Webster Pass Colorado On The Aprilia Tuareg 660 - 3rd Time's The Charm

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Year 3 of hitting up Webster Pass in the Front Range of Colorado. In my first attempt, I was on the KTM 390 Adventure. Riding offroad wasn't something that I had really done much of, and attempting to tackle Webster Pass with such little experience ended predictably ( • Webster Pass Colorado ... ). That's also the first video I uploaded.
The seat height on the KTM 390 Adventure was a bit high for my taste, so I sold the KTM and purchased a 2022 Harley Davidson Pan America Special. The Pan America is loaded with some great tech, and one of the things I really like about that bike is the adaptive ride height (ARH). ARH works by lowering the bike when you're slowing to a stop...and it works really well.
During the 2022 riding season I finished Webster Pass on the Pan America (I was pretty stoked). I was starting to tackle more advanced terrain, and while I really like the Pan America, there's no escaping the fact that it's a full-size adventure bike. Here's the video from last year's ride on the Pan Am: • Seeing what the Harley... .
Fast forward to 2023. We had a pretty snowy winter in Colorado, followed by a wet spring and summer. Webster Pass opened up later in the season, early August, 2023 due to a large snow drift at the summit. I really wanted to take the Aprilia Tuareg 660 of Webster to see how it compared to the other bikes I've ridden up there.
No surprise, it was the most fun. The Tuareg 660 gets me to the trails, I ride the trails and have fun, and then gets me home.
I wish I could take the KTM 390 Adventure back up there, now that I have a little more experience and give it a fair shake.
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- Video Contents -
00:00 Intro
00:16 Starting The Ride Up
01:45 Mile Tailings Pile
02:21 Quick Stop
03:02 Riding Up Some Snow Melt
04:00 Drone Launch
04:52 The Narrows
06:08 The Turns Are Easy On Webster
07:14 Arriving At The Summit

[@Colorado-Tinkering]

I thoroughly enjoyed every part of your video. Thank you for producing and posting it. BTW - Your comment about “the more people you bring, the more fun you’re going to have” made me realize how different experiences and wants on rides can be. Haven ridden our offroad trails in the Colorado region for the past 20 years with groups of two to over ten, I can honestly say that I prefer no more than one person to ride with. Why? Because for many potential reasons, the more riders are in a group the more you’ll be stopped, to the point of seldom ever reaching a day’s goal (location). This is especially true when newer riders are part of that group. Not anyone’s fault, but I kind of enjoy riding my own pace these days. 😊

[@midnightrider1827]

Thanks for taking us along!

[@exploready]

My pleasure (it was a really fun ride)!

[@OneTakeSunday]

What a great ride!! That's some pretty technical stuff! That shot of the overflow coming down the rocks was a beauty, it felt like i was there. In regards to the 390, it's pretty awesome how skills can grow; can for sure relate to that!

[@exploready]

Hey Brian! How's it going? Hope you're getting out and getting some rides in!

[@OneTakeSunday]

Doing great Jim, how about you brother? Been doing a decent amount of rides up in the northern Sierras. I have so much footage over the past few months all cataloged, and when i get time; edit. Also, looking to get back up to Idaho within the next few weeks with some NV/ID BDR sections 🎉. Been super digging the rides you been posting!@@exploready

[@JBean_COCR]

Cool video, thanks. I rode up and down this side of Webster on my mountain bike several years ago but never went back on my Moto. Brought back memories. Got a lot of strange looks back then, I guess there weren't that many mountain bikers just yet. It's been great to see you develop as a rider.

[@exploready]

Very cool! So many baby heads...how was it on the MTB?

[@JBean_COCR]

@@exploready Sketchy! On the hardtail the back end bounced around a lot and too much front brake was trouble but no drops or big scares, kind of like riding on snow not knowing which way your bike was headed next. But absolutely a beautiful ride on any two wheel form of travel. Keep up the great videos.

[@Lhotse510]

Another great video. Amazing scenery, drone shots, multiple camera angles, and well narrated 👍👍.

[@exploready]

Thanks for the feedback. It’s nice having folks enjoy it ;)

[@derekg4609]

Great technique. Loved the vid!

[@exploready]

Thank you :)

[@ChrisSandstorm]

Jim let's do Red Cone this summer 2024 when the snow melts! I have done it a bunch in a 4x4 rig, should be cake on the Aprilia's!

[@exploready]

Chris! How's it going?! I'm a tad concerned with the end descent...it looks pretty pitchy...

[@jerrykearns6344]

Nice ride, you make it look easy. Standing up for an hour using your legs as shock absorbers at 12,000 feet above sea level: how do you train for that during the off season?

[@exploready]

I've started to get back on the bicycle and use TrainerRoad. I had ridden a bit more on human-powered stuff, but had a taken a few years off to focus on un-healthy eating and other pursuits...but getting back on the bike now.

[@franciscoangulo4348]

Buen video saludos from Baja

[@exploready]

¡Gracias! Agradezco el apoyo desde tan lejos. Esperemos que la bajada sea buena.

[@exploready]

🤔Do you have a favorite trail that you take new bikes on to test them and compare with your other bikes?

[@XadJack]

Great video! Amazing scenery from the top. How has your Tuareg held up on reliability? Very interested in one over a T7, have you had any issues with yours?

[@exploready]

I'm working on a 1 year ownership review ATM, but I've been very happy with my Tuareg :)

[@Duken4evr29]

Now do the Red Cone side, its a little ruffer 😆

[@exploready]

That red cone descent at the end appears to have a pretty high pucker-factor. Not sure I'd want to tackle it on an ADV bike. I'm sure guys do it, but I'm just an average rider...though I'm still capable of making huge errors in judgment ;)

[@bikealways]

Great video. When my foot recovers a bit more, I am going to do more than the gravely roads east of COS. Webster pass looks like a decent one to try.

[@exploready]

Another one to consider is Geneva Creek Road. Last year is was pretty gnarly up at the top. This year, the FS did a bunch of work up towards the top of the trail, and it’s quite a bit easier (still not “easy”). Geneva Creek progresses in a pretty linear fashion. It starts mellow and dirt gravel, and then progresses to embedded rock, with some loose stuff at the very top sections. It’s an out and back, but views are great, and I think the way the trail progresses you don’t find yourself in over your head all of a sudden. Ride safe- get well soon!

[@Eds_PanAm]

damn, that was cool, i thought it looked like a helluva drop on the right lol.....i love my panny and will be taking off road class next year, i'm afraid if i like off road riding i might end up with another bike also lol

[@exploready]

Panam Ed - It's an interesting journey...the process of figuring out what kind of stuff you like to ride/do. I've found that I like a bit of everything (probably like most folks), but have more fun offroad with a lighter bike. No right or wrong choices - just what's more fun. Have fun at your class! I've found the Pan Am to be pretty durable ;)

[@Eds_PanAm]

@@exploready i'm pleasantly surprised with it..right, and i enjoy just 2 lane backroads like its nobodys business lol, i mean, what really constitutes an adventure?

[@redrideradventures]

Is stock gearing on the Tuareg low enough for the technical slow speed stuff?

[@exploready]

It has been for me...I use plenty of clutch feathering when needed. 12k-13k in elevation and you lose a noticeable amount of performance.

[@Roberta_Esposito]

where is your tree line normally end? About 6000 feet ? im from the north east

[@exploready]

In Colorado, it’s around 11,500’.

[@markjacobs3956]

Go do Georgia Pass from Breck side... Tore to hell from rain a few weeks ago and way more technical now...

[@exploready]

I (mistakenly) did Georgia Pass from the south side on the Pan Am about a month ago. Quite the surprise making it to the top on what effectively is nice road, only to learn that the north side is the 'trail' side.

[@markjacobs3956]

​@@exploreadyNo way a Pan Am is going up from Breck but be my guest. Lol.

[@exploready]

@@markjacobs3956 oh no...I don't want to try it on the Pan Am, just relaying my brief experience from earlier this summer. I wish I could find a decent resource for ADV bikes that would help classify trails. Everything that I've come across is geared for 4 wheeled vehicles. If you know of something, please let me know.

[@markjacobs3956]

@@exploready I use OnX off road maps. Tons of info.