Damned if I know… so I thought I’d ask the people who would know… the overlanding community over at Horizons Unlimited.… I asked…
Interesting question.. I thought I could answer it pretty well… in fact I’m a bit of an armchair adventure motorcyclist – that’ll change in September – but I’ve read every single book I can get my hand on and talked to so many people….
So it was interesting when I was reading Ted Simon’s latest book – Dreaming of Jupiter – that I found myself thinking..
“He’s not really being an adventure motorcyclist because he’s staying in hotels”
How stupid is that? I just caught myself in time and called myself many silly names… but it got me to thinking… what is it that makes a biker and adventure motorcyclist? Where does the line start?
In September I’m off to Morocco – I’m going on a CBF600 and will stick to the main roads where I can. Morocco is a well trodden route and as I’m not going off road, and I’m not on a KTM or a GS. Does that mean I’m just on a biking holiday?
Then in July next year, same bike, but this time I’m going to Russia and back, is that adventure motorcycling or just a long road trip on the bike?
Is going RTW on a bike and staying in hotels adventure motorcycling? Or do you have to rough it at every opportunity and try to break records?
It’s quite interesting when you think about it and I discovered that I was being really rather elitist with no good reason – I’m sometimes a prat.
What do you think? (not about the prat part)
I got a whole host of replies, some saying that we shouldn’t be snooty and should just experience the adventure in our own heads, to others who feel that in this day in age, being continuously connected means we’re never really having an adventure… I’m still not sure what it is… but have a read for yourself and say what you think.
Me, personally, i think that adventure motorcycling involves riding to uncharted places, off the beaten track so to say. Getting to rivers, and then having to build a raft to be able to get to the other side. Living off of the land where possible, ie, fishing etc for your dinner and not taking out the “add boiling water, wait 5min, stir and eat” type of meals. Also, staying with the locals where possible, to be able to experience their culture and ways of life.