REAL Motorcycle Adventure? Kawasaki KLX 230 

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If you've ever thought "I wonder where THAT goes?", you already know where to start an adventure.

This is a great message, I've been telling people for years that an adventure motorcycle can be any motorcycle you have adventures on.

Good message, Ben. One of the worst things about modern society is the gate-keeping jerks who try to keep the "uncool" people out of the woods. Dude, if I find it adventurous to just get on gravel period, that's an adventure to me. I don't need to know about snatch blocks and overlanding monster trucks. My little putt-putt bike will get me as far as I would ever want to go.

DORK!!! You made it to the big show! Your so genuine...I love it. Keep up the good work brother!

"What matters is that you're doing it." Thank you my man, we need more of this type of attitude in so many parts of life, but especially the outdoor pursuits. Just get out and do it. Enjoy yourself while you're breathing fresh air, exercising, and not at work. Blow some steam off, let the stress go. Who f*cking cares what adventure is to me, if it's exciting for you, then go for it and enjoy it. Thank you sir!

Ben o the Mototrek channel?! My brain wasn’t processing this for a minute. Congrats, well deserved!

Love the fact that Ben was inspired by Tyler "Everide". I was inspired by Ewan and Charley but kept getting frustrated with the big heavy Africa Twin (still an epic machine) till I took a schooling weekend at the Moto Mansion with Tyler. I realized it was dual sport I was looking for all along. I sold the Africa Twin and bought a dual sport and a used ST1300 for road touring with cash left over - two bikes for the price of one and more smiles per mile than I could have imagined. Tyler Everide has been a massive influence on my riding and will always be thankful for my time with him.

I have adventures on my BMW RT and it never goes off pavement. My definition of an adventure bike is the bike that you own. Lucky for me I own several bikes and can have different types of adventures.

Who does more adventure? A fisherman on a Honda super sub 125cc going to his fishing spots or a guy riding highways on BMW 1250 gs?

65 and still doing it on a 701. Former road racer and sport bike rider having ever more fun now. Everywhere

Ben, you single handedly motivated me to get back out on a dual sport bike at age 57. I'm a dirt "newbie" who has no earthly business riding off-road but, I grew up as a kid as young as 6 riding minibikes and small displacement dirt bikes till old enough to drive a car. I had no training, no real skill, just trial and error. I have been riding street bikes now since my early 30's and the last 25 years have owned over 25 street bikes, mostly cruisers and Harleys. Then in 2021, I bought a BMW R1250GS. I kept it on the street and some gravel mountain fire roads and loved it. I switched to a Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally, but came to realize it's too heavy and too expensive to repair if crashed off-road so it is my street only machine. A few months back, I purchased a lightly used 22' Honda CRF450RL and made the necessary mods to it to make it enjoyable to ride (ECU, G2 Throttle tamer, Graves blockoff kit, Seat Concepts XL comfort seat, rear rack, Acerbis hand guards, tank bag etc.). Now, I just need to get up the courage to ride it a lot more off road. I live in FL where sand is the name of the game and I hate sand. But, watching your videos keeps me interested in trying. For that I say thank you.

Agreed. A friend on an ancient Yamaha classic 600 v-twin cruiser introduced me to gravel travel and I've never looked back. I have 124,000 km on a 6 year old v-strom 650 now, about to start my 4th transcontinental. I regret often not having a much smaller bike to explore with, especially when I drop Suzie on a remote mountain pass, but I need to respect the high percentage of secondary highway travel I do. I'm 72, comfort counts..

Good job Mr. Dork. I like the format. Very professional.

Two of my favorite channels coming together, gotta love it!

I've owned two CBR600 RRs, a Tenere 700, Husky 701, and one of my favorite adventure rides was a trip I took with my Dad last summer. He was on a Super Sherpa 250 and I was on my TW200. You don't need a big, fast bike to have fun, you just have to get out and ride!!!

Marketers monopolized the word "adventure" for huge, super heavy road touring motorcycles with slightly taller and stronger suspension... to the point that we need a video message to remind people what "adventure" actually means. And for its direct meaning, you don't need a 600 lbs $30k+ road bike masquerading as an off-road powerhouse. There is a place for them and they are great for many roads, but let's take the word "adventure" back from them. I downsized from massive bikes to a Yamaha XT250 and I've had the best adventures I ever had on any bike before! "Adventure bike" is just a genius marketing label for the whole bike category. You don't need an "adventure category" bike to have an adventure!

Everide started the fire... I rode my KLR from my house to the Canadian border, then down to Starbase in south Texas. I even made it home!!

62 and bought a 2023 KLX230s. 55 years of riding and think the bike is perfect for what im doing!!

Hey! Dork is doing Mototrek videos! YES

My partner and I both have have a klx 230 each as dual sport and we love it. Took it to couple single tracks, been laughed at by some ktm owners but here I am living and doing same thing as them. So reliable, never let down

You ride the bike you have! It’s that simple. When I was young my brother rode a Kawasaki 250 triple 2 up from Massachusetts to California his second day of senior year. Somehow they made it back and graduated on time. I rode a zx9 and then a zx6r from Kansas to the White mountains in NH and the from Massachusetts to the gulf coast of Florida in August! You can come up with a million reasons not to go, just go, it will be memorable!

I recently did my first ADV training course with @RIDEAdventures and found to my surprise that at 54, I'm still capable of learning new skills and building confidence. Thanks to that experience, and to YT channels like this one and Dork in the Road, I'm now feeling ready to take on the Washington BDR as a solo adventure. Mad respect to @ItchyBoots too, who is as fearless as she is kind hearted and truly an inspiration to any empathetic human being on the planet - get well soon, we miss your adventures already!

Couldn't agree more, after riding an XR150 two-up for three weeks in Vietnam, from highways to single-track ridge-crossing paths... Priceless memories for literally peanuts per day, all costs considered. Just get out there and take it all in! Thanks for the wise words!

started on a DRZ400 and loved it. Now im onto a DR650 and honestly the DR could be my forever bike.

Off Road = anywhere I can wheelie and not get a ticket. LOL Pretty simple. Hope your feeling better Ben.

I bought a versys-x 300 this year. It's been a great catalyst for wanting to get further into adventure riding. Wish I had started sooner

Another fabulous video...the "ADV Bike Gatekeepers" can keep their BS lifestyle and the "if you aren't riding hard and light you aren't an ADV rider". I have big and small "Adventures" every time I ride my bike. That can be 1 hour during lunch or 7 days on the TET. Adventure is what you make of it. Keep up the great work Dork.

My first Adv moto was a '79 KZ 400 with 50/50 tires. It was epic and I still miss that bike even though I have a GS today.

Everide got me in and you helped me get my brother in. Thanks dork!

👍🏻 Great message! Completely agree with you on anything off-pavement is considered off-road. As you said, all that matters is getting out there and having fun 🤙🏻

Totally agree. I rode around Colombia on a 300cc dual sport and Vietnam on a 150cc dual sport. Great fun and more than enough bike. No highways just small back roads.

Ben is a great guy with an awesome message, glad to see him on the channel

Thank you Ben. You are my inspiration 🥰 After watching your videos three years ago, I started to ride with a dual sport (2020HondaCRF250Rally). Now, I have a heavy adventure bike (2022KTM1290SAR) and after 50.000 km in total, I am still learning a lot from the contents that you have created. Also huge thanks to Dusty and Everide and Norally and Pavlin 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 You hardworking RU-vidrs made this ride possible. Thanks a lot.

You nailed it, man! I did majority of my 100+ thousand kilometers on a JAWA 350 (old school 350 cc, 2-stroke, 2-cylinder with 23 hp) a had tons of adventures! Later on a BMW F800GS it was adventure, yes, but at the same time the bike was way over my skill level. Now on a Honda CRF300L Rally I am having fun while not being worried constantly that I'll drop it

Everide has taught me a lot and inspired me. So have you, Ben. I haven't bought anything yet, but I have been able to learn what safety gear I want and what motorcycles would be great to start with. I've met all but one of my goals to start my motorcycling life, and I will achieve that in a few months. Thank you, Everide and Ben!

"Only you get to decide what adventure means to you" sums it up, I am lucky enough to have had 9 month road trips across multiple countries but some of the biggest adventures have been getting lost locally and trying to just get home :) As a youngster I rode 2000 kms on a 250cc cruiser with a girlfriend on the back and more luggage than was ideal ... that was a true adventure ;)

Ben! Love seeing you grow as a rider through the years and YOU are the reason I got a bike again. Thank you!

I bet 90% of riders would be blown away by the fun they could have on a little 230.

Agreed, that Off-road moniker should be read as "Off (paved) road". 🧐

Dusty ask us what we wanted to see a few weeks ago....and this is it! I find this channel very helpful as a new rider, and it helps all of us get out and explore. My adventures are linking unpaved roads to get to work, my favorite watering hole, or explore....I'm not traveling around the world (yet) but I'm having a great time.

Watching Mototrek.. and there’s Ben Dork. Nice switch👍🏻. Great message too, I’ve had this conversation with friends, my view is that you can plan a trip but not an adventure but if you don’t plan a trip, you won’t have an adventure. Adventure is where you find it and anyone telling you that what you’re doing is not an adventure has an inflated sense of their own importance. Yeah, I think that’s it.😁

Dork! I’ve been watching your videos for years since you had the AT, this is one of the best I’ve seen regarding ADV philosophy and what it should mean to you. You truly are one of the best content creators for moto/adv stuff, thank you for what you do Ben!

45k km adving on a DR, and people still said I needed a proper adv bike! Why? *I'd* be slower on dirt on a bloatosaurus. I know, I had one for 130k km, and hated it on anything but tar and hardpacked dry dirt, where it could be very fast. I abandoned the idea of adventure and used it as a road bike. I'm a huge fan of chook chasers (dual sports). Truly go almost anywhere machines. I don't mind them on highways, it just means I can't speed as much as faster bikes can. In Australia limits are strictly enforced, and even my own XL250 could maintain the national open road limit (100 - 110km/h on some motorways and select divided roads, the NT has one road with 130) I also prefer a lack of wind protection - screens always buffet me terribly unless I'm in a race crouch. I much prefer sitting in unscreened, quiet, clean air. That's not to say I'm right. I might only be right for me. 😉

Wow! Ben! I was shocked to see you here. Awesome! Thank you! I too, have been telling people this. And you are 100% correct. When you are ready for a bigger bike, you will know

I have 1988 Yamaha DT125Lc , Kawasaki er5 and a KLX250 and I use them all for Camping, fishing etc.. Life is the adventure...

I just picked up a 2022 KLX 230s. I’m a shorty. Yeah bike manufacturers need to address the tank capacity. 3 gallons minimum. Will be going on trips with spare tank. Love this bike. Really fun.

I very pleased to see Ben (Mr. DITR) on this channel. This positive content works for me. As a side note, I've seen enough Dork videos that I am ready for a CRL 300L Rally after a couple 1200 and 1250 GSs.

I love this, I never went small, Magregor and Boorman hit the bell for me, to then purchase as all of us did back then to the big gs. first crack at motorcycling in general was at the amazing opportunity presented before me. My past was bicycling 3 countries, Australia, New Zealand, then across the US from Niagara falls to Washington and up into BC. When i got into Motorcycling i knew the potential of off road. I took the course, thanks Brett In Washington state( The original Motortrek ) and it was one of the most important life changing events, I have had a few adventures since then with me and me boy. BMW. 1200 gs, I am 67 now and know what when and where to do what. So i am a bit hesitant as a single rider to go gonzo in the great outdoors. But your vid says that you can still do it in a modified way. My body is not what it once was. But you are true to your views, Well done.

As soon as I’m riding my bike it’s an adventure unless it’s a known commute! Doesn’t need to be far, complicated or hard

❤ Good one! You can’t lose when you’re honest, insightful, and concise, and this was all that.

Good job Ben! Message is spot on. Never let others label or dictate your adventures or fun. You own it.

I’ve loved every “adventure “ on my KLX250 since I bought it new 10 years ago. It’s been such a great mount I don’t see myself “upgrading “ to a “big “ ADV bike anytime soon. Cheers….

All that matters is that you are doing it. Love it!

Adventure is about making it to a destination while failure is acceptable. Progress is what matters, just like learning an instrument.

Very well said! Great video! Years ago we just put on a back pack and strapped what we could to our bikes and went out and had adventures. No special gear or bike we just did it! Same way with overlanding I took a station wagon places most wouldn't tackle without 4 wheel drive. use what you have do what you can and make memories!

First and only model camping Adventure I went on was after I bought my scooter in 2018. Obviously no off-road trail riding but I did end up having to write down a very loose Gravel Road for a few miles. Left my scooter on the side of the road kickstand was digging in the gravel thankfully it was still there when I came back.. got home and found two bolts Sheard in my rear swing arm and by my manifold

Preach brother!!! From break magazine, "life is better when you're riding!"

Great to see you on here Ben, did a double take. Another nice extension of the adventure definition is the extra color you can add off the bike. Adding a camp, or a wild swim into the formula makes it even more accessible, as it'll be fun and exciting no matter how you get there.

Love, DITR! Glad to see’m on this channel.

Anytime I’m on two wheels it brings a smile to my face.

You dont know what you dont know. I love this saying. Great message. Cheers mate from Austria

Yay Ben! Great vid, great content, great dude. Ride on!

Great to see this type of content…great message as always from this site, “just get out and ride, no matter what you ride, just get on it, and try it, do it again.” And with Dork in the road content, good stuff! Thank you!

Was riding DRZ's and XR650L's long before Adv. Always had a smaller displaced dual sport. But nothing is more enjoyable for touring BDR's and such than a larger Adv for eating up hwy miles to, from and in between, not to mention hauling all gear. But agreed, all are good! Just get out there!!!

Great message dork… this is the message that brake magazine and others should be saying… rather than whatever those influences are financially motivated by.

Dork on Mototrek hell yeah! Thanks to you both for reinforcement of this philosophy. Be excellent!

Thamk u for tha explenation Ben!! i'm conected to every words u say. riding on DRZ400S , as adventure ride for 4/5 years and its great.

Great to see the updated channel!

Adventure starts your door step. u make it the way u want it to be. i live in scotland im happy only see scotland even we dont have much in legal offroading. adventure is still adventure off or on road. adventure starts at your door step.

Everide may have started the modern filming of cheap adventure riding for us to enjoy. But I was started by 1970 on brothers mini-bike then my Sears lawn mower style engine. The Adventure was don't get caught by State Park Rangers on our uninsured, unregistered, unlicensed, mini-bikes. That was so long ago that my buddy 5HP engine seemed so much better than my 3.5 HP.

Spot on! It is what raises your heart rate and what excites you. Nothing else matters.

love your new background music and all your advice, great job!

Would like to see more dork in the road on mototrek 😀

This was very inspiring for me, thank you!

This pretty much sums up my opinion on the subject Ben. People all over the world are having offroad adventures on everything from 100 cc posties to hardtail stretched choppers. Ride the bike you have and make the adventure you want. Your content is awesome Ben, keep it up!

Love the content Mototrek. Thank you Ben (Dork)Fabulous to see you on this channel, great job.

Adventure is just doing something, it does not matter if on a paved road, on a tricycle or CT90. Visiting new places, seeing new landscapes and being outdoors beats sitting on a couch every time!

I totally love what you said on this video, it's awesome ben , you are absolutely right anybody can do it ya just have to want it, get out there and do it and you will find your way.

Great job. I love all of your positive comments

Very good❤ love this type of videos. A great reminder. Thank you

6:10 that is the single biggest take away from this video. Truer words have not been spoken!

totally agree!! after years of road motorcycles I got into Adventure riding with a KTM 950 and it was so fun. opened my eyes to a new riding world. after 2 years I down sized to a Honda CRF 300LS. what a amazing "down grade" I can pack just as much and explore places I wouldn't go on a heavy adventure bike.. Ya I need to do some mods to get the bike "adventure" ready. But its awesome now!

Hey Ben! So cool to see you here on Mototrek!

Great job Ben. I agree 100 %

100% agree, thanks Ben

I'm convinced that I'll never have the fun adventures I had on my 70s ct90, decades ago!

Dorky Wessels? Bret in the Road? I freakin love it! Great video guys! Great message. Get out and ride. 😎👍

Yup doesn't matter what bike you ride as long as you have an adventure. Now depending on the country/place, logging roads can vary from a smooth unpaved surface (as shown in the video) to an enduro track, their state differs from season to season, weather and heavy logging trucks & equipment change the roads dramatically, in Romania, Eastern Europe where I live at least, they do alter the surface a lot. A moped called Dot (Sydney to London adventures) conveyed that message that any bike is an adventure bike, including an Australian Postal moped. Ride safe & have fun everyone!

Great message. Also, that’s some pretty good looking morel country. A fun adventure to add to your addventure…

Fantastic philosophy, thanks Dork

Ben's getting around. not a bad thing. More is better.

As Ben has replayed many,many times,,,Ride your Ride, Nobody can ride it for you tho they may sometimes ride it with you! You define your route. This is true for motorcycles also 🤔🤣

@dorkintheroad great to see you over here!!

Adventure starts when you leave your known for your unknown. It starts when you decide. It finishes when you stop. You will get there on whatever you decide to take. It is as meaningful as you decide it was. Your experiences are not perceivable by anyone else. Do not let them what is and what is not for you.

Nice one Ben - and some bonus content while you’re off sick - get better soon 👍🏻

Perfectly summarized!

Thank you. Great message.

Thats right - we should be encouraging people to get out there and have adventure. There are lightweight dual sport options to go pretty much wherever you want to go on your adventure even if you dont yet have the skills to take a heavy adv bike there.

Great job Ben!