I spend way too much time on the inter-webs looking at motorcycle stuff. I have watched way too many videos trying to determine the right tire, the perfect duffel bag, the best adventure jacket, the best fitting boots and a few good riding videos, book ended by many, many terrible riding videos. It is an addiction. I swear.
It is amazing to me how much time I have spent just searching the web for all kinds of random motorcycle stuff. To much time on my hands and this happens. I tend to hyper focus on shit and ultimately just create another list of stuff that I think I need. But I digress.
Out of all of that time there are a handful of places that I keep coming back to. Either they have the best products, the best information, or they just tell the best stories.
Like the overloaded motorcycle in this photo, that’s how my head feels as I continue to plan for our Alaska trip. Instead of gear, I am overloaded with information. Damn.
Here are a few of my favorites and why:
Media:
Motorcyclist Magazine: Zach and Ari are the coolest. Check out their YouTube series MC Garage and On Two Wheels. MC Garage is great information and will make you smarter. On Two Wheels is just awesome to watch. These guys can really ride, they know what the hell they are talking about, and are super entertaining. Don’t forget to actually buy the magazine. They have launched a new design and frankly it is way better to flip through a magazine while doing your business. Try to find the Scrambler off road video. Good stuff.
ADV Pulse: Nice online magazine surrounding adventure motorcycling. They are very timely in their articles and they seem well researched and written. Check out the Rides tab to get some great ideas for your next adventure.
Adventure Rider Radio: I would love to sit in the seat of Jim Martin for just one episode on this very popular podcast. He gets to talk to people from all over the world about riding motorcycles all over the world. How cool is that? He is a great host, keeps the conversation going and you can really tell he loves to ride. These stories are informational, inspirational, and motivating. I want to ride my bike more when I listen to these podcasts. (Be careful though, you might want to quit your job, sell all of your shit, divorce your spouse, and send your kids off to military school, just so you can hit the road for a round the world tour). If you are looking for some good fitting advice check out the Custom Fitting Your Bike to Your Body podcast. Grant Johnson of Horizons Unlimited the premier overland site for motorcycle travellers, really knows his stuff and explains fitting in a practical manner.
Revzilla: Common Tread. You can’t beat it. Lot’s of great articles that keep me coming back. Stories told in usually an interesting way with some personal connection to allow us a window into the story tellers lives. Or otherwise, the guys tend to be goofballs and having a really good time. You can’t really beat that, can you?
Organizations:
Back Country Discovery Routes: When I can quit my job and take a few months off, riding these routes will be the first on my bucket list. Check out there Gear list recommendations. They are a great starting point for packing for your own trips.
Horizons unlimited: The ultimate resource guide for overland travel.
Forums:
Stromtrooper: All things V strom and then some.
ADV Rider: and don’t forget to check out the very active VStrom Owners Tread
Entertainment:
C90 Adventures: Check out the Alaska to Argentina playlist on YouTube. Ed March and Rachel are quite a team as the trek around North America on their C90’s. Check out Episode 5 and 6, Riding Across Canada. These two, in my opinion , are missing a few screws, but boy it would be fun to travel with them for a bit.
Gear Videos:
Revzilla and Fort Nine are my primary choice for gear videos. I like Revzilla for the sheer volume of video’s for the products they sell and I really get a kick out of the dynamic between Spurgeon and Lemmy. They appear to have a lot of fun doing what they do, and it comes across in the energy of their videos. Ryan at FortNine does a great job of choosing gear and explaining why it works and why it doesn’t. I really like his “best of” videos. Oh yeah, and he rides a 2014 Suzuki V Strom in many of his videos and it is usually visible when in the studio. Check out the Life Hacks videos if you are looking for some funny shit.
Shopping:
There are what seem to be a thousand varies places to buy stuff online, so I tend to go local first. Local is always great so support your local motorcycle shop. A few of my favorites are Simply Street Bikes, Go Moto; Midwest Cycle, and Bobs Cycle Supply, Leo’s South. A few large online places to check out are Revzilla, JP Cycles, Touratech, Twisted Throttle, and Motorcycle closeouts. For more of a specialty “store” (used loosely, because these tend to be a MFG direct to consumer: V strom stuff: Adventure Tech, Happy Trails, Enduro Guardian.
I could keep going, but there is a lot here already. I will keep adding to the post as other things keep popping up. Also if you have any favorites that you want to share, please leave a link in the comments. Thanks. HC Brian
Photo borrowed from Sound Rider.com. Check out this great article about “Weight Limits”
Handsome Chaps Motorcycle 
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