Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Southern California doesn’t hand you adventure — you have to go looking for it.
In the winter of 2026, we left the gridlock of Los Angeles behind and pointed three lightweight adventure motorcycles toward the mountains and desert: the KTM 390 Adventure R, CFMOTO Ibex 450, and Royal Enfield Himalayan 450.
Our route took us from endless freeway miles to the high-altitude trails of Holcomb Valley, the ghostly remains of Belleville’s gold rush past, the old Rim of the World Highway, and deep into the Mojave Desert to the Integratron and Giant Rock. Pavement gave way to sand. Smooth sweepers turned into rock-strewn climbs. History lingered at every stop.
This wasn’t just a spec-sheet comparison — it was a real-world adventure ride across Southern California terrain.
From mountain air at 7,500 feet to desert sand and forgotten highways, these three small-displacement ADV bikes proved something important: adventure doesn’t require excess. It requires the right tool — and the willingness to take the long way around.
Because in Southern California, the ride to the trail is part of the adventure.
Featuring:
KTM 390 Adventure R
CFMOTO Ibex 450
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450
Riders: Jon Beck, Ryan Adams, and Troy Siahaan
Photos & Video: Will Embree
If you had to choose one lightweight adventure motorcycle for a weekend escape into the mountains and desert — which one would you take?
#AdventureMotorcycle #KTM390Adventure #CFMOTOIbex450 #Himalayan450 #ADV #SouthernCalifornia #DesertRiding #LightweightADV
See the full comparison video here: youtu.be/HylIAHQJXcc
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Established in 1994, Motorcycle.com is the premier online resource for motorcycle and scooter enthusiasts. With hundreds of high quality, detailed video reviews on bikes from Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and just about everybody else, it's the best place to go to learn about the latest and greatest two-wheeled creations. There's simply no better resource if you're planning on buying or if you just want to check out some awesome machines.
Southern California doesn’t hand you adventure — you have to go looking for it.
In the winter of 2026, we left the gridlock of Los Angeles behind and pointed three lightweight adventure motorcycles toward the mountains and desert: the KTM 390 Adventure R, CFMOTO Ibex 450, and Royal Enfield Himalayan 450.
Our route took us from endless freeway miles to the high-altitude trails of Holcomb Valley, the ghostly remains of Belleville’s gold rush past, the old Rim of the World Highway, and deep into the Mojave Desert to the Integratron and Giant Rock. Pavement gave way to sand. Smooth sweepers turned into rock-strewn climbs. History lingered at every stop.
This wasn’t just a spec-sheet comparison — it was a real-world adventure ride across Southern California terrain.
From mountain air at 7,500 feet to desert sand and forgotten highways, these three small-displacement ADV bikes proved something important: adventure doesn’t require excess. It requires the right tool — and the willingness to take the long way around.
Because in Southern California, the ride to the trail is part of the adventure.
Featuring:
KTM 390 Adventure R
CFMOTO Ibex 450
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450
Riders: Jon Beck, Ryan Adams, and Troy Siahaan
Photos & Video: Will Embree
If you had to choose one lightweight adventure motorcycle for a weekend escape into the mountains and desert — which one would you take?
#AdventureMotorcycle #KTM390Adventure #CFMOTOIbex450 #Himalayan450 #ADV #SouthernCalifornia #DesertRiding #LightweightADV
See the full comparison video here: youtu.be/HylIAHQJXcc
Subscribe!
youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=Motorcycle
YouTube - youtube.com/Motorcycle
Facebook - facebook.com/MotorcycleCom
Twitter - twitter.com/MotorcycleCom
Web - Motorcycle.com
Established in 1994, Motorcycle.com is the premier online resource for motorcycle and scooter enthusiasts. With hundreds of high quality, detailed video reviews on bikes from Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and just about everybody else, it's the best place to go to learn about the latest and greatest two-wheeled creations. There's simply no better resource if you're planning on buying or if you just want to check out some awesome machines.
