Adding Adventure Riding to Your Overlanding Gig
It's a given that Overlanding requires vehicle-dependent travel. Get together with a group of overlanders, and you'll see everything from pickup trucks to modern SUVs and hybrid monsters that could be any combination of vehicles and parts a builder thinks go well together. What about motorcycles? Absolutely. Do Overlanding on a motorcycle, and you are practicing 'adventure riding.'
There are people in the Overlanding community who do nothing but adventure riding. Their motorcycles are their only mode of transportation, taking them from forest to desert to the beach. But then others still travel in trucks, jeeps, and 4x4s and bring a motorcycle along for some extra adventure.
If you've been thinking about some way to spice up your regular Overlanding gig, consider adding adventure riding. Whether you travel by bike full-time or bring one along for an occasional day ride, adventure riding adds a new spin to the Overlanding concept.
Off the Beaten Path
By definition, Overlanding is road-tripping but with the journey as the goal. Road trippers have a destination in mine. Overlanders have a journey in mind. Sometimes that journey takes them off the beaten path. Other times it takes them right through the heart of a bustling metropolis.
One of the benefits of adding adventure riding is spending more time off the beaten path. Adventure riders enjoy traveling remote, dusty roads that don't get much car and truck traffic. They want the thrill of riding up mountains and navigating their way through forests on narrow logging roads. It is not that they couldn't take a truck. It's just that the ride is better on a bike.
A Physically Different Experience
If adventure riding appeals to you, know one thing upfront: it is a physically different experience. Not just different in terms of your senses, but also different in terms of how travel wears on your body. Adventure riding is more physically demanding. Your body takes more punishment in the saddle of a bike than it does in the seat of a pickup truck. Be prepared for that.
You are also exposed on the back of a bike. The sun will be hotter and the wind stronger. The rain will hit your face harder, and the bugs will find their way into your mouth. Being exposed more to the elements is one of the things that makes adventure riding so invigorating.
Plan for Longer Trips
Adventure riding also requires a little extra planning before taking a trip that will have you on the road for many days. You only have a limited amount of space to take things with you. Take only what you need to survive. Plus, you'll need to pay much more attention to how you strap things down. Your best bet is to tie your gear bags and overlanding equipment to the bike frame using Rollercam® Expedition Series Tie Downs.
Not all your Overlanding activity must be carried out in your four-wheeled vehicle. Change your regular gig up by jumping on the back of a motorcycle. As long as you have what you need and everything is strapped down tightly, you're bound to have a good time.
