RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel Magazine

RoadRUNNER is an independently owned and published motorcycle touring and travel magazine. On our website, you will find exciting travel stories, reviews, news, and other resources for planning your next motorcycle tour. We offer a wide variety of free content, but only our active web subscribers get access to the entire 650+ tour database, complete with maps and GPS route files. Web subscribers also enjoy exclusive web-only stories.

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Roundtrip Tour Premium Content

A Brothers Ride to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is home to the oldest individual trees on Earth—bristlecone pines. Some exceed 4,000 years and appear sculpted by the wind. I’ve never seen them before and I’m looking forward to this adventure. The name alone conjures wild images about this natural

Classic Roads

Classic Roads: Superior National Forest Scenic Byway

Superior National Forest, located in the upper northeast corner of Minnesota, comprises over 3.9 million acres of woods and waters, including some 2,000 glacially-carved lakes and rivers. The forest is a mix of conifers and hardwoods. The larger wildlife species found in the area include deer, moose, Canadian

Sep/Oct '22

Classic Roads: Back of the Dragon

The appellation “Whatever of the Dragon” has come to denote a challenging road that motorcyclists particularly cherish. These are destination roads, which usually include switchbacks and steep elevation changes, and are usually laid out in a scenic landscape. While the Tail of the Dragon (aka US 129) in Tennessee may

Destinations

Destination: Madison, Wisconsin

Located in Dane County, Wisconsin’s capital city of Madison has a population of 243,000 and is home to five lakes, 10 beaches, 260 parks, and more than 200 miles of scenic bike trails. In fact, Madison boasts more bikes than cars in the city, and is a premier

Travel Guide

Top Fall Color Motorcycle Rides to Plan Right Now!

One of the best things about motorcycle touring is experiencing an area with all of your senses. You hear, see, and feel more than you would from inside a windowed vehicle. At RoadRUNNER, we always feel more connected to an area after a bike tour. Fall is one of our

Sep/Oct '22 Premium Content

New Beginnings and Mystery in Arizona and New Mexico

I dispensed warm goodbyes to riding friends in Arizona, saddled up, and turned the key in the ignition with a growing reluctance. Internalizing my petulance in the process, I was happy where I was. A heavy sigh betrayed a sadness in parting from the place. Our stint in Yavapai County

Roundtrip Tour

The Hudson River Valley: New York Roundtrip

The Hudson River Valley is a place of natural beauty, which was the scenic inspiration for the first American landscape painters. The valley also contains the historic presidential homes, a Vanderbilt mansion from America’s Gilded Age, Revolutionary War battlefields, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, stunning mountain

Latest Motorcycle Reviews

Sep/Oct '22

Review: 2022 Energica Experia

I’m riding through one of the world’s most famous playgrounds for motorcyclists and outdoor enthusiasts alike. As I zoom past hundreds of fellow riders, their jaws drop. My bike silently whizzes by them. I’m part of a small group of journalists riding Energica Experia—the world’s

Sep/Oct '22

Review: 2022 Triumph Tiger Sport 660

Adventure style motorcycles tend to be more comfortable and versatile than most other machines. That’s part of the reason their popularity has skyrocketed in the last decade. We saw manufacturers enter a race for the biggest and baddest ADV on the market, but riders didn’t follow that logic

Sep/Oct '22

Review: 2022 Indian Pursuit Limited

The first thing I noticed upon straddling the 2022 Indian Pursuit Limited was that it’s built with size in mind. Endeavoring For Touring SupremacyWith my derriere against the back of the seat, my arms were at full lock, gripping a handlebar that’s among the widest I’ve ever

Motorcycle Review

Review: 2021 Honda Trail 125 ABS

The 2021 Honda Trail 125 ABS is a ridiculous motorcycle. Its 125cc thumper motor is underpowered and slow. Its centrifugal clutch is clunky. It’s only got four speeds. Its suspension is crude: I have kitchen stools with thicker legs than the forks and rear swingarm on the Trail. Did

Motorcycle Review

Review: 2022 Yamaha XSR900

The first small turn of the throttle as the XSR900 warmed up served as an enticing preview of what the new Yamaha had in store beneath its retro-styled aesthetics. The high-performance CP3 cross-plane triple-cylinder configuration of its engine possesses an enthralling sound and a quick-revving demeanor. Once underway, the bike’

Jul/Aug '22

Review: 2022 Triumph Trident 660

Even in pleasant southern California, some of the best roads close for the winter. That’s because they’re foolish, whimsical ribbons that we would never build today. More than 80 years after the invention of the American superhighway, our mountain roads make no sense. They connect small tourist villages

News

New Goodies on the Way for Can-Am Three-Wheelers

Can-Am keeps forging ahead with new things. The company recently revealed its first motorcycles in decades, but it hasn’t forgotten its three-wheeled riders. For 2023, Can-Am will roll out new features for its Spyder and Ryker models. In addition, the brand is introducing an expanded range of customizable apparel.

Destinations

Barbecue, Brews, and Music in Cleveland, Mississippi

On the first Saturday of October, more than 50 barbecue teams from across the nation meet on the greenway in the historic Mississippi Delta town of Cleveland, MS, to compete for over $25,000 in cash and prizes, and bragging rights, as kings and queens of the Delta BBQ Battle,

News

BMW Motorrad Urban Collection

BMW Motorrad has launched the new Urban collection of motorcycle luggage options. With bags of all kinds and sizes, the collection has a storage choice for every trip. The Urban Collection Tank Bags come in three varieties. The Large (GS) bag offers 11-16 liters of storage for bikes with steep,

News

Explore Ecuador on New Self-Guided Tours

Have you ever wanted to explore the less trodden regions of South America in the saddle of your bike? Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental has launched a new tour that lets you do just that. The six-day, self-guided Northwest Ecuador Explorer tour, launched in mid-August, takes riders to the lesser-known areas

News

Suzuki Updates V-Strom Lineup for 2023

Suzuki recently revealed its plans for 2023 with its dual sport and supermoto bikes, in addition to a new Hayabusa. But the company’s not yet done treating its fans to fresh updates. The Japanese bike maker has now also unveiled its 2023 V-Strom lineup. The range includes the 2023

News

Can-Am Unveils First Bikes in New Electric Lineup

In early 2022, Can-Am dropped a bomb and announced it would return to motorcycles with a new lineup of all-electric bikes to mark the brand’s upcoming 50th anniversary. Recently, the brand revealed the first two models. The bikes are titled Can-Am Origin and Can-Am Pulse. The company states the

City Escapes

Sep/Oct '22

City Escape: Portland, Oregon

This route includes a ride through some foothills of the Cascade Range, awe-inspiring waterfalls, and a cut across the Willamette Valley into Oregon’s Wine Country. There are good stopping points in some of western Oregon’s colorful small towns. From mountain views to working farmland, rolling hills and rural

Sep/Oct '22

City Escape: Boston, Massachusetts

The White Mountains of New Hampshire and roads like the Kancamagus Hwy get all the attention. But there are some fine roads and thinly-settled areas to explore when heading from Boston, MA, to southern New Hampshire. The region is filled with quiet roads to nowhere and crossroads with little more

Jul/Aug '22

City Escape: Minneapolis, MN

Minnesota is called the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but this counterclockwise loop from the Twin Cities into Wisconsin follows large and small rivers. You’ll be riding along the mighty Mississippi, the Chippewa River, and the Saint Croix River. Two of these waterways are so big that at certain

Shamrock Tours

Motorcycle Ride in Fayetteville, Arkansas - RoadRUNNER Shamrock Tour®

Jul/Aug '22 Premium Content

Fayetteville, Arkansas Shamrock Tour®

I grew up in Arkansas, so it’s fitting that I’m heading to the Ozarks for my first Shamrock Tour®. I plan to spend roughly a week in northwest Arkansas, with Fayetteville as my home base. The Bikes, Blues, and BBQ 2021 rally was set to provide plenty of

May/Jun '22 Premium Content

Leesburg, Virginia Shamrock Tour®

“The Civil War defined us as what we are and it opened us to being what we became, good and bad things. It was the crossroads of our being, and it was a hell of a crossroads.” —Shelby Foote, The Civil War: A Narrative Mid-Atlantic Civil War TrailsBetween 1861 and

Mar/Apr '22 Premium Content

Moab, Utah Shamrock Tour®

We all know Moab, a small town in Utah that caters to outdoor enthusiasts. Mountain bikers dream of riding the famous Slickrock Bike Trail, while kayakers and rafters can paddle up to 120 miles on the Colorado River. Side-by-side and Jeep drivers test their luck at the Sand Flats Recreation

Products Reviews

Buyers Guide

Cruiser Tire Wet-Weather Comparison Test

There is an age-old compromise when designing motorcycle tires: the balance between grip and durability. A tire that lasts forever will have poor traction, while super sticky rubber will wear out quickly. In terms of cruiser-style motorcycles, outright grip isn’t as important as it is on sportier motorcycles, because

Product Review

Review: Mosko Moto Nomax Tank Bag

The Nomax tank bag was very easy to mount to the motorcycle. It comes with straps that stay in place with elastic holders so you can quickly unbuckle it from the bike. I was also able to just unclip one buckle at gas stations and slide it just far enough

News

BMW Motorrad Urban Collection

RoadRUNNER's 2022 Fall Motorcyclists Gear Guide

Buyers Guide

RoadRUNNER's 2022 Fall Gear Guide

It's no secret that the fall is our favorite time of year to ride motorcycles. The weather is mild and the sights and smells of falling leaves have a calming effect. Not to mention the beautiful colors that surround many of our favorite roads... As you gear up for your

Product Review

Review: DJI Pocket 2 Camera

Nearly every day, there is a new gadget hitting the market that makes capturing memories easier. Cameras have gotten smaller, cheaper, and so, so much better over the years. Today, most of us are carrying several professional-grade cameras on our smartphones. Small Yet MightyEnter the DJI Pocket 2. As its

News

Klim Releases Redesigned Outrider Pants

You’re not ready to ride out without the right gear. Klim has released new pants in its Outrider line to get both ladies and gents ready for the road. The men’s Outrider Pant has received a redesign. Meanwhile, the women’s Outrider Pant is a whole new product