What to expect from RevZilla's Get On! Adventure Fest

When I was a beginner, they provided me with a community of people to ride with, many of whom befriended me and provided helpful advice. Now that I’m a more experienced rider, they provide me with an opportunity to explore new trails in areas I wouldn’t normally visit on my own and they give me a chance to give back to the community that helped me.

Whether you’re considering your first ADV event or you’re a crusty, dirt-weathered veteran, fun always seems to be had when like-minded riders get together. This was the “lightning-in-a-bottle” emotion we set out to recreate when establishing our own RevZilla Get On! ADV Fest. As we prepare to kick off our third year of hosting this event (we launched GOAF in 2021 in the Black Hills of South Dakota and expanded it to a second event last year in the Mojave Desert of California), I wanted to dive into some of the most frequently asked questions we receive in order to help riders better understand these events and what they can expect should they join us.

What is Get On! ADV Fest?

GOAF has been RevZilla’s first foray into hosting a riding event for our audience. This is done in partnership with the REVER Moto Navigation app along with RawHyde Adventures at its Zakar facility for our Mojave event (April 27-30, 2023) and the Buffalo Chip Campground in the Black Hills (July 20-23, 2023).

Over the past few years, I’ve come to describe this event as “summer camp for adults who like motorcycles.” It’s four days of riding and camping and partying with other folks who enjoy motorcycles. You can camp, glamp, or stay in a hotel. You can ride on-road, off-road, or choose a mix of both.

You can hang out at base camp and check out vendors displaying all of the newest and best in ADV apparel and accessories, or you can hit the trails early and ride all day. There are OEMs offering both on- and off-road demos of some of the most popular ADV bikes on the market. This year Yamaha, Harley-Davidson, Moto Guzzi, Aprilia, Triumph, CFMoto, and BMW will all be present. There are also beginner and intermediate training opportunities available from RawHyde, and RPM Members can opt in for free off-road training sessions.

What are the routes like and how do we navigate them?

Each day we will provide attendees with four unique routes. There will be a paved route, an easy route, an intermediate route, and for masochists like myself, an advanced route that offers a real challenge.

The day’s routes are unlocked in REVER the night before. So you can pull them up, read the description, and make your riding plans in advance each day. To help you figure out which routes are best for you, my team (Ari Henning, Patrick Garvin, Zack Courts, Jen Dunstan, Patrick McHugh, Spenser Robert, myself, etc…) will be on hand as route experts to walk you through any questions you have about route difficulty and terrain. We will also be out riding alongside you to help out anyone who runs into trouble.

If you’re not familiar with REVER, it is a navigation app for motorcyclists. Your entry to this event gets you a year of REVER Pro for free and you will be able to use your phone to navigate (so make sure to install a phone mount on your bike in advance; I recommend QuadLock Mounts with an anti-vibration damper). We will also have representatives from REVER on hand to help you learn how to navigate via the app and, if you prefer GPS, they will download all of the routes to your GPS for you so there is no need to bring your computer.

Do I have to ride an ADV motorcycle off-road to attend?

Not at all. While this event is heavily ADV-focused, we also fully recognize that there are a lot of folks who prefer to ride their ADV bikes as big, comfy, sport-touring machines. Each day will include a paved route option. You don’t even have to ride an ADV bike to be welcome at this event. You could show up on a Harley-Davidson Street Glide and spend your days winding down the asphalt.

That being said, the roads into the camping area are hard-packed dirt with some light loose sand in certain spots. So you’ll have to navigate a small section of dirt to get to camp.

What are the non-paved routes like? 

Beyond pavement, we offer three daily routes labeled as beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

A beginner route is a combination of pavement, gravel, and dirt roads. While there might be some areas of sand in Mojave or mud in South Dakota, for the most part these routes are designed to be accessible to even the most inexperienced off-road riders. These are suitable for dirt-curious folks who have never ridden their ADV-bikes off of asphalt but are interested in trying.

Intermediate routes definitely take it up a notch. These routes are a mix of roads and trails. You’ll likely encounter rocky uphills and downhills, sand washes, and narrower two-track. Based on what I’ve seen from riders, you should have some confidence riding off-road before attempting these routes.

Advanced routes multiply the difficulty of the intermediate routes. Hills get steeper, rocks get bigger, sand gets deeper, and trails get tighter. You might even encounter some single-track sections. We recommend taking a buddy with you if you’re going to try to complete an advanced route. It’s always good to have help when you’re picking up your bike.

How much does it cost and what does that get me?

Tickets this year start at $500 for all four days. That covers your camping (campsites include showers and bathrooms) and catered meals (a big change over last year, especially for South Dakota) for four days. It also includes drink tickets for the bar, REVER Pro for a year, and all of the routes planned out. There are also free GOAF jerseys, $25 RevZilla Store Vouchers, and unlimited demo rides on a slew of new ADV bikes. There are also bands, ice cream, coffee, secret challenges, and a ton of friends to be made.

Just a note, tickets are not refundable based on the weather. This event is rain or shine, and in years past we’ve seen both. In some cases, the rain in South Dakota has made the routes more fun. And on the flip side, the wind in the Mojave Desert has made for cold mornings. So please pack accordingly.

I don’t live in the area, but I want to come ride. Are there options for renting a bike?

I don’t live in the area, either. So, we’re in the same boat. I’m actually shipping Sally the Rally out to the Mojave event via Motorcycle Shippers. They were extremely easy to work with and I was able to have the bike delivered to their hub in Anaheim, California. So I can fly into LAX, book a ride to their warehouse, and ride right up the freeway to the event. RPM members even get $100 off shipping for this event.

If you don’t have an ADV bike, or simply don’t want to ship your bike, you can look into rental options like EagleRider, HertzRide, and RidersShare in Mojave and Alpine Adventures (Contact dnzieske@gmail.com) for the Black Hills event. I’ve had friends at both events rent bikes ranging from Kawasaki KLR650s to KTM 1090s with great success. Just make sure to opt for that damage insurance.

Anything else I should know?

I’m sure there is, but check out the Get On! ADV Fest page to learn more about each of the separate locations and to check out photos and videos of past year’s events. You can also drop questions in the comments section on that page or reach out to other riders to find people to travel out with.

If you can't make it to GOAF, but you're still interested in trying your hand at an ADV-styled event, check out the American Motorcyclist Association's 2023 National Adventure Riding Series. RevZilla has partnered with the AMA to present this sanctioned calendar of ADV events all across the country. When I first got started in the world of adventure bikes, the National Adventure Riding Series calendar was one my main resources for planning my main events of the year.

Whether you come hang out with us, or you attend a different ADV event this year, make 2023 the year to get out and explore the community. Adventure riding is one of the fastest growing segments of motorcycling for good reason. It’s a ton of fun. That being said, I recognize it can be intimidating to get out there and try something new. But if this is something you’ve been interested in trying, an ADV event is a great way to get introduced to the community, taste the challenges of the terrain, learn some new skills, and make new friends.

I hope to see you out there on the trail this summer.