Kevin Benavides is one of the famous ‘Benavides Brothers’ and rides for the Honda Rally Team on a CRF 450 Rally.
In 2018, he scored the 2nd place trophy at the 2018 Dakar Rally in the motorcycle division. His sights are squarely set on getting a 1st place finish in this decade.
Now, not much is known about this seriously talented rider so Frontaer has done some research.
Kevin Benavides Overview
Kevin started riding at an early age which is lucky. This helped him developed the skills on the throttle that has lead him to challenge KTM for the podium finishes.
Lucky isn’t an understatement, especially as he has lucky #7 as his race number.
Kevin is seriously committed to his gruelling training schedule that sees him riding and spending time in the gym for much of the year. When he isn’t training, he’s often working on motorcycles or dealing with injuries.
Kevin Benavides with his brother, Luciano Benavides.
He has previously injured his shoulder in a rally raid race in Abu Dhabi as well as another in Chile. Let’s not forget the issues with his engines and you’ve got some serious ups and downs here.
The Harshness of Dakar
Kevin is best known for his triumph pursuits at Dakar which happens each January. Millions of people from around the world tune in to see fellow riders race and incredible speeds which risks serious injury and death.
The race is known as the toughest in the world. Clearly Kevin has some serious talent behind him to not just get into the race, but actually finish it too.
In a world where everyone simply wants to watch others be successful, we have a man who’s actually doing the work. One that will stop at nothing to hit the peaks yet deal with the troughs too.
We do look forward to seeing him take 1st place in this decade. *Watch this space*
Not much is known about Adrien Metge other than he has raced in the Dakar Rally and rides a Sherco TVRs Rally.
In this guide, Frontaer hopes to provide more insights into this super competitive rider.
Let’s begin.
Adrien Metge
Nothing gets us more excited than to see someone riding something that isn’t a KTM in the Dakar Rally. The brand does dominate the sector given how incredible their dirt bikes are, thus truly being Race Ready.
There is something to appreciate with the underdogs out there. Adrien is one such rider who has been riding a Sherco TVS 450 RTR for quite some time. He’s now done 5 Dakar Rally entrances starting from 2016.
Now, Adrien starting out riding as a kid. He was winning motocross championships as a teenager before later switching over to becoming a competitive rally raid rider.
Since then, he hasn’t faired so well and has never finished in the top 10. It’s those KTM’s dominating the leaderboard as always with their technology and performance.
Yet, one thing is for sure – he has not just entered but has finished numerous times. That in itself is worthy of an award.
The Harsh Nature of Dakar
Has this been easy? Not quite. On numerous occasions he has suffered injuries and issues with his motorcycle, but that’s made him stronger as a rider and competitor and one that can see the finish line so clearly now.
In a world of cotton wool, it’s refreshing to find someone who walks the talk. One that inspires a generation of both adults and children to get away from the devices and into the saddle. Where nothing can be replaced by a video game.
What we really look forward to seeing is a top 10 finish in this decade. With the underdog nature of the Sherco and the commitment from those eyes, we can only imagine that this will certainly happen.
Motocard is an online motorcycle store and if you’re outside of Europe, it’s hard to know if they’re actually legitimate.
Fortunately, they are. Thousands of people have left reviews detailing their experiences with Motocard. However, we wanted to provide an unbaised and unpaid review sharing our opinion. This way you can get a fair estimation as to whether they’re worth it for you.
Let’s begin.
Motocard Review
You’re probably doing your research because you don’t know much about this store. Fortunately, Frontaer does! We’re a motorcycle brand though we don’t yet have a commercial relationship with this store.
We’ve heard reports that riders have found gear for cheaper on Motocard and even with the shipping, got their gear delivered for less despite it having to fly for thousands of miles with airfreight. Neat! And so, we had to have a look into this ourselves.
Motocard has a massive team based out of Europe and the United Kingdom. In fact, they’ve been in the business of motorcycle gear since starting in 1982 in the Principality of Andorra, with now 12 stores and a massive online marketplace. They are a Spanish company with a strong focus on the English-speaking demographic.
What we really love is that they also sponsor industry events making it cheaper for spectators and competitors alike.
Range on Offer
Motocard clearly offers an incredible range of gear from road gear to dirt bike gear and everything in between. There is also an outlet division if you’re looking to get a significant discount on your purchase.
What we really love is their expertise. The customer service team actually rides motorcycles so they can answer your question and point you in the right direction if you’re looking for particular parts.
Most importantly – their prices are quite reasonable. Even with the cost of shipping, you’re often paying the same price or even a little cheaper by ordering from their online store.
Motocard Customer Complaints
Have you seen the negative reviews of Motocard? These are to be taken with a grain of salt. You see, this is one person’s experience in the past and the overall review rating isn’t a true representation of any business.
When someone has a 5-star experience, their chances of detailing their experiences online isn’t that high. When someone has a mildly bad experience, you can just about guarantee a 1-star rating. Thus, it’s quite skewed.
What we have noticed is that Motocard is very fair and tries to work with customers to resolve issues and complaints. After all, Motocard is legit and has been trusted by more than 10,000+ customers alone this year from around Europe, and even around the world.
Most likely it’s the international customers who have issues with customs fees and tariffs which they didn’t initially realize. The returns can be challenging for the international customers. After all, who pays the return shipping?
We have noticed that the far majority of customers have an awesome experience paired with very reasonable pricing.
In Summary
There aren’t too many online stores that get Frontaer’s tick of approval. After all, we’re keen motorcyclists that do shop online often, paired with our own brand.
Many people in the United States, Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom and even Australia have shopped with Motocard with no issues. With so many brands featured, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for. And soon enough, Frontaer hopes to be on the shelves too.
With more than 1 million people in Alberta, there are certainly dirt bike riders and tracks around Calgary and Edmonton to ride.
Even if you live in Red Deer or Lethbridge, we’ve got some spots ready for you. From single-track to motocross and open enduro trails for beginners and experienced riders, there are certainly options around!
Best Dirt Bike Trails in Alberta
The State of Alberta encourages dirt bike riding as it keeps the economy flowing and allows people to let off some steam by twisting the throttle. In fact, the numerous enduro and MX events certainly draw the tourism numbers with thousands of people crossing the border each year to compete or spectate.
Now – if you’re the type of person who prefers to simply cruise around and find some great trails in the state, then Frontaer has done the research for you. We looked around to see where local riders in Calgary and Edmonton were actually riding, and the results are in.
Here are Alberta’s best dirt bike trails:
1. Rocky Mountain Dirt Riders Association
One of the best-kept secrets is joining the RMDRA. They do organized trail bike rides on single track into areas that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to access. We’re talking private property here and by joining this club, you’re covered by insurance.
This is definitely the club you’ll want to join if you’re new to off road motorcycling and aren’t quite sure where to ride in Alberta. This is especially so if you’re struggling to find buddies who share the same passion, or you simply want to improve your skills off road.
2. McLean Creek
McLean Creek is well known and this spot is welcoming of off-highway vehicles. This includes side by sides, quads and dirt bikes on existing trails. If you’re looking for some buddies, then jump inside this Facebook group so you can meet up at McClean Creek.
3. Brule Lake Sand Dunes
Sand Dunes in Alberta? Absolutely! These are epic for riding your dirt bike and adventuring around. Now – the sand isn’t the sahara dessert and so there is quite a bit of traction, so you probably won’t need a rear paddle to get your through. That said – power on and lean back! Heaps of tracks to explore and it can get a little muddy but isn’t too bad. To get here, head about 16km west of Hinton and near Jasper National Park.
4. Barry’s Ultra Motorsports Park
While Barry’s Ultra Motorsports Park (often called BUMP) is a motocross park, there are also about 40km of well-maintained single trail to explore for the enduro fraternity. This spot allows unregistered dirt bikes to ride these trails and one of the few spots close to Edmonton that allows this. Bring the kids because there is a well developed PeeWee Track and you can camp here overnight too, though it’s only an hour from Edmonton city centre.
5. Abasand Loop
Going from Abasand to Athabasca River on the OHV Trail will give you about 12km of riding terrain. There are other trails in the area worth exploring too. This is best for the dual-sport ADV rider rather than the dirt bike enthusiast, but worth a mention on this list.
6. Waiparous Creek
McLean Creek is actually very close to Waiparous Creek and most riders do both riding areas in the same trip. Some will stay overnight will camping. Waiparous Creek offers just as much as McLean though the crowds can be a little less.
7. Lille Ghost Town Trail
This place isn’t that scary but good for some local history and open track. Unlike most riding in Canada, you’ll actually be finding your higher gears here and might even see triple digits when riding. This is out towards Crowsnest Pass.
Getting Started
There we have it! Some great tracks in Alberta to try out that aren’t necessarily motocross tracks. These trails are sometimes seasonal so it’s best to check opening and availability before heading out.
Also, we strongly recommend joining one of the numerous riding groups on Facebook. There are riders in there so often looking for others to ride with instead of tackling these tracks solo. Likewise, group rides happen often which opens up so many riding opportunities and places to explore on 2 wheels and an aggressive throttle.
There are numerous places to ride a dirt bike in British Columbia with many of these spots being close to Vancouver city.
Essentially, they are close enough that you could easily make a day trip or even stay the weekend for a camping adventure. Either way – Frontaer has you covered with this great list of areas to explore on 2 wheels.
Best Dirt Bike Tracks in BC
Exploring on 2-wheels with the hum of your engine is just so much fun. If the sun is shining, then there isn’t any reason to stay at home watching yet another YouTube tutorial on clutch control and cornering techniques. Instead – you need to get out there!
So much to explore and so little time. These are the best dirt bike riding areas near Vancouver:
1. Kamloops
There is just so many trails to explore at Kamloops. Once you’ve had enough, head over for a few laps of the motocross track over at Whispering Pines. Certainly Kamloops has a strong reputation and becomes very popular on weekends.
Aim for Greenstone Mountain, Scuitto Lake FSR, Chuwels Mountain and Onion Lake. The region is primed for camping with some overnight sites welcoming the dirt bike community. There are regular group rides and there are more details inside the Facebook Group of local riders.
2. Maple Ridge
McNutt has an extensive area in which to ride your dirt bike freely with more than 70 miles at your disposal. Beginners can do most sections though experienced riders really do own this place with its tough hill climbs and descents. Expect 2nd or 3rd gear all day long.
You’re looking at about 20km at Blue Mountain and the spot is reserved by the Blue Mountain Motorcycle Club as for trail riding only. No 4×4’s here which is good. Lots of single track to keep things flowing, albiet a little slow.
3. Vedder Mountain
You can ride dirt bikes here at Chilliwack and there are twice as much space as Maple Ridge. It’s in Fraser Valley and the spot is quite popular with many other trail users.
There is the Vedder Mountain Motorcycle Club which maintains these trails for all users. Both beginners and experienced riders are welcome with good maps available. There are rules governing use of these tracks to avoid damage from overuse and degredation.
4. Violin Lake
This is an epic spot in which to get into the woods and deep wilderness. Here is where you’ll find plenty of single-track and some tight and gnarly hill climbs. These trails are shared with other riders so be mindful, but isn’t so popular or well known.
5. Peace River
Peace River is a lot of fun and the terrain is more open-country as opposed to tight technical tracks. If you want to ride in the higher gears and get some more wind in the helmet, then this is the spot for you.
The terrain is more loose as well so the rear end might kick out on some corners. The two most popular tracks are Cadotte River Trail and Winagami Lake.
6. Squamish
Head for Squamish which is managed by the Squamish Dirt Bike Association which is volunteer-run. They have built 2 main trail networks making up about 50km of trails. These trails (Cat Lake, Brohm Lake and Lava Flow) are shared with others including mountain bikes and hikers, so be careful around corners.
Kids are welcome here with some flat areas to practice at. If you want a trail map, then head into OTP Motorsports, No Limits Motorsports or The Adventure Centre.
7. Vancouver Island
We’ve left one of the best until last! You can certainly ride dirt bikes on Vancouver Island, with the best tracks being Whiskey Creek, Tansky and Cook Creek. As you’d expect, this region is super busy on weekends so aim for a mid-week ride. If you’re looking for racing opportunities or simply to find some more like-minded folk to ride with, then get in with the Vancouver Island Dirt Riders Association (also known as VIDRA) who run regular events and enduros.
Getting Started
There we have it! Even if you live in Kelowna or Abborsford, British Columbia, you’ll have some epic riding areas. If you’re lacking some buddies who share the same passion, then get yourself into one of the local riding clubs. They organize regular group rides so you can go exploring without doing it solo.
Likewise, there are also some multi-day trips organized for those who share the ADV passion. Keep an eye out for these events which take you to some pretty remote areas.
