Making new experiences
It’s a big world out there, go and find it
One thing that I have found a little peculiar in general life, but particularly in the world of the motorcyclist – who I have always thought of being a truly independent type of person, a free-riding spirit that goes where the wind blows, doing just what they want, and not happy with staying stationary and just sitting and awaiting the next command – is that modern society seems to be content in relying on other people to give us our chance for freedom. Of course, we all like to think of ourselves as being free spirits, with our own volition, travelling under our own terms and going where, and when, we so choose, but that does demand a certain level of commitment. Being free takes work.
The flip side to this is that we’re all living extremely busy lives, with little time to plan or research exactly where we want to go to next, or where our next adventure may lie. Few of us are prepared to risk the option of simply rolling the dice, hoping that if we turn left, then right, and then randomly follow our nose in the hope that it will lead us to beautiful countryside with perfect roads and friendly folk, knowing all too well that it’ll far more likely lead to a dead end, or inner city chaos, or straight into the tail end of a traffic jam or on to a dull and tedious motorway. So we save any potential headaches, bypass potential trauma, and save precious time by letting somebody else do all the planning. It is, as the youngsters may say, something of a no-brainer – pay a small amount of money, and you get the bike trip of a lifetime that is perfect in every way.
I’m not necessarily referring to the road trips that result from a conversation about where to go on a motorcycling holiday – we’ve all talked about and planned trips in the pub, café or just at the side of the road when out and about with fellow riders – but the destinations that have been chosen because that’s where some good person has organised an event or tour. Thanks to time spent with research, on-the-ground experience and an efficiency in planning, tours and events can actually be the perfect way of making your motorcycle trips into the holiday that you’d always dreamt of, with the side effect that it can also open up the door to your own, personal, independent trips to the same region, or doing the same kind of riding. This may not necessarily be a guided ride through Vietnam, Central America or into the Himalaya (all of which could be classed as one-off, trip-of-a-lifetime kind experiences), but could be as simple as a bit of green-laning at a bike rally, weekend event or race meeting.
The latter seems to be undergoing something of an expansion of late, no doubt thanks to the success of the off-road trails organised at the Adventure Bike Rider Festival in Warwickshire (held this year on June 28-30, see www.abrfestval.com). Last year saw trails opened up at Cadwell Park during the Suzuki Weekend (and that’ll be repeated this year, June 22-23, www. classicbiketrackdays.com), and this year sees the Motorcycle Action Group’s largest event of the year, the Farmyard Party in Helmsley (June 21-23, www.mag-uk.com/event/thefarmyard-party) opening up some trails through the wonderful Duncombe Park, with a number of extra local green lanes in the area offering trail rides of between 70 and 120 miles in length, with GPS routes provided or, if booked in advance, a group ride with a local guide, at a small additional cost. All three of these events give a convenient taster of off-road riding that the attendees to the events might not otherwise have tried, and they give the experience without having the commitment of purchasing an appropriate off-road capable machine (or of feeling that they’re putting their own bike at risk), or needing the knowledge of local (legal) green lanes and trails.
I guess that the trick is to take advantage of another person’s experience and knowledge to give you an opening experience – ‘Breaking the seal’ if you like – and then, if you enjoy it, using that as a basis upon which to expand and try it on your own.
Or, alternatively, book another trip or experience with the same person or someone else, somewhere new, doing something different. After all, it is your choice, you’re a free spirit and you can do whatever you like!