Me, one of your intrepid Fit Globetrotters, had endeavored to learn the fine, but sometimes not-so-subtle art of adventure motorcycle riding. What is adventure riding? Well, simply put, its taking your motorcycle anywhere. Anywhere. Riding up Highway 17 out of Phoenix, and see a cool area off to the west? Go there. Get off the highway and find a trail. You are free. Take that trail to places that most other people will never get to see. Get away. Enjoy life and nature. adventure riding is a ticket, a ticket to get away.
My bike of choice is the BMW R1200GS. It's the quintessential adventure bike. In many parts of the world, it is the bike. There are other outstanding adventure bikes, but I had to pick just one. I didn't just pick the bike though, I picked the community. BMW riders have a strong sense of community.
I witnessed this first hand about nine months ago when I got lost trying to find a Boy Scout camp outside of Strawberry. Riding aimlessly around some dirt roads trying to reconcile some sketchy directions with unmarked trails, I finally asked a four-wheeler for help. He was fantastic. We took off to try to find the camp, and encountered a road littered with 3” - 4” rocks. This was a knarly looking trail, and I really didn't have the right bike for it. I took it real slow, but went down anyway. He helped me right the bike, and then lashed the broken side case for the depressing ride home. Turned out, he was a member of the Arizona Beemer club, a local BMW motorcyle group. “BMW riders stick together” was his comment.
I joined the group a day later.
There are other things that I really like about the BMW community in general. They're always safe. Whenever you see a BMW rider on the road, chance are they will have all the right safety gear on. Helmet, gloves, jacket, etc. They're also not weaving in/out of traffic like lunatics. As a whole, they tend to be responsible and friendly, while still having a great time.
So, it is, I'm into it. It makes total sense too. After all, I'm a Fit Globetrotter. adventure riding isn't for the weak. I recently took some off road training, and found it to be very physically demanding. Many of my classmates commented on their sore muscles the morning after.
Now, what to expect here going forward? We'll look at key areas such as training, rides and gear. Three tenets if you will to a great adventure motorcycle experience.
Training – There aren't too many people who can't pass a basic motorcycle riding course in a weekend. They're designed for that. A lot of people can also pick up a dirt bike, and begin ripping up trails in no time. However, a big adventure bike is different. We're dealing with a heavy bike here, and a new set of physics from riding on the road. Don't underestimate the value of some good adventure training. Besides being a lot of fun, it's also very worthwhile, no matter your experience level.
Rides – So many rides, so little time. Whether just a morning ride to start your day out right, or a week long excursion with a big group, proper planning will insure that you enjoy your time.
Gear – The right gear will make all the difference. Tires, electronics, clothing and camping gear. So many options are out there. Periodically, we'll take a look at some of those options in an adventure motorcycling light. That tent might look good on REI's sales floor, but is it the right one for an adventure ride?
Now, it's time to ride.
