Category Archives: Adventure Motorcycling Gear Reviews

Stuff I’ve actually used

Tested: Adventure Spec Linesman jacket

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Tested: Adventure Spec Linesman softshell jacket

Where: 1600km off-road tour in southern Algeria, a few days in Morocco in April and another month riding in Morocco in November.

UK price: £249 £349
Supplied free for testing by Adv Spec

Weight: 1011g + armour; size tested: Large (me: 6ft 1in/186cm • 205lbs/93kg)

See also
Mosko Moto Surveyor
Klim Overland and Aerostich Darien
Klim Traverse
Mosko Moto Basilisk

Additional photos by Dan W, Dave K, Karim H and Robin W


tik

• Light and comfy to wear
• Stylish, low-key design makes it wearable off the bike
• Ready for armour (not included)
• Lots of pockets, including on the back
• High collar
• Sleeves zip off
• Vertical back vents work with a daypack

cros

• Expensive now
• New colour scheme (right) looks less good than 1st-gen green
• Not that breathable; for warm conditions try the similar but open-weave Mongolia or the Atacama Race
• Don’t expect the protected feel of a fully armoured Cordura jacket


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What they say:
A windproof and breathable trail riding/rally jacket reinforced with Du Pont™ Kevlar® fabric on the key abrasion zones. Reinventing the trail riding jacket, via the tracks of the Trans Euro Trail.
For decades the trail rider had very limited options when it came to riding jackets. Either big bulky motorcycle kit that was restrictive and heavy, or lightweight outdoor gear that offered little protection. It always seemed like too much of a compromise. The Linesman Jacket is the culmination of the depth of expertise that Adventure Spec has established helping many tens of thousands of riders travel untold miles around the world.

Review
In 2018 Adv Spec introduced a batch of own-branded jackets including the vented Atacama Race, the similar open-weave Mongolia and a softshell Linesman aimed at trail riders. It has been named after the volunteer researchers on the Trans Europe Trail (TET) which Adv Spec support – comparable with Touratech US’s Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR); a riding gear outlet sponsoring and even under-writing well researched ride routes.

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I miss my old Mountain Hardwear softshell (right), left on a bus in Delhi after a couple of epic Himalayan bike rides. Back then, outdoorsy softshell was quite pricey; a stretchy polyester outer fabric bonded (sometimes via a breathable membrane) to a soft, micro-fleece liner producing a lightweight shell that’s nice and non-rustly to wear while keeping the windchill at bay.
jak - 18What makes Adv Spec’s Linesman different from an outdoor-sports softshell is the lack of a membrane (my Mountain Hardwear was annoyingly sweaty; not really breathable) or even a DWR coating. Instead you get a kevlar overlay on the high-wear or impact areas (the green parts) as well as front chest pockets which work as vents to purge through similar zipped slots on the back.

Your Linesman is not intended for tearing around Brands Hatch on you Gixxer, nor touring Alpine passes in late summer. It’s aimed at trail riders who’ll be doing their riding and crashing at much lower speeds. To make that less painful there are armour pockets at the elbow, shoulders and the back.

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If you add in a hook or velcro tab at the top, this back sleeve could double up as a bladder holder. The Atacama Race comes with this feature; however it’s done, it would be good to see it added to the Linesman, even if a useful two litres might put a strain on the jacket. It’s nice to not have to use a day pack to contain your hydrator.

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The shoulder armour pockets thoughtfully pin up out of the way towards the collar because on the Linesman you can zip-off the sleeves. The theory is, with the sleeves stashed in the rear pouches, the jacket more wearable in hot conditions. While I’m pretty blasé about armour, I’d still rather ride with sleeves. If I’m getting stuck into a sweaty work like a tube puncture, I’d probably just take the jacket off. But I can see the value in removing them while retaining the security and utility of the pockets, perhaps on a warm TET evening in southern Europe for an amble down to the village bar. Update: In Morocco in April it was over 30°C so I did ride unsleeved and very pleasant it was too. The other two were cooking in their membrane jackets.

There are no less than eight pockets: two on the outside at the hem as big as your hand; two smaller vertical chest pockets which double up as vents (so probably not a place for your phone or wallet); two more zipped pouches above the back hem which you can just reach with the jacket on; and two huge and very handy mesh ‘drop pockets’ inside (below left). I find these most useful and have added mesh versions to my other riding jackets; an easy and secure place to stash gloves of maps without having to interact with zips apart from the front one.

I can see the thinking behind water-resistant YKK zips on the front pockets/vents, but unfortunately this makes them too stiff to operate one-handed on the move and as you can see left on the top zip, the press-seal doesn’t close up fully to keep water out.
Seeing as these are the more-used zips, I’d prefer the conventional, freer-flowing zips as used on the rear vents and pockets (the lower zip pictured above). After all, the main front zip is the same. This ease of use applies especially to the front chest pocket/vents which are handy to open or close on the move while leaving the rear vents open. Like on my Klim Overland, these rear vents are inaccessible with the jacket on, let alone on the move; it’s often easier to ask another rider to zip you up or down. If it’s raining valuables are better off in a waterproof pouch while you either get a bit wet or pull on a mac.

What did the others wear in Algeria?
I have a rather casual sense of dress in the desert and prefer not to feel hot or sweaty. I don’t like being weighed down or in-your-full-face lids or synthetic legwear and I don’t mind being cold for a short while. I wore: TKC Baja boots, Klim Outrider trousers, the Linesman with a wicky/merino undershirt plus a Shoei open face. I was comfortable with these choices and unlike many, couldn’t be bothered change once at the camp.
Of the dozen other riders; 10 wore full-face MX, most with goggles; 3 had neck braces; at least 5 wore full armour underjackets over vests or jackets; 7 wore Cordura riding jackets all the time and probably with armour – the rest wore jerseys most of the time; 1 wore waxed cotton + armour; 10 wore nylon riding (over?) pants probably with armour; 1 wore jeans with armour and 1 wore leather trousers.


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The sort of riding I did in Algeria added up to a half-day on the plateau highway at elevations up to 1600-m, regular gravel pistes, gnarlier soft sand and 2nd-gear sandy tussock oueds, short dune crossings, churned up sandy canyons, and wide-open sand sheet down at 500m, all with regular stops to allow regrouping and playing the sand. Temperatures ranged from freezing mornings to the upper-20s Centigrade.

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Underneath I wore a wicky T-shirt or long sleeve, either synthetic (right) or merino when chillier. That’s quite a mix of terrain, speeds and temperatures wearing similar kit; I tend to put up with short-term discomforts rather than faff about with layers. Through it all the Linesman unobtrusively coped with the occasional opening or closure of the rear vents. I wore mine with only Forcefield elbow armour (left). I must admit I’d have felt better crashing hard in a Cordura jacket, with or without armour. Softshell has a rubbery feel which would snag as you slide and tumble, especially on the road where thick Cordura abrades almost as well as leather. Luckily that’s not something I’ve done for decades and on this trip it was just the usual slow/no speed spills.

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Best of all, I like the Linesman’s plain styling while not being yet more boring grey or all-black. Others, including non-bikey types, commented on the stylish, look too; something you can wear off the bike without handing over a pizza. Maybe it’s the design or maybe it’s the stretchy fabric which see a total lack of adjustability using cinch-cord, poppers or velcro. The plain elasticated cuffs and neck don’t need doing up or pinning down once the Linesman’s on. It all helps enhance the look without detracting from the jacket’s function.

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It’s probably not the only biking jacket you’d want to own, and you do wonder how durable the softshell will be after a couple of years of inevitable scuffing, but the Linesman does represent a new type of biking jacket with as much optional impact protection and storage as a typical Cordura-and-membrane coat, but more on-the-road windproofing than the fully vented jackets like Revit’s Cayenne Pro, Klim’s Inverse or Adv Spec’s own Mongolia and Atacama.

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Tested: 7 years with TCX Baja Mid boots

altberg

In a line
Did the job for 7 years on 13 bikes

Where tested: Algerian Saharasouthern Morocco, back garden chainsawing, etc

Cost: £200
Supplied free for review by TCX UK

Weight: 1017g each

In 2025, after seven years one mismatched strap was bodged on, then I managed to poke a hole in the toe of the other. I left them in Marrakech.

TCX-21630

What they say:
Designed for Adventure both on and off road, and on and off the bike, the TCX Baja Boots are built to be protective on the bike and walkable on the trail. Full grain leather upper for durability and lasting good looks. Polyurethane inserts at the ankle, heel and toe. The perfect hybrid of a low hiking boot and a high motocross boot, the TCX Baja Mid Cut Boots will take you where the adventure leads, over any terrain, through any weather. [Revzilla]

  • Full grain leather upper
  • Suede front and rear padded areas increase comfort
  • Soft padded upper collar
  • Waterproof membrane lining
  • CFS Comfort Fit System
  • Ergonomic shin plate reinforcement
  • PU malleolus [ankle bone], toe and heel inserts
  • Leather shift pads
  • Inner suede heat guard offers maximum grip
  • 2 interchangeable, micro-adjustable ALU6060 aluminum buckles for superior fit
  • Anatomical and replaceable footbed
  • High performance rubber compound sole with differentiated grip areas for stability and traction on any terrain
  • CE certified 

No longer listed by TCX in early 2024. Forma Adventure Low Boots look similar.

What I think:

tik

• Light, do-it-all boots for gravel-roading and even hiking off the bike
• Solid construction lasted years of desert and mountain tracks
• Easy to operate, adjustable buckles
• Look good in natural brown
• Non-clammy and wading waterproof membrane

cros

• Depending on the bike’s peg size, soft instep gets sore standing off road after a while
• One buckle clamp frequently came undone, eventually fell off and could not be correctly replaced
• Would prefer some tread on the soles, which other Adventure boots have

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Review
My old Altberg road boots were showing the years. Bought from a junk shop for 20 quid, they were OK for my Morocco tours but didn’t have solid protection nor a stiff on-the-footrests instep for a two-weeker in Algeria on an XR400 in 2018.

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beachy

I’ve been eyeing up the Italian TCX brand, in particular the Baja Mids from the ‘Touring – Adventure’ line looked good in natural hide and looked like they fitted my needs.
For my sort of non-competitive desert riding I don’t believe full-height, full-on MX boots are necessary. Looking back I see I only wore such things (Alpine Stars; right) on my very first desert trip in 1982.

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dietfoot

In the real world I’m not blasting through shallow rivers or showers of stones on my way to the chequered flag, but solid ankle support and foot protection are important for any form of biking, particularly off-road where a typical slow speed fall-over often sees the bike drop on your foot (as happened to a rider on our trip, cooling his sore foot, left). After another crippling accident on our ride, a couple of us wondered whether in a foot-catching-a-side-rut scenario, a solid, full-height MX boot transfers more twisting force to the knee than a mid-height boot like my Baja which lets the shin bones twist a bit before a knee ligaments snaps.

tcx-bux

I’ve had problems with narrow hiking boots, over the years, but the UK11 / EU46 Bajas fitted me just right. Your foot slips smoothly into the padded lining where you can replace the basic footbed to suit your needs, though for bike riding they’re not that critical. Everything clamps down with two micro-adjustable buckles which look like they could take the odd whack from a rock and should be replaceable, but weren’t. This is all a lot less faff than the zips on my old Altbergs which have lasted, but occasionally refused to budge until you reboot, so to speak.

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Being mid-height means tucked-in trousers may tuck-out on the move. I also found if wearing short socks the padded edge of the upper collar chaffs on bare shins, as any boot would. The solution is knee-high socks or as I did, tuck trouser-ends into the short socks. Or of course you can wear them OTB for hipster soirees. Being short, they’re light too at just over a kilo each, same as my Lowa desert boots. I never had that encumbered, boxy feeling I recall from full-height MX boots.

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When it came to standing and riding over rough terrain, as long as the pegs are larger-than-standard the Bajas supported my feet comfortably and with no pressure, just like a proper MX boot. Elsewhere, the instep gets sore after a while.

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I occasionally wander into rivers and puddles and the Baja’s waterproofness holds up, and all day in the deserts they never become uncomfortably clammy to wear which suggests a more breathable, higher quality membrane.

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There’s no word on what the membrane is on the Baja description, but TCX’s generic Gore-Tex page suggests all TCX boots use one grade of Gore-Tex or another. In my experience, cheaper membranes err towards waterproofness rather than true breathability which results in clamminess round the clock.

Fast forward to early 2024 and the Baja Mids are hanging in there, getting used at least twice a year in Morocco on whatever I’m riding at the time. I don’t even bother cleaning the dust off any more and they just do the job unobtrusively. One of the clamps that was always opening up fell off and I couldn’t find an exact replacement; a bodged on clamped worked OK.

There’s never been an occasion where I wished they were full-height which might rub on the side of the bike. Depending on the size of a bike’s footrests, my insteps might a bit sore after 20 minutes of standing off-road, but larger pegs cure that. I’m sure I’ll get another five years out of them but spring 2025 a rock or something poked a hole in the toe (top of the page) in the High Atlas meaning fords resulted in a wet foot. I also wonder if the waterproofing membrane had has its day.

All up, after about 12 months and about 25,000km of sustained, actual use over the years, in 2025 I left them in Marrakech and bought a pair of similar but treaded Forma Adventure Lows (left) which I hope will last as long and be a bit more grippy when scrambling up rocky banks to grab a photo.

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Tested: X-Lite X551 GT Adv helmet review

My other hamlet reviews

Tested: X-Lite X551 GT Adv helmet

Where: Scotland, Spain Morocco

Paid: £250 on ebay from Germany

See also: X-Lite X420 GT


551-X-Lite-X-551-SHIFT-3

What they say:
This is X-lite’s on/off full-face helmet. Its compact volume (thanks to the availability of three outer shell sizes), VPS sunscreen (also available in yellow, designed for easier riding in low-visibility conditions), efficient TVS Touring Ventilation System, broad peak, Unitherm2 Touring Performance Comfort inner comfort padding with marked touring characteristics and N-Com X-Series communication system (ready for) make the X-551 GT a reference on/off full-face helmet for the most demanding of motorcycle tourists.


What I think:

tik

• Cushy, well made, looks good
• Peak pivots down for low sun angles
• Good price for plain-ish black
• Can lock to a bike securely

cros

• Stiff sun visor actuation – yet again!
• Sun visor lever eventually came away
• Sun visor seemed to pick up some internal glue which exacerbated stiff actuation
• Mouthpiece too close to use a hydrator hose easily
• Top vents are a few degrees too far back to be effective


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Review
X-Lite is said to be the upmarket range of Italian lid-makers, Nolan; you pay more for a quality feel which hopefully translates to better protection in a crash. Wouldn’t know about that I’m pleased to report, but I like my full-visor open-face X-Lite X420 GT which I’ve been wearing for years (lost the clip-on chinguard years ago). It came after using a similar modular Airoh TR1 followed by a recently ditched Bell Mag 9.  Both of these were under 100 quid so presumably you get what you pay for: road legal protection, good looks but a cheap, creaky feel, especially with the Airoh. For all-day comfort the Bell wasn’t significantly better than the X420, nor quieter or better vented.

What I really miss with my X420 (but which the cheap Bell had) is a peak to keep the low sun out of my eyes, and the 551 has one, usefully adjustable back and forth and removable with three screws.
Riding without the peak (left) wasn’t noticeably quieter and in Morocco I found the mouthguard was too close to easily get a hydrator hose in there for a quick drink. I also noticed that the top vents only worked properly with the head tilted so far forward you couldn’t see where you were going; in other words they were positioned a too far back on the shell (this was with or without a windscreen or the peak).

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Also, I find I can’t bear wearing such an ‘in-your-face’ lids any more than necessary when at rest, but taking it off meant carefully removing my ‘still-in-denial’ glasses first. Never thought of that, but what an added faff.

Then, the slide-button which actuates the sun visor became unglued (it’s dropped right off my 420 I notice) and for some reason the sun visor was occasionally picking up some random soft glue when retracted which made it even harder to actuate. I have yet to use a lid like this where the retracting sun visor is not stiff to actuate.

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Deary, deary me. All these negatives outdid the benefits and made me decide to ditch the X-551 after a few months. I’d still like to try a full face adv-lid but for the moment will go back to my 420 which isn’t noticeably colder or draughtier than the 551.
Instead I bought myself a nice Shoei RJ Platinum for 90 quid (left) with a range of pivoting visors and beaks. I’ve gone off X-Lites. For a supposedly premium-brand, £400-rrp lid, it seems you don’t get what you paid for after all.

Quick spin: 2017 Honda X-ADV review

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The reaction to Honda’s category-bending X-ADV ‘X-cooter’ seems to have been positive; most reviewers get it or accept it for what it is. Credit to Honda for trying new stuff, though it’s said good sales haven’t followed, probably due to the £9600 price alongside more conventional maxi-scooters used most commonly as commuters rather than travel bikes. The X-ADV suggests you could do both.

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tik
• DCT transmission
• Brakes
• Low-tuned, 270-degree motor
• Reputed economy
• Adjustable screen
• Front fork
• Tubeless spoked wheels

cros
• Pricey
• Tall for a scooter
• Scooter seating position
• Dreary in silver

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Under that bodywork and between those small wheels they’ve slung the low-tuned, 54-hp 750cc twin from the Integra scooter and NC range and best of all, the DCT auto/manual gearbox which – don’t ask me how – gives a real neutral plus a more direct drive, unlike a typical scooter’s mushier CVT and belt drive.
And unlike the NC motorbikes, you stash your lid under the seat not ‘in the tank’. On the ADV that space is the air between your knees, though I was a little disappointed there was no ‘glovebox’ in the frontal bodywork – looks like the air filter sits in there.
And getting on wasn’t so scooter-easy; you need to do an awkward frontal leg swing through the mid-section – I could see the plastics here getting all scuffed by clumsy boots. It’s quite high for a ‘scooter’ but maybe a better technique develops with use and some yoga. The 32-inch-high seat sounds low, but with the wide bodywork getting both feet flat on the ground wasn’t possible without shuffling forward.

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One the move, sitting with your feet forward or even right forward ‘highway-pegs-style’, means your unfolded legs don’t take much weight so the bum-to-seat interface becomes all the more critical. Despite the X having a generous bucket seat, I can’t say I fully adapted to this position. Like a lot of riders on regular bikes, once in top gear I find putting your toes on the footrests is comfier for long rides; it pre-tensions the legs and angles you forward to take more weight off the butt. On the X you’re sitting upright, feet forward, like on a chair.

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One thing you can’t grumble about is the near-seamless DCT gearbox. You hear the clicks as it changes, but you rarely feel them. What a pleasure it is to ditch all that clutch and foot-changing business. Some say quick-shifting has rendered DCT redundant. Never tried it, but I can’t see how; you still need to work a clutch and a foot-shift lever. With DCT it’s like an auto, with a Sport mode (higher rpm changes) plus a manual override with paddles on the left bar. It’s the cake-and-eat-it best of all worlds. Let’s hope they introduce DCT on some other smaller trail bikes before we all end up riding electric.

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Just before getting on a motorway I pulled over and cranked up the adjustable screen to the max with the easy-to-figure-out knob (left) on a clever parallelogram hinge. Back on the move I can’t say I felt swathed in a hushed bubble of still air, but at 5°C, without that screen and the frontal bodywork keeping the legs out of the wind, I’d have been freezing, even with the heated jacket plugged into the cig plug under the seat. I bet there are wider, taller screens available and anyway, the X-ADV rolled effortlessly up to a stable 80mph which equals just 4000 rpm.
The engine is another one of those characterful 270° twins as on my XSR700 (and ATs, TDMs, Super Teneres, some Triumphs, the forthcoming BMW 850s and 800cc KTM). The biking world has gone 270-° crazy and I’m all for it. It sounds a lot better on its standard pipe than my XSR, even if its twist-and-go acceleration isn’t as crisp. (One benefit of DCT autos over conventional CVT scooters is the reduced ‘rubber band’ lag.)
The Honda has 30% less power than an unrestricted XSR700 (my XSR actually runs 47hp) and nearly 30% more claimed weight.

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Good thing the brakes are brilliant twin, four-pot radials on the front; you want good brakes with a heavy auto. It wasn’t till nearly back at the shop that I remembered the left lever works the equally meaty back brake and is not a locking parking brake (as on my old 400AT Dream, above). That late 1978 bike was a doddle to despatch round town; a neutral + two-speed clutchless box which left the left hand free to operate a radio, eat a turkey and coleslaw bap or wave cheerily at tourists.

I should have taken the X-ADV down some backlanes but didn’t want to get caught out on a sunless icy patch. Even then, you could tell the suspension felt better than my XSR, especially the adjustable cartridge USD fork (I couldn’t see a way to the rear shock which comes with spring preload only, but no remote HP adjuster that I could see).

Oddly, even in official promo literature no mention gets made of the tubeless spoked wheels; shame the AT didn’t get something similar. What some reviewers described as a ‘fully enclosed chain’ is just a wraparound chain guard; more a chain-spray catcher than a proper crud-cover like an old MZ or a CD175.

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There’s plenty of easy-to-read data spread over the digital display which can doubtless be reconfigured. Fuel consumption was displayed in miles-per-litre; not seen that one before but makes sense in the UK; ‘13.2’ (left) adds up to just 60mpg average, but the NC twins are famously more frugal than that, getting closer to 100mpg is possible if really trying.

I’m won over by the DCT just like I was on an Africa Twin a couple of years back. One day I’ll get a DCT bike, but I didn’t warm the X’s scootery layout like I thought I might. It’s not much easier getting on and off – something that increasingly bugs me with tall saddled dirt bikes. Plus I miss that conventional poise which would feel more natural on the dirt, and couldn’t visualise enjoying riding this bike on my easy Morocco tour dirt routes.

I’m not sure that ‘sat-at-a-table’ seating would be comfy on a long ride either – too much pressure directly on the crumbling old spine, although the bars looked like they could’ve pivoted and raised forward without fouling the screen.

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I’ve seen accessory front footrests which bolt on behind the boards around the swingarm pivot (left) and which may enable a better road / off-road stance, as well as possibly being able to grip the seat for better control when standing. Interestingly, all the dust-kicking promo shots below and in the link at the end for the 2018 model have these pegs fitted, but as I found on the XSR, this leg-to-bike contact area needs to be well thought out and comfy if it’s to work sustainably.

The bland 2017 silver ‘Mondeo’ livery didn’t really work for me and may have contributed to my tempered enthusiasm for the X-ADV. The red-black-and-whites look much more like it, but silver is clearly popular in Caterham as the shop had two other low-mileage silvers going used, presumably by commuters who didn’t get on with the genre-busting X-ADV.

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nc750x

If DCT is so good but an AT is too pricey, what about the much cheaper NC750X (left; I rode one in 2019)? I’ve thought about that one before, but the only real benefit over my XSR700 would be the DCT. The stock suspension is said to be as basic, and the claimed 220kg weight is 34-kg greater (but 18kg less than the X-cooter), even if it’s positioned lower. Getting suspension right is costly and can be hit and miss.
What would be great is an NC750X-ADV with a 19-inch front and better suspension all round, but that would come too close to an Africa Twin.

Scoot my Dirt
I was recently reminded what would have been fun is a bigger-engined version of the Honda Zoomer or current Ruckus (left). Genuinely hop-on low and light enough to chuck about – sort of in the vein of the fat-tyred Yamaha Ryoku concept.

In fact there was a Big Ruckus 250 about decade ago (right) more here), but at 160kg, it looks as heavy as it is and presumably never proved as popular as the Ruckus.

I was a bit surprised I didn’t take to the X-ADV for my intended use. Perhaps a longer ride on a warmer day may have made a difference. As a road bike it’s fine, but then so are just about all the other road bikes out there.

The 2018 model out in a couple of months will come in a 34-kw A2 license version (6kw less than normal). It will also have the AT’s G-switch (less clutch slip for off-road traction), as well as lower ratios than other DCT Hondas and switchable, two-level Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC). The engine’s red line is also set 950 rpm higher at 7500 and it will cost 200 quid more.

XSR 700 Scrambler – final mods

XSR 700 Scrambler front page

My XScrambleR sets off in a month for Morocco and, bar some luggage, is ready to go. Don’t think I’ve ever had a bike ready so far in advance.

Using some left-over or unused components, I fitted a Tuturo Chain oiler which I still think is the simplest and most effective way of getting this messy but necessary job done. It is, of course, especially handy on bikes without a centre stand where hand oiling the chain is a particular faff.

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For luggage I’m going to use some simple Kriega Duo 36 Throwovers again, as I did last year on the KLX in Baja. The great thing with the XSR’s underpipe is that it’s right out of the way of luggage but bags still need something to stop them swinging into the wheel and chain. In the spirit of the Chouinard RURP, I’ve come up with RURTS (Realised Ultimate Reality Throwover Stay) an ultra-minimal side rack. The weight is taken over the saddle; the slim stays help locate the bags. If their reality ultimately turns out to be too realised, another stay from pillion pegs to the rear flashers will fix that. I’m sure they sell broomsticks in Morocco.

Once the holes were drilled the RURTS were another 10-minute roadside job, but lacking anywhere better than the kerb to work, I weakened and got my LBS to do the rest of the heavy jobs.

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Shock
The new wheel on the front has raised the bike 30mm, and the fork preloaders may help it stay that way. I was looking for a way to achieve a bit less than that on the back – partly with a taller tyre and partly with a longer shock.
The OE shock is basic; it’s fine for very normal riding but only has preload rings. They are found used on ebay in their zillions. I preloaded it on the first run, but found it lacked any rebound damping to control it.


The OE shock is 310mm long. I was looking for a shock with rebound damping that started at that length but had extendability. Looking at the usual suspects, only the Wilbers 640 Blueline could be specified with that feature for a reasonable £512. All it is is a chunky thread and nut at the bottom of the shock below the red rebound knob, and which can be unscrewed (lengthened) to a pre-set point then locked out. Rocket science it is not, but you need to remember that 10mm on the near-horizontal shock adds up to more in actual seat height. Pythagoras will know exactly how much, but when my Wilbers arrived I maxed it out and sent it to the shop.

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Doing it this way makes the shock/bike more sellable later, as it can be wound back down to the standard 310mm XSR height. In fact this whole XSR build, including front wheel swap, is fully reversible. No one need every know.
For once in my suspension history, I’m going to endeavour to set the static sag before I leave. It’s a bit tricky alone, but there are instructions on how to do it all over the web. I dare say it will need some tweaking on the road as it beds in, and I’ll sure miss the Hydraulic Preload Adjuster of my previous Hyperpros, but there we are. As it is, C-spanners keep Elastoplast in business and come free with the shock.

Tyres
I could have tried something new from my do-it-all category, like a Mefo Super Explorer, but only Heidenau K60 Scouts came in a range of sizes which sort of included the XSR; a still ridiculously fat 170/60 17 72T was delivered for £97 from Germany, and a 100/90H-19 Catspaw (not Scout) from the UK for £61. Looking at it now, the rear looks a bit lower profile than I’d prefer, but there was no 170/80 in 17.

The nearest K60 was 150/70 17, but as I was dropping from OE 180 width, 150 (over an inch slimmer) looked too much of a change for the rim size. Best of all, these retain the tubelessness (which reminds me, need to get some Slime in).

mt07ss

Actually, I think I need to address that stunted sidestand now the bike sits at least an inch higher. I could drill a hole through the foot and bolt on a block of wood or HPDE. How shit would that look? Good news is used MT-07 stands go on ebay from 20 quid. Weldy-mate Jon might be persuaded to hypnotise it and make it grow an inch, and while it’s out slap on an 5mm sandplate underneath; it will look like it was made that way and ought to have the strength to take a lifted wheel if I have tyre troubles.

Other than that, my LBS fitted some Oxford Hot Grips for me (£50 ebay). This is the first time I’ve actually bought a set; usually they’ve come with the bikes I’ve bought. and for UK commuters are a no-brainer. Along with my screen, my Barks and my Powerlet jacket, I simply cannot wait for the December ride back across Spain.