MORE REVIEWS - Here are even more great adventure stories and testimonials.

Use this page to help you decide on your Backroads Adventures "personalized" motorcycle vacation. Enjoy!

My job can be summed up with just two words: Adventure and Fun. We work very hard at preparing the bikes and tour routes rewarding us with great adventures and many new friends. Our Suzuki bikes are awesome. I have received many compliments from our clients on the maintenance, reliability and great running condition of our Suzuki dualsport bikes. These bikes survived some very demanding “A” tours in the Canadian Rockies, a true testimony to the toughness and quality of our Suzuki products. I have prepared a brief report on some season highlights. Enjoy! - Looking forward to riding with you.

Dave,

Our tour season often begins with a rider training course arranged by our Japanese friends at E&G International.

We practiced many off road riding techniques including basic riding skills, hills, logs, mud and even snow. Our clients had a blast testing and improving their riding skills during the morning course followed by a scenic ride in the mountains. It was very interesting to instruct our Japanese friends being unable to speak their language but we were able to overcome the language barriers with demonstrations and a great sense of humor.

There were many laughs during our course and everyone was keen to learn making this a very successful and fun training session. It was very rewarding to see their skills improve dramatically after being taught some of the techniques and tricks of riding off road in the mountains.

We made more great new friends from Japan and look forward to their return next spring.

Some local riders who had just purchased several of our used tour bikes enjoyed a welcome to the sport of dualsport motorcycle riding. One family was new to the sport and another was just getting back into riding. Many of our used tour bikes are taken over by our local motorcycle enthusiasts, bringing some welcome business to our friends at the local Suzuki dealer. We started Backroads Adventures in 1993; several of our DR350’s are still seen riding around town.

Backroads Adventures Father & Son motorcycle vacation

We prepared for a personalized vacation package for a father and his son. Brenda and Tom spend a lot of time working abroad and their eighteen year old son remained in Canada for school and college training. The ever thoughtful mother decided it was time for some father/ son bonding.

A motorcycle tour was the answer. We personalized a three day dualsport adventure they will never forget. I think Tom was a bit surprised at how quickly his son’s riding skills and ability had improved. Suddenly, Kyle had become the better rider.

Backroads Adventures Honeymoon motorcycle vacation.

Another tour was for a honeymoon couple. Our clients wanted to do something special for their honeymoon celebration and being a motorcycle enthusiast, the groom decided to book a personalized tour with Backroads Adventures with the goal to take his bride to some beautiful scenic areas of the BC wilderness staying clear of the busy tourist areas. I guided them to some beautiful scenic waterfalls and alpine glacier lakes and arranged their accommodations at the Jim Smith Lake Beaver Lodge.

Robert and Yvonne loved the area, the rides and the accommodations. It is very rewarding to know that they have had a memorable honeymoon experience. The groom now has plans to buy a Suzuki DRZ400S for himself and a DR200S for his bride for transportation and enjoyment around their farm in Saskatchewan.

Backroads Adventures "TORTURE CHAMBERS" Custom Tour

I received a special request from Hawaii for a group “A” tour. On this particular tour, our clients requested a nine day challenging "harder the better", "give us all you got" "A" tour including the best technical riding and beautiful scenery.

We decided to accept the challenge of a serious off road tour using our Suzuki DRZ400S model dualsport bikes. At first we were a little apprehensive; our tours are usually designed as dualsport motorcycle vacation packages with more emphasis on casual scenic tours. I arranged for my most experienced guides Mike and Travis to help out their old uncle David with this challenge. I knew I would need their riding talent and youthful energy. I explained to our eager off road clients that we will be using our Backroads Adventures prepped DRZ400S bikes, set up with off road tires, hand guards, skid plates, long range fuel tanks and a few extra Suzuki accessories but, otherwise stock dualsport bikes.

This was going to be a dualsport tour through the mountains taking on difficult routes and trails in some of the most remote wilderness areas. I was confident that our Suzuki dualsport bikes could do the job and please even these serious off road riders. We had no problem finding enough challenging terrain in the British Columbia mountains and forests to satisfy their requests.

Blaine was the key organizer joined by Brian, Duane and Don. Here are some of the comments and priceless photos we received from this tour.

The first day of this tour started with a tour of “Dave’s Backyard”.

Blaine’s most priceless moment. it’s on video too!

Thumpertalk quotes from our client Blaine (TORTURECHAMBERS)

“- Waaaaahooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 days in the bag and so far its AWESOME!! These BC boyz know how to please the sick minded riders!! 5 more days of body pounding action then we'll be headed back to Hawaii.”

“WE HAVE PICTURES!!! WE HAVE VIDEO!!!!! WE HAVE SORE BODIES!!! ”

“I'd like to start by thanking Dave Martindale, for a 9 day spectacular, life altering tour. Along with his nephews Mike and Travis, the incredible organization, the awesome lodging and tasty food Puinsai_5, Duane and I had the time of our lives. We asked for the A tour treatment and were given 9 days in Heaven. Again, thanks for the awesome knowledge and commitment of Dave Martindale and crew.” “The bikes were DRZ400S models in great shape. After 9 days in the forest riding them like a rental, I am convinced there is no better bike to have for what we did... “.

“Again, Thanks to Dave and the crew for the memories to last a lifetime!!! Also thanks to Brenda and Dana for making us feel at home and also to Jack and Morris for the smiles and beers at the cabin..

Aloha guys and I'll see you again soon...” Blaine

Patrik Curtis – Thumpertalk on line chat reply.

“Great that you had a hoot up in Cranbrook with my friend Dave. I've known Dave since the mid 90's and have done three rides with him. In fact, I was up there last summer and rode with Don, the guy from Maryland.
My first ride with Dave was a strictly off-road thing. We brought our own bikes. I was on a YZ 250 at the time and there were many more trails to ride. We spent a lot of time on Dave’s 80 KM course he had set up for an annual cross country race he used to put on.

The majority of the time was spent riding logs. You know what I mean I'm sure. The second ride up there was with 4 fellows from Belgium on the dual sports. Last year, I spent 9 days on the back of a brand new 400 of Dave’s and after the Maryland boys went home, I was treated to 3 days of street riding with Dave and Brenda. I was lucky enough to survive the Bandit ride as I've never spent any time riding on the street.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear you had a good ride as I don't think it is possible not to when you ride up there. Dave, Brenda and the boys work hard at their business and I wish them all the success they deserve.

Dave, if you are reading this, did you make it too Europe this past winter?”

Puck (Patrik from Oregon)

Blaine and Brian were amazed by the Rocky Mountains. These guys were so much fun to ride with, undoubtedly Travis, Mike and I enjoyed the ride as much as our clients; all who have now become very good friends.

There were many ThumperTalk links and pictures our clients posted on this adventure. Following the Thumpertalk posting, we received some great response booking yet another off road tour with a very interesting client named Oliver followed by more Thumpertalk postings and a short video clip.

Blaine’s Internet slide show.

http://imageevent.com/torturechambers/canada?n=0&z=2&c=4&x=0&m=24&w=0&p=0

Backroads Adventures "Personalized" Riding & Fishing Tour

Mr. Asao Kumaoka booked a custom five day personalized dualsport motorcycle and fishing tour. We had a great time together riding many hard miles discovering new trails and routes. Asao enjoyed my GPS mystery rides. It was a great opportunity for me to refine some new routes that I had been working on. Asao enjoyed Canada and riding our Suzuki DRZ400.

"I want to visit at Canada to enjoy fun-ride again! Canada is SAIKOU!!", Asao

Backroads Adventures "Personalized" Golf & Riding Tour

We always strive to personalize our motorcycle adventures; I believe this is what makes our tours unique. First we start by finding out exactly what our client’s personal preferences are then design a tour that suites their needs; taking pride in exceeding their expectations. Our good friend, Mr. Ikeda Osamu, from Japan joined several of his business associates on a dualsport tour two years ago. We were excited about meeting our retired friend returning from the "Sanzu no kawa group" (I'm told this means "one foot in the grave"). Mr. Ikeda got the idea from his last vacation with us to return to Canada with another of his friends for a “Personalized Golf and Motorcycle Tour”.

We made the arrangements for Tee times and organized motorcycle day tours to visit scenic vistas in the mountains. They enjoyed their tour so much they have already began talking to their friends about another golf and motorcycle vacation.

“Dear Brenda & Dave.
How are you? I am very busy every day. But very fine.

Thank you for mail. I enjoyed this summer in KANADA off-road bike and golf play every day. My friend HIDEKI. He said very happy and he said ” I would like to go to Cranbrook every year for play golf and ride off-road bike.” Next year we hope go to Cranbrook with more many people.

I hope see you again.””

osamu ikeda

Our Japanese clients love our Suzuki Bandit and V-Strom self guided tours to Banff, Jasper and extensive rides through the West Kootenays. These street tour packages provide an excellent opportunity to discover British Columbia.

Mr. Hoshino was very impressed with his Suzuki Bandit and the self guided tour package we arranged for his vacation. His favorite place to visit was the West Kootenays and Nelson area. The West Kootenay roads provide some of the best twisty, winding roads in Canada. The scenery is spectacular too!

After twelve consecutive seasons of working at our tours, we finally decided to accept some of the many invitations and generous offers from our clients and friends in the motorcycle industry. Our tours were put on hold for six weeks this year; we had a "mission".

Our "mission" was a European motorcycle adventure to promote our tours in Canada and research the possibly of developing tours in Europe. Brenda and I booked our plane tickets to Amsterdam where we were welcomed by my good friend, Marc Dammen, from Belgium. Marc is a valued friend who has participated and helped organize several tours with us in Canada. He is a part-time journalist and has written excellent articles on our tours. Marc also owns a very popular motocross park and has many friends and business associates in the motorcycle industry.

During my last visit to Sweden, I began practicing using GPS route navigation. I mounted my Garmin Street Pilot GPS to the handlebar of our adventure touring bike supplied by our good friends in Belgium. The GPS system provides detailed auto route navigation including audio instructions. I modified the audio system to connect with a speaker installed in my helmet. The advanced technology and route details on the Mapsource European map program are amazing; this has revolutionized adventure travel navigation.

With the help of some maps, Internet searches, route ideas supplied by our friends and the GPS audio route system we were able to independently navigate our way around Belgium, France, England, Wales, Germany, Switzerland, Northern Italy and Spain.

We were able to find many excellent remote backroads experiencing more of the true culture and some of the best motorcycling roads in the world.

We were very fortunate to meet up with my friend Daniel in Switzerland. Again, we were overwhelmed by hospitality. Motorcycle riders throughout the world seem to have the same bond and desire to help travelers and motorcycle enthusiasts alike.

Just over 8,500km by motorcycle, absolutely awesome! We would love to do some Suzuki tours in Europe for our clients.

We are still overwhelmed by the hospitality. This is one of the reasons we are in the motorcycle business.

Don's Fall Riding Tour

We made it home in time for one more fall riding tour.

Don's August trip. - "Just wanted to say hey and thanks to everyone for a great trip. Whew..we sure did burn the candle at both ends, but what a blast! I sure do appreciate all the efforts. Just too damn short. Now I think I need a vacation from my vacation! I love it too much out there to have to wait another whole year to come back. We will have to see. Definitely reality check, back on the home front. We'll keep you posted. Sure would be good to see a few of the good pics you took of Crow's Nest, etc..Talk to you soon, Don.

Don was back again in October. - "Hey Dave, Sure did enjoy the recent trip "in your neck of the woods". I have a new appreciation for cold weather riding. Awesome ride" Don Thurber - Silverspring, MD

Check out Don's Woodsblaster Performance Products link below, his handguard system is awesome.

http://www.woodsblaster.com/

Our Suzuki motorcycles are awesome. Without all the hard work and support setting up these bikes from our friends at Suzuki Canada this would not be possible. Our bikes ran great in many demanding conditions, hot summer days, mud, water, huge hills and mountains up to 8,500 feet. Our clients were impressed.

On behalf of all of us here at Backroads Adventures BC Inc., thank you to all of our friends and clients. .

Dave Martindale,

Backroads adventures BC Inc.

dave@backroadsadventures.ca

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