วีดีโอ

Thank you! Especially when you fall down in a deep cold puddle (not in this video but happened to me during that ride) you wish you were in a warm chair :)

Thank you! From what I can remember there were more challenging climbs than descents so if you're more comfortable with descents then riding in opposite direction should be even easier. BTW, riding this track on a Voge 300 will be less demanding compared to a CB500X (I've ridden a rented Voge 300 during an offroad training day; it's a much better bike for the job), so you really shouldn't worry too much. As for your 2nd question, it was the first offroad part of day 5. The best thing to do is to download the latest version of the track prior to leaving from home so you can be sure that all trails are legal. Those guys looked pretty upset but the trail was 100% legal as there were no warning signs. They were also no policemen or anything like that, and got there by car if you remember. Just stay polite with people like that and tell them you'll never come back ;)

@@J2Wlz Thanks for taking the time to reply. Great information... In reality, I shall likely do the ACT in both directions. Coming from England, I would have a long ride home from Cadaques on the road. So may well turn around and ride it in the proper direction back to San Sebastian (then to Santander to get the ferry). Thanks again, and all the best.

@@roybailey4529 sounds like a plan! Good luck ✌️

@@olliecassidy9562 Thank you :) I'm sure the CB500X feels like a pushbike compared to the big KTM :D At least, that's what I felt when I downsized from my previous R1100GS tractor which I've ridden for 5 years. I upgraded the suspension with Hyperpro shock and fork springs but for the rough surfaces I'm sure RR would be a better choice. On the other hand RR suspension will also rise the bike's seat height and CoG but if you're tall that shouldn't be an issue. Enjoy your bike!

@J2Wlz , After watching your video, that's what I wanted to ask before I splash out on Rally Raid bits. Advertising videos, including the ACT lads, show these huge heavy motorbikes trekking across the ACT trips. It's all fine in perfect conditions, but any wet weather at all and the trip would be a disaster. Our guys are looking at a Croatia ACT next year, so I'm hoping to have the CB500X sorted. Great viewing again. I'll keep an eye out for your next adventure. Ollie

Thank you! There are indeed better bikes for offroad riding but it's capable enough after some upgrades.

Thank you :) I don't mind. Maybe those guys were tired of bikers constantly going hard on those trails. I can understand it. Stay friendly, and everything is okay ;)

@@irishrover63 thnx! That uphill section felt endless, and at some point I've had enough of it 😄 Those guys were probably tired of bikers in their area, I can understand it. ABS stayed on all the time, it never gave me problems. The bashplate is from Outback Motortek (very strong) and the tires are Bridgestone AX41. You can do this stuff on your bike. While indeed pretty heavy with all the neccessary upgrades, it's still one of the lightest adv bikes available, it's very well balanced and reliable. The old Himalayan would be indeed a better choice for tough tracks but the long distance highway riding to these tracks would be much more tough.

I just had a look on the ACT website and it mentions some bans for the Pyrenees trail. Did you have to re-route when the guys stopped you? The Italian trail looks interesting.

@@irishrover63 I've ridden the V06, the V07 indeed already has some new detours caused by new bans. No, I just went ahead after talking to them. The Italian ACT is very nice too!

@@gerdmueller4095 thank you :) Wow, are you going to ride both ACT's during the single trip?

@@J2Wlz yes, that´s the plan...if you didn´t travelled the ACT Croatia yet, you can join me .

@@gerdmueller4095 I would love to but my busy life has started again. Thnx for offering 👍 Have a great time on both ACT's!

@@bigd3904 thnx! It was part of ACT

@@jannis6585 thnx! The bike has Hyperpro progressive fork springs and the rear shock but the travel and ground clearance are the same.

@@NatsTorresfranc you could try Teletubbies, maybe it's gonna be more fun?

@@holygoalie73 Thank you :) I know what it's like to have an old bike, my previous one was the bmw r1100gs from 1997 - a heavy beast! Getting stuck is not fun but the adventure begins when things start to go not according to a plan, they say... I'll remember 'me, myself and I' :) Normally I consider that there are 2 of us, my bike and me ;)

@@Stig4n my pleasure!

@@J2Wlz it is my plan to make this also and was thinking of doing a solo, because of the non matching time for friends. This was a good impression what to expect.

@@Stig4n glad I could help. Riding solo is actually pretty cool as long as you can lift your bike on your own :)

@@J2Wlz not really a problem even my V85TT is not the lightest bike. But the low center of gravity allows for that.

@@Stig4n nice bike! She will be happy to cruise in her homecountry 🙂

Hi! Thanks for your comment. You've made a good choice, as these are great multi purpose bikes that are mostly limited by the lack of right accessories from the factory. That's what I have on mine: Bridgestone AX41 tires; Hyperpro shock absorber and progressive fork springs, SKF heavy duty fork seals and acerbis fork socks; Outback motortek skid plate and crashbars; Barkbusters hand guards; Givi radiator guard; Sw motech evo footpegs; Sw motech 2cm bar risers. It's still not a T7 but easier to pick up and to handle in tough conditions. Though the new CF Moto 450 looks very interesting. Wrt the tubeless wheels, absolutely no problems but I don't ride fast off road and pick my line carefully.

@@J2Wlz thank you a lot for the info. About saw and axe, if i may suggest either the Fiskars Xtract SW75 (foldable) or the Samurai Ichiban GC series (non foldable, very light and in my opinion cuts better than the Fiskars. And instead of an axe, this is super light weight bush cutter Fiskars XA3, especially with a custom leather sheath, it s great to cut bushes and quite thick branches, small trunks too & Plus self defense from wild animals, if need arises

@@demdrys Thank you! I'll check them out 👍

Thank you for your kind words! A couple of weeks ago I did an offroad training on a rented Voge 300 Rally. This thing is amazing and inspires much more confidence than bigger bikes. For the first time in my life I felt like a good offroad rider :) But in my case I first have to travel long distances on the highways within a short period of time to reach some beautiful places in Europe. If I had more time and could avoid highways I would strongly consider a light bike like a Voge. I wish you a good luck and a lot of fun with your adventures!

@@J2Wlz The Voge is up to long distance travel. I wouldn’t take it on a motorway but I don’t use motorways on my 500X either. I do several winter rallies every year and from now on if the weather forecast is anything other than very good I will be taking the Voge.

@@davidmatthews3093 I'm sure it's going to be much more fun 👌

Osmand

@@J2Wlz Just import the gpx and start navigation is osmand really that simple ?

@@dittmerkevin95 It's relatively simple but you have to play around with it a little bit because Osmand doesn't have a very intuitive GUI imho and it also has a lot of other functions that you might never need. There are a lot of alternative outdoor gps apps on the market btw.

Currently i am using locus and from your writing i think it is quite the same. So much functions which i will never use but i have to admit it is quite intuitiv. Considering trying both i comparison to see which suits my demands. ​@@J2Wlz

​@@J2Wlzstill Happy with the honda?

You'll love it!

Hi! It's just a screen record from Google Earth. You can upload a gpx file in Google Maps/Earth

@@J2Wlz ok thanks. I'll look it up. Was the gpx file from an app or something (sorry this may be a dumb question...)

​@@therollingpebble2138 yes, you can download it from the adventure country tracks website after subscription

Hi! I think, if you've alread ridden the act Portugal solo then you should be fine. From what I've seen on the videos, Portugal has even more technical parts than Italy. I can't tell you anything about the weather, during my trip I've encountered no mud but it wasn't raining. In case of rain some parts will definitely be muddy. 5 days should be doable if you're in a hurry but if you have more time I would recommend at least 7 days to really enjoy beautiful surroundings.

thanks for your advise :) I was thinking of getting a nordic pocket saw but I'll also check out the telescopic one 👍

Hi! Bridgestone AX41

Thank you very much!

Thnx for watching! You can download the .gpx file of this track (and many others) from the official website of Trans Euro Trail or from the TET phone app. I use Osmand app for track navigation but there are also many other apps available.

Nicee thank you very much🤙

Thanks! The tire was mounted correctly, the thread pattern looks indeed a bit strange. The chain lube I've used was from the Motul off road series which is much less sticky. However, strangly enough, the can didn't survive off road usage, unfortunately 🙄

Thanks for your comment! I've tried to make the music volume not to loud so that the bike sound would still be audible.

still enjoyed it i just love raw sound sometimes :) @@J2Wlz

I enjoyed the music. I thought it was tasteful and appropriate.

Thank you! I can imagine that in June the tracks in Emilia Romagna were in even worse conditions due to the very recent storm.

Thank you :)

Hi! Thanks for watching! These are from Outback Motortek.

Thanks! I rode the latest version of the track which I downloaded from the act website just a couple of days before leaving. Maybe they changed something? During my trip the temperature wasn't that bad, especially high in the mountains. And the mornings were even pretty chilly on some days. The heat caught me only at the coast where I stayed for a couple of days after finishing the track. That's where I really started to miss the mountain area. I agree that a light bike is the way to go but in Europe we actually don't really have any other options other than the crf300 or expensive ktm's. I can't really see myself doing 1400km on the autobahn on a crf 🫤

Thanks for your comment! I was indeed hesitating a "couple" of times when the hard stuff came but it was my first time ever dealing with rocks. All I did previously was sand and light gravel roads with some mud in between :) I've owned a TA600 as my first adv bike 10 years ago. It was great, wish I never sold it. But at that time bigger was better, they said...😂 My plan is to ride more ACT's but being a family guy with a full time job means that the next big trip will only happen somewhere in the next season. How did you like the ACT Pyrenees and Romania in terms of difficulty?

@@J2Wlz You did very well. It's a solo ride, therefore much more demanding. You stayed calm in difficult situations, that's the most important thing. I started to ride off asphalt on the Transalp with Metzeler Tourance tyres, even did TET Germany in this configuration. Good for learning. The Pyrenees (last September) and Romania (this August) on our group were nicely challenging, ideal for Transalp or a CB 500 X on 50-50 tyres, but never too much - BUT we had perfect weather. Hot and dry. A friend told me not to ride offroad on ACT Romania when it's wet and muddy. He met some guys who had to pick up their GSes dozens of times, because it was too muddy/slippery. I can recommend both regions in these months, since there are not many tourists. Sights, accommodations, tracks are more enjoyable. Hope your family lets you go on that trip. All the best, Günter/Nürnberg

@@enduromotorradtouren Thanks for your tips!

182cm

Dankjewel! Ik probeer altijd te staan maar als het voor mij heel moeilijk wordt, ga ik idd steppen 😂 Deze Honda heeft relatief korte veerwegen, weinig bodemvrijheid en hij is ook best zwaar (197kg af fabriek, nu een stuk zwaarder met alle accessoires),, daarom is het soms lastig om snelheid te maken op de moeilijke stukken. Mijn plan is om volgend jaar ACT Portugal te rijden. Hoe is dat bevallen?

@@J2Wlz ACT Portugal is ook geweldig mooi. Ik heb alleen 4 etappes gereden vanwege beschikbare tijd.. De etappe (dag 5 ACT) onder Lissabon naar de Algarve heb ik niet gedaan. Ik denk dat de moeilijkheidsgraad vergelijkbaar is met Italie. De ACT noemt het easy met enkele stukken medium. Maar er zitten best ook steile en lastige klimmetjes en afdalingen bij. Ik had een CRF300 gehuurd. Deze is beter geschikt dan jouw CB denk ik. Lichter en kan je meer snelheid geven op de slechte stukken.

@@ktm-Triumph Dat "Easy" op de website van ACT vertrouw ik ook niet meer 😅ACT Italy zou volgens de website ook makkelijk moeten zijn en dat was het ook voor ong. 80% maar de rest was toch best technisch. Zo'n CRF300 is de ideale motor wat mij betreft. Als ik de lange stukken snelweg niet hoefde te rijden had ik de mijne meteen ingeruild. En mag ik vragen waar je de CRF hebt gehuurd in Portugal?

@@J2Wlz In Santarem. Ca 75km van Lissabon. Offroadoffcourse.

​@@ktm-Triumphthnx!

I really like the CRF300, but in my country it's nearly impossible to arrange a test ride with this bike because there are no demo models available. Wow, respect for doing this at your age! I truly hope I'll still be able to do trips like this in my 70's! Believe it or not, but actually it wasn't really hot until I arrived at the coast. The wind was still fresh in the mountains, especially in the mornings. Sometimes it was even a bit cold as I started my riding days around 6.00. I found all regions to be equally beautiful, but Abruzzo was definitely the most rough one! Have a good luck in Greece and ride safe!

No, I'm not that brave. The Bridgestone AX41.

@@J2Wlz but what size did you put on the rear? because it seems to me that the AX41 160/60 R17 doesn't exist...or am I wrong?

​@@giacbira150/70/17

@@J2Wlz but can they be mounted regularly?...is it written in the registration document? because here in Italy, from what I read, the rear only fits the 160/60R17...sorry if I insist, it's for mkia information

@@giacbira 150/70 fits just perfecly. That's what my mechanic said and a lot of people also confirm this on different forums on the web. For example, take a look at cl500, it has the same rims as cb500x but the rear tire is 150/70. However, I'm not sure about the legal permissions in your country.

Thank you!

Thnx! You live in a beautiful country 🙂 The CBX is indeed a great allrounder.

Thanks! This is the official track provided by Touratech - ACT Italy. It can be downloaded from adventurecountrytracks.com

@@J2Wlz Thank you so much. Actually i was in Italy a few weeks ago. But i came there with my scooter (Burgman 650), i hope next time it will be an adventurer bike. 🙃

@@husnudwa9211 you will enjoy!

Thnx! Bridestone AX41. The Dutch TET has almost no variation in elevation but because of sand and mud in the wet season it's still a bit of a challenge for stock tires. But I believe that experienced off-road riders could also make it with stock tires.

@@J2Wlz I have 2020 CB500X i have done almost all TET Estonia. I love this bike.

@@madmatz2112 Nice! On stock tires? :)

Thanks! Yes, it's a great allround bike! And for this price there are no real alternatives except for maybe RE Himalayan.

That's right. The Himalaya has a little less horsepower but is otherwise really good. For difficult terrain I thought of the Honda CRF 300 Rally🤔. Also for longer tours. But unfortunately the price is a bit high. And with the CB 500x you can go a long way with the tank volume and fuel consumption. And off-road, with the right tires, you can also get through the terrain easily. Did you also show very well 🤙😉

@@h.p.762 Haha, thanks again :) During that ride I was definitely a limiting facfor, not the bike but I'm yet to find out how she behaves on rocky terrain. Coming soon...

you can do it💪. I've been to rocky, steep terrain a few times with the cb500x. Just don't make the mistake of giving too little gas. she can do more than you think. you just have to trust. and when I see what the teneree 700 can do🤙. and it's no lighter than the cb500x. is just a matter of the head.🤠

Thnx! :)