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I'd like this thread to be a place where we can put videos of big bikes being ridden well. Videos you look at and you're like "wow, I wish I could ride like that!" Something like this... or

Hola, XLADV'er! Why do I feel like I'm doing this wrong? Submit Topic? Am I the topic? I think I'm doing this wrong...this is normally the time when I stop and check my map but...against my better judgement I'm gonna type the things and click the "Submit Topic" button... I've been meaning to become more of an active member of this group for so long!! Finally able to sit down and read all the great adventures everyone is having. Maybe I just miss my BMW's...all the pandas are sad. Anyway a little about me. I'm a taco lover from Seattle...much love to the PNW!! In a past life I was a Submariner, then an Aerospace Mechanic...but for the last 3 years I've been travelling the world, riding motorcycles, taking pictures, meeting bikers, enjoying tasty things...you know, the usual. I don't do a good job of sharing the stories about my travels...I do a better job at sipping beers with new friends in cramped smelly pubs! But hey, lifes about trying new things, right? Tell that to my friend who pestered me to take salsa lessons with her here in San Cristobal, MX...she pestered me until I finally relented! So we go to the class and I straight murder her feet...the instructor actually asked me how I could be SO BAD! ...now she doesn't want to go with me again. Hey, I tried. So now I'm gonna do the thing where you type the words and attach the pics...maybe a vid or two. Prob gonna murder the screen but hey, I'm trying! Here's one of my favorite pics I took in the Himalayas after spending a week in the Nubra Valley, India. I love India...lets be honest, its a hot mess but...so many amazing people. Another thing about me...I'm slow. Literally and figuratively. When the scenery is good, I drive slow, when the food is good, I eat slow, when the beer is super tasty, I drink slow. I also travel slow. When I get a visa in a new country I think, hmmmmm I need to use every day of this visa! I'm the guy who rents an apartment in a new place that seems cool rather than just stay for a day or two and jet. I guess I've made peace with the knowledge that I can't see it all so I better enjoy the F out of the places I love! My favorite adventures have been the ones where I get to help others along the way. Years ago I went to a presentation put on by Helge Pederson...If you dont know who he is you may want to google his name...anyway, he talked about riding through Africa and taking photos of people in small far off villages. Then he would print out those photos of the people and deliver them on his next trip! Brilliant! For some reason that stuck with me, so I copied him, because I'm slow (so its ok).I added a picture of me giving a picture to my good buddy Lim in the Jungle of Cambodia...hes a cool guy, and his wife makes the best food in Cambodia...no joke, super tasty. Well, This took me like 5 days to write so I think I'm done. I need a taco. Ride Far friends! Brad

Hey guys! So, lately I've signed a deal with Zard Exhaust (www.zardlab.com), and they've supplied me with an exhaust for my F800GSA. Well, here's the videos I made about it: a more general one, and raw footage of how it is to have a Zard on your bike. Let me know what you think of it!

A few months back my family and I scheduled a trip to Portland, Oregon to see my wife's dad who was turning 95. Frank is one of the remaining WWII vets who saw battle in Europe, including the Battle at Anzio. Frank Watts holding sand from Iwo Jima Beach. The sand was personally collected by his grandson who was in the Marines at the time. He gave it to Frank for his birthday last month (7/26), thanking him for inspiring him to serve his country. Awesome moment! We love you Frank! As luck would have it, my best friend (Steve Claus) also had to be in Portland for his father's 73rd birthday. We've known each other for over 35 years and have logged many, many off-road miles together. However, for the last 5 years, we've not lived in the same state, so we don't get to ride together. Wait! Once we take care of family stuff, this is an opportunity to ride! I called Steve and told him that we needed to rent some bikes. Of course, he was all in (as always). I did some googlin' and zero'd in on a rental company in Portland that looked like they'd be able to hook us up with a couple of ADV bikes. I soon discovered that even with 60 days notice, everyone was booked out! I guess staging in Portland and riding to Alaska is on the bucket list of just a few, and it was killing my riding plans! I dialed my butt off and found one bike, but not a pair, or dates/times that would not work. I was getting discouraged! Then, a name popped into my head; someone that I came across in running ThumperTalk.com: Uwe Deimer, the owner of AdMo Tours! Duh, why didn't I think of him first? I'm old, so it happens... Long story short, Uwe was also booked up, but he took the time to broker out a deal with a vendor in Klickitat Washington named Cascade Back Road Adventures & Rentals. I got to know the owner (Coit Stone) a bit, learning that he's a passionate off-road guy that started the business not all that long ago, so that he could live close to his mother with health issues. Not a big outfit, but he did everything promised and the two BMW F800GS machines he brought were well outfitted, maintained, and ran flawlessly. Good job Coit! We'll do business with you again in a heartbeat! Oh, and Coit delivered the bikes 100 miles each way to us just outside of Portland, Oregon for a reasonable fee, so don't hesitate to contact him if you stage in Portland. He'll make it happen. At Love's Truck Stop in Troutdale Oregon w/ Steve Claus, where we staged from. So, where'd we go? That's where Rever comes in... As luck would have it, the day we rode was the hottest all week, with temps reaching the mid 90s in some places. Being from central Florida, a welcomed retreat from the summer heat/humidity. Steve, being from high elevation and dry Colorado, didn't necessarily agree! One problem that I have in gathering content for ride reports is that I'm having so much fun riding, I don't take as many pictures as I probably should. So, I'm sure that this report simply won't do the ride scenery full justice. But, I suppose that's probably the case with most rides. Crown Point was our first stop of the day. Unusually calm winds and very, very clear. Pic is looking to the east. Steve Claus and yours truly. Pic is looking to the west, towards Portland, OR. From Crown Point to the last on-ramp to I-84 there are several beautiful waterfalls, some of which you have to hike to to see. We were out to ride, so we only took pics from the road... Steve Claus @ Latourell Falls Bryan Bosch @ Multnomah Falls Sorry, didn't notate the name of these falls. Just a couple of miles east of Multnomah falls. PS - Don't park in the dirt anywhere along the Columbia River Scenic Highway. Ranger Rick almost lit us up with some federal tickets for this "stunt"! Smooth operator Claus silver tongued our way out of it. Getting closer to Lost Lake on the NE side of Mt. Hood (Steve Claus) Lost Lake, Oregon Interesting fact! Lost Lake drains itself every year! Steve testing out some non ADA compliant wonky-ass steps Da money shot! - Lost Lake, Oregon w/ Mt. Hood in the background Solera Brewery in Parkdale, Oregon for some food, relaxation, and cold beer! Ok, no beers. They sure sounded good given the hot day, but not a good mix with motorcycles. Service was a bit slow, but we were in no hurry, food was excellent, and I really like to frequent local establishments vs. chain stores. Walk out the back of the place and there are tables overlooking a fruit tree orchard w/ Mt. Hood in the backdrop. Great setting! Timberline Lodge Ski Resort - Mt. Hood Oregon (looking south towards Mt. Jefferson) Lodge look familiar? I didn't take any pics going down the mountain b/c I had my Go Pro running. But, I later learned that they suck at filming with dead batteries. Where's the face-palm emoji? Before I forget, a big thanks to the folks at Sena for hooking us up with a pair of SMH10 bluetooth headsets. I've known how awesome they are, for whatever reason, I've never taken the plunge. Old habits I suppose. My ride with Steve really took on a whole new dimension by being able to talk and laugh during the whole ride. Don't get me wrong, it would have been fun regardless, but the Sena communicators seriously added to the whole experience. Don't wait to get some like I did. I've been missing out! We finished up the long day with a dip in the Sandy River. Water was coooooooold for this now Florida boy, but after getting used to it, it felt refreshing. Great way to end an awesome day with my best friend! But, now I'm itchin' something awful for the next adventure! It's never enough, is it? 👍 Steve, what's next? COBDR is in your backyard my friend. Or, maybe the Tennessee mountains?

Scotty Breauxman writes for Adventure Motorcycle Magazine as well as promotes an event called Baja Rally. I first met Scotty at AltRider's Taste of Dakar in 2013 and have since run into him again in Baja as well as the last Taste of Dakar in Mar of this past year. http://www.adventuremotorcycle.com/reviews/24-reviews/bikes/699-bikes-project-2014-bmwf800gs-urm#.VK71jSvF_To He had this BMW F800 GS put together and billed it as "The Ultimate Adventure Riding Machine" with some help from BMW Motorcycles of Escondido, AltRider, Konflict Suspension, Woody's Wheels, etc... When I saw him at the TOD event earlier this year he said he'd just picked the bike up the day before and was excited to ride it. He said with the suspension, damper and Flexx bars that he called his "butter bike." There's many interesting comments on that page like how it's still way too heavy, too expensive, etc... At some point I'd like to do something similar, like an XLADV project bike. We're obviously don't (yet) have the reach of an ADVMoto to attract sponsors like that but I'm sure it won't be too long

My first post. My wife Michele is why I have a GS. She had one when I met her and got me to sell my BMW road bike for my GS so we could adventure together. And thanks to Eric Hall for welcoming a new guy like me into this group. Adventure is not new to me but Big Bikes are. Her's to a great XLADV!