Campsites were plenty some occupied and some beckoning us to stop early and pitch our tent in what would be shade the next morning. The Colorado Trail and the Great Divide Trails crossed our path, as did hikers and mountain bikers huffing their way along powered by Mountain House and Ramen Noodles. Urgency swapped places with our desire to linger and take photographs as the sun dropped low behind us and our shadows ahead grew long. Mountain vistas are a big part of the allure to overlanders regardless of wheel count and ours did not disappoint.
Incredible views greeted us, as we climbed toward our evening goal. The Honda required a deliberate focus not to wave my fingers in search of a clutch and wag my boot at the void where the shifter should have been.
I harkened back to riding my vintage BSAs and Norton, which had the shifter and brake reversed.
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However, I could appreciate the middle option for those wanting the machine to do all the work with a bit more enthusiasm than full auto or “D.” It seemed odd, but oddly fun too. Then my left thumb and index finger took over the duties of fingers and toes for powertrain ratio management.
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The likeness ended there, however, as the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) absolved any need to shift except when I chose to run in the Manual mode, my preference actually. It had all the capability and half the wheels. This adventure bike shared a fair likeness with an FJ40, which had been run lengthwise through a band saw. I saw the riders do a double take when they noticed our 1100cc machine outfitted with the full regalia of aluminum Jesse panniers and a miniature Superwinch mounted to the front. READ MORE: Trips & Trails: Washington Backcountry Discovery Route, Section 1 – Oregon to Packwood Eventually, they turned onto what was to be our route. We tailed them a few miles per hour below the speed limit through a typical afternoon Rocky Mountain shower. The day was growing late, so our plan was to cross the Continental Divide and camp somewhere on the east side of the slope to catch the sun’s early morning rays the next day.Īs we approached our turn-off, a small group of dirt bikes pulled out ahead and motored on up 145. High elevation brings cold nights, even in August. Setting out from JJ’s, we made our way up Highway 145 to the Roaring Forks turn-off near Rico, Colorado. Considering the level of technical terrain we planned to encounter and the gear needed to support us, it seemed prudent to share the load, so to speak. It has Icon Stage VII Suspension, Falken Wildpeak tires, CBI bumpers and Warn Zeon 10-S winch. I would ride the bike and Susan would join me in her own overland rig, a fifth-generation 4Runner, also built for the task. What’s more, he stabled the machine at his home for my wife, Susan, and me until we could begin our travels. JJ was kind enough to provide a launch point. Our ride began in Cortez, Colorado at the home of JJ Lewis of the Good Adventure Company. Adventure waited just beyond the tarmac and I was eager to get rolling.Ī common theme among overlanders is the willingness to help one another. The 2021 Honda Africa Twin was purpose-built by the crew at Overland Expo for a wide range of tasks, from the evil necessity of pavement cruising to exploring the nether regions of the San Juans. My latest overlanding foray into the mountains of Colorado was on Overland Expo’s Ultimate Overland Motorcycle. There is no faking it when the terrain turns steep and rocky on a loaded, balance-oriented machine weighing more than a quarter-ton. Tools of the trade must be intentionally selected to tackle the task at hand and training and much practice are essential for successful completion of said tough trails. The skill required to include the tougher trails in our travels demands a higher than average level of commitment. Certainly, however, there is also room for motorcycles in the community of overlanders.Īlthough they comprise a small percentage of those who choose vehicle-based adventure travel, men and women who explore the rough on two wheels are a passionate group.
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Typically, the image comes to mind of a well set-up rig like a 70 Series Toyota Land Cruiser, a Unimog, or a luxury-built Sprinter van. Follow the Africa Twin’s adventures on its official landing page. The Africa Twin will be a part of other storytelling throughout the year. For this How-to, Bill and Susan Dragoo took Overland Expo’s 2021 Ultimate Overland Motorcycle, Honda Africa Twin DCT, through a portion of the Colorado Rockies.
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