Ante Dodig planned a motorcycle trip that would take him across Canada, up to Alaska, and all the way down to the southernmost tip of South America. This was his first foray into long-distance motorcycling, and while the trip didn’t unfold as he had envisioned, he said he would do it all over again, even knowing the outcome.

Backroad riding is the essence of adventure motorcycling—exploring remote places and pushing limits. It’s not an everyday experience for most riders, making preparation and caution crucial. In this RIDER SKILLS episode, Clinton Smout shares expert tips for tackling backroads safely, handling challenges, and avoiding common mistakes — your ultimate guide to backroad adventures.

On the 18th day of their motorcycle journey along the Trans America Trail, Steve and Amanda Kleha faced an unexpected challenge in the Utah desert. A thin layer of water stretched across the dirt road ahead, seemingly harmless under the desert sun. Confident from weeks of riding, they decided to press forward. But what unfolded next would turn a routine day into a harrowing test of resilience—one they would never forget.

The Trans America Trail was the first major motorcycle adventure for Randy Gorrell and his son, Brady. The trip, intended to honor a promise, was filled with challenges. Brady, a newly licensed rider with no dirt experience, struggled on the rugged terrain, while Randy, despite his road expertise, found the TAT to be unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Overloaded bikes, failed comms, and painful saddle sores by Day 3 tested their resolve, with Brady repeatedly dropping his bike. It was a rough start to their travels—one that would make most question whether to attempt another trip.

For more than a decade, Suzanne Jolly had dreamed of her ultimate motorcycle adventure. Her idea was to load her motorcycle onto a boat that would drop her in a remote, boat-access-only area on the British Columbia coast. Once there, she could explore the vast network of logging roads that crisscross the Coast Mountains and ride in an area that few have ever seen. Because the area is so remote, she would need to take everything she required — bike, camping gear, and fuel — into the wilderness. However, her dream was put on the back burner when a brain injury turned her life upside down. After a long struggle with recovery, which included re-learning to ride a motorcycle, she decided to make her dream a reality by inviting a few other riders to join her in riding the hidden roads of the coast.

Ian Varley stepped off his boat in the UK, swung his leg over his motorcycle, and set off on a multi-country adventure. His gear was well thought out and organized, but his route was not yet locked down. Fast forward a few days, Ian wakes up in a foreign country, believing he is having a heart attack. This is where the trouble begins as he faces a life-threatening condition in an unfamiliar place.

This episode of Rider Skills with Clinton Smout focuses on a technique that doesn’t often get much attention. While experienced riders and instructors use it instinctively, it's rarely highlighted despite being essential for mastering great control. With just a bit of simple, low-risk practice, this skill can dramatically improve your riding and control without the risk of dropping your bike.

Andy, Josh, Sean, and Marlin are riding buddies with a unique bond. Approximately every two years, they try to go on a major expedition. Their most recent adventure involved riding the length of the Silk Road, focusing on getting off-road as much as possible. While they ultimately did not complete the journey as planned, the trip led to a spectacular discovery.

Motorcycle riders often spend considerable time learning and perfecting their riding skills. Our popular segment on the show, Rider Skills, discusses various techniques and the importance of learning them and practicing them in real-world conditions. However, what's sometimes missing is the next step—real-world exposure. Ben Dragoo has developed a curriculum specifically designed to help train riders preparing to compete in adventure motorcycle challenges like the GS Trophy. This episode explores how this training could potentially enhance riding skills.

Irwin Kubilius set out for a solo ride into the desert, fully aware of the challenges ahead. With experience, skill, and preparation on his side, he emerged unscathed in the end. But in hindsight, we can pinpoint a series of seemingly harmless decisions that could have easily led to disaster if conditions were less than ideal.

Chad Horton and Rose Padilla were headed home after being on the road for over five years. They flew to Panama City for a 2 to 3-day layover but ended up waiting for 2 to 3 weeks due to a delay in DHL delivering their motorcycle and gear. Ultimately, DHL admitted that they had lost track of the crate containing the motorcycle and all their gear, leaving Chad and Rose stranded in Panama. They eventually made it back home to LA. But what was it like to come back from such an incredible adventure to where they started?

Owen Clarke is a journalist who mostly writes about action sports. He’s spent years traveling the globe, chasing stories and adventures. As an outdoor enthusiast, his journey often began with long drives on rough, remote roads—each mile taking a toll on his car and nerves. But then, everything changed. That was until Owen discovered the motorcycle. Not that he wasn’t already a rider, but what he discovered in the motorcycle changed how he looks at his adventures in more ways than one.

In this episode of Rider Skills, we’ll explore the challenges of sand riding and introduce a new technique to help improve your confidence and skills on sandy terrain. Expert riding instructor, Clinton Smout, will share practical tips and advice to help you navigate sand more easily and become a better rider.

In this episode of DEEP TROUBLE, Chris Hoerenz needed a break from work, so he and a friend decided to fly into Park City, Utah, for an adventure. The plan was to rent motorcycles from a company that Chris's friend had used before, which would also provide GPS tracks for their day trips. After picking up the bikes and looking at the GPS routes, they chose one that seemed to suit the day and rode off. With GPS tracks provided by a reliable source, what could possibly go wrong?

Moin Khan, from Pakistan, has been passionate about motorcycles since childhood.  While attending school in the United States, Moin was surprised by how little people knew about Pakistan, and much of what they did know seemed inaccurate. So, after finishing school, he decided to ride a motorcycle back to Pakistan, calling his journey ‘A Different Agenda’. His goal was to change perceptions about Pakistan, one encounter at a time. In the end, Moin was amazed by how the journey unfolded and by the kindness of the people he met, which beautifully challenged his own assumptions.

In late 2023, after years of talking about it, Steve Robertson embarked on his solo ride from Ontario, Canada to Ushuaia, Argentina. He had never done a big international trip like this before, he didn’t speak any Spanish and knew the language barrier could be a challenge, but with a translation app in hand and his goals firmly set, he felt ready to go. On the eighth day of his trip, he had an accident in Mexico. He went down and was injured—unable to lift one arm—but fortunately, nothing was broken. So now Steve had a dilemma - he had saved up for this trip of a lifetime - should he end his adventure there, fly home, and leave the bike in Mexico, or should he try to keep going?

Setting your suspension sag is crucial for your bike's handling and safety, not just to keep your tires in contact with the ground or to compensate for added weight. Renowned adventure rider Chris Birch highlights the importance of getting this adjustment right. Traditionally, measuring sag has been tedious, often resulting in incorrect settings. However, with a new device that simplifies the process and allows you to do it solo, accurately adjusting your sag for varying loads is now easier than ever, significantly enhancing your ride.

On this episode of DEEP TROUBLE, Griffin Jory is on a multi-day ride with friends in the mountains when he decides to go on a solo day ride that should see him back at camp in time for dinner. However, as the sun sets and the stars come out, Griffin is exhausted and can hardly think straight. He finds himself alone in the wilderness, in a place where a heavy adventure bike was never meant to go.

Determining the best line for climbing a hill and figuring out how fast is fast enough can be difficult. Understanding when to ease off the throttle and knowing what to do if the climb cannot be completed is crucial. Riders of heavy adventure motorcycles may question whether it is worth attempting the hill at all. This week, our exclusive RIDER SKILLS program will feature pro rider Clinton Smout from SMART Adventures, providing professional instruction on how to climb hills on adventure motorcycles.

At 31 years old, Annette Birkmann left her career as a lawyer in Denmark, sold all her possessions, and set off to pursue her lifelong dream of riding a motorcycle. When she arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina she bought her first bike and spent eight months working in a motorcycle workshop. She then headed out on a solo year-long journey across the Americas and while on her trip she realized that even though she was in different surroundings, her problems had come along with her. On a quest for change, Annette found what she was looking for on the road, and more importantly, she discovered how to hold on to it all after she returned home.

The Darien Gap is one of the most dangerous routes in the Americas. It’s a remote, lawless expanse of mountainous rainforest that spans Colombia and Panama. After Jess and Greg Stone from Go Ruffly finished training their new puppy, Whimsy, to ride on a motorcycle, they headed 20,000 km south, shipped their bikes from Panama and endured a gruelling five-day trek through mud, rivers, and jungle to cross the Darien Gap. On their journey through this inhospitable terrain, they encountered thousands of migrants walking the same treacherous route in reverse, navigated dozens of harrowing miles through the tropical rainforest and in the end were reunited with their motorcycles in Colombia.

Agnieszka (Aga) Macura and Yan Giovannoni come from widely different backgrounds. Yet, both were fortunate to grow up in families passionate about travel, instilling a love for exploration from an early age. They met while travelling and have since learned and adapted many things, most notably their motorcycle choices, starting with larger bikes and gradually moving to smaller ones that suit their preferred style of global travel. In this episode, they talk extensively about their experiences travelling through Australia and Japan.

On this episode of DEEP TROUBLE a border crossing gone wrong - leading to a whirlwind of trouble and deceit caught up in an organized criminal ring at the border in Panama. What went wrong, and how they were forced into a hasty escape to save themselves.

This segment of Rider Skills could arguably be one of the most important riding skills you’ll ever learn, yet it’s fairly easy to master and comes with massive benefits. In about an hour, if done correctly, you’ll notice huge improvements in your ability to maneuver and control your motorcycle both on and off-road at slow speeds.  Whether it's in a parking lot, turning around on a road, or navigating through trail conditions, it’s a fundamental skills set for both adventure riders and street riders. You’ll stop dropping your bike as much and feel more confident riding slowly on any type of terrain. It’ll allow you to use your adventure motorcycle in the way it’s designed for - to comfortably explore less-traveled areas - while also enhancing your overall riding abilities.

Michnus and Elsebie Olivier have been travelling for 14 years, riding their DR650’s across many miles, spending countless nights under unfamiliar skies and crossing numerous borders. Their journey has taught them invaluable lessons and continues to reshape their worldview. It has fostered a deeper appreciation for diverse cultures and landscapes and inspired a life guided by openness to the unknown and the pursuit of meaningful experiences over material accumulation.

Tracy Charles had planned to work until retirement, purchase a Winnebago, and travel across North America with her husband. However, tragedy struck, altering her course. She soon found herself riding a motorcycle solo on an open journey around the world. It was during this adventure that she encountered a dog that made it clear to Tracy that they were inseparable. Together, Tracy and her loyal canine companion are fulfilling her bucket list as they continue their journey.

Understanding the underlying reasons for why we perform certain actions is crucial in building a strong skill set. When you know the ‘why’, you won't need to rely on remembering the steps because they will become obvious. When riding a motorcycle, there's often no time to remember to think about each skill. In this episode of Rider Skills with Clinton Smout, we will explore the essential elements for building and maintaining riding skills and discuss how long it takes to notice a difference in our riding.

In this exclusive episode of DEEP TROUBLE, Rhett Halpin from Yakima, Washington, and his friends were out for just a few-hour ride when a decision to check out an unknown trail quickly traps them into a race against the clock.

Travis and Chantil Gill have been travelling full-time on two motorcycles for over four years and plan to continue for the foreseeable future. Their journey wasn't a last-minute decision, they had been planning it for years. Over that time, they developed unique methods to save money while still having fun and raising a family. Their goal was to explore the world, and after travelling for the past four years, they have refined their budget and discovered more methods to stretch their funds. We talk about their top five tips for managing finances and delve into their travels, as well as what lies ahead as they explore a new continent.

Tom Gould and Lauren Board are each riding 125cc Honda motorcycles on a trip from the UK to Cape Town, South Africa without a definite deadline. Their trip is loosely planned, it is their first major expedition, and they have already faced numerous challenges. When our host, Jim Martin, spoke with them, they were nursing hundreds of insect bites and had just been burglarized for the second time. To make matters worse, the people they thought would help them only scolded them and sent them on their way without food, water, or money, which the thieves had taken as well. Despite these hardships, Tom insists he wouldn’t turn back. He says you’d have to drag him home kicking and screaming.

Specialized safety gear, like Leatt's ADV-specific equipment, is vital for adventure riders tackling diverse terrains and weather conditions. These riders face unique challenges, from rocky trails to long hours in varied climates. As adventure riding grows in popularity, it's crucial to understand the specific safety needs of this community. ADV riders require gear that not only protects them from impacts but also meets the demands of off-road riding. Leatt's deep understanding of these needs enables them to develop tailored safety solutions, ensuring adventurers can explore with confidence and peace of mind. To find out more we talk to Dr. Chris Leatt, founder of Leatt Corporation.

Clinton Smout from SMART Adventures returns to ARR’s exclusive Rider Skills to talk about one of the most feared riding conditions we encounter on the street, especially for street riders - gravel. He talks about why gravel is feared, if it should be and what you can do about it to make riding gravel easy and even fun.

In this episode of DEEP TROUBLE, a group of riders set off to the Cross Pennsylvania Adventure Trail expecting a fun and relatively easy ride. As they start their journey, they are surprised by the beautiful scenery, interesting attractions, and the remoteness they experience while riding through miles of game trails. Everything seems perfect until one small mistake changes everything. One of the riders goes down, and they are faced with potentially life-threatening complications. And It’s about then that they realize they don’t know where they are. Luckily, they have a plan.

Ted Simon is a well-known figure in the adventure motorcycle travel community. He rode his motorcycle around the world in the early 1970s, documenting his journey for a newspaper and later writing the book Jupiter’s Travels. The book became hugely popular and is still selling briskly almost five decades later. Ted recently turned 93 years old, and for his birthday, our host, Jim Martin, sat down with him to discuss how a rider today could have a similar trip. Ted came up with some criteria that anyone can follow to have a real adventure. During the conversation, it was revealed that Ted may not have been alone for the entire trip as previously thought and he also shared how his clear idea of what he wanted from his trip led him to turn his back on someone close to him so that he could continue his journey alone.

The topic of large and small adventure motorcycles is often approached with a "large vs small" angle, as if there is a definitive answer to the question of which is better. However, just as there is no one-size-fits-all solution for footwear, there is no perfect bike that suits everyone for all occasions. In this episode, we will discuss large and small adventure motorcycles from a different perspective. Chris Birch from Say No To Slow talks about how we ride large vs small adventure motorcycles and why what works for one may not work for the other.

Ready for another big adventure, Dustin Nere reunited with a good friend at the Delhi airport for a 2-month adventure in the Himalayas. Apart from booking flights, reserving a hotel for the first few nights, and reserving bikes in Dehradun, they had no real plan. They knew of only a couple of notable places that Dustin had read about, and they hoped they could connect the dots. To make things more interesting, they began the journey with two other Americans who were visiting India for just two weeks. In the first week, they experienced bike troubles, landslides and altitude sickness. They made poor decisions and learned valuable lessons.

When 62 year old Don Nelson from Colorado walked into a motorcycle dealership for a casual look around, little did he know what was about to happen. After the salesman offered for him to test ride a bike, Don found himself making an impulsive decision—he bought a Triumph Bonneville on the spot. Despite not having ridden a motorcycle in over 40 years, he rediscovered his passion for riding and felt immediately at ease on the bike. Now, over a decade later at the age of 75, Don prefers to travel solo, riding long distances from his home to Alaska, coast-to-coast across the United States, and to the Rocky Mountains in Canada. For Don, age is just a number as he continues to embrace the freedom and excitement that motorcycling brings.

In this episode of DEEP TROUBLE, we talk with James McCormick who went on what he calls, a ‘leap of faith ride’ in Baja, somewhere he had ridden many times before. This time he and his friend chose to explore a more remote area and everything seemed to be going smoothly until they were well past halfway into the ride, when suddenly the road they had counted on following was gone and all that remained was sand, rocks, cactus, and brush. Facing a critical decision, they decided to push on and by nightfall they found themselves stranded in the desert without enough fuel to either continue or turn back, and even worse, they ran out of water.

Proactive off-road awareness is a crucial safety step which allows riders to anticipate and respond to hazards effectively. Being in tune with the environment enables riders to navigate unpredictable obstacles such as rocks, roots, or uneven terrain, reducing the risk of accidents or injuries. And to talk about that we have SMART instructor, Clinton Smout.

When planning a motorcycle adventure, it’s important not to forget essential items that could impact your trip. You’ll double-check your tools, riding, camping, and cooking gear, and ensure that any necessary maintenance has been done. However, there’s one crucial component that’s often overlooked—think of it as a safety net for when you’re on the road, something that will give you the ability to deal with unforeseen situations effectively. Greg Turp, a lifelong motorcyclist with a career in healthcare, is now training riders in effectively dealing with trauma and emergency situations.

Africa is a top pick for motorcycle riders seeking adventure, but many see it as a tough destination for only experienced travelers. Is it too risky for beginners? Do you need special skills? What's there to see? In this episode, we'll explore these questions with an expert in Southern African motorcycle travel.

Two adventure riders, worlds apart are pinned by their own motorcycles. Join Dave Rodgers and Joe Siegel, as they face perilous challenges in this episode of DEEP TROUBLE.

In 1999, Todd Lawson lost his brother, Sean, to cerebral malaria after a motorcycle journey through southern Africa. Wracked with guilt, Todd meets Christina, a kindred spirit, and together they embark on a motorcycle trip across the Americas, spreading Sean's ashes along the way. Inspired by Sean's adventurous spirit, they decide to return to Africa to distribute mosquito nets to those in need, turning their journey into a meaningful exploration of the continent's beauty and its people.

Situational awareness while riding a motorcycle means being aware of your surroundings and predicting what might happen based on what you see. It's about paying attention to the road, other vehicles, weather, people and more. In this episode, Clinton Smout, Chief Riding Instructor at SMART Adventures, tells us how by staying alert, you can anticipate dangers and react quickly to avoid them.

Carl and Isabel Abrams led a content life in the UK, with a comfortable home and fulfilling jobs that they enjoyed. In 2017, they embarked on a memorable motorcycle tour of Scandinavia, igniting a dream to circumnavigate the globe on their bikes. However, everything changed when three months later Isabel discovered a lump in her breast. The subsequent diagnosis forced Isabel to confront her mortality, abruptly shifting their perspective on the future. The idea of travelling the world once again came to the forefront, and they started to do some research, even buying the bikes. But still, the prospect of a world tour was a distant and flexible goal, as there was no set date; it was a plan for someday, something they couldn’t actually see happening. Until they surprised everyone, even themselves, and the day when they finally followed their dream arrived.

Lavi Scholl and Ollie Gamblin met when picking cherries on a farm in Australia while on working holiday visas. It might have been Ollie’s van, maybe his guitar playing, but something sparked for both of them and they have been partners in travel and life ever since. They seem to fit together like pieces of a puzzle, complimenting each other, naturally falling into the roles that allow them to travel even farther on a budget. Their mantra and secret for travel is underpinned with a simple mantra - that the best things in life are free. After trying out van life, backpacking, and cycling, they ultimately fell in love with the perfect mode of transportation - the motorcycle. Lavi and Ollie have just returned from a trip around the world.

On this episode of our Exclusive RIDER SKILLS we have Chief Riding Instructor Clinton Smout from SMART Adventures talking about common mistakes motorcycle riders make and how to avoid them. Clinton offers unique insights into what can go wrong with novel suggestions on prevention. He also talks about exercises that can be done while driving a car that will improve your motorcycle riding skills and safety.

Chad Horton and Rose Padilla have been exploring South America by motorcycle for years, with no specific agenda or direction. Recently, they took on what can only be described as an adventurer's route that was far off the beaten path. It was a route that would bisect the Amazon Jungle from east to west, passing through some of the most remote and unfrequented areas of the region. However, what they didn't anticipate was that the Amazon was experiencing a 125-year drought that would affect all travel in the area. Moreover, they were not aware that some of the boats that they were told could carry their motorcycle would not, while others would unload them far from land on the muddy bottom of a diving river. One boat's owner even attempted to hijack their motorcycle deep in the Amazon jungle. It was an incredible story of high adventure that was worth doing, but one that Chad and Rose say they would never do again.