The Triumph Adventures

Adventures

Thunder in the Smokies 2026 Fall

The weekend of September 11–13, 2026, found us back in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, for the Thunder in the Smokies Fall Motorcycle Rally. The rally took place at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds and featured motorcycles, vendors, bike games, a bike show, live entertainment, and plenty of great mountain

How To

New Lights for the Road King

There are some motorcycle upgrades that make a bike look better, and there are others that actually make riding it better. Replacing the original lighting on my 2001 Harley-Davidson Road King falls firmly into the second category. The Road King has a classic look that I really like, but

Adventures

Too Broke for Sturgis Bike Show

Not everyone can point their front wheel toward South Dakota every August, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on the excitement. Dog House Harley-Davidson in Rock Hill, South Carolina, has found the perfect solution with its annual Too Broke for Sturgis Bike Show—an

How To

Replace Those Relays

The 2026 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 has quickly earned a reputation as a capable adventure motorcycle, equally at home on the highway and remote backroads. Like any modern motorcycle, however, it relies on several electrical relays to control critical systems. While these relays are relatively inexpensive, they are also one

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Riding Pants

One thing I will admit is that I always wear protective gear while riding a motorcycle (a few limited exceptions). Even when it is 95 outside, I still wear my full face helmet, gloves, jacket, boots, and pants. I have always believed in safety geat and that you do not

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Lunch Lap 2026 - Vol 3

What happened to Volume 2? No, you did not miss it. I did not create one since I was unable to attend (I was at Myrtle Beach Bike Week). I hate missing these rides since they are a blast but I also did not want to miss bike week. Oh

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Another Bike - HD 2001 Road King Classic

Yes, broke down and bought a Harley Davidson. Not that I do not like my adventujre bikes, I just wanted to get one (tired of being the odd man out at almost every bike event 🤣). No, seriously, I have wanted one for a while but waiting for one where I

Adventures

Myrtle Beach Bike Week 2026

Another year, another spring Myrtle Beach Bike Week! Unlike last year, the weather was absolutely perfect (MBBW 2025 was HOT!). There was no rain and the temperatures were VERY pleasant. Like last year, a group of us rented a house in Murrells Inlet. Actually, it is the exact same house

Adventures

Thunder in the Smokies 2026

This is an annual event located in Maggie Valley, NC. They have 3 rallies a year and a small group of us decided to attend the first one from May 1-3. One of the riders booked an Airbnb in a great location for the rally. We met up at

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Lunch Lap 2026 - Vol 1

Its that time a year again where Sambuco's Barber Shop puts on the monthly Lunch Lap ride. The first ride was on a Saturday so that we could attend the Minibike Misfit Races at the Shadyside Dragway. The dragway is near Winston-Salem so this ride will be

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REVER Motorcycle Trip Planner

I have begun using a new motorcycle trip planner called REVER. I have been using Calimoto and it is a nice app but there are a few things I do not like about it so I wanted to try something new. Also, Calimoto is not as widely used as REVER

Adventures

GLMC - Trip 3

💡Refer to the GLMC - Trip 1 story for an explanation to what GLMC is. Was out riding with a friend and decided to catch another couple of oddities for GLMC. In Linwood, there is a old truck stop called Bills Truck Stop. Been around since the 60's. I

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Red Means Stop - Life Means Go

There’s a specific kind of rhythm you find when you’re riding in a a formation. It’s the low rumble of the motorcycles, the synchronized leans, and that unspoken language between brothers on the road. We were having one of those nice runs last evening—until the world

Adventures

GLMC - Trip 2

💡Refer to the GLMC - Trip 1 story for an explanation to what GLMC is. It was going to be a much warmer day today and very sunny. I decided to head out early to hit up a few more items to add to my list. All the items are in

Adventures

GLMC - Trip 1

Each year, I sign up for the GLMC Grand Tour. It is kind of like a rally / scavenger hunt where you ride around and collect photos from the theme for the year. This year the theme is Obscure Oddities and Attractions. The purpose is to go out and find the

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Spring Is Here

After a brutal February with back to back snow and ice storms, the weather is finalizing stabilizing. We had a few intermitent days where you could go out but the past week has been nice. I have been enjoying riding to work and now with the time change, staying out

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Frozen Tundra of 2026

I was so excited last Monday in that I can finally get on my bikes and ride. The past 2-3 weeks have been extremely code and wet. Unusual for this area of the country. We occasionally will get snow and the same with ice but never does it last

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Another Cross Country Trip - 2026

Around Christmas, I began thinking about what I wanted to do in 2026. I really enjoyed riding across American when I did the Route 66 trip. The riding, the scenery, seeing new places, and meeting new people. After going back and looking at the that trip, I want to do

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Keeping Your Motorcycle Clean

I will admit, I am not a fan of washing my bikes. I know that we need to but it is just so time consuming. Washing a car is easy. With a bike, you cannot use a presure washer, you need to be careful of all the electrics on the

GearTalk

Compact Engine Guard for Himalayan 450

The last piece of protection I wanted for the Himilayan 450 is an engine guard. I wanted to purchase from Royal Enfield since I know it will fit perfectly and do not have to worry about the known issue with other engine guards (chassis breaking, etc). I went through this

GearTalk

Cleaning my Summer Jacket

With the colder weather approaching, its time to wash that summer gear. Actually the only summer gear that I have is a Klim Induction jacket and a pair of Induction Gloves (but I use these year round). Basically it is a screen door allowing air from everywhere. It is still

GearTalk

New Mitas Tires for the Himalayan 450

After 2000 miles, I decided it is time to swap out the stock tires. The stock tires performed well but they are made for the street. I purchased this bike to ride more dirt/gravel/trails and those tires were just not cutting it. Unfortunately it seems that every bike

GearTalk

New Seat for the Himalayan 450

After putting 2000 miles on the stock seat, my butt decided that there needed to be a change. I will admit, the stock seat that comes on the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is functional but for me, not comfortable at all. I think that the sharp angles just happened to

How To

Wiring Accessories on the Himalayan 450

I have been holding off doing any new wiring on the Himalayan 450 until my auxiliary lights arrived. Part of the problem was I kept putting off buying them but this bike really needs more light. The headlamp is LED and better than the older Himalayans but still needs quite

How To

Givi Racks for Himalayan 450

When I first got the bike, I was torn whether or not to get another set of Givi racks so I can use the same hardcases on both bikes. You know the argument about soft vs hard bags. I already have invested in the Givi bags and racks so ultimately