FINDING NEW HORIZONS
Riding new roads will spark excitement in even the most jaded. The panoramic vistas, the smells and sounds, new people and places, anticipation of what the next corner will reveal, and… the peace of the open road. All of these hark back to the reasons most of us started riding in the first place.
This is motorcycle touring, and there’s a dish for every taste. One may fancy A-road cruising, B-road sport-touring, or C-road adventure touring. It doesn’t matter which, as boldly going where one has never gone before is a basic human need, one motorcycles fill superbly. It doesn’t matter if you decide to travel solo, with a friend on the back or with a group — each mode has its benefits and challenges. Here at ARR we’ve done it all, from the editor moving interstate on a bike aged 23 — his Nullarbor crossing was pretty intense — to two-up around New Zealand for his honeymoon.
He’s also been led astray by a GPS unit while trying to find a Harley dealer in New York City, (with pouring rain not improving his mood), been led down many a bush track which looked like a four-lane highway on the map, and been away with friends who have run out of fuel on multiple occasions. If nothing goes wrong, it’s not an adventure.
I’ve spent years getting to know the country by motorcycle and have similar stories of flat tyres, lost luggage, broken bikes, intense cold and baking heat — but I have many more stories about great roads, wonderful people, fabulous meals, memorable pubs and fantastic views. Nothing makes you feel more alive than riding, and riding for numerous hours day after day is a buzz everyone should experience.
Long-distance riding can be either a solo, two-up or group activity. Solo riding is the ultimate expression of personal freedom, two-up is a special way to share an experience, and group rides
