A practical guide to what’s inside the September 2026 issue: new 2027 motocross models from Beta, Ducati and Fantic; a KX500/GasGas project; adventure bike tests including the Moto Morini X‑Cape 1200; women’s motocross coverage; and a features lineup that revisits notable bikes and stories from the 21st century.
Adventure coverage includes a Moto Morini X‑Cape 1200 test and a Pacific Northwest comparison between Kawasaki KLR and KLE models.
Feature packages include a hits-and-misses retrospective, a two-generation Lindstrom interview, a KTM 950 Rally story, and a WMX women’s motocross roundup.
# What this issue covers
Bikes, Adventure, and Features with a focus on new motocross releases, project bikes, adventure tests, and women's motocross. If you want one-paragraph clarity before digging into the magazine, here's the concise rundown.
These pieces mix new-model previews with hands-on builds to show both the factory direction and garage-level creativity.
Adventure testing focuses on the Moto Morini X‑Cape 1200, described as combining Italian engineering with high output and many features. The staff also ran a Kawasaki KLR vs. KLE comparison during a Pacific Northwest weekend of "giant loops," aimed at evaluating middleweight adventure capability.
A regular products column ("The Goods") lists accessories and equipment that support everyday adventure riding.
The Features section includes several narrative pieces that anchor the issue:
The magazine retains its regular departments: Saddle, Focus Points, Raw Files, Roost, Riders Write, New Products, Mr. Know‑It‑All, Back in the Day, plus subscription and product info pages. Off‑road report pages track seasonal racing activity.
If you care about new motocross hardware, start with the 2027 reveals. If you like shop‑level builds, read the Red Reaper and KX500 project pieces. Adventure riders should flip to the Moto Morini X‑Cape 1200 test and the KLR vs. KLE comparison. For context and perspective, the Lindstrom interview and Hits & Misses essay provide historical viewpoint and conversation starters.
The issue is arranged so readers can hop between showroom previews, wrench‑room projects, long‑ride testing, and longer narrative features without losing thread.
ON THE COVER: A biker on the trails of Rocky Knob Mountain Bike Park in Boone, N.C. Photo by Sam Dean/courtesy Explore Boone. ESSAYA joyful group gravel ride fosters inclusivityand welcomes new bikers. THE GOODSGet ready to ride with our picks for the bestnew biking gear. THE OUT AND BACKHow to plan an epic adventure.
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