Morning.
CFMoto has put a 946cc twin making 112 horsepower into an adventure bike, and the Ibex 950 is our lead this week.
Cardo will pay cash for your old comms headset, any brand, any condition, Cross Training Adventure has ten years of wear on the Gaerne SG12 and the Sidi Crossfire, and Adventure Bike Rider has a GPX file for a two day loop through Wales if you are already looking past summer.
At the end, a short note from our garage about a glacial river crossing: the one Keith rode alone, and the one Andrea rode with him waiting on the far bank.
Reading time: 5 minutes.
✦ THIS WEEK'S LEAD
2027 CFMoto Ibex 950 Adventure Bike First Look: 11 Fast Facts ARTICLE
What it is — Ultimate Motorcycling's first look at CFMoto's new flagship adventure bike, the 2027 Ibex 950.
The detail — It's built around an all-new 946cc parallel twin making a claimed 112 horsepower — the biggest displacement CFMoto has put in an ADV bike yet, covered across 11 separate spec points.
Where it falls short — It's a spec-sheet first look, not a ride — nothing yet on how the chassis, suspension or that new twin actually behave off pavement.
Why it matters — If you've been watching CFMoto climb the displacement ladder, this is the bike that puts them in a real fight with the mid-size ADV twins from Japan and Europe — worth watching for a first ride before you write it off as just a budget option.
Source: Ultimate Motorcycling
✦ INDUSTRY & BIKES
BDR And AMA Announce New Partnership To Protect Routes We Ride ARTICLE
What it is — ADV Pulse reports that Backcountry Discovery Routes and the American Motorcyclist Association have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on public land access, rider education and trail stewardship for adventure and dual sport riders.
The detail — BDR will push its community to join the AMA and bring the AMA into its route release events and film premieres; the AMA will use its advocacy and government relations network to protect and promote BDR routes and rally members for volunteer route maintenance.
Where it falls short — It is an MOU announcement, not a policy win. There is no named route, land closure or legislative fight attached to it yet, so what the partnership actually delivers is still to be seen.
Why it matters — Route closures are the quiet threat to this whole sport. Two organisations that riders already trust pooling a grassroots network with real lobbying muscle is the kind of structural change that matters more than any single new bike.
Source: ADV Pulse Read it →
Honda Transalp 750 E-Clutch: Off Road Tested & Approved VIDEO
What it is — Big Rock Moto takes the Honda Transalp 750 with Honda's E-Clutch system off road to see if the clutchless system holds up away from pavement.
The detail — The test runs the E-Clutch through real dirt rather than a parking-lot demo, judging shift feel and clutch behavior on loose terrain.
Where it falls short — It's one rider's impression on one ride, not a multi-day check on how the electronics handle mud, heat, or dust over time.
Why it matters — If you've wondered whether E-Clutch is a gimmick or a real off-road aid, this is a genuine answer before you spend the option money.
Source: Big Rock Moto (YouTube) Watch it →
✦ GEAR & PARTS
Cardo Will Pay For Your Old Headset Regardless of Brand & Condition ARTICLE
What it is — ADV Pulse covers Cardo's new trade-in program, which credits riders for any old comms headset toward a new PACKTALK unit.
The detail — Cardo will pay up to $130 back on a PACKTALK purchase, regardless of the brand or condition of the headset you trade in.
Where it falls short — The program is US-only for now (Cardo says it hopes to expand internationally), you pay full price up front and get the cash back after the old unit is received, and the piece doesn't say how long the offer runs.
Why it matters — If you've got a dead or outdated headset sitting in a drawer, check this before you buy a new comm unit at full price.
Source: ADV Pulse Read it →
Best heavy duty boots for adventure riding? Gaerne SG12 versus Sidi Crossfire after 10 years! VIDEO
What it is — Cross Training Adventure compares the Gaerne SG12 and Sidi Crossfire, the two boots most riders reach for when they want serious protection, after a decade of real use.
The detail — Ten years of wear on both pairs, with a candid note that most riders stop treating 'adventure boots' as adventure boots after their first broken bone.
Where it falls short — It's two boots and two riders' experience, not a lab test, and says nothing about newer models released since.
Why it matters — If you're deciding between these two before a big trip, this is the long-term data a launch review can't give you.
Source: Cross Training Adventure (YouTube) Watch it →
✦ ONE BIG NUMBER
$12,499
The MSRP CFMoto has put on the 2027 Ibex 950, a 946cc, 112 horsepower adventure bike with KYB, Brembo, Bosch and a 21 inch front wheel.
That matches the Aprilia Tuareg 660 to the dollar and undercuts every 21 inch front adventure bike anywhere near its engine size: the Yamaha Ténéré 700 World Raid at $12,999, Suzuki V-Strom 800DE Adventure at $13,249, BMW F 900 GS at $14,395, KTM 890 Adventure R at $16,299, Ducati DesertX at $16,995 and Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro at $17,595. Whether the bike is any good is a separate question, but the pricing pressure on the middleweight class is real from day one.
Source: Ultimate Motorcycling, 2027 CFMoto Ibex 950 first look Read it →
THE TIP JAR
We read the forums so you don’t have to.
Every issue costs us a couple of evenings, a worrying amount of coffee, and at least one argument about tyre pressures. If the Dispatch saved you a scroll this week, a coffee keeps the garage lights on. No paywall, no sponsored tyres, no guilt trip - the next one lands Thursday either way.
✦ RIDING SKILLS
LEVEL-UP by BREAKING TRACTION Riding Your Adventure Motorcycle on Dirt and Gravel Roads and Trails VIDEO
A professional instructor breaks down how novice, intermediate and proficient riders each handle sudden traction loss on dirt and gravel, showing the body position and throttle changes side by side rather than just describing them. Worth it if you've ever grabbed the front brake when the back end stepped out on you. Real trail footage, not a parking-lot demo.
Source: MOTOTREK (YouTube) Watch it →
This is critical for ADV riders VIDEO
Off-road instructor Bret Tkacs makes a short, pointed case that how you actually stand and position yourself on the pegs matters more off-road than most riders think. It's brief, so treat it as a check on your own setup rather than a full course, but the point about stance driving control is worth carrying into your next gravel road.
Source: Bret Tkacs ADV (YouTube) Watch it →
DMD SCHOOL Lesson 3 - the map! VIDEO
Third lesson in Baldinger's Ground School series walks through the DMD navigation device's map settings step by step on screen — exactly the kind of thing that's painful to explain in text and easy to follow watching someone configure it live. Worth it if you're setting up a DMD before a trip and don't want to fumble through menus on the trail.
Source: Robert Baldinger (YouTube) Watch it →
✦ TRAVEL & ROUTES
Ride The Ring of Hellfire through Wales: GPX file download ARTICLE
Adventure Bike Rider's GPX download for a two-day loop linking seven of Wales' best biking roads, starting and finishing at Hellfire Pass. The download means you can actually load the route and ride it rather than just admire the photos, though it leans more toward twisty backroads than technical off-road terrain.
Source: Adventure Bike Rider Read it →
Lone Rider by Elspeth Beard (Motorcycle Paradise book review) ARTICLE
Warren from Motorcycle Paradise reviews Elspeth Beard's Lone Rider, her account of riding a 1974 BMW R60/6 around the world in 1982 at age 23, unsupported, underfunded, and with no GPS or phone. He calls it one of the best motorcycle travel books he's read and couldn't put it down. It's a book review rather than a route, so treat it as winter reading — but if you want a reminder of what long-distance travel looked like before the tech, this is the one.
Source: Motorcycle Paradise Read it →
✦ FROM OUR GARAGE
The River You Don't Have to Cross Alone
Keith's short piece on two river crossings: one he rode alone, and one Andrea rode a year later with him walking the line first and waiting on the far bank. It's more reflection than how-to, but the underlying point — the hard bits are better with someone you trust on the other side — is worth carrying into any tough trail day.
Read the full post on WaarMoto.com — The River You Don't Have to Cross Alone.
That's the stack this week — light on bike launches, heavy on things you can actually use before your next ride. If you download the Wales GPX file or take Cardo up on the trade-in, let us know how it goes. Ride safe out there, and we'll see you next week.
ONE FOR THE ROAD
“The mountains are calling and I must go.”
— John Muir
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Forward it to them — or hit reply with a route, a repair, or a correction. We read every one.
WORLD ADV DISPATCH · A FIELD REPORT FROM WAARMOTO.COM
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