BIG IS BEAUTIFUL

Everyone has their own slightly different opinion about what it is that defines an adventure motorcycle. For some riders, an adventure simply involves a long slog on the motorway broken up by a couple of trails, but for others it means standing on the pegs for hours at a time, churning up mud at every opportunity. I’d be inclined to argue an adventure machine should offer a reasonable balance between road and off-road performance. It should be as happy nipping to the shops as it is crossing continents – and we reckon we’ve found two that fit the bill perfectly, in their own unique way. Ignoring the hugely successful and continually innovative big BMW GS for one minute, some of the biggest players in the game have been working hard on creating some seriously capable adventure-ready metal and in the last couple of years, the focus has been on off-road ability. The latest two to catch our eye are Ducati’s recently replaced Multistrada Enduro Pro 1200 and Honda’s first-generation Africa Twin Adventure Sports. Built from the bones of two hugely successful machines, the big behemoths from the Italian and Japanese factories are better than they’ve ever been – and to see if they live up to the hype, father and son duo Nick and Ross headed up north for three days of riding and exploring in the (believe it or not) Scottish sunshine.

HONDA AFRICA TWIN ADVENTURE SPORTS

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