GasGas EC250F, Husqvarna Norden 901, KTM 390 Adventure
While the Isle of Man is known globally for the incredible spectacle of the TT Races, it has also been colloquially referred to over the years as the 'Mecca of motorcycling, and this hasn't just been because of the road racing that has been taking place on the roads of Mona's Isle since 1907. In short, it is a truly wonderful place to ride a motorcycle.
There need be no excuse for booking a ferry over to the Island, but if you really need to have one, then there are plenty to choose from. And let us add another. Even when racing is taking place on the 37.73-mile Mountain Circuit, there's a varied array of roads to choose from upon which to ride your motorcycle, and not all of them are metalled surfaces, as there's a mixed bag of legal off-road routes that take you to some of the Island's most beautiful places, with the rather convenient side effect being that some of them end up at truly mind-boggling viewing spots for the racing.
We talk more about the actual riding of the trails on our video (there's a QR code on the last page), but here we only really have space to talk about the bikes that we used on our trip - a triumvirate of internally-combusted Pierer Mobility Group two-wheelers, plus a couple of their electrically-assisted pedal-powered brethren. And while the three motorcycles come from three companies all under the same umbrella, they are about as diverse a collection of trail-suitable machinery can be. From mild-mannered, to feisty, and downright rude, they're as close to covering the broad spectrum of off-road bikes as is possible with such a small number of machines, and yet each is as flexible and forgiving as each other. Impressive, and eye-opening. Read on...
KTM390 ADVENTURE
Esta historia es de la edición February 2024 de Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
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Esta historia es de la edición February 2024 de Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.
