Morning.
Kove just showed a lower, lighter 350 Rally to sit under its 450, Suzuki quietly firmed up DR-Z4S pricing at $7,999, and this week's travel section turned into four video dispatches: Mongolia, the Cameroon border, Alaska's Elliott Highway, and a ferry that no longer runs the way Itchy Boots planned.
There's a tire plugging guide worth reading before you need it, a new Packed and Proven box with four things we actually use, and a short note from our garage on faith, fear and learning to trust each other off road.
Reading time: 6 minutes.
✦ THIS WEEK'S LEAD
Kove Unveils 350 Rally: A Lower, Lighter Alternative To The 450 Rally ARTICLE
What it is — ADV Pulse reports Kove unveiled its 350 Rally at the 2026 CIMAMotor show in China, a smaller displacement rally styled adventure bike meant to sit under the existing 450 Rally, with production planned for 2027.
The detail — A new 349.9cc single making a claimed 40 hp, a claimed 155 kg ready to ride, a 21 litre tank Kove says is good for more than 600 km, and an 890 mm seat that sits well below the 450 Rally.
Why it matters — If you've found the 450 Rally too tall or too much bike, this is the most approachable rally styled bike Kove has shown, and the range figure alone makes it worth watching.
Source: ADV Pulse
✦ INDUSTRY & BIKES
SUZUKI ANNOUNCES REVISED $7,999 MSRP FOR THE 2027 DR-Z4S ARTICLE
What it is — Upshift Online reports Suzuki has revised pricing on the 2027 DR-Z4S, its fuel injected dual sport.
The detail — The new MSRP lands at $7,999, a $1,000 drop from where the bike started.
Why it matters — If the DR-Z4S was on your short list, check your dealer's current sticker before you assume the old number still holds.
Source: Upshift Online Read it →
BMW F 450 GS Review ARTICLE
What it is — Bike Travel Adventures runs a full review of the BMW F 450 GS, BMW's newest entry level parallel twin adventure bike.
The detail — The review measures it directly against BMW's bigger GS models rather than on its own, covering handling and how it holds up loaded.
Why it matters — If you're cross shopping into BMW's GS family without wanting the bigger twins, this shows what you give up and gain.
Source: Bike Travel Adventures Read it →
Morini 2026 X-Cape1200 review VIDEO
What it is — Bret Tkacs walks through the new 2026 Morini X-Cape 1200 off road, covering details and how it behaves away from pavement.
The detail — He gets hands on with the bike's actual off road setup rather than narrating a spec sheet, which is the point of watching this one.
Why it matters — Morini isn't a name most ADV riders have cross shopped. Worth a few minutes if you're curious whether it belongs on your list.
Source: Bret Tkacs ADV (YouTube) Watch it →
2026 Rieju 307 Aventura Review — Honda CRF300 Rally Killer? VIDEO
What it is — Motorcycle Adventure Dirtbike TV takes the new 2026 Rieju 307 Aventura off road to see if it can compete with Honda's CRF300 Rally.
The detail — The test is framed as a direct shakedown against the CRF300 Rally, the bike it will most likely be cross shopped against.
Why it matters — If you're shopping the lightweight ADV class, this is an early read before the Rieju is widely available to test yourself.
Source: Motorcycle Adventure Dirtbike TV (YouTube) Watch it →
✦ GEAR & PARTS
Held Carese 3 and eVest 2: one setup for road, trail, rain, and heat ARTICLE
What it is — Adventure Bike Rider tests Held's Carese 3 jacket paired with the eVest 2 as one layering system meant to cover road, trail, rain and heat.
The detail — The whole pitch is one jacket and vest combination replacing several separate pieces of kit across very different conditions on the same ride.
Why it matters — If your current kit means swapping jackets by forecast, this is worth a look before you buy a second layer you don't need.
Source: Adventure Bike Rider Read it →
NEW PRODUCT: OS-42 SOFT PANNIER ARTICLE
What it is — Kriega's own announcement of the OS-42, a new 42 litre soft pannier for adventure and long distance touring, and the biggest the brand has made.
The detail — Hypalon and 1000D Cordura shell, a roll top with a replaceable taped seam liner for full waterproofing, and Kriega's 10 year guarantee.
Why it matters — Worth tracking if your current luggage runs out of room on longer trips. Watch for an independent long term review before buying.
Source: Kriega Read it →
Ultimate DR650 Build - Episode 4 - "The War Pig" Nearing the END VIDEO
What it is — Backcountry Adv Moto continues its DR650 build, this episode sorting tower electronics, braided brake lines and front forks.
The detail — The episode walks through installing a DMD2 dash and braided brake lines start to finish, work that's easier to follow on video than in text.
Why it matters — If you're planning your own DR650 project, this is a real look at what the electrical and brake upgrades actually involve before you order parts.
Source: Backcountry Adv Moto (YouTube) Watch it →
CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS
Packed and Proven
Stuff we have tried ourselves
OneTigris down blanket · We ditched sleeping bags for this one shared blanket. Warm on cold nights, cool on hot ones, and it packs tiny. See it →
Gear Aid zipper wax · Keeps stiff waterproof zippers on jackets and luggage running smooth without breaking the seal. See it →
Loop Quiet 2 earplugs · The most comfortable hearing protection we've used. Cuts the wind noise and still lets the Cardo or Sena come through. See it →
Insta360 X3 · On the bike almost every ride. It catches the animal behind you that you never knew was there until you watch it back. See it →
Using our links supports our work, and you never pay more. As an Amazon Associate, WaarMoto earns from qualifying purchases. We also earn a commission through the Insta360 affiliate program.
✦ ONE BIG NUMBER
+41.1%
UK adventure bike registrations in August 2026 vs. August 2025: 1,652 bikes against 1,168. The adventure segment led every category and is now up 25.7% year to date, which helps explain why everyone from BMW (see the F 450 GS above) to Kove, Rieju and Morini is piling into the middle of the class.
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
How To Plug a Flat Motorcycle Tire in the Field ARTICLE
Kurt Spurlock's walkthrough of plugging a tubeless tire on the trail, written by a rider who went five years off road before his first flat and was completely unprepared for it. It covers the actual steps, not just the tools, so you know what you're doing before you're doing it with a headlamp at dusk.
Source: RIDE Adventures Read it →
Jim's guide to repairing a hole in a waterproof jacket ARTICLE
Adventure Spec walks through patching a hole in a Singletrack jacket after a friend put one straight through his on a barbed wire fence at a festival. It's a specific, practical repair rather than a generic "carry a patch kit" tip, and the kind of skill that keeps a trip from ending over a torn sleeve.
Source: Adventure Spec Read it →
Why Adventure Riders Stand Up | Better Riding Ep32 VIDEO
Bennetts BikeSocial's Better Riding series, made with Honda UK, answers the question every new ADV rider asks: why stand on the pegs at all. It covers body position and balance, managing slides on loose surfaces, cornering off road, and saving energy over a long day. Worth the watch whether standing is already habit or still feels wrong.
Source: Bennetts BikeSocial (YouTube) Watch it →
✦ TRAVEL & ROUTES
Time to leave China 🇨🇳 |S8, EP162 VIDEO
Itchy Boots wraps her China leg and heads toward South Korea, noting the ferry route she'd planned on no longer runs with a motorcycle aboard. A real logistics snag any long distance rider crossing borders should file away, not just a highlight reel.
Source: Itchy Boots (YouTube) Watch it →
Taking the Most Remote Route to My First "Do Not Travel" Country 🇨🇲 VIDEO
Una Moto rides the remote border region of Cameroon toward the Central African Republic, terrain most riders will only ever see through someone else's footage. Worth watching for the decision making at a border most trip planners never have to think about.
Source: Una Moto (YouTube) Watch it →
Exploring Mongolia by motorcycle - Episode 1 VIDEO
Joe Ryan opens a new series riding the Moto Nomad Rally route through remote northwest Mongolia: mountains, grasslands, river crossings, camping each night. A good watch if Mongolia is on your someday list and you want a sense of what the terrain actually demands.
Source: Joe Ryan (YouTube) Watch it →
I Skipped the Dalton Highway for This Alaska Road Instead | Elliott Highway VIDEO
Instead of the well worn Dalton Highway, this rider takes Alaska's Elliott Highway and ends up fighting mosquitoes inside his own tent, full riding gear on. A reminder the famous route isn't the only way north, and the alternative brings its own problems.
Source: Motorcycle Travel Channel (YouTube) Watch it →
✦ PODCASTS
RIDER SKILLS – Maximum Braking: ABS On or Off Isn't the Whole Story PODCAST
Adventure Rider Radio breaks down what actually happens in a hard, surprise stop, and why the ABS on or off question is only part of the answer. A good listen before your next ride, not after a close call teaches you the hard way.
Source: Adventure Rider Radio Listen to it →
Thumping to 9 Iron Butt Rides with Spencer Anderson (192) PODCAST
Chasing the Horizon talks with Spencer Anderson about riding 1,000 miles in 24 hours on a 229cc single, then doing it eight more times. A conversation about what pushes someone to keep chasing that number, worth the hour for the story alone.
Source: Chasing the Horizon Listen to it →
✦ FROM OUR GARAGE
Faith, Fear, and Off-Road: Learning to Trust
Our piece on what loose gravel and rutted forest roads have taught us about trust, as riders and as a couple. It covers treating fear as a teacher instead of an enemy, riding at the pace of the less experienced rider, and why turning back early can be wisdom, not weakness.
Read the full post on WaarMoto.com: Faith, Fear, and Off-Road: Learning to Trust.
That's the stack this week. If you've got a Kove 350 Rally, a Rieju 307 or a Morini X-Cape on your radar, let us know what you find when you finally throw a leg over one. Ride safe out there.
ONE FOR THE ROAD
“It is not down in any map; true places never are.”
— Herman Melville
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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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