Defy the Alps on your motorcycle!

Brand manager Rick and Business Developer Kevin share their favorite destinations they have defied on their motorcycle!

Offroad in the Ligurian Alps

Kevin's favorite destination to ride a motorcycle so far is the French/Italian Alps (also called the Ligurian Alps). A favorite because there are many old military, unpaved alpine passes there where you can ride legally and they go up to some serious heights. A challenging environment that not only offers breathtaking views, but unforgettable experiences, as well. Perfect for riding his KTM 690 Enduro!

Clothing tips for on- and off-road motorcycle trips!

During trips like the one to the Ligurian Alps, Kevin wears clothing that ventilates well and in which you have enough room to move. The ventilation helps you cool down during the hard work off-road, but is also ideal for the road because in the valley it tends to be a lot warmer. The freedom of movement ensures that you can maintain optimum control over your bike. Kevin also prefers to wear clothing that protects him from the elements. Waterproof and windproof gear is a must for the cold weather conditions at high altitudes and is certainly not an unnecessary luxury for the sudden downpours you regularly experience. In addition, it is useful to choose products that can do work on both paved and unpaved roads. Think of an adventure helmet where you can raise your visor and put on cross goggles for off-roading. In the valley, you have the advantage of a helmet with a visor, but on dirt roads, you can get maximum ventilation with the visor open and cross goggles, and have less dust in your eyes.

Kevin's choice

Kevin himself wears the Klim Carlsbad jacket and pants, along with Alpinestars Toucan boots and an LS2 MX701 helmet. During his trip to the Ligurian Alps, he carried two sets of gloves, the Spidi Flash summer gloves and Alpinestars gloves with Gore-Tex membrane. But he advises to opt for the Held Air N Dry 2 in 1 gloves, this set combines the features that the two separate sets offer.

Pass to pass in the Grajian Alps on a Ducati Panigale

As a true thrillseeker, Rick likes to hit the road on Race or Street motorcycles to challenge himself as much as possible. During his trip to the Grajian Alps, he chose to ride his Ducati Panigale to find beautiful but especially challenging passes. When he received the comment that you can't make a decent hairpin turn with such a race bike, he replies that those challenges make riding fun for him. You have to do it in a different way he says, but that doesn't make it less fun, in fact in his eyes even more fun. In addition, the Grajian Alps are far from boring, you ride from pass to pass. The height differences and short technical turn offer every rider a challenge. Also, nature offers a lot of variety, you drive from completely green to coarse rocky areas and there is a great chance of snow because of the high altitude.

Well prepared for your motorcycle trip

Rick recommends everyone to wear motorcycle clothing that is comfortable for you. For optimal riding comfort, but also fun. But. he does say it's smart to prepare for bad weather conditions. In fact, during his trip in the Grajian Alps, he got well wet on several occasions, to the point that his navigation broke down after a little damage due to the amount of rain. He always takes a rain suit with him, so that he can drive on again in a jiffy in the event of an unexpected shower. He also puts all his essentials like his phone, wallet, rain suit, etc., in his tank bag.

Rick's choices

Because he is always up for the challenge, Rick always wears a one-piece motorcycle suit. For the next few years, Rick has invested in a Spidi one-piece suit, the Spidi Track Wind Pro. He also purchased the TCX RT-Race boots because of their comfortable fit and the fact that they are lightweight. In recent years, he has worn REV'IT!'s Spitfire suit, with REV'IT! Excellerator 1 piece undergarments underneath. When the weather conditions challenge Rick even more, he wears the REV'IT! pacific 2 H2O rain suit, so he keeps it handy in his tank bag.

Want to prepare yourself for your next trip?

Check out our luggage and navigation systems or find more travel inspiration from our other blogs!