Riding days in winter can be short and cold, but warm colors and light provide their own rewards. The Benelli TRK502X makes a great traveling companion in any season. Photos by Kevin Wing.

To paraphrase Forrest Gump, adventure is as adventure does. It?s not about what you ride, it?s about getting out there, going places and experiencing the bounty of the world around us.

Right in our backyard is the Los Padres National Forest, nearly two million acres of public land filled with mountains, canyons, rivers and lakes, crisscrossed by some of the best paved and unpaved roads in Southern California. It?s our go-to place for testing bikes, camping and escaping from the daily grind. Recently I spent a full winter day, from sunrise to well after sunset, plying back roads in the Los Padres on the new Benelli TRK502X, and I could not have been happier. We were both in our element.
The TRK502X has what most adventure riders want ? a comfortable and upright seating position, a good windscreen, 90/10 tires with a 19-inch front, hand and engine guards, and enough luggage capacity to go the distance.

We took fast corners at speed and we dodged potholes in neglected pavement while going slow. We kicked up dust and we splashed through spring-fed creeks. We explored little-used and rutted dirt roads, scaring away deer munching on the few green leaves they could find at the end of a long dry season. What struck me most was how easygoing the Benelli is regardless of conditions. ...