Adventures in the Black Hills with Revzilla and Rever
The Black Hills of South Dakota have a reputation for being one of the most beautiful places in our country. From wide open plains and rolling hills to winding roads through canyons of jagged granite that make you feel like standing at the base of a skyscraper. This makes the Black Hills home to some of the best motorcycle riding in the country, whether on or off-road, not to mention the legendary history of the town of Sturgis. Hundreds of adventure riding enthusiasts meet at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground for the third time for a weekend of incredible riding with incredible people, Revzilla’s Get On! ADV Fest.
Get On! ADV Fest by Revzilla and Rever Moto have gained a reputation for being one of the best adventure riding festivals in the country, so it only makes sense that they’d return to the Black Hills for their third rally in Sturgis. Tucked in a shady corner of the campground, the showgrounds was alive with tons of bikes, from your expected BMW GS Series bikes and Honda Africa Twins to things you wouldn’t have expected, like Ducati Scramblers and Yamaha MT07’s, all outfitted to take on the routes put together each day by the Rever Moto crew.
As we walked through the campground, you couldn’t help but notice a beautiful red and black Royal Enfield Himalayan, outfitted with side bags for all the adventures of the Black Hills and a set of TKC80’s to get through all the demands of the various terrain. Zack’s Royal Enfield is a perfect bike to rip around the Black Hills. From gravel roads to small hillclimbs, the Royal Enfield’s manageable power and the versatile capability of the TKC80’s helped get Zack along through each of the daily trails and routes through the mountains and hills.
Among the masses of beautiful bikes was one of the newer entries to the ADV scene, the Harley Davidson Pan America. A bike that firmly sits in the middle ground between what you’d normally expect to see in Sturgis yet also fits in perfectly among the BMWs and KTMs at Get On! ADV Fest. The owner, Randy, had just fitted some TKC70’s with the TKC70 Rocks rear to this 1250cc American monster and explained how these tires were perfect for getting the Harley through even the roughest terrain he encountered throughout the weekend. In the shining golden hour of another incredible Sturgis sunset, we grabbed some photos and appreciated the raw beauty of this ADV newcomer.
Another bike that stood out from the rest was a humble and cleanly modified silver, gray and blue BMW G310GS, also equipped with a pair of TKC80’s. This bike turned out to be one of the Revzilla Beginner Bikes from the recent Common Tread XP episode, however this time, piloted by Jen Dunstan. Jen needs no introduction, as one of the main presenters on the Revzilla channel and a passionate motorcycle enthusiast. We met up with her on a picturesque dirt road just a quick ride from the campgrounds to grab a few photos and talk about her experience on her TKC80 tires over the weekend.
Jen was adamant to say that the TKC80’s gave her the confidence and performance to take the baby BMW through all of the challenges the Black Hills had to offer. With only 34 horsepower coming out of its 313cc engine, the G310GS is affectionately referred to as the “Baby Shark” due to its power and looks. However, from Jen’s perspective, the TKC80’s gave it all the capability it needed.
After another sunset shoot, we met up with a few other riders to take on some of the trails through the South Dakota countryside. Through twisting roads and rocky trails, Jen led a group of incredible women on a route that led through the full gambit of what the Black Hills had to offer. Among those on the ride was Amanda Zito and her TKC80-equipped Honda Africa Twin. Amanda had quite a history with this Africa Twin, crossing the country in just 24 days and continuing on with road trips through the best of the American countryside. Her YouTube channel, As the Magpie Flies, chronicles all of her adventures for those looking to learn more.
Amanda had just thrown on the TKC80’s and was getting right to business, taking on hill climbs and descents in between the long stretches of pounding pavement. Getting the full Sturgis experience, Amanda noted that the TKC80’s were a great balance as they were as great off road as their reputation implies, yet civilized on the pavement for the longer stretches and rides between towns. After a beautiful day on the saddle riding through trails teeming with wildflowers, we headed back to camp for the final day of the event.
The adventure never stops, even when back at camp. Throughout the weekend, more and more bikes came by the ContiMoto booth, sharing their experiences on road and trail over the weekend, the challenges they faced and how they were able to overcome them with the help of a good tire. From KTM390’s with the standard TKC70 rear set to the various bikes running the more aggressive TKC80, we were proud to see Continental Motorcycle Tires helping everyone get their adventure on. As we packed up and left the Buffalo Chip, we couldn’t help but daydream a bit about the next Get On! ADV Fest. Until next time, follow along with our adventures and we’ll see you on the next one.
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