What is adventure riding

[Ixion]

To me , it comes down to tyres.

I consider than Adventure riding implies at least a significant sealed road component (otherwise it's trail riding). That means tyres (and and engine size) that are practical for several hundred kilometre of seal at a stretch.

That in turn places an upper limit on the off roadedness that is practical.

But, if there is no offroadedness, I don't think that can classify as Adventure riding.

Seal and gravel (or seal only) isn't adventure, that's simply touring. If seal with maybe gravel is adventure riding then just about every ride I go on would be adventure riding.

I have actually found that the opportunities for adventure type riding in the North Island are in fact so restricted that I am thinking of getting rid of the Yamaha. Almost all the organised events seem to demand full blown moto-x knobblies, and are really more akin to moto-x in my opinion.

[merv]

Ixion you coming down to the CCA - it certainly won't be a Moto-X ride?

[bart]

Adventure riding to me is getting from A to B, no matter what the road, track, or conditions. It's the ability to travel over the most varied terrain.

[merv]

Adventure riding to me is getting from A to B, no matter what the road, track, or conditions. It's the ability to travel over the most varied terrain.

I would call what we did with Zukin on Waitangi Day an adventure ride, slightly biased with the amount of tarseal we covered.

[JATZ]

To me ADV riding is going for a ride, seeing a side road or track(gravel,dirt,whatever) and having a look up it to see whats there and where it goes, or just going somewhere by the most scenic route possible.

my 2c

[Crisis management]

At my age, getting on the bike is an adventure (it's been a hard weekend, ok?)

Seriously folks (with my best Spike Milligan accent), adventure riding is going places you don't usually go, for me, that is tracks, gravel and out of the way sealed roads and usually seems to involve bushes at some part of the ride.

Pubs sound good too. Purely for research reasons of course.

[marks]

Whereas I'd call that dual purpose rather than adventure. But that's why I started this thread, to canvas all thoughts on the subject.

Hi Jantar

looking at it the other way ... surely any ride that is all on tar seal cannot be classified as an adventure ride? therefore it is the gravel/dirt component that makes an ordinary ride an adventure ride??

cheers


Mark

[Ixion]

I agree , but go one step further. I think it is necessary to distinguish adventure riding from ordinary touring. And since the latter will usually involve seal and gravel, if a distinction is to be made, then some non-formed-road riding is required

(Of course, adventure bikes also make excellent tourers)

[tri boy]

+1 with Jatz.

[Jantar]

.... surely any ride that is all on tar seal cannot be classified as an adventure ride? therefore it is the gravel/dirt component that makes an ordinary ride an adventure ride??...

I would tend to agree with you, with the exception that I believe the adventure is going somewhere you haven't been before, and not knowing what road or track surface you may be facing. At the end of the ride you may well find that the whole trip was on seal, but because you didn't know that it could still be an adventure.

I see that someone has voted that an adventure ride is sealed roads only. I wouldn't agree, but for that person, they may be able to get a feeling of adventure without leaving the seal. I know of many in USA who will never leave sealed roads, yet still consider the ride to be an adventure. So maybe its all in the mind of the rider.

I voted for the middle option (suprise, suprise), but already we are starting to see a definite two way split rather than a range of views.

[deanohit]

I consider any combo of seal, gravel or dirt an adventure ride, part of the adventure is adapting to the different surfaces and enjoying each different style for me.

[twotyred]

Hi Jantar

looking at it the other way ... surely any ride that is all on tar seal cannot be classified as an adventure ride? therefore it is the gravel/dirt component that makes an ordinary ride an adventure ride??

cheers


Mark

agreed, unless a ride goes "off road"(not just gravel) it is just "motorcycling"... many people seek out gravel roads on their road bikes and enjoy them .... gravel roads are still roads.
"adventure riding" requires going where the Volvos can't/won't go IMHO

[kevfromcoro]

just read a post in a forum.adventure riding in Laos..
these guys are doing it...hardly any tarseal.carring there bikes across rivers on bamboo rafts.were riding xr 250s....sleeping out in villages..with no power...coming across mine feilds and bomb shells left over from the war.
sounds like a bit of an adventure to me..
not the sort of thing one would do on a sportbike or cruiser

[Ruralman]

Riding exclusively on sealed roads is "motorcycling".

Riding on seal, gravel and dirt, "formed or semi-formed roads" is "venture riding", irrespective of the bike you use.

Time and distance are irrelevent, just more or less of the same thing!

You can have a short venture or a long distance one, it's still a venture ride.

Very long distances could be better described as "venture touring"

Beyond semi-formed roads is "trail or off road riding".

Thankfully, manufacturers now make models specificaly more suitable for these individual choices. Cheers John.

Well summed up there John - unfortunately with the softening of the new Transalp and Tiger the choice of manufacturers making the best true adventure bikes seems to be between 2 European marques

[Quasievil]

Each time I get on my bike I tend not to label it as a road ride or a adventure ride or a anything ride, I do like to have a bike that will carry me anywhere I want to go without any particular thought or pre preperation for what lies ahead, so when I jump on the KLR I end up where I end up, some would call that an adventure, I think its a ride.

However if I was to define an adventure ride I think a daily toddle wouldnt classify as particulary adventurous, knowing you will be tucked up in your warm bed that night, for me an adventure would be about a week plus long trip into areas where I had not been before, with lots of unexpected challenges on the way, sleeping in a tent and eating out of a billy somewhere in Mongolia for example, which is where I will be in a couple of years!