulled a rabbit from the hat and produced the bike everyone wanted? […]
Trying to find the perfect tyres for your bike is always a problem. Whether you are looking for road tyres for your sports bike or off-road rubber for your dirt bike there’s a bewildering array of choices out there. For an adventure bike you are looking for a tyre that will offer great grip on […]
Sooner or later you are going to treat yourself to some decent waterproof riding kit. You’ve been relying on a cobbled together collection of old jackets, second-hand trousers and ex-army Goretex for years and you know that none of it actually keeps out the water on a long ride. So if you are finally ready […]
A few years back, KTM decided that the ideal dirt bike would have the power characteristics of a 450 with the weight and agility of 250. The resultant 350 cc machine was a truly revolutionary motorcycle and in the extremely capable of Antonio Cairoli, it was unbeaten in every year it was used in the […]
KTM don’t do half measures. So when they decided to design a new adventure bike they were always going to come up with something pretty special. The KTM 790 Adventure and Adventure R take the sector to new levels of off-road capability. By combining the manufacturers vast experience in off-road riding with the practicality of […]
Wearing proper boots when riding a motorcycle is always a smart move. But wearing proper boots when riding off-road is not just smart- we’d say it’s essential. Yet when motocross style boots feel heavy and cumbersome for trail and adventure riding, maybe there is an alternative? The Alpinestar Corazal Adventure Drystar boots look like a […]
Hello everybody – it’s mid-August and time for another newsletter to keep you updated on all the activity within Ride Expeditions’ world. In South Africa the office is a tad underpopulated as most of the team is dotted about across northern India where there’s a fair smattering of snow in the higher passes. This comes […]
If you’ve got an enduro, trail or adventure bike, chances are that it doesn’t have a centre stand. And while you might be able to buy and fit one, that just adds more weight and clumsy metalwork under the bike and reduces your ground clearance. So how do you get the wheel off the ground […]
Maintenance on your bike’s brakes is important. If you can’t stop when you’re heading to a massive drop-off out on the trails or when a car is pulling out on you, then the consequences could be terrible. So if your stoppers are not working as well as they should, it’s time to spend some quality time […]
When you are going on a short riding trip, knowing what to pack is always a challenge. And if you are going on a lightweight off road bike it’s even harder. With far less places to load kit and far less luggage options available then you have to be smart about what you decide to […]
Taking luggage on an off-road bike is always tricky. It needs to be pretty well put together to withstand the rigours of bouncing around for hours on end, but it also needs to be light enough to leave your handling unaffected. If that weren’t enough to ask, it needs to be quick and easy to […]
Hello all and welcome to our June Newsletter. It’s the height of summer in the UK and so far, it’s stopped raining for at least three hours in the last month. After the tropical temperatures last year, we’ve been spoiled, so the constant and torrential rain is beginning to grate a tad on the nerves. […]
If the engineers at BMW know the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” they certainly don’t adhere to that rule. The truly incredible BMW R 1200 GS Adventure has achieved phenomenal sales and legions of fans across the world, keeping it as the ‘go to’ adventure bike from Perth to Pittsburgh. So when […]
You’ve got to hand it to Yamaha. As the only Japanese manufacturer to keep any two-strokes in their model line up, they’ve kept faith with a large proportion of the motorcycle community. OK so the basics of the YZ250 and YZ125 haven’t altered a great deal in over a decade, but they constantly manage to […]
If you come from a dirt bike riding background, then the chances are that you still ride with goggles. Adventure helmets might have changed the goalposts with integral tinted lenses and wide clear visors and they perform very well on the trail, but you really can’t beat the protection and feel of a good set […]
Finding the right riding jacket can be a pain. What works for the road doesn’t necessarily work for the trail, they’re either too hot or too cold and finding one that actually lives up to the promise of being waterproof is like finding the Lord Lucan holding the Holy Grail while sat on Shergar. But […]
Ride Report: Namibian Recce – Sun, Sand and Stars The Ride Expeditions team recently returned from an epic recce trip to Namibia – an incredible country with enormous landscapes, wonderfully friendly people and exquisite food. Little wonder we want to run motorcycle tours in Namibia as soon as we can! Here’s what Tour Manager Charl Neethling […]
May 2019 Newsletter Another month goes by and with the weather in the UK slowly getting warmer, it’s getting into prime riding time back here and Julian’s struggling to find time to split between his burgeoning bike collection. At the Ride Expeditions base in sunny Cape Town there’s little change to the glorious sunshine, but […]
The KTM 2020 Enduro machines were revealed to a waiting world at the launch in Spain this week. With the changes to the motocross bikes happening last year, the new enduro models got the full treatment for 2020 with a raft of changes across the entire bike. If you’ve heard the phrase ‘Trigger’s Broom’ then […]
If you are new to off-road riding, then you’ll be very quickly aware that riding away from the blacktop is completely different to riding on the dirt. So in an effort to assist, we’ve compiled a list of 10 quick ways improve your off road riding. You don’t need to do all of them all […]
The 2020 KTM motocross range was revealed last week, with images popping up across the globe. Predictably, as with sister brand Husqvarna, the changes to the new season bikes are extremely limited as last year saw the major changes across the entire SX range. So what do you get for your new bike? Well the […]
In the yearly tradition that seems to happen earlier and earlier, the images of the new bikes from sister brands Husqvarna and KTM were released. With most of the big changes happening for the 2019 model in the motocross range, the 2020 Husqvarnas have only had a smattering of upgrades, and a bit of a […]
If you trail ride a lot, you are going to be using your clutch a lot. And over a long day in the saddle, that’s going to start to hurt. So what if you could reduce the effort on clutch lever action by 75% and be able to use just one finger to do it […]
Choosing the correct luggage for a bike trip is important, and when it comes to backpacks it’s essential. So that’s why we really like the GIVI Waterproof backpack. It’s a simple and well designed bag that does exactly what it is supposed to do. And when you are on an big trip – that matters! […]
Good Morning one and All! It’s officially Spring – the clocks have gone back, the daffodils are out and air is definitely warmer – what a time to be alive! OK apologies to our Southern Hemisphere readers for whom Autumn is probably just beginning, but if you’re in Australia, this probably means it’s just hot […]
After a low profile reveal at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show, the Honda CR Electric prototype motocross bike unexpectedly broke cover in Japan this weekend. With a chassis looking very largely from the existing CRF range and a motor from Honda’s high-tech offshoot company Mugen, it’s an amazingly finished looking product. THE ALL-NEW CRF LOOKS FANTASTIC […]
The Dakar Rally is on the move again – and this time it’s heading to the Middle East! From 2020. the infamously tough rally will turn it’s back on South America – it’s home for ten years – and head to the endless sands of Saudi Arabia. GOODBYE PERU – HELLO SAUDI – Image Marcin […]
When you spend a lot of time on a motorcycle, having the right kit matters. And that’s why were pleased to have the latest addition to the wardrobe in the form of the LS2 Nimble Road Trousers, part of the all-new clothing range released in late 2018. Despite the odd name – the brochure actually […]
If you are anything like us, you can’t have too many pairs of bike gloves. From chunky winter road gloves to gossamer thin summer motocross gloves, we’ve got a box full of options. But the latest addition to our riding kit is the oddly named 100% Brisker gloves. NOW THAT’S A COOL LOOKNG GLOVE RACING […]
So it’s been a few weeks since you got out on the bike. You’ve been busy at work, family life takes over – we know the drill. When you finally get a moment to fire up the dirt bike and head out for a day’s trail ride, there’s a tendency to just splash in the […]
Hello everyone once again – it’s March and time for our second Newsletter of the year. In the UK the tiny shoots of spring are beginning to appear, which is maybe all the fresh greens we will have to eat if we don’t sort out some kind of deal with Europe by the end of […]
With adventure bikes topping the sales charts worldwide, then it’s no surprised that adventure helmets are enjoying a similar surge in popularity. And with flip front helmets also on trend, the Premier X – Trail MO Flip Front adventure helmet ticks all the boxes. We had to give it a try … HEADS UP THE […]
After over two years in development and an endless stream of half-launches and reveals, you can finally buy a Yamaha T7 Tenere. And what’s more, it you are quick about, you can even score and additional discount on the already super-cheap £8699 price tag. Looks like the wait has been worth it And fresh off […]
It’s early February, so it must be time for the MCN London 2019 Motorcycle Show. Held under the high ceilings of the vast Excel in the capital’s Docklands, it’s a packed hall filled of motorcycling trinkets from new bikes and new kit, to project builds and vintage metal. Ride Expeditions put on the old school […]
We love dirt bikes and we love a properly done custom build, so this stunning Africa Four from Honda dealers Brivemo Motos is ticking all our boxes – it’s a beauty! Taking inspiration from Hondas all-conquering Africa Twin, the mechanics at the Swiss dealership have created a monster scrambler, and what’s more they’ve made it […]
Your dirtbike’s seat has a hard time. From the endless wear from your butt moving back and forward while riding and the regular slathering in mud and dust, to the inevitable jet washing at the end of the day to shift all that clag, its a tough life. So with the upholstery on the Ride Expeditions […]
No matter how much you look after your bike, components are going to wear out. And while it’s easy to see how your tyres or brake pads are wearing, then things like bearings are a tad more tricky. On the Ride Expeditions KTM EXC250, the rear suspension was beginning to feel decidedly off-colour. It was […]
Finding the right bike jacket is a tough job. You want something that makes you look as cool as hell, but keep you as warm as toast on those chilly winter rides. That’s why the all new LS2 Bond Textile Jacket is ticking all our boxes in the Ride Expeditions test HQ. It could very […]
Well Hello all and welcome to the January 2019 Newsletter So – did you manage the whole dry January or maybe you even went the whole nine yards and tried the awkwardly named Veganuary. From our side we did manage to lose a bit of Christmas timber and cut back on the Egg Nogs so […]
So you’ve bought yourself a bike and you’re keen to explore its full potential by entering a rally. And then you read the words – Roadbook Navigation and your brain goes straight into panic mode, imagining you’ve inadvertently sighed up to some Dakar style nightmare. ‘It’s too complicated’ – ‘I can’t manage all that’ – […]
The Dakar 2019 rally proved to be every bit as epic and dramatic as anyone could have hoped. From the terrible disappointment of mechanical failures for Ricky Brabec and Adrien Van Beveren when so close to victory, to the astounding grit and determination of Toby Price riding through intense pain to secure the win. And […]
In a display of gritted determination and riding skill, Australia’s Toby Price took a historic second victory at the 2019 Dakar Rally. His win for KTM came despite riding with a broken scaphoid, and gives the Austrian brand it’s 18th victory on the bounce. The 450 Rally machine which Price was pilotting has given the […]
Wearing proper protection when riding a motorcycle is essential – if things go wrong you need to know what you are wearing will prevent or at least reduce the severity of injuries. And if you ride off-road on trail or adventure bikes then the same is true – that’s why there’s been a Thor Sentinel […]
Another year passes and we’re already well into 2019. But ask yourself – did you really make the most of last year? Did you take that bike out as much as you wanted? Or did you spend more time aimlessly browsing Social media and Bench racing? Yep – we know the truth. So it’s time […]
Choosing the correct tyre for your motorcycle can be a difficult process. Whether you’ve got a sleek sportsbike or a monster adventure machine, there’s no shortage of options out there, and just about everyone has a different opinion on what’s best. But when it comes to trail riding, we’re big fans of the Maxxis Trial […]
If you thought the Husqvarna offer was good, KTM have matched it with their own 20% off offer in the UK which covers selected enduro and youth bikes, but not the motocross machines as in 2018. The Orange giant has slashed the prices on 11 machines in their line up, from the diminutive 50 cc […]
Good Morning All and Happy Christmas to all our loyal readers It’s been another busy month for the Ride Expeditions team and it brings yet another phenomenally successful year for our tours to an end. We’ve taken riders all over Asia from India to Laos, we’ve launched our all-new and totally awesome Cape Crusader Adventure […]
Husqvarna have fully embraced the Christmas spirit in the UK, announcing a fantastic ‘VAT free’ offer saving a massive 20% on certain models in their off-road range. The offer applies to the entire 2019 enduro catalogue from the punchy 250s right up to the 500cc monster, and if you’ve got rugrats to look after, all […]
We all know that Christmas is a time for family, but there’s no need to forget your bike! When you are faced with a week of lolling around stuffing your face with chocolate coins and mince pies and being nice to distant relatives, it’s good to have a plan to keep you sane and give […]
Across the world, the interest in retro-styled motorcycles and riding kit continues to grow. From top end brands like Triumph and BMW, tiny manufacturers like Mash and Herald or those uber-cool custom builders creating street scramblers in back yard sheds, retro is in right now. And if that’s your thing, the all new LS2 XTRA […]
Not content with revealing their stunning CRF450L Rally concept, Honda also chose the recent EICMA show to bring out another equally gorgeous concept bike. Despite it’s somewhat downbeat moniker, the CB125X Adventure bike is a fantastically designed and futuristic looking motorcycle. The machine uses the engine from the brand’s popular learner-legal sports bike the CB125R, […]
It’s show season and after the glitz and glamour of Intermot and EICMA in mainland Europe, it was the turn of the Birmingham NEC to play host to the freshest newest bikes at Motorcycle Live 2018. Ride Expeditions took along the Box Brownie to capture the new metal and the classic iron. From the KTM […]
While the motorcycle world were in a whirl of excitement over the much awaited launch of the production versions of the Yamaha T7 Tenere and the KTM 790 Adventure at the EICMA show, Honda used the occasion to slip in a rather beautiful and arguably more adventure-ready concept bike. The Honda CRF450L Rally is based on […]
Wearing proper protection when you are riding is important. From choosing the right helmet to picking the correct boots, preventing injuries before they happen makes sense. So that’s why we are big fans of the Leatt Dual Axis Knee and Shin Guards. LEATT KNEWW AND SHIN GUARDS. Image Leatt BRACES OR PADS? OK when […]
KTM chose the EICMA motorcycle show to reveal production models of not one but two production versions of their new KTM 790 Adventure. The new bikes join an already strong line up in KTM’s adventure bike model line up, and with the brands unrivalled off-road racing heritage, the bike is certain to prove popular. THE […]
After years of pre-production prototypes, teaser videos and fleeting appearances around the world, Yamaha finally revealed the production version of the Yamaha T7 Tenere at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan this week. The launch was accompanied by a slightly bizarre cinematic quality video showing a test rider belting around a remote desert following clues […]
Good morning to all our readers and followers across the planet. It’s been a while since we updated you on what’s going on in our world, so we better change that. We’ve got new tours, new recce rides, the tour season in South East Asia is underway and perhaps most importantly Anna saved a tortoise! […]
Triumph have launched their all new 1200cc Scrambler, a fantastically styled retro machine that harks backs to the brand’s history in British off-road racing. The bike is to be released in two different versions. the 1200 XC and the 1200 XE. The Triumph 1200 Street Scrambler will feature the latest generation 1200cc fuel injected, liquid […]
We love India. From the incredible peace and beauty of the Himalayan landscapes to the frenetic and intoxicating atmosphere of New Delhi, it’s a country that has to be visited to be believed and experienced properly. And when it comes to riding motorcycles on this vast and diverse country, the same is true. Riding on […]
With an unasailable hold on the big bike market, it was inevitable that BMW would want a slice of the emerging market for lightweight adventure bikes. Step up the BMW G310 GS, a small but perfectly formed younger sibling to the world-conquering R1200 GS. But with manufacturing transferred from Bavaria to Bangalore, can the entry […]
OK so you’re reading the blogs on the Ride Expeditions website, so there’s a fair chance that you absolutely love bikes. Like some kind of depraved addict, all your spare cash and time goes into supporting your habit – searching out the next hit of motorcycling junk. And we’re just the same – when we’re […]
The chain on the sprockets on your bike are integral to the way it performs. You cannot expect to get the best out of that finely tuned motor if you don’t look after the bits that convert all that power into forward motion. Yet a swift look round your average bike park will reveal a […]
The end can on your dirt bike’s exhaust system has a miserable life. It gets bashed, scraped, scratched, clouted and generally abused every time you go out on the trails. But that length of alloy is a precision designed item, carefully crafted to get the best performance out of your motor. And as time goes […]
At Ride Expeditions we’re big fans of base layers. Whether we’re road riding or venturing onto the rough stuff, they are the first bit of kit we reach for. Having used Alpinestar base layers for the past few years, we wanted to try the latest generation of technical clothing, so we headed for the Forcefield […]
MOTORCYCLES, MAGAZINES and MUCH,MUCH MORE … Hello Everyone – the sun’s out the weather is hot and there’s a dirt bike in the garage ready to go – life is sweeter than a sugarlump! It’s been a busy time since last month’s Newsletter. The Himalayan Heights season is in full swing, the South African office […]
With adventure bikes taking over the entire motorcycling market, Ride Expeditions could not ignore the trend. We’ve just launched big bike tours in South Africa. and on the domestic front we’ve been fettling a Yamaha Tenere for use on and off the roads. The bike has precious little crash protection fitted as standard save for […]
Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it, this is a genuine offer. Ride Expeditions are offering a free place on all their Cambodian trail riding tours – and all riders have to do is round up six of their mates and the seventh place is completely free. Finally, being the guy that organises all […]
So you’ve finally decided to pull the pin and book up for the trip of a lifetime. You’ve got your holiday on the wall planner at work, your flights have all been booked and paid for, and perhaps most importantly, your ‘significant other’ has given you the green light. It’s all systems go for an epic […]
Ok Ok, so we know it’s not newsletter time but we’re so excited about this news that we can’t wait to get the word out… OUR FIRST AFRICAN ADVENTURE IS HERE No your eyes aren’t deceiving you, our first African tour is indeed ready and waiting – all it need’s now are a few adventurous […]
MOUNTAINS AND MOTORCYCLES ACROSS THE WORLD Good morning all and welcome to a summer of fantastic riding. Oh, and for those in the Southern Hemisphere, we hope that your winter is allowing you to get out on the bikes and on the dirt as much as we are. The trails are sweet, the tarmac is […]
Now we all like a good hack. No, not a lung shaking early morning cough, but a bit of simple and inexpensive genius that makes life that little bit better. Our first list of Trail riding hacks went down so well, that we asked our tame trail monkey Julian to come up with ten more nuggets from […]
OK so you’ve made the decision. After years with just cars on the drive, you’ve taken the leap of faith to finally pass your bike test and buy that motorcycle you’ve always promised yourself. But wait just a moment – while your four-wheeled box might have thrived with little more than a car wash and a service […]
After many successful years of offering tours in South East Asia, from riding Enfields in the Himalayas to Hondas in Laos and Kawasakis in Cambodia, Ride Expeditions today announced plans to expand their operations and offer two brand new tours in their new home base of South Africa.
Wheel bearing replacement on a dirt bike is an occupational hazard. On road bikes you can go years without ever needing to think about replacements, but once you venture off road it’s a different story. The constant bashing from the terrain coupled with the additional vibration when those knobbies are on the tarmac means that […]
Good morning all and welcome to the May 2018 Newsletter. It’s been a busy time for the Ride Expeditions team with all the behind the scenes logistics for the forthcoming tours. OK so this might not be as exciting as blasting through the landscape, but it’s all the attention to detail that makes the difference! […]
KTM Reveal 2019 – KTM revealed their 2019 MY Enduro machines this week, but with most of the big changes with new engines and then fuel injected two strokes happening in the last two years, the new models have been only mildly tweaked from the 2018 versions. The biggest and most obvious change is to […]
If you can’t afford the latest box-fresh metal in the showroom, fitting new dirt bike graphics is a quick and easy way to refresh your bike and give it an instant facelift – and it’s only going to cost you for just a couple of hundred pounds rather than seven thousand … Here’s how to install dirt […]
Go back ten years and the paddocks and car parks of every enduro event and trail ride would be filled with a sea of orange. From 125s to 500s KTMs were the bike of choice. But things have changed, and now if somebody arrives on a new bike, chances are that it will be white and what’s […]
Armed with a fresh Yamaha Tenere, a set of inappropriate tyres and a lot of trail riding to be done on the Trans Euro Trail, we splashed the cash on a new set of hoops to take on the terrain. Would the Mitas E09 offer the right combination of on-road confidence and off-road prowess? FITTED WITH METZELLER […]
Morning all – it’s that time again so we thought we should update you on everything that’s been happening in our world. It’s the March 2018 Newsletter! Our New South African office is a hubbub of activity with Devon, Nawaal and Anna beavering away under the watchful eye of the new office dog Roscoe the Staffy. Despite […]
Yamaha entered the electric bike arena with a small bang this week, revealing their all-new and rather beautiful Yamaha TY-E a fully electric trials bike. Bearing the iconic TY moniker harks back to the brand’s early trials models, and with the new machine Yamaha are setting their sights on the FIM’s Trial-E Cup. https://youtu.be/otuI3HI0U2E The new bike […]
The internet is a wonderful thing – at the tap of just a few keys all the combined knowledge of the world pops up in front of you. From how to change the oil filter on a 1996 Africa Twin to the best ways to survive deep water crossings on a motorcycle. You can buy everything from a 10 […]
So you’ve bought yourself an shiny new adventure bike and bucking the trend of owners across the globe, you’ve decided to take it on an off-road adventure. But is it just a question of loading up the kit and heading off into the sunset – just like trail riding but with heaps more power and […]
Yamaha chose Queensland in Australia for the latest in the protracted pre-production teases of their all-new T7 Tenere. The new Tenere has been shown across the world at shows and events in various stages of development, but as yet the final production model has yet to be launched. But this week Yamaha Australia released these stunning images […]
A puncture is one of the most frustrating things that can ruin a ride on the bike. Whether you run over a rogue screw on the road or a massive thorn out on the trails, the moment it happens your day takes a down turn. For off-road riders, there are options to minimise or completely […]
The London Motorcycle Show set up camp again in the vast barn that is ExCel in the Capitals Docklands area. It’s a smaller show than the annual Motorcycle Live show, but with so many motorcyclists living in and around the South East of the country – not to mention lots with plenty of cash to spend – […]
It’s hard to believe, but the Yamaha Tenere was lunched a staggering 35 years ago back in 1983. Copying the styling of the Paris-Dakar bikes, the bikes were an acquired taste restricted fairly well to the off-road aficionados, rather than the mainstream motorcycle market. The big single cylinder engine had its roots back with Yamaha’s […]
Welcome to a windswept, cold and rainy February. In the UK the temperature refused to budge from ‘bloody cold’ for almost two months, but elsewhere in the world there are no such issues. Our Cambodian tours are in full swing with Toby leading hordes of eager trail riders across the country in a variety of […]
Following hot on the tails of the burgeoning Adventure bike market, helmet manufacturers across the world are producing a staggering array of similarly rufty-tufty Adventure style helmets to tempt would-be globe trotters. From top end brands like Arai and Shoei to the budget marques in the internet superstores, the choice is wide. With a new […]
Electric vehicles are becoming an increasingly common sight on our roads, from the self-satisfied hum of a Toyota Prius to the swish of a high-end Tesla. And now if you want to add a dirt bike to that list, you can spend your money on the new CAKE Kalk, a stylish and minimal off-road machine due […]
With Dakar 2018 all done and dusted, here’s a chance to look back at the awesome racing and astounding effort of the riders. From Van Beveren’s early lead and heartbreaking crash to Mattias Walkner’s first win to maintain KTM’s seemingly unassailable dominance of the event. The video is a truly epic piece of work, summing […]
When it comes to off-road boots, there’s an enormous range to tempt the rider’s wallet. From super-soft trials boots and chunky adventure models to stormtrooper style motocross footwear. But picking the right one can be tricky, requiring a real honest analysis of what type of riding you are going to be doing, and what type […]
When the cold weather sets in, it’s all too easy to park up the bike and go into hibernation mode until the sun makes a return. Faced with ice on the ground and gloomy weather reports on the TV, it can all too tempting to close the garage door, whack up the central heating and […]
It’s the New Year – traditionally a time to throw out the old and bring in the new. But when it comes to your dirt bike, trading in the faithful hack for something brand new and shiny really isn’t necessary, it’s just time for a motorcycle makeover! IT MIGHT BE A BIT GRUBBY, BUT A […]
Exploring the world on a motorcycle is, to our minds, one of the best ways to spend your time. Combining your love of riding bikes with experiencing new countries and meeting people from all corners of the globe means that adventure travel knocks a boring beach holiday into a cocked hat as far as we’re concerned. And […]
In among the massive stands of the global manufacturers, a stand showing off hand-made motorcycles from Bolton should not have got a look in. Yet at last year’s show when the original concept was launched and again at the 2017 incarnation of Motorcycle Live, the CCM Spitfire was garnering more interest than anything from Honda, KTM or […]
Seasonal Greetings to all our loyal readers across the world. In the UK, the first flurries of snow have just fallen, giving a light sugar frosting to the landscape as cars slide into each other in the rush hour traffic – it’s like a real-life Christmas card out there. Not that our esteemed leader would […]
OK so you’ve taken the plunge and you are off on an epic motorcycle adventure. For a few weeks you are going to be immersed in motorcycling from dawn until maybe well past dusk. It’s the trip of a lifetime and naturally you want to get the most out of the experience. ADVENTURE TRAVEL – […]
Never mind a neck brace – go back thirty years and the idea of going trail riding with anything more protective than a helmet and a jacket would seem absurd. Yet as protective gear has become lighter, better designed and easier to wear then the tables have turned. Now it’s rare to see anyone out […]
Every November the motorcycle Industry heads to Birmingham for the annual celebration of biking that is Motorcycle Live. Spread over multiple halls in the vast NEC and including a free FMX show, it’s a chance for the British public to see the latest offerings from the manufacturers, fresh from their debuts at the EICMA show. […]
Adventure motorcycle tours – book up for a guided tour or go solo and organise everything yourself? It’s always the hot question across the motorcycle forums – and it divides the community like Marmite. The purists will say that the only way to explore is to go it solo and tackle the world single handed, […]
OK so if you are a seasoned dirt rider, then you know you Castrol R from your Belray, your WRF from your EXC. But what if you are new to off-road riding – what if this is the first time you’ve owned a dirt bike? Well obviously you want a definitive guide to everything you […]
OK so your bike’s looking and feeling a bit tired. You want to show it a bit of love but funds are tight. So what’s the best way you could throw just £100 on your bike and make a significant difference? We’ve chosen half a dozen upgrades for you, each of which come in at […]
It’s our second photo gallery from the Hard Alpi Tour organised by Over2000riders.com, sponsored by Yamaha, Garmin and host of other adventure companies . Part one is here The 800 km long event draws riders and their adventure bikes from all over Europe and the world to ride the route from Sanremo to Sestriere, riding a route that slices along the vast […]
On September 8th, the small city of Sanremo was the scene of an invasion. Hundreds of fully loaded adventure bikes and riders descended on the stylish Italian riviera resort for the infamous Hard Alpi Tour organised by Over200riders.com. With sponsorship from Yamaha, Garmin and host of other adventure companies it’s a pretty massive event – they even had the […]
In an ideal world we’d all have a selection of brand new bikes in our garage. From the latest dirt missile to the most powerful adventure bike on the market, they’d be lined up in the man-cave, box fresh and ready to ride. But back in the real world, we can’t all afford to fork […]
Greetings from the Ride Expeditions Summer HQ high in the hills above Manali. The riding season is in full swing and we’re busier than hive full of bees on Ritalin. Toby and Anna are overseeing the legions of riders booking and arriving for our tours. Pete and the team are darting about all over the […]
Thanks to the phenomenal sales of our 2017 tours, we’re looking to expand into new tours and new countries for the 2018 season. And you can help. In mid October we’ll be setting off on a scouting and filming trip riding from India to Nepal. This will be a true pioneering experience with plans being […]
With the entire motorcycle industry falling over itself to conquer the Adventure bike market, it came as no particular surprise to see yet another contender in the ring. But can the Royal Enfield Himalayan hope to square up to the big boys in the showroom? Ride Expeditions headed to the Ladakh region of Northern India […]
Taking your bike off the blacktop and onto the trails is one of the best ways to enjoy yourself, but it can be tiring. And once the temperature starts to rise, the effects of physical exertion will be further increased for every degree on the thermometer. If you’re not careful a gentle bimble in the […]
If you want to take on a genuinely tough challenge, then riding a sidecar in the Welsh 2 Day Enduro could be just the thing for you. For the rider, you have to muscle an enormous three-wheel machine around some of the toughest terrain in the world. For the passenger, it’s a chance to dance […]
CLASSIC METAL – READY TO RACE The Welsh 2 Day Enduro is all about the latest bikes from the biggest manufacturers and the hottest riders, but beyond this the Twin Shock Class is just as keenly contested. Ride Expeditions took a trip round the Parc Ferme as the bikes were clocking in, to bring you […]
Honda CRF250X Review… Off-road bikes have changed. Where once you could choose from a wide range of genuinely capable trail bikes from the four big Japanese manufacturers, now the sector has become a fierce battleground of incredible enduro machines, all of them made in Europe. Yet despite this, Honda’s trusty CRF250X continues to sell by the […]
When you are going out on your bike, either on the dirt or the black top, it’s good to have some snacks in your backpack. Whether it’s just to tide you over ’till a full meal at lunchtime or the end of the day, or to give you a boost of energy on the more strenuous […]
Good morning one and all. It’s been a while since our last newsletter, but we’ve all been so busy with the continued expansion of the Ride Expeditions portfolio that it’s hard to catch our breath! MORE RIDES, MORE RECCES AND NOW HORSES? Our tour numbers and customers for 2017 are at record levels with hordes […]
Whether you are a newbie to motorcycling or a seasoned veteran, the kit you wear on your bike matters. Aside from a taxi in Alepo, you’ve picked the most dangerous form of transport on the planet, so it pays to spend a bit of time thinking about what you put on before slinging a leg […]
OK so you want to have a go at trail riding, but don’t have a bike? What are your options? Well you could just jump in and buy a bike and hope it’s the right one and that you enjoy it. Or, if you are in the UK you could book yourself into an Enduro Experience […]
Riding motorcycles can be the best thing in the world. But when it goes wrong it can be the worst. Knowing what to do if one of your mates has a nasty off may be the difference between them making a full recovery from their injuries and a far worse outcome. We don’t want to be […]
OK so take a look round your garage. What do you see – a beautifully ordered workplace in which you can carry out accurate and precise maintenance to your bike? Or is it a dumping place for just about everything that the family don’t want in the house from welly boots to cycles, behind which is your […]
Is there anything better than a riding trip away with your mates? From mid-week rides on a day off work to weekend ride-outs, and even weeks away on the trails and back roads, it’s good to get away and twist the throttle. But if you are anything like the guys we ride with, packing is […]
After the runaway popularity of our initial twelve inconvenient truths of off – road riding, we thought we’d revisit the subject. It’s all very well telling our readers all the shiny and great bits about riding bikes, but what about the dark side? What about the things we all kind of know but put to the back […]
Australian helmet manufacturer VOZZ have released images and video of their ground breaking new helmet. The new helmet uses a unique rear access method for riders to put it on, and once clipped shut, no straps are needed to secure it in place. According to Managing Director Mark Bryant the new design has been certified for […]
Riding a motorcycle can be hard work. Whether you are muscling your adventure bike through a Moroccan desert or slogging your trail bike through axle deep mud in a forest in the middle of nowhere, it’s common for both you and the machine to get a tad hot under the collar. THE MIGHTY KTM 1090 […]
Morning all and welcome to the March edition of our newsletter. In the UK, the weather has just started to improve slightly so at least the rain is warmer now, and the clocks have gone forward, so that evening rides are a possibility once more. OK it’s not Vietnam in the sunshine, but for those […]
Crossing water on a motorcycle – A simple guide. Crossing water on a motorcycle, whether rivers, water splashes or just deep puddles is one of the regular features of off road riding. For some it’s an exciting thing and a chance to pit your skills against the unknown, for others it sends a chill running […]
If you are anything like us, you learned how to ride a bike quite a while ago. Perched on a little dirt bike in a field, your dad sat on the back and showed you how to let out the clutch while feeding in the throttle before progressing into how to change gear. And with […]
Honda have released images of the exquisite Rally version of their world-conquering Africa Twin. The new version in bristling with rally essentials, yet comes in an impressive 7 kg lighter than the stocker, but apparently with only a disappointing 5 bhp more, despite that stunning Termi exhaust and infinitely programmable mapping. The additional kit includes […]
Even before the possibility of buying Husqvarna, KTM’s domination of the enduro market was undeniable. From the highest echelons of world championship racing to the weekend warriors out on the trails, the world was orange. Turn up at any event, whether amateur or professional, and the field was around 75% KTM. This was market domination […]
Ok so we all know that riding bikes opens us up to all kinds of really nasty injuries. Whether self-inflicted or from the unwanted attentions of other vehicles, bits of the landscape or even other riders, the amount of harm we can do to ourselves is quite impressive. But way down on the scale from […]
Back in December, we ran a promotion with the Dave Thorpe Honda Off-Road Centre to win a free Enduro day in South Wales . All you had to do was send us an email to and we popped all the names into the hat. So, the draw was made at the end of January as […]
So what would happen if you took a perfectly good enduro bike and put it on an extreme diet? Well, chances are you’d come up with something not dissimilar to the Beta Xtrainer, a slimmed down, pared back and thoroughly well thought out enduro bike. But what you wouldn’t expect is for it to be […]
Every day Toby and the team bounce into the Ride Expeditions offices to bring the wonderful, flowery and thoroughly beautiful world of motorcycling alive through epic motorcycle tours. Sometimes life is so peachy, we’re even tempted to include a poetry section on our website to print the many poems that our loyal fans send in … […]
Motorcycling Australia – the organisation that controls all racing in the country, from road racing to motocross – recently announced their intention to crack down on the use of helmet cameras in all disciplines. It’s a move that has angered many, not least the riders who are sponsored by the manufacturers to run the hardware […]
In a sector where the design of bikes is becoming increasingly uniform, deciding to head in a completely different direction is a bold move. But that’s exactly what Honda have done with the Montesa 4Ride, building a bike that is neither enduro, trail or trial but has the potential to cope with all three disciplines […]
Off-Road Suspension : Getting the perfect Set-Up… As motorcycles get more and more complex, it’s easy to think that the science behind the suspension on your bike is almost too much to understand. Yet knowing how your suspension works and what effect the various adjustments have will help you get the best out of your […]
It’s January, it’s stupidly cold outside and your bank account is as empty as the Donald Trump book of Tact and Diplomacy. The bike is sitting unloved in the garage, drowned by a tide of recycling and domestic junk that accumulates over the off-season. You know that you should really be fettling away in preparation […]
Ah greetings our loyal readers As the shadows of 2016 slip into the distance, the bright new dawn of 2017 is upon us. The USA has installed Mr Trump to lead them, the UK is trying to leave a party that half the guests want to stay at, Australia’s Toby Price didn’t manage to win […]
When it comes to the off-road market, there are few real affordable trail bikes left. With showrooms dominated by enduro bikes costing in excess of seven grand in the UK, the SWM RS300R’s £5K price tag comes as a refreshing change. But with such a saving over the mainstream machines, does opting to go with the […]
One of the major points that lets down the look of an older bike is ugly and battered wheels. And it’s not just the outside that looks bad, chances are that the rims have started to corrode with years of sitting damp alongside mousses or tubes. Add in dodgy spokes and it’s time for a […]
Well, here we are again at the start of another year. The debris of the Christmas festivities is overflowing from the wheelie bin, and the batteries have all run out in the Christmas presents. If you are not careful, once the excitement of Christmas and New Year has passed, it’s easy to become distinctly morose […]
So where do you go if you want to try off road riding for the first time? Or maybe you need to take your enduro riding to the next level? Perhaps you just want to learn to ride somewhere it doesn’t hurt when you fall off. If you live in the UK, then the Yamaha […]
Want to book a fantastic day of riding the awesome Africa Twin at the Honda Adventure centre? Or maybe you fancy trying your hand at trail riding or motocross at the Dave Thorpe Off-Road Centre? Or maybe you are looking for a great Christmas gift? Whichever it is, you can get a massive discount if […]
On a frosty winter morning in December, there’s nothing better than dressing in a Santa outfit and going dirtbiking. Ride Expeditions joined in the fun, with our man Julian donning the red suit along with 40 other members of the Bristol TRF. After tea and bacon butties, the motley crew toured the streets of Keynsham, near […]
A couple of years on from the launch, just how good is Yamaha’s flagship enduro machine? Ride Expeditions took a trip to Wales to test the 2017 WRF450. NOW THAT IS ONE SWEET MO’CYCLE. Image YAMAHA YAMAHA WRF450 REVIEW In 2014, Yamaha became serious about enduro again. For years, they’d given us chunky and dependable […]
Seasons greetings everyone! As we slide gently towards the Christmas break and the ensuing festivities and ritual over-eating, here’s the latest update from the team at Ride Expeditions Ride Expeditions have had a cracking year, with a long list of successful tours, happy customers and best of all, time spent riding motorcycles. And the continued […]
Two-stroke vs Four-stroke : The Truth… It’s the question that goes round and round in circles. In clubs and paddocks across the world, proponents from both camps argue their corners passionately; each convinced that they are right. But what’s the real truth? Can you definitely say which makes the better dirt bike – two-stroke or […]
It’s show time in the UK, so Ride Expeditions went up to the NEC to witness the joys of Motorcycle Live 2016. Here’s the bikes and bits that took our eye … URAL COMB IN ARCTIC CAMO MODE GREAT LOOKS ON THIS 70’S INSPIRED CB1000 SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS? THE RATHER GOOD CCM GP450 YEP […]
KTM have released some fantastic shots of Toby Price’s bike for the 2017 Dakar Rally. Price dominated the 2016 event, winning five stages outright and took the overall victory by some 40 minutes. His achievement made him the first Australian to win any class at the Dakar and means he goes into the 2017 race […]
Last time we ran through a list of Guilty Pleasures, things we all enjoy but don’t like to admit it. Following on from this, this month we’re moving sideways into the geek zone. Because there are certain things about riding dirt bikes, certain little foibles we all have, silly mini-victories and secret pleasures that occur each […]
Hello everyone out there in email land and welcome to our first winter newsletter The temperature has dropped quicker than the resale value on a Chinese dirt bike, and in the UK at least, the joy of winter riding and smashing through frozen puddles is back on the agenda. Of course in Australia it’s probably […]
Ok, so you all know how things should be. There are enough magazine articles telling us what to eat, what to drink and how to train. We’ve been preached at about the threat to our sport from excessive noise, and warned about the dangers of poisonous substances. You all obviously know that it’s important to […]
Ah Autumn – seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness as 16th Century poet Keats put it. Well from our point of view you can forget all that and get out on the bikes. An Indian summer is firmly on the cards as the sun is still out on the trails and we are cramming in […]
The Adventure sector of the motorcycle industry is dominated by monsters. Both in terms of the bikes and the manufacturers, it’s the big beasts that have a stranglehold on the burgeoning market. Yet within this landscape, the tiny British firm CCM is the only company to produce a midrange adventure bike that is genuinely capable […]
In a widely publicised and live streamed press conference from the vast Intermot Motorcycle show, Austrian manufacturer KTM announced an all out assault onto the burgeoning adventure bike sector. Ditching the previous 1190 range entirely, the Orange Giant revealed models that split their 1290 platform into three distinct versions to effectively blanket bomb the sector […]
Husqvarna have issued a recall on a large number of their off-road bikes due to a problem with the front brake. The issue does not affect all 2017 bikes, so owners will need to check their frame numbers before calling up the dealers, but the manufacturer has confirmed that the problem affects bikes in the […]
OK so when it comes to choosing dirt bikes, we’ve all got our own preferences. Two stoke or four stroke,Japanese or European – it’s all open to debate. But when it comes to life hacks that make dirt biking that much easier, we all love a bit of low tech genius that instantly makes you think ‘Wow – […]
Sitting on top of the world in the Himalayas, looking out across the mountain range I thought to myself “We need more of this!”. Our Himalayan Heights tour of Northern India is simply awe-inspiring. This corner of the world is truly epic… and vast! By vast, I mean there are tens of thousands of kilometres still to be ridden. […]
Our long-awaited cross-border adventure will debut this coming January! Everything is all set to go, but Toby will be flying up to Northern Laos / Vietnam this December (before flying back to England for his first Christmas at home in 5 years!) to make some final checks on the route and ensure the new teams […]
So what is an adventure bike really? With the Adventure Motorcycle sector showing no sign of slowing down, the manufacturers from to Honda to Harley Davidson are keen to get a slice of the action. But is the name just a clever marketing tool? Can the likes of the mighty KTM1290 or BMW R1200GS really be seen as […]
Good Morning guys – Another month has slipped into the distance and it’s hard to believe we are now almost halfway through September (too soon to get the Christmas decorations down?). August has been a busy month for the team at Ride Expeditions, with tours, tests and training going on from North India to South Wales. So let’s […]
It’s 11 AM on a Friday morning and I’m ripping down a fire road at over 70mph. While the rest of the world is working hard on the last day of the week, I’ve got the bike in sixth, traction control off and as the 230 kilo machine flies over the brow of a hill in […]
If you’ve been trail riding for a number of years, you’ll be aware that far from the laid back recreational pursuit it pretends to be, the sport is riddled with unwritten rules. There’s rafts of do’s and do not’s that exist in every club and you’ll only know from riding with those guys through good […]
To say Honda’s relaunch of their iconic Africa Twin has been a success would be a massive understatement. And we mean massive as in smashing the bike sales charts from the moment it was released despite a particularly inconvenient earthquake delaying production at the Japanese factory. This bike has captured the zeitgeist that is Adventure motorcycling […]
We all know what it’s like at this time of the year. All the manufacturers have released their new and totally wonderful bikes that boast everything from dual power switches and fully adjustable fuel injection to reduced weight and optimised centre of gravity that makes your bike look like a fully loaded Honda Goldwing. When […]
Go back thirty or so years and this headline would make no sense whatsoever. You put inner tubes in your tyres and you ate mousse when you went somewhere posh for dinner. TUBES USED TO BE THE ONLY OPTION. Image Yamaha But fast-forward to the club meetings and racetracks across the world today, and the […]
KTM 250 EXC – Best Enduro Bike Ever Made? OK so as titles go, calling any machine the best ever is a bold claim. When there are hundreds of enduro machines to choose from, can we really justify selecting one as the ultimate bike? We think so. The KTM EXC has been in production for an […]
OK so it’s a familiar chain of events. You’ve been riding road bikes for years, but you’re beginning to think that just going out on sunny weekend dressed in full race leathers and on a bike that will do almost three times the speed limit isn’t as fun as it used to be. When the bike […]
OK so we all know that motocross is pretty dangerous, but it turns out that staying in a German hotel is actually more risky! After racing in the recent Czech GP, Husqvarna team mates Max Anstie ( above) and Conrad Mewse were involved in a horrific scene that could have come straight from a Hollywood […]
NEW LOGO! That’s right! There’s so many changes being made at Ride Expeditions we thought that it would be suitable to give us a fresh new look too. These times they are a changin’ NEW YEAR, NEW YOU? For most people, New Year can be a huge disappointment. No matter what you do, you’re always convinced everyone […]
If you are under 30, you’ll probably never ever heard of CZ. But if you are a tad older you probably have memories of the clunky, yet effective bikes that came out of Czechoslovakia. While never very popular as road bikes outside the former Eastern block countries, the bikes were much more commonly seen in […]
Adventure riding is different to trail riding. If you are heading across the world to take on your very first big adventure, then what you take is going to be significantly different to what you take on the local trails. As an adventure newbie, you might well be wondering what are the basic things you […]
Back in the day there was a wide range of trail bikes on the market. From the two stroke brilliance of Yamaha’s DTs to the mighty Honda XRs. If you wanted to go green you could head for the Kawasaki’s KDX or KLX range for your dose of off-road riding at the weekend and then […]
Just a few weeks after the release of the unsurprisingly similar KTM machines, the white arm of the orange giant released the all-new range of Husqvarna enduro machines. The new bikes were revealed in the spiritual home of the brand – Sweden – despite the clear fact that none of the production now takes place […]
Hi to everybody out there in motorcycle land. Here’s the latest edition of our newsletter, updating you on everything that’s happening in our world from new bikes to mad sheep… as you do. NEW TOUR DATE OVER NYE! Not sure what to do for New Years Eve this year? Want to get away for Christmas? Well we may […]
OK so this video has been all over social media in the past few days, stirring up all kinds of righteous indignation from apparently horrified bike riders. But is this situation as simple as just the car driver being out of order and the motorcyclist being a saint? We think not. Our man Julian is also […]
In an ideal world, you go out riding at the weekend, get seriously dirty, come back and wash the bike. But it’s rarely an ideal world and often you return far too late to bother cleaning your scoot. It’s work on Monday so by the time you break out the jet washer three days later, […]
It’s so easy with a car. You just throw as many clothes and kit that you’ll need into any old bag, sling it on the back seat and you’re good to go. From a trip to the coast to a trans-continental adventure, you don’t really have to worry about your luggage. It’s just pack and […]
In the world of off road helmets, Suomy is not the biggest hitter. With the top riders tending to reach for Airoh, Shoei or Arai as a default it can be difficult for smaller brands to get a foothold on this lucrative market. Yet, the company supplies helmets to none other than Romain Febvre, current World MX1 motocross […]
If you intend to start trail riding, you are going to need a toolkit packed with all the essentials. If you ride a road bike, you may be vaguely aware that languishing under your bike’s seat is an OEM toolkit. But because modern bikes are so damn reliable, these kits rarely get used, and are […]
Good morning guys and gals. We just thought we’d take the chance to update you on what’s happening in our world and hopefully, how you can be part of it. INDIA CALLING First off is the very fast apporaching Himalayan Heights trip. As many of you may already know, in both August and September we will be setting off on our […]
You have to pay for quality equipment whichever sport you take part in. From golf to cycling, fishing to archery the top kit costs the big bucks. And Raptor footpegs fit right in there in the top levels of kit for off-road riding. The British manufacturing firm is from far up north in the industrial […]
If you are going trail riding, you are going to need somewhere to carry kit. From tools to tubes, cameras to phones it all needs packing away somewhere safe and sound. You can carry a good proportion in a backpack like the Kreiga backpack , but you don’t want too much weight on your back if you […]
Taking luggage on dirt bikes is a pain. Road bike stuff is never strong enough and when you peer into your selection of old rucksacks and tired sports bags in the cupboard under the stairs you just know that none of it is going to last more than a mile strapped to the saddle of your […]
THE TCXs ARE A GREAT LOOKING BOOT. Image TCX Choosing the right boots to go riding is very important. While it is tempting to go for the full-on sexy stormtrooper look of the latest motocross boots from the likes of Alpinestars and Sidi, boots that were designed for the stadiums and GP tracks may not […]
The Risk Racing Palm Protectors are incredibly simple. But sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. With most off-road riders having hands that resemble a collection of blisters held together with leathery skin and ingrained dirt – it’s not a good look. But aside from the aesthetics of less than perfect hands, there are genuine […]
If there was an award for the best bit of off-road kit we’d ever owned, the Kreiga Hydro 3 Back Pack would get it, hands down. In terms of sheer durability, attention to detail and build quality, this backpack goes above and beyond on every level. OK so if you don’t know about Kreiga, they […]
Beware that the sizes run small. Not only myself but every rider I have had come in has needed one size up. Once I got them on my first thought was how comfortable they are. They have a race-bonded-out sole that is individually moulded for each boot size. Usually with the motocross boots I’ve had […]
IT’S A FACE OFF – WHICH IS BETTER? Image BMW & Triumph When Triumph launched their Tiger 800XC back in 2010, they knew exactly what they were doing. By pitching their bike in this capacity they were going head to head with the popular and accomplished BMW800GS a bike that has accompanied legions of riders […]
Motorcycle Adventure Packing: you’ve planned your trip – now you’ve just got to figure out what to bring with! “Will I need this, will I regret not bringing this, how will all my stuff fit in this one bag…”, where to begin? Obviously on Ride Expeditions tours we will be bringing all the necessary tools […]
When you think India, you think: Curry, Taj Mahal, Himalayas, Royal Enfield… (if you’re a biker!). Their slogan “Made Like a Gun” does sum up their bikes extremely well – true battlehorses that will take you wherever you need to go. And although they might let you down from time to time – they will always […]
When it comes to off-roading, protecting your head should be high on your list of priorities. So which is a good quality motocross helmet to buy? We would have to say Arai VX Pro3 Edge. Arai have long set the standard for quality mx helmets and their Arai VX – Pro3 Edge does not disappoint. It has adjustable forced air intake, removable […]
It’s always good to be prepared so here are 10 Motorcycle Adventure Riding safety tips that will help safeguard against some of the dangers of adventure riding… 1/ Never ride alone. Pretty obvious as to why really – if you break down in the middle of nowhere without signal, you will need someone to go fetch help. Or if […]
Thinking of investing in a new pair of motocross boots? Having trouble deciding which to go for – Tech 8s or SG10s? Obviously trying them on in the shop will help but for a little more info on durability and comfort etc. read on… Having owned both of these models I’m going to give my opinion on […]
Honda XR 400 vs Suzuki DRZ 400… Can an air cooled old-timer beat the DRZ’s legendary reliability? OK so at first glance a shootout test between these two motorcycles looks far from current news, given that the Honda first rolled off the production line way back in 1996 and the Suzuki some five years later […]