Behind the Ride:
Build for Off Road Adventure Ride Updates
Baptism by Fire: Dupli-Color Hits the Trail for the Adventure Ride Premiere
The wait is almost over! This weekend, the ultimate test of man and machine hits the small screen as the first episode of the three-part Build for Off Road Adventure Ride special premieres this Saturday, December 20, on MotorTrendTV!
Hosted by renowned fabricator Ian Johnson, this epic season finale special puts a lineup of custom-built rigs – from full-size trucks to highly specialized rock crawlers – to the ultimate test on some of the most challenging off-road trails in the American Southwest.
This Saturday, we’ll get to see the adventure kick off in Big Bear, California, setting the stage with scenic mountain climbs and challenging terrain before the crew descends into the legendary extremes of Johnson Valley.
Behind the Wheel with Dupli-Color
Joining the Adventure Ride for the Big Bear kickoff was Dupli-Color’s Brian Suter. Brian, whose long-term relationship with Brenton Productions made participating a priority, wasn’t just there to represent the brand—he was about to receive a rock-crawling baptism by fire.
“I’d never driven a rock crawler before,” says Brian, explaining he fully expected to ride along with the vehicle owner for the first part of the trail, gradually learning the ropes before taking the wheel.
But when the Jeep’s owner hopped into the passenger seat at the head of the first trail, Brian realized the plan had changed. He was now in command of the Dupli-Color branded rock crawler. Fortunately, he took to it like a duck to water.
“I drove the entire day,” beams Brian. “And toward the end of the day, I had it down!”
Video: Go Behind the Ride with Dupli-Color’s Custom Rock Crawler
Capability Takes Center Stage
“Being able to drive this Jeep over pretty much anything was so cool,” says Brian, describing the trail conditions in Big Bear, and the Dupli-Color Jeep’s ability to handle them. “You are extreme rock-crawling over all sorts of huge rocks. You just have to go the right route; you get people to coach you to go certain directions, and you’re up and around it with no problem at all. It just blows my mind how capable the vehicles are, and how extreme some of the terrain is.”
What truly surprised Brian wasn’t just the difficulty level of the trails, but the sheer diversity of the vehicles on the ride. Viewers of this weekend’s Part 1 Premiere will get an incredible look at the wide range of off-roaders that tackled Big Bear, from full-size pickup trucks and heavy late-model Jeeps to custom-built rock crawlers.
Brian says viewers of this weekend’s premiere are in for a “wild ride, all the way from beginning to the end.” He hopes the premiere inspires every viewer to get out there and build their own ride.
“That’s what it’s all about,” says Brian. “You build it, you make it look good, you beat it up, you break it, and you fix it and go back out and have some fun.”
Tune In This Weekend!
Don’t miss the first part of this incredible journey! Part 1 of the Build for Off Road Adventure Ride premieres this Saturday, December 20, 2025, and will be available to stream on-demand on HBO Max and Discovery+.
What part of the Adventure Ride are you most excited to see?
Are you ready to build, break, and fix your own rig? Tell us in the comments below!
What part of the Adventure Ride are you most excited to see?
Are you ready to build, break, and fix your own rig? Tell us in the comments below!
Ready to Join the Adventure?
We’ve got exciting plans for more Adventure Rides throughout the year in 2026, which means more opportunities for overlanding and off-road brands to come along for the ride.
Watch the video below to learn more about putting your brand in the middle of the action!
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