It’s 8:00 a.m. at CSC headquarters in Azusa, California. Kickstands clatter against their stops and our wheelhouse-boomer demographic group fires up their 250cc RX3s bound for the deserts of America’s Southwest. From the extreme eastern reaches of Texas to the next town over we’ve gathered to ride CSC’s Destination Deal Tour. The group leaves the Uplands, leans left onto the 15 North freeway and climb the cold, windy Cajone Pass.

The RX3 cuts a fine figure in the wastes of Death Valley. These little bikes are handy at damn near everything.

CSC (California Scooter Company) custom-specs, then imports Zongshen motorcycles under their logo. And, they have their own way of enticing riders: Invite owners along for a tour. It’s about the doing, and in the friendships built on a shared passion.

We’ve lots of distance to cover on this tour so we pound out freeway miles to Topok, a bend in the Colorado River with a hamburger joint attached. Then a quick stop for ice-cream and a little burro-on-burro action in Oatman on old Route 66. The Riverside Bar inside the Colorado Belle Hotel in Laughlin, Nevada, has a live-band. Maybe I’ll have just one more of these harsh, straw-tasting IPAs.

After a few days of riding, our group is hurling tongue in cheek insults at each other on a regular basis, a sure sign that we are knitting into a team. I’ve finally learned everyone’s names and have set about mispronouncing them every chance I get.

The old bridge (left) is not much different than the new span. Marble Canyon is a peaceful spot in this busy world.

Highway 89A traces the Vermillion cliffs through Arizona then crosses a vortex of tranquility at Marble Canyon. We gas up the Zongs and climb the back side of the Grand Canyon into Fredonia, rejoining 89 at the impossibly tidy town of Kanab, Utah. Zion National Park is our next stop.

Zion is a split-up point. Some riders head into Hurricane while Dan, Rob, Willie, Orlando and Vilma conned me into taking the park shuttle to a hiking canyon. I’m against any exercise as a rule, but 70-year-old Dan was going so I figured how hard could it be? It was only the most brutal, level concrete walkway ever. Rob and Dan skipped along like Olympic marathoners. After half a mile I was sure we were all going to die. I gave the hike up as a bad job so Willie, Vilma and Orlando walked back to the bus stop while we spoke of where the beef jerky was hidden and how to block the trail so Dan and Rob would be trapped in the canyon forever.

The CSC Destination Deal actually has a deal component, and I guess I should tell you the details; it’s one of the reasons I’m here. You buy a motorcycle, fly out to Azusa, California, ride with CSC for six days then they crate your bike and ship it free to anywhere in the Lower 48. They also don’t charge for assembling the bike or document fees. You’ll still have to pay your state taxes and registration, but you’d have to do that with any bike.

It was dark by the time we made it back to our motorcycles. Stock Zong headlights aren’t exactly powerful so most of the riders had auxiliary LED lights mounted. The group met for dinner at the BBQ place in Hurricane.

Make sure you stop by the restaurant in Rachel, Nevada. Move the ketchups from table to table for me.

Rachel is midway between Ash Springs and Warm Springs on The Extraterrestrial Highway. It’s desolate, there’s a tired-looking UFO slung from the back of an aging tow truck and the A’Le’Inn restaurant. In this barren land I manage to find a waitress to annoy by removing the ketchup from another table.

Our stop for the night is the Tonopah Station Hotel and gambling casino. If you spin the dice-basket and get three of a kind, your room is free. We can’t decide if the odds are one in thirty-six or one in fifty-four million (none of us win a free room). Set into the side of a hill the wide hallways rise in three-step tiers, a child-sized, incredibly sad toilet sits in the lobby begging for a selfie. Sparsely attended, the casino blinks and clatters a desperate come-on. It’s a grand shambles of a hotel and just the kind of place I love to stay.

Dropping down from Beatty into Death Valley reveals the entire sweep of the valley in one instant. I catch my breath in the warm wind. The motorcycle purrs a soft thrum. Death Valley is a huge sink, falling into the earth at Badwater. Here’s where you realize it’s good to be alive and good to be on a motorcycle.

We didn’t see any ET’s along the ET Highway but the landscape was eerie enough. The little RX3’s were in their element out here.

Further down the road, the bulk of the group heads off to Dante’s Peak, but I’ve got business at Stovepipe Wells. The power is out at the gas station. The big glass coolers are swaddled in yellow police crime scene tape. Ice chests full of cold drinks line the dark aisles. A guy from San Francisco on a BMW pulls up needing gas. The hum of a faraway generator rides in on a breeze.

I’m riding alone, finally. Group riding is fun, but you can’t get much thinking done. At Furnace Creek I top up the Zong. There’s a golf course behind the pro shop where there’s a little store with snacks and sodas. All warm.

It was getting late. I knew I’d better head for Shoshone where we’d agreed to meet at the end of the day. After Badwater the road gets lonely. And I hadn’t seen the guys for hours. I don’t have my normal travel tool kit, so I can’t even fix a flat. The horrible-imaginables start, “What if I break down? Why didn’t I bring my tools?” Group riding is making me lax, I’m getting foolish.

The boys knocking back a few after a magical ride through Death Valley. Well, all except for Berk who drank Bud Light.

The guys pull into Shoshone about an hour and one five-dollar Dos Equis after I do. It’s our last night together. We sit around one of those auto-light, gas-powered campfires telling tales of the road and drinking beer.

On the final melancholy run back to Azusa our group breaks up. Layton heads to Folsom, Willie goes to his mansion nearby, Dan starts loading his bike, Rob, Orlando, Vilma, and Gary just kind of filter away. Seems like I make my best friends on motorcycles. I hope to see the guys again one day.

All of the riders on this run own other, bigger motorcycles; to a man they said they liked riding the little 250cc Zongs better. It’s more fun not having to fight the weight and worry about the expense of a big bike. No one asked for a faster, heavier motorcycle, in fact, the motorcycle was just the river we floated on for six days together. CSC has nearly zero budget for promotions so their hands on, customers as friends approach works for them. I had a blast riding with this crew.

Testing the boulders before we hike any further up the canyon. This crew was so cool to ride with. The outsider-ness of the Zongshen motorcycle lends itself to a first-adopter mentality, attracting interesting people.

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Joe Gresh started riding motorcycles at 12 years old on a Briggs & Stratton mini bike. Flash forward and he’s served a 10-year stint at Motorcyclist Magazine as a regular columnist and feature writer. Most of his seven motorcycles don’t run and they can’t seem to keep their headlights lit, but that doesn't seem to impact their desirability in his eyes. 

When motorcyclists think about riding the U.S., it often involves the canyons, monumental geological formations, and deserts of the Wild West. However, the terrain in the Northeast can be equally technical—filled with gnarly, rocky trails through heavily wooded areas. 

When MotoVermont invited ADVMoto to scout a new tour with them, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Eric Milano, the owner, refrained from giving us too many details. All we knew was there’d be “a lot of off-road riding.” So, I packed my bags with everything a rider could possibly need, loaded our project Honda CRF 250L, and set the compass north.

The Vermont 400 is a unique tour designed for the intermediate to experienced off-road enthusiast*. Our mission was to scout a four-day route through snowmobile trails, dirt roads, twisty tarmac, single-track, and Class 4 roads. The dramatic changing elevation through Vermont’s beautiful landscape helped paint a picture for a technical but extremely entertaining ride.

Our adventure began at Eric’s cabin, a quaint abode in the woods of Green Mountain State Park, where Bob LoCicero of Motorcycle-Vermont.com met us to help out. We were equipped with Honda CRF 250Ls, which would prove to be the perfect weapons for the Vermont 400.

The Vermont 400 is riddled with challenging Class 4 “roads.”

Adventure motorcycle and dual-sport touring is a rapidly growing industry. You may wonder why you need a guide until you’ve been on your first such tour. Eric has spent much of his life in Vermont and knows it like the back of his hand. His knowledge of the terrain and his passion for local history add an interesting and captivating element to the ride. While touring with MotoVermont, not only do you get to have fun and enjoy the lush scenery, you also learn a great deal about the original French and English settlements while visiting all the must-see places in each little town.

Interacting with the community was refreshing, especially as I’d come from the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C. The small towns of Vermont we visited move at a slower, more comfortable pace. Everybody stops to chat with one another. Based on the social interaction and seeing such active, engaging communities, I’m convinced they’re doing things right in Vermont.

One of the places we explored was Pierce’s Store in Shrewsbury, an establishment that’s been around since 1834. This historic country store was the center of activity for over a century. The tour also took us through a colorful farmer’s market in Putney. Upon entering, the wafting smell of baked goods overwhelmed our senses. From handmade pottery to farm-fresh ingredients, there’s lots to do, see, and taste.

Vermont encompasses thousands of acres of beautiful mountain terrain, just waiting to be explored.

The challenging terrain made each comfortable night even more appreciated. Eric did a wonderful job picking spots to unwind. One night, we stayed at the Latchis Hotel and Theatre in Brattleboro, an establishment that’s been around since the 1930s. The Latchis brothers immigrated from Greece and paid homage to their homeland by creating architectural marvels in the form of hotels in Vermont.

While in Brattleboro, we stopped by the Hermit Thrush Brewery, specializing in sour beer. Although I thoroughly enjoyed it, sour beer is certainly an acquired taste. And as we sipped, Nate, our friendly bartender, described how each beer was crafted.

The Vermont 400 includes all types of riding that can be stuffed into the category of dual-sport motorcycling. Some of the trails we found were quite technical. The tougher sections are spaced out between brisk-paced dirt roads that snake through the mountains. Also expect a few uphill climbs riddled with rocks, roots, and whoops.

Eric plans to lead groups of six through the Vermont 400, including a lead and sweep. A support vehicle with an extra bike, tools, and fuel is always only a phone call away. Is the Vermont 400 big bike-friendly? No, but if you need a ride, MotoVermont has a fleet of CRF 250Ls properly prepped, maintained, and ready to go. The CRF 250Ls were extremely capable and well balanced in every situation we experienced.

At the time of this writing, we weren’t sure if the Vermont 400 would become a regular tour or a semi-annual event. If it’s the latter, make sure to contact Eric to reserve a spot. Bikes, brews and spectacular views—MotoVermont has assembled all the necessary ingredients to cook up a wildly fun and challenging dual-sport tour. You only need to get out there and enjoy it! MotoVermont.com

*Note: MotoVermont also has a great selection of tours easy enough for less experienced off-road riders. The Vermont 400 however, requires some skill.

Click to enlarge image MotoVermont-VT400-ANguyen-03.jpg

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One of the most rewarding aspects of being part of the adventure motorcycling community is getting to know the people in it. ADVMoto interviewed Oregon native, Jesse Swickard, who is planning a creative way to combine two thrilling and unique passions - ADV riding and split boarding. When we first heard about The Ride Approach, we couldn't resist reaching out to Jesse and his team. Now we're excited to work with them through their exciting journey. 

• When did you start motorcycling and are there people in your life that influenced you?

When I was a child, my father used to give me rides up and down the street. I’d sit on the tank while he rode wheelies with no helmet, wearing flip flops and shorts. Ever since then, I’ve tried to replicate that kind of feeling with my dad by racing motocross, arena cross, enduro; you name it. Sometimes I’d even place in the top five in a race, but nothing really felt as gratifying as simply enjoying motorcycling with my father.

Fast forward 37 years later, I’ve gotten into adventure style riding. The feeling after a long day on the trail to reach that camp site with an epic view; there’s something about the experience that offers fulfillment similar to what I felt riding with my dad. It’s led me to meet amazing people, explore incredible places, and make friends for life.

A split board is a snowboard that converts into skis for cross-country and climbing.

• What is split boarding and how long have you been doing it?

A split board is a snowboard that converts into a pair of approach skis – one for each foot for cross country and climbing. It is a very efficient way of long or short distance travel in deep snow. Instead of picking up your feet to climb, you slide your feet to save energy. This type of travel also helps keep your body temperature stay consistent so you’re not too cold by the time you switch back into snowboard mode.

Split boarding does come with its hazards, and although mistakes will be made, it’s important to try and be as cautious as possible. Sometimes you’ll end up 10 hours from civilization. I even take pictures of what I’m climbing to find a safe way back. Split boarding is a niche sport that most don’t know about, but it becomes a way of life for those who engage in the sport. For me, it’s an artistic expression, where the mountain is the canvas and your board is the paint brush.

• How did you come with The Ride Approach? Who else is is on The Ride Approach team?

It started from simple conversation at a party that snowballed into a great idea. My friend, Elliott, invited me to a volunteer work party at the Tilly Jane Cabin on Mnt. Hood. Hearing him say, “free beer” was enough for me to attend. Snow was in the forecast, and talking about it would ultimately start a flurry of ideas to create The Ride Approach.

At the event, I met two employees from Oregon Public Broadcasting who were on site to film a separate project. We spoke about many things, including motorcycles and snowboarding, then eventually adventure biking and split boarding. Although OPB didn’t become a part of the project, they did provide inspiration to put together an adventure film. The idea was to combine adventure motorcycling with split boarding. We plan to explore five mountains by split board, and use bikes to get to each location. The team will consist of my friends Shawn and Elliott, our camera man, Sam, and myself.

Split board mounts had to be custom made to be durable and safe. From left to right: Elliott, Jesse, and Shawn.

• What kind of modifications did you need to make to the bikes to support split boarding?

We’re using a good mix of bikes for the project (a single, dual, and triple) - Elliott’s Kawasaki KLR 650, Shaun’s KTM 950 Adventure, and my Triumph Tiger 800 XCx. The first thing we needed to tackle was luggage. Soft bags are safer in the back country and hold lots of gear that we’ll need over the course of the trip.

We modified split board racks that mount to the sides of the bikes. Fortunately I have a machine shop in my studio and milling custom parts became accessible. The challenge was coming up with a system that was light and sturdy enough for extended travel and possible crashes, and the fact that we had three different bikes didn’t help. After lots of testing, we’ve come up with some really creative ways to carry everything we need.

• When does the ride begin and how long will it take?

We depart April 1st, 2018 but this will depend on road conditions and how packed the snow is. That time of year should offer sunny climbs and some deep powder days. Our plan is to ride all five peaks in 14 days. The mountains we’re currently scouting include Maiden Peak, Mount Bailey, Mount Thielsen, Mount Mcloughlin, the Steen’s Mountain Ridge, and possibly Drake Peak (some will be alternate locations in case weather affects the course).

A single, a double, and a triple - three different bikes prepped for the same epic adventure.

• What kind of feedback and support have you gotten from the community? 

The community has been really excited about the idea and everybody agrees its innovative. The only funding we needed to generate was to support Sam, our photographer. We’re fortunate to have him on the team, as he is very talented, whether it be behind the lens, on the slopes, or on the saddle.

We wanted to reach out to companies close to us in the North West. Mosko Moto makes some of the finest luggage systems in the industry and they’re in Washington so we reached out to them. After visiting their factory, they decided to come on as a supporter and we can’t thank them enough. Next Adventure, an amazing outdoor shop here in Portland helped us with gear we need to pull of the project.

We reached out to anyone and everyone we could think of in motorcycle media. Carl at ADVMoto took a leap of faith with us to support the project, even coaching me as I speak to all the wonderful folks in the moto community. Now it seems like outside support is coming in like crazy.

• Is there a message that you'd like to share with your community?

A lot of folks dream about adventure but never make a commitment to embark on their own. We hope to inspire others to plan something outside of their comfort level. Using motorcycles is a perfect way of doing so. Split boarding, ski touring, and mountain climbing is also a great way to get outside in the winter and really challenge yourself. I think each viewer will get something different out of it, hopefully encouraging them to get out, camp, explore, climb, and take risks to get lost, as there is always a way out and something to learn.

• Where can someone follow The Ride Approach's progress?

Our next big event is sponsored by Team Latus at the One Moto Show, February 9-11, 2018, in Gladstone Oregon. We have a dedicated Facebook page and we'll have more online presence through ADVMoto. The final product will be presented around May of 2018 to be shown at local release parties, ride clinics, and film festivals.

About the team:

• Jesse Swikard
Jesse has 37 years of motorcycling experience. His love for bikes came from riding with his father who gifted him his first bike - a 1982 Honda Elsinore 250. A lifetime of riding and racing has brought experiences that he now hopes to share with others. Jesse hopes The Ride Approach project will inspire others to embark on their own adventures.

 • Elliott Martin
Elliott first began dreaming of motorbikes on a trip to Asia while dodging bikes on the roads of Kathmandu. After 25,000 miles of dirt and mud on his KLR, he's now ready to face any climate, including snow in the winter. To prep his bike for The Ride Approach, he learned to weld and created his own “Frankensteined” ski rack.

• Shawn Fowler
Shawn has been feeding his wanderlust fresh air and gasoline since his early teens- When people ask why Oregon is home expect to get an earful about throttling hard through wide open desert and the benefits of having volcanoes to snowboard off of. And that magical overlap where both passions can be combined? Absolute bliss. Currently he rides a heartily used KTM 950 Adventure with a custom fab’d snowboard rack and has done several BDR’s through Arizona. It’s not the miles ridden, it’s the time spent.

• Sam Slater
Sam is a professional photographer and filmmaker based in Oregon. He's just at home shooting in the studio as he is on a remote mountain range. You can see more of his portfolio at SamSlaterPhotography.com.

For years, we’d planned to do a U.S. road trip. For us, the most important question was: What type(s) of motorcycles would we use? For Jan, that was easy—his KTM 1190 Adventure. For me, the ability to ride under all circumstances was important. As we wanted to camp wherever possible, luggage space was another a key requirement. When we had a sidecar built for our Honda Shadow almost eleven years ago, I immediately felt comfortable with it. Despite motorcycling for several years in Europe, I’d never been able to get used to just two wheels—but I’d tackle the world with the sidecar.

Therefore, we decided to have our KTM Super Enduro 950R modified with a sidecar. LBS Zijspantechniek’s Ad Donkers, who’d built our Honda Shadow’s wonderful classic sidecar, was the go-to guy for the build.

The Motorcycle

Ad’s assignment was simple: We wanted a functional and appealing overland sidecar attached to the Super Enduro 950R. For him, it’s important that a sidecar matches the motorcycle. He builds sidecars from scratch, solving whatever technical and stylistic challenges that he encounters during the process. This way, every sidecar is unique and “at one” with the motorcycle it’s paired with.

In addition to style, technology is essential to be able to optimize the pairing of a motorcycle and the sidecar’s asymmetrical design.

Our 950 was equipped with a number of necessary upgrades, including a large tank (11.5 gallons), two jerry cans, additional lighting, an extra battery, a 12V connection, and two spare wheels. Car tires were selected for the rear as they wear less quickly and provide better grip than motorcycle tires. Additionally, we had four luggage boxes built, the front fork was completely replaced by a swingarm, the lighting was adjusted, and last but not least, a comfortable seat installed.

Challenges

There were several organizational hurdles: shipping, clearance, EPA approval, insurance, and visas. Thanks to a Rotterdam company specializing in transporting vehicles between the U.S. and Europe, we didn’t experience any bureaucracy problems. It took time and money, but they really knew what they were doing.

During our trip, we had some technical problems with the 950SE—especially the extreme tire wear due to heat and weight. Finding the right replacements was difficult, both in terms of dimensions and quality. Motorcycle dealers prefer not to mount car tires on motorcycle rims, and car dealers won’t even consider it. In San Francisco, a highly skilled and multitasking young woman got us a new spare tire. But after 2,000 miles, it was already worn and needed to be changed again in Payson, AZ. Eventually, all three tires were replaced once more in Tucson, AZ, where the folks at the CSA Superstore were persistent in finding us the right tires. We were particularly pleased with the hard-compound cruiser tires they located which smoothly got us back to the East Coast. The sidecar used a total of six tires in total.

During the four days we were forced to spend in the scorching heat of Tucson, we had an excellent time in the Old Tucson Studios and the Pima Air and Space Museum. The studios have an atmosphere of the American TV shows we watched when we were young. To us, this atmosphere was one of the things we’d been looking forward to on our trip. The Pima Air and Space Museum has an enormous number of rare and beautiful aircraft that stunned us both. Despite the heat we spent about six hours admiring them all, inside and out.

Along the way, we experienced problems with the sidecar’s clutch. Jan knew that riding without a clutch was perfectly doable. However, I wasn’t immediately convinced. But after an hour of persuasion I learned to do it—and we were able to follow the beautiful route between Torrey, UT and Cannonville, UT.

In Cannonville, we met a fellow motorcycle adventurer who put a lot of effort into helping us get the clutch working again but it’s intermittent unreliability continued until 7,000 miles later, when the KTM dealer in Madison, TN, finally sorted it out.

A challenge we northwestern Europeans faced was the heat in the Southwestern deserts. Death Valley, Las Vegas, and Arizona were hot, but bearable. We had a similar experience in Namibia in 2009. However, the fierce August heat in Abilene, TX, made us take down our tent and seek refuge in an air-conditioned cabin.

We couldn’t help but notice that tent camping sites are difficult to find in many regions of the U.S. The bias is toward RVs “camping.” Now and then we were allowed to set up our tent at RV sites—but it was rarely allowed. When it was, however, we were often banished to a muddy campsite corner without amenities.

What We’ve Learned

When two people are joined at the hip 24 hours a day for five months, they need to get along with each other. Because our personalities are quite different, we had to compromise… a lot! The trip was not just about the riding, we really wanted to see the country and talk to people. So, we looked for things that we both enjoy. I like to camp out under the stars, but that’s nothing for Jan. Single track off road is not really possible on a heavily-laden sidecar, but Jan loves it on his ADV bike. Artsy museums are a no-go for Jan, but we both enjoy cars, trains, and history. We also share a love for music, and we saw plenty in Nashville, Memphis, Mountain View, Clarksdale, and New Orleans. Where I mapped out the biggest part of the route and navigated, Jan made the official preparations, arranged the paperwork, and booked overnight stays. All in all, it worked out well.

The KTM Super Enduro 950R is a very strong motorcycle. Despite the extra weight, the Colorado mountain passes, and the heat, the motorcycle continued to perform flawlessly, despite the clutch issues. We had to learn to take our time with repairs—an extra day here or there while waiting for parts didn’t make much difference considering we were on the road for five months. We weren’t accustomed to that in overcrowded Netherlands, our homeland. Indeed, within half an hour’s ride there are maybe twenty different dealers with all the parts and fluids one might need.

Although we had plenty of luggage room, we’ll bring less luggage on our next trip. A lighter sidecar makes for even more comfortable riding. We’ll also make better preparations regarding tires and seek alternatives for our European tires beforehand.

The U.S. is an overwhelmingly beautiful country. The national parks were absolutely gorgeous. But outside those, we were surprised that many states were so green. We rode for thousands of miles through forests on beautiful backroads—incredible!

America left a very pleasant impression on us, and we made some friends who we’re still in touch with. American openness, spontaneity, and curiosity is so different that what we’re accustomed to, something we’ve activity been telling all our friends about in Europe! We also enjoyed the attention given to our sidecar and our trip as well as the numerous pictures that were taken of the motorcycles. Moreover, we enjoyed all the nice, interesting, funny conversations that we had with Americans of all stripes.

Bike: KTM 950 Super Enduro R
Displacement: 942cc | HP: 98
Tires: front: 140/80R17 | rear/sidecar: 195/45R17
Weight, unloaded: 760 lbs | loaded: 1,433 lbs
Sidecar manufacturer: LBS Sidecars (LBSzijspantechniek.nl)

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Rianne van Duuren: self-employed interim finance manager, experienced traveler (Asia, Africa, Europe), adventurous, nature lover, reads every book, magazine, historical marker she encounters, map enthusiast, and route planner. Rider since 2004: Suzuki V-Strom 650, KTM Super Enduro 950 since 2008. Jan Steeghs: a self-employed interim finance manager, keen rider for 25 years with various motorcycles, including a Honda Shadow, two Honda Gold Wings, Yamaha MT-01, several KTMs since 2008. Hundreds of thousands of miles of riding experience that include heavy, daily commuting traffic to off road in Sweden and Namibia. He estimates he’s ridden over 350,000 miles on motorcycle.

Click to enlarge image Road-Trip-1.jpg

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