Upshift 17 January 2018

January 2018

Issue 17

RACE BEYOND THE HORIZON TOURING CASE SET

Carry your momentum even further with the TOURING CASE SET from the KTM PowerParts range. Built to carry a capacity of over 60 liters combined, leave nothing behind as you race to all new destinations aboard the KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S. AVAILABLE ONLY AT YOUR AUTHORIZED KTM DEALER

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Photo: M. Chytka

Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations!

The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.

ISSUE 17

January 2018

nformation: These drawings contain information o Upshift. Any reproduction, or transmittal of this without expressed written consent is prohibited by partial or complete of the sord marks is prohibited ble to the full extent of the law.

January 2018

Issue 17

LOGO SHEET

THE INSIDER

RALLY FEVER

Cover Future 7 Media

INSTA-ADV

Design Chris Glaspell Photography Editor Simon Cudby

PMS 021 INSTAGRAM TRAVELERS

BLACK

Contributing Writers Chad de Alva Justin Dawes Olivier de Vaulx Seiji Ishii Christophe Noel

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CMYK: C40 M30 Y30 K100

CMYK: N80 Y100

GEAR

THE LATEST STUFF

Contributing Photographers Tim Burke Chad de Alva Olivier de Vaulx Future 7 Media Christophe Noel

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DAKAR READY

ANDREW SHORT PREPS FOR HIS FIRST DAKAR

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by Upshift Online Inc. 2017. Reproduction of any material requires written consent from the publishers. All photos, editorial contributions and advertisements are accepted upon representation that they are original materials by the author and or advertiser. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author and may not reflect the views and opinions of the editor, staff or advertisers of Upshift Online Inc. Advertisers assume full responsibility for the entire content and subject matter of their advertisements.

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DESTINATION FLAGSTAFF

RIDING ARIZONA’S NORTHERN REGION

TRANSITION

CHECKING IN WITH FORMER MX CHAMP GRANT LANGSTON

RALLY FEVER INSIDER: JUSTIN DAWES

The countdown has begun. As this issue of UPSHIFT hits your inbox there are fewer than five days until the start of the Dakar Rally. For some this is the start of Rally Fever, for others it is just the height of it. This past November I was lucky enough to score a tour of KTM Group’s motorsport building in Mattighofen, Austria. Inside, both KTM and Husqvarna’s factory rally teams were completing the last preparations to ship off for South America. The amount of effort and preparation is staggering and inspiring. The entire group has the fever year round and it shows with the results they achieve. It is a safe bet that the overall motorcycle winner for the 2018 Dakar will be the new generation of the KTM or Husqvarna Rally machine.

For me the fever requires plenty of info from the Rally, sometimes not the easiest prescription to fill. The remote Rally makes it a nightmare for press coverage, but the journalists covering the Rally have the fever as well and they put in tiresome hours to get the stories to Rally enthusiasts like you and me.

Although there are more and more of us each and every year, the number of American rally racers is few. Looking at this year’s motorcycle entry list, just four appear with the Stars and Stripes next to their names, including UPSHIFT’s friend Andrew Short. Hopefully in the future we will see more, but this means we need to increase the availability of Rally Racing in North, Central and South America to make it easier for rally racers in the western hemisphere to compete and understand the sport.

Even if the sport of Rally doesn’t grow much here in terms of competition, at least it inspires us to get out and ride. To me that’s the most important part of motorsport – even more important than selling motorcycles. So, get out and ride and have yourself your own Rally. I’ve got a stage planned for later this week!

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The mission is simple, if you want to share your adventures on “insta-adv” you’d better start following us! @upshift_online and use the hash tag #upshift_online on your photos

Upshift, January

1. New Rukka Accessories: RWS Hood, RWS Neckwarmer, RWS Light, RWS Kidneybelt Right in time for the start of the chilling winter season, the Finns are launching a new range of Rukka Windstopper accessories (RWS) designed to increase the feel-good factor for motorcycle riders and to offer additional protection. Items now available for the first time include the RWS Hood, the RWS Neckwarmer and RWS Light, in addition to the RWS Kidneybelt.

Totally windproof, water repellent, highly breathable and pleasant to wear – that‘s what motorcycle riders are looking for when choosing accessories for the cold winter months. It‘s also the reason why Rukka products feature high-quality GORE Windstopper fabrics.

In addition, in the case of the RWS Hood, so-called Coolmax fibres are used for the head area, as they draw perspiration away from the skin very effectively and have a pleasant cooling effect. It also means that the washable balaclava additionally serves a hygienic purpose – it keeps perspiration away from the helmet padding. For both the RWS Hood and the RWS Light Neckwarmer, Rukka has chosen the extremely lightweight GORE WS material, which further enhances wearing comfort. The RWS Hood and the RWS Light are available in the sizes S, M and L. Go to www.rukka. com for more information and pricing.

2. Fenix HM50R Rechargeable Headlamp Never let the elements keep you from pursuing your passions. Introducing the HM50R rechargeable headlamp with its lightweight and indestructible body. Don’t let its small size fool you; this headlamp is power packed throwing a beam to a max range of over 250 feet. Its surprisingly long run time at lower settings and fantastic value makes it the perfect partner to take camping, hiking or running when your goal is to extend your day.

MSRP: $59.95 www.fenixlighting.com

3. New EVS AB07 Ankle Brace Constructed of breathable Airprene for comfort and ventilation. Ankle flex boards with impact foam surrounding the ankle bone giving added support and protection. MSRP: $59.95 www.evs-sports.com Features: • Elastic cinch strap with VELCRO® brand closure • Pull tabs for easy-installation • Fits right and left feet • Sold individually

Upshift, January

4. Answer Frontier Vest Mass centralization is a term often used to describe the features of a new motorcycle but is also a term that can be applied to riding tools and supplies. Over-stuffed backpacks put an incredible strain on the rider’s shoulders and back. The Frontier Vest helps to evenly distribute the load over a wider area. Answer set out to build the world’s toughest and versatile vest to help spread weight across the rider’s entire upper body. The Frontier Vest features an easy to clean, rugged nylon chassis, premium YKK zippers, Molle compatible straps, hydration-ready compartment and built in tool pack. Highly adjustable and features easy-to-access fitment straps as well as a circular non-binding harness system to increase fluidity between rider and garment.

MSRP: $224.95 www.answerracing.com Features: • Rugged nylon chassis with vented interior • High-visibility reflective details for increased visibility • 10 front and 5 rear cargo pockets help balance stored items • Premium YKK zippers • Molle straps to expand load capacity • Hydration system compatible • Radio specific chest pocket • Integrated roll-out tool pouch • Sized to fit a 34 to 44 in. torso

Wide Open

Volcan de Acatenango, Guatemala

Photo: Tim Burke

2018

Wide Open

Lake El Mirage, California

Photo: Simon Cudby

2018

Wide Open

Gunnison, Colorado

Photo: Olivier de Vaulx

2018

Wide Open

Rider: Ricky Brabec

Photo: MCH

2018

Wide Open

Moab, Utah

Photo: Simon Cudby

2018

ANDREW SHORT DAKAR READY The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team rider’s thoughts before his first Dakar Rally Former supercross and motocross racer Andrew Short’s “retirement” from the pressures and demands of professional racing lasted exactly one year. The likable figure of American stadiums and motocross tracks executed a two-year deal in October to compete in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship under the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing banner.

Short has been on the fast track to learning the intricacies of what is an obscure form of motorsports to most Americans. Before the ink had dried on his contract, he ventured to Morocco to briefly familiarize himself with the new Husqvarna 450 Rally bike and to compete in his first FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship event, the 2017 OiLibya Rally of Morocco. The rookie finished in a respectable 15th place.

Words: Seiji Ishii

Photos: Future 7 Media

Short has since traveled to Spain for a team training camp and again to Morocco for technical training, while doing what he can stateside to prepare for the 2018 Dakar Rally. This 40th edition of the world’s biggest rally racing event will cross Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina over 14 stages and almost 5,600 miles. Short will be one of four Americans competing on motorcycles.

I was fortunate enough to train Short during the last half of his supercross and motocross racing career, and we remain close friends. The majority of our conversations, still frequent, have revolved around what we have been doing in our “new” lives, and it’s been exciting to hear about his recent endeavors. He graciously agreed to partake in a “pre-Dakar” and a

ANDREW SHORT DAKAR READY

“post-Dakar” interview for the readers of Upshift Online. Enjoy!

Seiji Ishii: What have you done for Dakar Rally specific training and how is it going from your perspective?

Andrew Short: Since I have no experience with rallies, and I’ve never been to Dakar, for me everything is new. Ever since I started in Morocco, I’ve just been trying to absorb everything, and fortunately for me, I’ve been surrounded by the best, on a team that’s won the biggest race for the last 16 years. Learning from my teammate Pablo, things like how he sets up the bike and how he marks the roadbook (“painting” it) has made the learning curve a lot faster.

I’ve just been trying to learn how to adapt to as many different situations as possible and pick up what these guys do to prepare. Simple things like seeing if they leave in the mornings with a jacket on, what type of gloves they have on, what they are putting on their goggles, even how they load their roadbooks. It’s funny; it’s difficult to put a massive roadbook in the “lunch box” (the roadbook reader); I watched how they tape it together, how they load it, little things like that are big on race day.

I was lucky to be able to do the Morocco rally to learn about the ERTF system (GPS enabled system provided by the race organizers for navigation, scoring, and safety), all the speed zones and the etiquette. Being around my teammates has been most useful for these preparations.

I went to Spain after the Morocco race to train with Jordi Viladoms; he was a successful rally racer for KTM for a long time. That was great because those road books were a lot tighter, not just deserts, so the notes were coming at you a lot quicker. It was awesome because it was like a cycling-style training camp; the whole team was there. We rode, tested, did roadbooks, went to the gym, did media; it was really sweet.

ANDREW SHORT DAKAR READY

Then we went to Morocco for more training, but that was technical training; for example, we covered what to do if we crash and we break a switch and how to override that switch. I learned how to transfer fuel from here to there by switching hoses and how to start the bike if the battery dies. Changing wheels, I never thought about it; how do I swap a wheel with a teammate without a stand? I had to learn how to change a wheel by laying the bike over on its side.

Then there are these “marathon” stages; they are unique because you ride all day to the set location and the team cannot assist. I had to learn how to check the oil, the brake pads, coolant, and learn where the tools are stored on the bike to do all that; all the things to make sure the bike can make it through the next stage. I learned little things, like what to disconnect on those things without the technical training, and I got to learn all that with the team. I would say 90% of my preparation has been with the team, traveling to these places to do it, not so much at home.

Regarding physical training, I’m trying to do as much as I can to be well-rounded. In Morocco (during the training camp in early December), I didn’t do much physical training. I just rode as much as I could with road books and navigating because I can make huge gains there, where with my speed and technical skills I feel like I’m in a good place. But one thing I don’t have is the experience these guys have; I need to learn when to push and when to hold back.

Regarding other preparations, it’s mostly gear, and getting my mind around not panicking when things are not perfect and making clear decisions at the right times.

After Dakar, I would like to continue training closer to home with someone like Jimmy Lewis, who has tons of experience with navigating.

Ishii: What are the areas where you feel “ahead” or “behind” the seasoned veterans?

Short: Obviously, I’m blessed just to have those people to learn from and observe, but with rallying, it’s hard to know how much I’ve gained since I’ve started. With supercross, it’s fairly easy; you know your lap time compared to the other guys, it’s easy to see.

In rallies, you race in the middle of nowhere, and nobody is watching you. That is what’s cool, being out in the elements, the challenges of being alone, trying to figure out where you are, going as fast as you can; it’s like a battle within. At some point, you are going to crash, have a mechanical, or get lost; all this is related to the speed. It’s how you deal with it, and I’ve gotten better with my mindset and problem-solving skills.

ANDREW SHORT DAKAR READY

the bike to make sure the battery isn’t dead in the morning. I would never know how to do

HUSQVARNA FR 450 RALLY

The gap between me and the others has improved since October, but I have a long way to go.

I try to be mindful of that and not ride over my head and focus on the navigation and learning the correct habits so I don’t get hurt. If I ride beyond my ability, I’m going to get hurt, then I’m not going to get better, so my goal is to stay safe, learn, develop good habits and make it all the way through Dakar. I don’t think I’m going to be competitive, just based on what I’ve seen with the team. My end goal with rallying is to line up on the starting line and believe that I can win and to do my best.

Ishii: You have told me that your limiter is navigation. Are you specifically focusing a lot of training effort on this aspect and how do you do that?

Short: Yes, an obvious limiter is navigation skills, but I also think it’s just the lack of experience;

ANDREW SHORT DAKAR READY

when to push, when to pull back, how to deal with the elements and how to manage how my body responds to everything. How my body responds to the weather, navigating with no sleep, just dealing with a long rally. I don’t know how I’ll respond to a week of racing under pressure, with little sleep, how will I navigate then?

I’m trying to improve my navigation skills, trying to make decisions automatic, just a pattern, so I’m not forcing it and having to slow my mind down. If I can get in the zone, and have it all reel off and the roadbook is making sense, that would be great. There will be times when I struggle, but how I put it back together, retrace my steps, I need to work on stuff like that. Also understanding how to read terrain, and understand how the author wrote the roadbook.

It’s different in the back when you have tracks to follow, but it’s on another level when those front guys are pinning it, breaking ground and opening up the tracks. For me, it’s a continual learning process, and there’s a false sense of perfection around those top guys; I’ve trained with them, and they make a lot of mistakes as well. Obviously, it’s a lot fewer, and they are going at higher speed.

I can navigate well now, but if I push and go faster, I’ll blow a turn – one step forward and two steps back. I have to learn to let it come to me at its own pace. Yeah, navigation is the biggest thing, also experience. As far as training, it’s reaction time, but also learning how the author draws the “tulips” (line based symbols used in roadbooks representing turns, trails, etc.). Also paying attention to the little notes, they are in there for a reason, and at first I didn’t pay attention to them. I think I have the skills to go fast but just have to keep working on the navigation.

Ishii: What other activities have you been doing to prepare for Dakar? You have asked me for advice on alpine climbing gear for instance; what are some similar things you have to do to prepare for an event like Dakar that the casual fan might not know, all the “behind the scenes” preparations you have to do?

Short: It’s crazy how much preparation goes into all this; I’m fortunate to be on one of the best teams. They handle a huge chunk of that, with the bikes and logistics. It’s crazy how many people it takes to run a high-level team.

It’s nuts how much Alpinestars has prepared for me; there is even a different jacket for Dakar, they’re a little bigger to fit more stuff because of the length of the liaisons. You carry more gloves for the different conditions, different goggle lenses, stuff like that, the jacket is just packed.

The more prepared I am, the less energy I’m going to burn, which is important because I’m going to burn more energy, and I need that energy for the next day. I need to stay warm and dry. It’s astounding the number of resources the top guys have for these things.

I’ve asked you about mountaineering gear and the tricks of the trade to keep warm. It’s all about versatility and being as prepared as I can, to get an advantage over the next person and to help keep my mind clear and calm. All these different jackets, vests, goggle lenses, boots, socks, markers, tape, so many supplies! Then there are the medicines (for aiding with seasickness caused by riding dunes with no shadows) and snacks on the bike; I am riding all day, so I can’t have a real meal.

I just feel fortunate to have a team that handles the rest of the stuff. The rider side of preparation is nothing compared to the technical side of preparation. The bike alone has an incredible amount of work going into it. All the preparation done by all the people is insane, but also so cool at the same time. It’s a massive challenge met by an equally massive amount of preparation.

Ishii: Can you explain the logistics that the team executes to get all the equipment and staff to the race venue and describe what they have to do day to day to support a factory effort like yours?

Short: It’s all crazy. For one, the team has these huge trucks that haul all the spare parts that can drive over any terrain. The staffing list is huge. Husqvarna is part of the KTM group, so they have four factory riders, one developmental rider, a junior rider and me and Pablo on the Husqvarna side. The riders have motorhomes – it’s crazy, all the stuff and staff.

ANDREW SHORT DAKAR READY

going to spend all day and into the night on the bike. If it gets cold, and I fail to prepare, I’m

HUSQVARNA FR 450 RALLY

Can you imagine going to a foreign country and trying to move everything to a different city every day? It’s similar to the Tour de France in that aspect (ASO owns the Dakar Rally and the Tour de France). The bikes get so much time on them so all this service needs to happen and all the parts need to be there. It’s something I look forward to seeing, how they juggle all the madness.

For me, I get up super early, ride all day, get back and paint my road book. Then I try to eat and get some sleep. That’s pretty much it. But the crew, they are driving, covering the same miles, then they work all night and don’t sleep. They sleep while someone else is driving, that’s it. Just madness, but part of that appeals to me, the adventure, challenge, seeing how it all works.

There’s going to be a lot of memories made, just talking about all this, I don’t even know what to think right now.

ANDREW SHORT DAKAR READY

Ishii: What aspects of the Dakar rally has you the most concerned?

Short: I am most concerned about the conditions and elements. I don’t have any experience of riding in the dunes for six days in extreme heat; it gets over 120 degrees. Then going to altitude right after that, riding over 14,000 feet in Bolivia. I don’t know how my body is going to respond to all that, with no sleep, riding that much and being fatigued. Dakar has a history of people passing away, and unfortunately, I’ve learned that it’s not from crashing, it’s from the elements.

It’s getting struck by lightning, dehydration, stuff like that. I always thought it was from crashing, which happens and is a concern, but the elements are my biggest worry.

Also, all this happens far from civilization. Last year, Toby Price broke his femur in Bolivia, knocked himself out, and woke up with a rod in his leg that he didn’t approve. But it’s like climbing Everest; unless you go for it, you’re never going to know, or have those feelings. I’m scared, but that’s part of the appeal, challenge, and adventure.

But yes, the elements scare me the most and the lack of sleep while trying to perform at a high level on a motorcycle. (Editor’s note: Andrew was audibly uncomfortable discussing this question.)

Ishii: What are your personal goals for the race?

Short: The main thing is to finish; I want to gain the experience so the following year I can be at a high level. I don’t know where I’m going to be at; honestly, I thought I was going to be faster at my last test when I was doing roadbook training, I was still getting smoked pretty badly. I don’t know. If I push it and get frustrated and get hurt, I’m never going to get faster, so it’s balancing risk and reward. I want to start and finish each day, and I know it’s going to be tough. I need to avoid falling into the trap of riding other people’s races; I need to ride my race, ride the best that I can each day, and wherever that is, be happy with it and next year try to push.

Ishii: Describe the daily Dakar routine: time of start, time of finish, liaisons, special sections, etc., things an American fan might not know about the race.

Short: I don’t know the race routine yet. I leave January 1st, and the race doesn’t even start until January the 6th. A lot of that is the scrutineering process (race officials inspect bikes, gear, etc.), organization and the opening ceremonies. It seems crazy to me to get there that early, but apparently, I’ll be wide open the whole time.

I have seen stage summaries on paper, but for me, it’s hard to visualize. I will get up at three or four every morning; my understanding is that those times are for European TV. The special timed stages, start at sunrise, and I’ll be on the bike a long time, all day. There could be two special stages or one long one, and then the liaison back to the bivouac, which is the pits. Then I get the roadbook, hard to recognize the actions of the roadbook; the dangers are really important. So yeah, I get up and do it all over again.

There is one rest day in La Paz, Bolivia. Otherwise, I hear that Peru is a lot of hot dunes and Bolivia, in the mountains, is extremely cold, with rain, and I’ll be dealing with altitude. Argentina is more of a desert with shrubbery and trees. I don’t know for sure; this will be better in the “after Dakar” questions!

Ishii: Describe the daily living aspects of Dakar: how/when do you eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, change clothes, etc. Again, the knowledge that the American fan might not have.

Short: Same with this question Seiji, I feel like I don’t know what Dakar life is all about. I know that I’m fortunate that I have a motorhome to stay in, the others have to stay in tents. They serve food in the bivouac, and I’ve heard that it’s good and bad, so I don’t know. Our team has a chef to take care of our food. The race is 9500 km’s, so that’s a ton of mileage in a short time, so I just assume that I’m just riding a lot daily, I have to paint my roadbook, and each bivouac is different. Again, a better “after Dakar” question!

Ishii: How would a fan follow you in the Dakar Rally?

Short: I don’t know the best way to follow the race; I need to follow up on that myself. One of the major U.S. sports networks will have a 30-minute recap of each day. I shouldn’t say this, being a Rockstar guy, but RedBullTV will have a good update show each day. Other than that, I don’t know that much. It’s because the demographics here in the U.S. just don’t support that much coverage.

Social media is even hard; the rider’s really can’t do it.

I would like the thank Andrew for the opportunity to conduct and write this interview. Upshift Online wishes Andrew a safe and successful Dakar Rally. I look forward to the after-Dakar conversations!

ANDREW SHORT DAKAR READY

between five and seven that night and paint it, which takes a long time. If I don’t paint it, it’s really

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Far Point South Traveling Chile’s Carretera Austral The tide and Transportes Austral ferry system waits for no man. Despite a pre-sunrise departure and a hard charge to arrive at the terminal early, we rolled onto the loading ramp with only four minutes to spare. No sooner had we stowed our motorcycles, the boat slowly pulled away from shore to begin its three-hour journey through the fjord. Relieved we hadn’t literally missed the boat and blown our tight travel schedule, we climbed to the top deck and spilled ourselves onto wooden benches.

With noon fast approaching the summer sun had moved high enough in the sky to burn away the morning chill.

I shucked off my dusty jacket and snapped a picture of the snow-capped summit of Volcán Hornopirén just as it slipped out of view. It seemed a suitable time to reflect on our ride along Chile’s famed Route 7. It had been exhilarating, beautiful, and at times more challenging than expected. Best of all, it was only the morning of the first day. We had ten more days to go.

WORDS & PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHE NOEL

Like most travelers to southern Chile, we came to experience its rugged roads and pristine wild places. Known by most as Patagonia, the bottom third of the country is still largely untamed. Home to deep fjords, ancient forests, and active volcanoes, it is a land all but forgotten by time. It is ragged, primordial, and in some places scraped clean by the ravages of ice, fire, and weather. Above all it is fecund, delicate, and profoundly beautiful. For that reason it attracts visitors from around the globe.

Many travel great distances to explore its parks and preserves. Given its remote location, most people explore Patagonia by way of Route 7, otherwise referred to as the Carretera Austral, or Southern Road.

Commissioned by dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1976, it was built as a means of servicing isolated villages and government outposts in the furthest reaches of the Chilean frontier. The terrain was so unforgiving the southernmost kilometer wasn’t completed until the year 2000. Today it terminates on the shores of Lake O’Higgins at a tiny village of the same name. It doesn’t stop there for lack of ambition. Beyond the painted sign marking the road’s end lies a wheel-thwarting landscape of shifting glacial ice and jagged mountains hemmed in by thousands of inlets and islands along the Patagonian Archipelago. Marked with the coordinates, 48º 28’ 06” S / 72º 33’ 49” W, it is as far south as you can go without wings, feet, or fins.

For anyone inclined to ride a motorcycle the full length of the Carretera Austral, the logistics are as daunting as the ride itself.

Aside from the obvious hurdle of getting to the starting point in Puerto Montt with a two-wheeled steed, there are the added challenges of managing accommodations, supplies, fuel, and the variable timetables of ten ferry crossings. Although plenty of adventurers execute the trip without assistance, I enlisted the services of Daniel Palazzolo at Moto Patagonia. An American expat and resident of Puerto Veras, his expert planning and local resources meant all I had to do was show up, swing a leg over a motorcycle and follow wheels. With my new fellow travel mates: Charles, Curt, James, and John, day one proved I had made the right choice.

When I signed up for the trip, I knew what I was getting into, but not the size of it.

Dragging a finger over a map did little to validate the scale. It took a few long days of hard riding to realize Patagonia is huge.

Our days started early and only by virtue of the date and our place in the hemisphere did we have enough light to complete the necessary distances. And then there was the terrain. The further we progressed, the less pavement we saw until finally the route ahead was nothing but unruly stretches of gravel and dirt. Despite the Chilean government’s best efforts to pave the entirety of Route 7, Mother Nature has demonstrated her own intentions. Steep mountain passes, the occasional landslide, and unrelenting remoteness mean the Carretera Austral will remain wild and wooly for years to come, particularly at the distant end.

A first timer to Patagonia, the more I saw of it the more compelled I was to compare it to other places I had visited.

It was a curious sensation, but around every bend vistas hinted to the Rockies, coastal mountains of Alaska, and bucolic pastures of Vermont or Central Europe. Amidst the verdant green of what could have been Slovenia’s Julian Alps, churches, farms, and small villages appeared decidedly European. Vestiges of the late 1800s, they harken to the years when 6,000 German immigrants fled their homeland and settled in southern Chile.

The wooden steeples, sloped rooftops, and shingled exteriors of even modern structures still retain traditional Bavarian influences. The Teutonic connections aren’t confined just to architecture. Breakfast tables typically include German kuchen pastry, and no bar is complete without Chilean-brewed Kunstmann beer.

Anytime our route skipped along the edge of the ocean we frequently spotted dozens of brightly colored fishing boats moored in the shallows or at keel on rocky beaches.

Abandoned by the low tide, they evoked images of the North Sea or coastal hamlets of Scandinavia. As familiar as the visuals seemed, comparisons eventually felt unfairly applied. When melded together, the diverse elements of the region combined to create a unique natural and cultural tapestry. It is unmistakably––Chilean.

For many of us it’s easy to fixate on the making of miles and whiz past the very things that make a place worthy of the visit. During each of our eleven days on the road, Daniel delivered us to Patagonia’s best-kept treasures.

While taking a break from the bikes we walked amidst the towering Alerce trees of Parque Pumalín. Distant cousins of the Redwood, the most ancient Alerce tree is more than 3,600 years old. Down the road we stopped to watch pillars of steam rise from the scarred flanks of Volcán Chaitén. Its last eruption occurred as recently as 2008. Arriving late in the day at Puerto Rio Tranquilo, we boarded a small skiff to see the otherworldly Marble Caves along the shores of Lago General Carrera. We kayaked the Azul River, and hiked a rocky trail to view the hanging glacier of Parque Nacional Queulat. As superlative as those diversions were, our time in O’Higgins offered a once in a lifetime experience. After boarding a Cessna 206 we flew deep into the Southern ice fields to the towering escarpments of Patagonia’s most famous peaks: Fitzroy and Cerro Torre. With the plane window propped open and our camera lenses jutting into the void, we cracked off pictures and traded high-fives.

One would think running out of roadway would have cast a heavy pall over a group of adventure riders. Standing in front of a sign wearing the words, Fin del Camino, or end of the road, had the opposite effect. The 1,247 kilometers we passed under our wheels were hard won, but that’s what made them so rewarding. We had spent the previous week earning our Patagonian experience by day and whiling away the late evening hours reliving the efforts. Bikes had been dropped, comfort zones exceeded, and as is the case for shared adventures, new friendships forged.

As we loitered about the sign marking the end of the road, our group of six traded attaboys and slaps on the back.

Watching the gang from a distance it occurred to me the sign was patently wrong. It may have been the southernmost terminus of the Carrera Austral. There may not have been any more Route 7 to traverse, but it was by no means the end of the road. From where I stood it was the––start––of the second half of our journey. For Information on touring with Moto Patagonia go to www.motopatagonia.com About Christophe Noel: Fueled by his personal mantra––the Earth is cool––Christophe Noel has dedicated his life to exploring as much of it as he can. His words and images have appeared in a number of print and digital publications as well as manufacturer websites, catalogs, and ad campaigns. When not tapping away at a keyboard as a freelance journalist, or looking through the clear glass of a camera lens, he can often be found riding motorcycles, bicycles, or shuffling through an airport on route to his next adventure. www.christophenoel.net

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DAY 1

Words & Photos: Simon Cudby

TNTRIDE The sun came up at about 6.30am as we pinned it south on the 5 Freeway along the Pacific. It was the day after Thanksgiving and the only people on the road were the head cases looking for Black Friday bargains. I was glad to be on my KTM1190R heading south and away from the craziness of the shoppers.

Our third year of adventure riding south of the border with the guys from TNT started off nice and early with departure from the concrete jungle of Orange County, CA. I was riding with Upshift’s own creative genius Chris Glaspell and our expert product tester Seiji Ishii. Our target was to be at Tecate, CA at 8:15am to cross the border into Mexico and get our tourist visas just through the border checkpoint.

We gassed up at the last gas station on the US side and headed across to meet the other seven riders in our group, as well as our Mexico expert Juan Carlos Pacheco Bañuelos, or JC to his friends. JC owns Baja Voyager and is “the man” when it comes to support in Baja. For a few dollars more for each rider we had the security of having JC and his guys in several support vehicles. We had some Baja newbies in the group and everyone felt much better knowing we were covered if we had any major mechanicals.

DAY 1

DAY 1

DAY 1

We headed east on Highway 2 to the start of the Compadre Trail, a 70-mile dirt stretch that headed south. Dust was a major factor so we became fairly spread out, as the last thing we needed to be doing on these dirt roads was riding in dust since we never knew what was coming the other way.

The plan was to cut off about halfway down Compadre and head over to Laguna Hansen. However, as we re-grouped at the junction for the turn off we knew something was up when we waited thirty minutes for some of the group to get to the turn off. The first flat of the day was quickly followed by the second flat, as Todd “TC” Corbitt looked at his rear wheel.

We were going to run out of daylight if we were to make it to our first night’s stop at Mike’s Sky Ranch, so we decided to skip the cut-off to Laguna Hansen and just kept riding south towards Ojos Negros.

After a gas stop at Valle de Trinidad, it was a tarmac blast on Highway 3 to the turn off for Mike’s.

The sun was rapidly setting as we tried to get to our destination before dark. Riding in the dark in Baja is treacherous to say the least, but riding in the back-lit dust from the riders up front was even more sketchy.

We arrived at Mike’s in one piece and everyone checked their bikes over a few obligatory cervezas.

Chris and I hit the trail early with Randy Commans (@my1090R) to shoot pictures of some gear we were testing for future Upshift issues. Chris and I had some Alpinestars gear and Schuberth E1 helmets, plus my new favorite toy: a Rylo 360 camera (see review in this issue).

The early morning light was beautiful and the trails were perfect as we made our way back to the highway. We turned north back to Valle de Trinidad for more gas and waited about an hour for our group to catch up to us. It turns out that one of the guys, Steve Bauer, had run out of talent on his brand new Africa Twin, and after some trailside repairs was able to continue.

We were back on dirt headed west towards the Pacific coast on one of the most fun fast fire roads of the whole trip. Randy got a flat soon after we got onto the trail, so we slimed the tube and it held for a while. As the group spread out along the trail, we became smaller groups of two and single riders. We made it over to Highway 1 and ended up waiting for Randy and the support guys. Not only did the slimed tube fail, he also got another front sidewall tear. JC’s guys helped Randy change the rear tube, as well as the front tube and tire. This alone was worth the cost of having the Baja Voyager guys helping us out on the ride.

Once on the road we were now fighting against time as we were going to be camping near the beach south of San Quintin. We wanted to set up camp and watch the sunset; fortunately we made it in time. Once again the cerveza and tequila made an appearance whilst we set up our campsite.

We all slept pretty well that night!

DAY 2

DAY 3

We were up early and fogged in. So much for those sunrise photos! Our first hour on the bikes was a little unnerving as the pea soup fog lingered until we moved inland and the temperature heated up. The paved road heading south towards our next gas stop at El Rosario was really fun with twisty sections and fast straights, but most importantly hardly any traffic. We put our suspension to the test several times when we hit some decent size potholes at speed.

After El Rosario we continued south and we were really starting to get the feeling of moving away from civilization as we saw fewer people and cars. We stopped for a photo op just north of Cataviña in an area with giant cactus literally everywhere. It was high noon and the weather was unseasonably warm, over 90F. Once we had snapped some shots it was great to get the air flowing again through our gear.

At Cataviña we were due for a refueling stop, but there was no gas station in town.

So it was “gas in a milk jug” time from a nice lady by the side of the road. Although I have the Bad Fuel Dongle in my 1190, I think the gas we got was pretty decent, so we weren’t worried. Getting gas in Baja is all about filling up whenever you can as you never know if your next planned stop is going to be closed or out of gasoline.

South of Cataviña we turned east again and headed towards the Sea of Cortez. After a stop at the legendary Coco’s Corner for a beverage, we were now on the final stretch of the day’s ride over to the beautiful Gonzaga Bay. No camping tonight as we stayed at Alfonsinas, which is basically located on a sand bar next to the bay. JC arrived and broke out the blender for some epic margaritas and we all bench races about our day’s experiences.

DAY 3

Well this was supposed to be a “day off� from riding for a big chill out at Gonzaga Bay. Unfortunately due to previous commitments Chris, Seiji, and I had to head north for the 440-mile trip home. As we crossed the border at Mexicali we encountered extremely gusty winds for the next 100 miles on the 8 Freeway towards San Diego. Seiji said he saw me drift across two lanes of the freeway. It was sketchy!

Big thanks to Todd Huffman and Todd TC Corbitt from TNT, as well as to JC and his crew from Baja Voyager www.bajavoyager.com for the great support. See you next year!

DAY 4

San Diego

USA

Calexico Mexicali

Tecate Tijuana

5

2

2

3

Ejido Eréndira

Ensenada

5 3

3

Lazaro Cardenes

1

Ejido Eréndira

3

5

1

Punta Colonet

Mikes Sky Ranch

San Felipe

BAJA MEXICO San Quintin

Mission Santa Maria

Puertecitos 1

1

El Rosario 5

1

Alfonsinas

San Antonio de las Minas Coco’s Corner

Pavement

5

Dirt/Sand 1

By SIMON CUDBY

I am not a big fan of riding at night on my KTM 1190R, but if I have to, I obviously like to see as much as possible. The stock lights on most adventure bikes will do a decent job of lighting the road and trail in front of you. However, as soon as you add some aftermarket illumination to your ride, there’s no going back to the stock set-up.

The main thing I like about these NiteRider headlamps is the ease of installation. No need for drilling or riveting mounts onto your bike, as these two lights easily clamp on to most crash bars. I have Touratech crash bars on the 1190 and all I had to do was use a 4mm Allen key to mount the lights. Simple.

The lamps are powered directly from the battery

4mm Allen. On the trail at night I widened the spread

and NiteRider includes a wiring harness that has a

of the lamps to illuminate the trail sides a bit. There is

bar-mounted remote switch. Also in the box are dif-

so much light streaming from these units that night

ferent sizes of plastic shims to mount to various bar

riding is not really an issue for me anymore. I have

sizes. While in use the remote switch has three click

more confidence to see the trail or road, but also to be

settings: Off, Low, and High power. The bulbs are

seen much better by other vehicles.

CREE LEDs, extremely bright compared to the stock headlights, and put out 3600 lumens from each lamp for a total output of 7200 lumens.

The quality of the NiteRider set-up is first class, and the units are designed and assembled in San Diego, CA using USA and non-USA parts. I have previously

Once installed in my garage, I waited for dark to adjust

used their rechargeable cycling light products on my

the beams of the lights on the street. I liked that I could

mountain bike and it’s nice to see NiteRider step into

easily set the lamps up and lock them in place with the

the ADV market. MSRP: $599.99 www.niterider.com

TESTE

Rylo 360 Camera

By Simon Cudby

We contacted the guys at Rylo after seeing their Instagram feed @rylo and requested a camera to test. There was something about this 360 camera that obviously set it apart from standard action cameras. Once we got our hands on it we were blown away at the quality and ease of use.

With the Rylo there are no extensive menus to mess with and the footage is easily transferred to your iPhone or android phone for editing. Transfer to your phone is via a cable not by Bluetooth, so one less thing to have a connection issue with. We used our Rylo on a four-day trip down to Baja (see story in this issue). Once we learned the basic on/off controls, we gathered some amazing stabilized footage. The video captured images that looked like they were shot on a gimbal, even when handlebar-mounted on rough Mexican dirt roads.

Tested

The magic of the Rylo system is the powerful software that is used once the footage gets into your phone. Founded by a few former Instagram and Apple employees it’s no surprise that the app is really intuitive and easy to edit with. Although this is a 360 camera, there is no crazy fisheye distortion to the action footage.

There are two really cool features called “Look Here” and “Follow Me” where the editor can select points (your riding buddy, for example), and the app will automatically pan around and follow your subject. At our first night stop in Baja I downloaded the footage to my phone and showed my riding group some of the day’s action. The general response was “Wow! How does it do that?”

There are two options for saving an edited video: either a HD output of your edited scene with “Follow Me” and “Look Here” edits or an actual 360 video. With a recent app update there is now a new in-camera edit tool called “Tune” that lets you tweak the color, contrast, highlights, shadows, vibrance and tone. I have to say for me the footage looks really good without any adjustments but I will start using these new tools on my next shoot.

The build quality of the Rylo is top notch, and we did use the Adventure Case for protection whilst we were riding.

It’s important to really handle the camera with care when it’s not mounted on your helmet as the front and rear lens ports do stick out. It’s easy to lay the camera down on the table whilst you are downloading footage and scratch the lens covers.

For me the best thing about the Rylo is that it captures everything around you at once, so no more trying to make sure your action camera is pointing in exactly the right direction. You can concentrate on riding instead of turning your head sideways trying to get the shots of your buddies as you ride side by side down a trail.

Overall we are very excited to try this amazing little camera on our next trip. The standard package comes with the camera and the following: Rylo everyday case, 16GB microSD card, battery, charge cable, sync cable and protective pouch. The Rylo retails at $499 at www.rylo.com. We highly recommend the $69 Adventure case for action footage on the bike.

Pros: • The footage is great • Stabilization is first rate • Styling • App is easy to use • You can record everything around you and select your framing later • Sharing to social media is easy straight from the app Cons: • You can only use the Rylo sync cable, so buy some spares • Adventure case lens covers scratch easily- Be careful!

• Your phone will fill up fast, so transfer your SD card footage to your computer • No desktop app (If you want to edit a video you have saved to your computer, you have to re-import the clip back into your phone)

By Chad de Alva

Whoever said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” obviously hasn’t used Mosko Moto’s Fatty Tool Roll, because this tool roll does things I’ve seen no other tool roll do. The designers at Mosko Moto put some serious thought into how to make a well-known product even better, and the result is the Fatty - an aptly named product that’s expanding

ESTED

the definition of what a tool roll should be.

When you first pick up the Fatty, you’ll instantly understand how the product got its name. The thing is stout, and very well made. Think

durable enough to be used as a traction mat for your ADV bike, and you’ll get an idea of what I’m talking about. The Fatty easily swallows

up all of the tools, and loading it is where you start to see all of the

genius that went into its creation, as there are places for everything.

A windowed zipper pouch can hold your paperwork, or the smallest of things you don’t want to risk slipping out. Next to this are two more

zippered pouches that will swallow up wrenches, sockets, torx bits, zip ties, pliers, and any of the other tools that don’t fit well in conven-

tional tool roll pockets. Lifting a Velcro flap reveals two rows of tool pockets. The Velcro flap pulls double duty by capturing everything

in both rows of pockets and the underside of the flap has a zippered mesh pouch for additional repair item storage. On the back of the tool roll are three pockets that are great for stashing your tire irons.

The Fatty can hold so many tools and other repair items, that by the time you have every last pouch and pocket fully loaded it can get um, well… FAT– to the point that it can take up a considerable amount of space in your pack or wherever you choose to carry it. That is not such a bad thing, but certainly something to be aware of because once you slide the Fatty into its rain cover, it takes up even more space.

It hasn’t rained in Arizona in months, so I wasn’t able to give the Fatty’s rain cover a proper test in a monsoon rainstorm. Soaking it with the hose was the best alternative test I could come up with. After several minutes of soaking, no water had made it inside the cover, but I didn’t get the same result when I dunked the Fatty briefly in a bucket of water. The rain cover closes like a drybag, but only lets you make one fold instead of multiple folds

ESTED

that would really make the rain cover waterproof. So make sure to check your Fatty for water ingression if it goes swimming.

The rain cover also works as a parts tray that’s great for keeping dirt off a greased axle or keeping small parts from disappearing in the forest floor of pine needles. Just like the tool roll, the rain cover has a loop that makes pulling it out of your pack or pannier an easy task.

The Fatty has gone on ADV rides, dual sport rides, and off-road / enduro rides over the last few months, and is no worse for the wear after hundreds of miles of dirt and rocks. Tools have this magical ability to wear through lesser bags and packs but they seem to be unable to impart their powers of abrasion or hole-making on the Fatty.

Durability comes with a size (volume) and weight price, but the beauty of a tool roll is that it scales in size with what it’s carrying.

Mosko Moto clearly put a great deal of thought into creating the Fatty Tool Roll, which is something you will start to appreciate from when you first unroll the thing. It’s a very well made piece of gear that will safely and securely carry more than enough tools and repair items to keep your ride going. The Fatty can certainly ingest enough tools to become quite the fatty, but that could prove to be a blessing when you need that wildcat item when you are hundreds of miles from help. The brilliant layout of pockets and pouches and dynamic functionality of the Fatty make for a tool roll that stands head and shoulders above the other offerings I’ve seen out there, and the rain cover is a great new feature for a tool roll to have. I just hope Fatty 2.0’s rain cover seals up better. The Fatty Tool Roll may very well be the last tool roll you’ll ever buy – unless you decide that you can’t live with just one. MSRP: $69.99 www.moskomoto.com

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WORDS & PHOTOS: CHAD DE ALVA

There’s this notion out there that Arizona is just a desert, the kind of place where tumbleweeds blow aimlessly across a landscape of cacti and desolation. While there is certainly some truth to the matter, if you drive all of two hours North of Phoenix to Flagstaff, you’ll find yourself at 7,000 feet above sea level in the middle of the largest ponderosa pine tree forest in the world. Surrounding Flagstaff in nearly every direction is national forest with hundreds of miles of awesome riding. No matter what your dream ride is, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find a trail or a road that will let you turn your dreams into memories and good stories somewhere around Flagstaff or Northern Arizona.

Flagstaff is the kind of place where you can spend days riding singletrack and not have to ride the same thing twice.

When you’re ready to mix things up a bit, there are numerous ways to dual sport to other nearby towns where you can grab lunch or a pint, and then take a totally different way back. If you want to reach out a little further, a great option is to take over 100 miles of dirt from Flagstaff to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for an overnight. If you’re on a big bike, Flagstaff is just off the Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route (AZBDR), the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Navajo Nation. With about a million other awesome destinations all within striking distance, Flagstaff is a great place to base out of for all kinds of riding.

ADV If you’re on your big bike, literally all you have to do is pick a direction out of town and go – it’s that easy and there is that much to go explore. Head east out of town to pick up the AZBDR, or you can head out into the high deserts of the Navajo and Hopi Reservations where quiet two-lane roads and miles of empty dirt roads await.

Heading almost anywhere south of Interstate 40 will have you on an endless network of Forest Service (FS) roads that can take you well over 100 miles before you cross pavement again. Once you do find pavement, there are a number of sporty two-lane roads that are an absolute hoot to ride, like Highway 89/A to the southwest of Flagstaff that has some of the best two-lane canyon carving around.

Follow the forest to the southeast of Flagstaff and you’ll see that this part of Arizona is anything but a flat desert, and it’s laced with awesome roads just waiting to be ridden.

To the west there’s even more forest to go explore, and racking up dozens of miles of dirt is hard not to do. Check out the Mogollon Rim (major change in topography that’s the southwest edge of the forest) for great remote campsites, and back ways to drop down into the Verde Valley. If you cross over to the north side of Interstate 40, you’ll soon find yourself out on endless expanses of open rangeland. Journey far enough to the west, and you will come across Peach Springs, where a fee (paid to the Hualapai Indian Tribe) will get you access to Diamond Creek Road. Follow this road to its end to find the Colorado River in the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Speaking of the Grand Canyon, taking dirt from Flagstaff to the South Rim is a great way to escape all of the crowds on the paved road in. Yet for even more peace and solitude, hop on Highway 89 and 89A north out of Flagstaff and follow it up onto the Kaibab plateau, where you’ll find Jacob Lake. Heading south from Jacob Lake will eventually lead you to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

There’s a paved way to get there, but there are also hundreds of miles of FS roads that will take you to a number of awesome viewpoints where it’s not uncommon to have the whole place to yourself.

DualSport The local motorcycle club, Coconino Trail Riders (CTR), is quite fortunate to enjoy a great relationship with the Forest Service and as such are building new motorcycle-specific trails in and around Flagstaff every year. This means that proper Dual Sport rides featuring a combination of single track and larger types of roads and trails can be linked up with ever increasing combinations. Just south of Flagstaff, you’ll find the Kelly Canyon Trail System that will soon connect all the way to Munds Park, which is 17 miles south of Flagstaff by freeway.

There are dozens of Forest Service roads that intersect the Kelly Trail system, so you can hop on a FS road when you’ve had your fill of single track and want to cover some miles. With a little bit of route planning, you can find a FS road that will take you just about anywhere.

Enduro If you want to play on some of the best single track around, head out of Flagstaff on Highway 180 towards the Fort Valley trail system.

Here you’ll find a bunch of multi-use trails that have something for everyone from fast and flowy (Social and Dogfood Engineer) to tight and technical where a trial bike is a good choice (Upper Moto). This is a multi-use trail system, so be mindful of near silent mountain bikes bombing downhill toward you if you’re heading uphill on a trail.

Cinder Hill OHV If you are looking for a unique riding experience, head east out of Flagstaff on Highway 89 to find the Cinder Hills OHV area. The entire place is a long dormant volcano field where you will be riding on volcanic cinder ash. Here you will find plenty of whoops, hill climbs, trails, and general exploration/freeriding to keep you entertained for days.

Flagstaff truly has something for every appetite when it comes to motorcycling. It’s the kind of place where looking at a map and picking a cool-looking road or piece of topography is a rewarding experience, and depending on how far you cast your net determines just how far the awesome goes. Start your day off with some single track in Kelly Canyon or Fort Valley, and duck out to a FS road to go exploring in the afternoon. Or start with FS roads and make your way down to Sedona or Jerome, AZ for some lunch before taking a different dual sport route back to Flagstaff.

If you’ve got a few days to draw out a larger loop, check out the Grand Canyon or explore the endless expanses to the north of Interstate 40.

A great use of a couple of nights would be to traverse the Mogollon rim from Flagstaff to New Mexico and back – there’s no shortage of awesome dirt and scenery along the way. The biggest challenge with riding in Flagstaff is choosing from all of the potential that’s out there.

RESOURCES The Forest Service is constantly evolving its travel management plan for the area, which means that a map printed just last year may not have accurate road information as far as whether or not a given road is open or closed. The best way to avoid being stuck behind a locked gate is to consult the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) available here.

Likewise, the local club, CTR is happy to provide input on where to ride. They also host an annual AMA National Dual Sport, which is a great way to get a good Flagstaff sampler. More information on CTR is here: coconinotrailriders.com or here.

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CHECKING IN WITH FORMER MX CHAMP GRANT LANGSTON

Words & Photos: Simon Cudby

Upshift: Grant, how much dual sporting and adventure riding have you done?

Grant Langston: I would say over the years not so much adventure but a little more off-road stuff. Even as a kid in South Africa, we would just take our motocross bikes out of the back of the neighborhoods that we lived in and there was a lot of open riding out there. So from a young age, I always sort of had the taste for the off-road and the adventure side, and then obviously, with motocross, that kind of got sidelined for a long time. Now that my racing career is over, I still enjoy riding but I probably get more enjoyment out of the adventure side and going dual sporting. The camaraderie with friends and the beautiful sights when we’re up on top of a hill here, birds are soaring around us, it’s just there’s something peaceful about it. So I think for me, it’s wanting to get into it, doing it more and more, and now, I have some trips planned coming up. It’s fun.

Upshift: So talk a little bit about your motocross history. I mean, obviously, we’re talking about dual sporting right now, but you had a pretty good motocross career, right?

GL: Yes. My career obviously provided a lot of good things like giving me the opportunity to live here in the States, being able to come out and ride during the week and have some fun, and not having to work that 9:00 to 5:00 job all day, every day. So yes, motocross was great for me. Unfortunately, I did have cancer in my eye, melanoma, during the peak of my career, so it was a little bit of an abrupt halt.

That put a bit of a damper on things and I was sort of forced into retirement. I hadn’t really planned for that day yet because I wasn’t ready to stop racing, so it was a bit of a whammy when it just kind of came along and I couldn’t really see out of my eye. I went through radiation and realized that I wasn’t going to be able to race 100%. That’s when I kind of lost that fire and felt like I was behind the eight ball the whole time. The sport had changed. After a season, teams and rides were harder to come by, and everything just sort of lined up and maybe not all on my own terms, I ended up retiring. I’ve enjoyed racing, but I feel like I needed something else. For me, the something else was finding new trails, finding new places, going with friends, keeping it social, getting out there and enjoying this beautiful land that we have around us.

Upshift: So on our ride earlier, you were talking about some trips that you want to do in the future, and one of them was going back to your homeland in South Africa. Talk a little bit about what kind of riding you’d like to do there.

GL: Well, I think the nice thing about South Africa is you don’t have as much red tape. There’s more open riding and it’s a little more of a free-for-all. In America, there are a lot of restricted areas, and I think that’s why a lot of people, especially in our area of Southern California, want to go to Mexico because it’s a little more loose with the rules. South Africa’s loose with the rules, but you also have a lot of beautiful landscape and wildlife.

When you’re riding and there are wild animals amongst you, it’s a whole other feeling. I’ve had the luxury of riding in South Africa, doing some trail riding with some friends and seeing some places that were just mind-blowing. It would be cool to get a group of guys to go over and do that. I think it’d be really interesting and I think people would get a kick out of it.

Upshift: Well, I think we would like to tag along, shoot some photos and do a little story if you ever do that.

You just made a good point talking about people wanting to go to Mexico to ride. Having these dual sports, we’re on a KTM 500 EXC and a Husky 501 today. We were up in the hills and then we came down to do some street for a little bit, and now we’re back up and riding some pretty technical stuff up in the hills here.

Talk a little bit about what it’s like on these bikes.

GL: Well, these bikes have come a long way in the last few years. The bikes that we are on, the KTM and Husky, we’ve done a few things to them but they are relatively stock and to me they’re almost like street legal dirt bikes nowadays. Like you said: you can hit jumps on these things, you can hit some good trails and you can go through the rocks. Then if you come out of a fun area and you need to go to the next spot, that’s the beauty, you get on the road; you’re street legal and you go to your next riding spot. So it’s really like having a multitude of bikes all in one.

Upshift: So talk a little bit about adventure biking. Have you had much experience on bigger bikes like the KTM 1090 or 1290?

GL: No, not too much. I mean, I’ve had a chance to go do a day ride with the KTM guys before and it was fun. I think to me that’s appealing if you’re planning to start in one location and end up in a different location, basically you’re almost touring the country. I’ve always wanted to do sort of the western swing of the United States, up through Yosemite, through Central Oregon and the mountain cascades and then Yellowstone and down through… what’s the big ravine?

Upshift: I think they call it the Grand Canyon.

GL: That one! Well, you knew what I was talking about [laughter]. But you know, that’d be fun to do over maybe a couple of weeks and stop and enjoy the sights with a good group of guys and rough it up a little bit camping and things like that. I’ve always thought that’d be cool. But like I said, the nice thing about dual sporting is you can go from one spot and come back to that spot. Of course you can also venture out of those too but definitely have to pack a little more luggage than we’ve got!

Upshift: So looking at your KTM 500EXC, we did a little video with you earlier talking about the bike.

Obviously, you’ve done some mod’s to it. Talk a little bit about your business Langston Motorsports.

GL: Well, we’ve obviously been known through the motorsports industry. We started up as a motocross hop-up shop more than anything. But over the years we’ve rolled with the times and the changes and we’ve also seen that the adventure and dual sport market is a growing market and a growing segment. Unfortunately, motocross seems to be on a slight decline so it’s kind of great for me because I’m interested in this sort of stuff and we do build-outs for people. A lot of times guys buy a bike and they just want us to it set up for their riding style. So we do a lot of that stuff as well as lowering. Just from a business standpoint we have gotten more and more involved in the dual sport off-road side of it and it’s a fun market. A lot of those guys are really into it and they’re not afraid to spend money.

So it’s a little bit different from the motocross guys that are the “next world champions” and who are looking for sponsorship.

Upshift: So we talked about South Africa. We talked about doing a tour in the western states of America. Name one other place in the world that you’d really like to go and ride a dual sport or an adventure bike.

GL: I think there are probably several places. I know some friends have done the South America thing, mainly Brazil. I’ve seen pictures there, it’s gorgeous. I think Australia would be a fun one, just because there’s a bit of everything out there from the desert to the shorelines. There’s a lot of open area. I think anywhere you’ve got a lot of open area is nice. I’m not too familiar with Asian territories but I’m sure there’s some great riding. I think no matter where you go in the world there are some good spots. But probably if I were to go out and say somewhere I’d like to go I think Australia would be cool. You’ve got a bit of everything, especially if you hit the right parts. If you’re not too far from the coast you can hit coastland as well as mountain ranges, desert and everything in between.