BDR Canada: New Routes, Launch Dates and MotoMotto’s Role

BDR Canada is taking shape. Backcountry Discovery Routes has announced that the Vancouver Island BDR-X is scheduled to launch in January 2027, followed by the full-length British Columbia BDR in 2028. Alongside the route expansion, MotoMotto/Touratech Canada has been named the exclusive Canadian distributor of official BDR maps and decals.

For adventure riders, this is more than a new place to buy maps. It marks the beginning of Canadian Discovery Routes, a programme that brings BDR’s route-development approach to Canada while recognizing the adventure-riding networks already established here.

The announcement raises a few questions: Which route launches first? How does a BDR-X differ from a full-length BDR? And what does MotoMotto’s involvement mean for Canadian riders?

Here is what has been confirmed—and what remains to be announced.

What Is BDR Canada?

Backcountry Discovery Routes, better known as BDR, is a US-based nonprofit organisation that develops off-highway routes for adventure and dual-sport motorcycles. Its work combines route development with rider education, responsible travel and support for rural communities along the way.

The Canadian expansion operates under the Canadian Discovery Routes name, abbreviated to CDR. BDR says it has spent the past few years working with local experts across several provinces to develop routes through Canada’s backcountry.

British Columbia leads the announced rollout, but the organisation’s ambitions extend further. Its Canadian programme identifies British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia within a longer-term coast-to-coast vision, with Alberta BDR listed among the routes in development. That does not mean every province has a confirmed route or release date.

The immediate story is more specific: a Vancouver Island BDR-X in 2027 and a full-length British Columbia BDR in 2028.

Vancouver Island BDR-X and British Columbia BDR: When Do They Launch?

The first two announced Canadian releases are separate routes, with different formats and launch windows.

Route	Scheduled release	Format
Vancouver Island BDR-X	January 2027	Shorter, loop-style BDR-X route
British Columbia BDR, or BCBDR	2028	First full-length Canadian Discovery Route

BDR confirmed these release windows in its November 4, 2026 announcement, and identifies BCBDR as the first full-length route in the Canadian programme.

Vancouver Island BDR-X: the first Canadian release

The Vancouver Island BDR-X will introduce the Canadian programme through BDR’s shorter-loop format. Its scheduled January 2027 launch makes it the first Canadian Discovery Route on the announced calendar.

However, a release date is not the same as a recommended riding season. The January launch should not be interpreted as confirmation that the entire route will be suitable to ride that month.

The expansion announcement does not provide a final route distance, difficulty rating, fuel-range requirement or suggested daily itinerary. Those details need to come from the official route resources rather than assumptions about Vancouver Island riding.

British Columbia BDR: the full-length route

The British Columbia BDR, also called BCBDR, is scheduled for 2028. It is a separate project from the Vancouver Island BDR-X and will be the first full-length Canadian Discovery Route.

That distinction matters when discussing the expansion. “The Canadian BDR” is not one route with two names: the announcement outlines two different releases within the same developing programme.

What Is MotoMotto’s Role in BDR Canada?

MotoMotto/Touratech Canada has been appointed the exclusive Canadian distributor of official BDR maps and decals. According to BDR’s announcement, Canadian riders can purchase these products through MotoMotto, with selected dealer availability to follow.

The agreement gives riders a Canadian purchasing channel for official BDR products. Its scope is distribution—not ownership of BDR, responsibility for every Canadian route or exclusive operation of Canadian BDR tours.

Who is MotoMotto?

Founded in 2013, MotoMotto has distributed Touratech products in Canada since its beginning. The company serves adventure and touring riders online and through its store in Beloeil, Quebec.

Its involvement connects BDR’s route resources with an established Canadian adventure-motorcycling retailer and distributor.

The partnership also matters to Canadians travelling south of the border. BDR points to established US routes, including Washington, Idaho and Montana, as destinations already familiar to Canadian riders. A Canadian source for official maps serves those trips as well as the forthcoming Canadian programme.

Are BDR Canada maps already available?

MotoMotto’s BDR catalogue includes maps for established US routes. Those existing listings should not be mistaken for confirmation that maps for the forthcoming Vancouver Island BDR-X or British Columbia BDR have already been released.

For now, it is important to distinguish between the availability of official BDR products in Canada and the publication of new Canadian routes.

BDR vs BDR-X: What Is the Difference?

BDR introduced BDR-X in 2022 as a series of shorter, loop-style routes, offering a more compact alternative to its longer route format.

That creates two distinct approaches within the BDR Canada rollout:

• Vancouver Island BDR-X introduces a shorter-loop route.
• British Columbia BDR introduces the first full-length Canadian Discovery Route.

The format helps explain how a trip might fit together, but it does not establish its technical difficulty. A shorter route is not automatically an easier route, and the expansion announcement does not assign the forthcoming Vancouver Island BDR-X a difficulty rating.

The same caution applies to preparation. Until official route information is published, riders should avoid treating an estimated distance, an unofficial track or a suggested itinerary as the final BDR route.

MotoMotto describes printed BDR maps as companions to GPS tracks and digital planning resources. Their value is in providing another way to understand the route and its services—not in replacing the rest of the planning process.

How BDR Canada Fits Alongside TCAT and the Trans Quebec Trail

Canada’s adventure-riding story did not begin with this announcement, and BDR explicitly recognises that. Its expansion news acknowledges the Trans Quebec Trail and the Trans Canada Adventure Trail, commonly known as TCAT.

According to BDR, the Trans Quebec Trail has grown beyond 8,000 kilometres since launching in 2021. The organisation also reports that TCAT has been revalidated and is scheduled for a full relaunch in 2027.

BDR identifies Classique Ridaventure as the nonprofit behind both initiatives and says it looks forward to working with the organisation to welcome riders exploring Canada.

These remain distinct route initiatives. TCAT and the Trans Quebec Trail are not becoming BDR routes simply because they appear in the expansion announcement.

For riders, the significance is a growing range of options. Canadian Discovery Routes adds another programme to an existing landscape of Canadian adventure travel rather than replacing the routes and communities already there.

What Canadian Adventure Riders Should Watch Next

The next major milestone is the scheduled January 2027 launch of the Vancouver Island BDR-X. That release should provide the opportunity to move beyond the announcement and examine the official route resources as they become available.

The details worth looking for include:

• The final route and official GPS resources.
• Published distance and section breakdowns.
• Difficulty descriptions and any alternate sections.
• Fuel, accommodation and service information.
• Seasonal guidance, access information and route updates.

Until those details are published, the most useful approach is to keep the confirmed timeline separate from speculation.

For BC riders, the rollout begins close to home. For riders elsewhere in Canada, it signals a broader programme whose development will be worth following—but whose future provincial routes should not be treated as ready-made itineraries yet.

BDR Canada FAQs

When does the first Canadian BDR route launch?

The Vancouver Island BDR-X is scheduled to launch in January 2027. BDR identifies it as the first Canadian Discovery Route.

When will the British Columbia BDR be released?

The British Columbia BDR, also called BCBDR, is scheduled for 2028. It will be the first full-length Canadian Discovery Route.

Is the Vancouver Island BDR-X the same as BCBDR?

No. They are separate routes. Vancouver Island BDR-X uses the shorter-loop format, while BCBDR is the full-length British Columbia route. They also have different announced release dates.

Where can riders buy official BDR maps in Canada?

MotoMotto/Touratech Canada is the exclusive Canadian distributor of official BDR maps and decals. Its catalogue already includes maps for several established US routes.

Are more Canadian BDR routes planned?

Yes. BDR lists Alberta BDR among its routes in development and describes a longer-term Canadian vision that also includes Ontario and Nova Scotia. Those broader plans do not establish release dates for every province.

Is BDR replacing TCAT?

The announcement does not describe a replacement. BDR acknowledges TCAT and the Trans Quebec Trail as existing Canadian initiatives and expresses an intention to work with Classique Ridaventure, the nonprofit behind them.

Does the January 2027 launch mean riders should plan a January trip?

No. The announced date concerns the route’s release. It should not be treated as a riding-season recommendation; trip timing needs to follow the route’s official seasonal and access guidance when available.