ADV Rallys
(From a first timer)
What is an ADV Rally
An ADV Rally is usually a gathering of people with adventure/dual sport motorcycles who want to meet up with others and do some interesting rides. Some can be very small and some can be huge such as the smaller new Hogrock rally or the giant Get On! ADV fest. The end goal for most is to get out and have fun and potentially meet some new friends along the way.
Initial Thoughts and the adventure there
I attended my first ADV Rally in late summer 2025 at the Hogrock Adventure Rally, and I didn't know what to expect. Was it going to be filled with super hardcore people that wouldn't accept me, or would it be filled with jokers and just be a gravel roads meetup? In the end, I decided to go and loaded up my Kove for the first time with all my car camping equipment. It was large and heavy, but it did the job. The ride was solid, and so was entering the rally..jpg)
Thoughts about the rally/meeting people
The rally was a ton of fun, and I met a bunch of interesting people. Even when I first arrived, people were very helpful and kind of and even curious due to my rare motorcycle. After getting situated next to another rider in the camping area, I was shown around very quickly by a guy who was already there. I'd have to say that the people there absolutely made the time for me. Finding a little group of people to talk to initially made the rest of the weekend a blast. I was initially nervous about talking to people, but it came off super easily. I guess when you get a bunch of people together who like similar things, it can be pretty easy to find common ground.
Closing Thoughts
My first ADV Rally was an absolute blast, and I think I'll be planning on attending a bunch more soon. I did learn some things that I think would be helpful for those on the edge of wanting to attend one.
- Check out the food scene ahead of time and see if you do need to bring your whole campground cook set. Sometimes the events will have food available at a reasonable price to save some space in your kit if you're riding out. I would touch base with some people who have attended previous years to find out what the food/drink situation entails.
- Lodging. Make sure you want to camp or see what lodging is available around the event. Make sure you're going to be comfortable.
- Fuel Range. KNOW YOUR FUEL RANGE! Nobody wants to be stuck out in the woods and run out of gas. It can put a damper on your group's ride if they then have to focus on saving you. If you bring something with a super small tank, make sure you have auxiliary fuel capacity. Another thing is the distance from the closest fuel station to where the rally is. Sometimes it's a little bit of a trek. Make sure to take that into account when going out.
- Research the area ahead of time. Look up ride reports or reviews/videos of the event ahead of time to make sure you know what to look forward to and what to ask for. Ask locals, if possible, about what routes might be fun or if anything is closed ahead of time. A little bit of research ahead of time can save some headaches.
- Try to be outgoing and interact with people there. Making friends is half the fun! So getting your face out of your phone and making some buddies can make or break an experience. There's nothing like a bond forged in the fire of dropping your bikes 6 times on a difficult route to make some good friends. Even if you're nervous, remember that everyone there is out to have fun and are usually nicer than the keyboard warriors we interact with daily on the internet.
- Be active in trying to join a group or an event during the rally. If you men and haw about what you want to do, you're never going to do it. Even if you feel silly, ask to join that group of people and ride along. I will say try to stay within your skill level so as not to upset the group when you're deep in the ride and struggling, even though most will be nice and accommodating about it.
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