Have you been riding for years?
What is the advice you wish you had before you started?
There was a great article on the advrider website recently.
What advice would you give yourself if you were a noob?
The internet is an amazing source of information if you are new to adventure riding.
But there's a problem.
Often the loudest opinions come from the most narrow-minded people who actually don't know
much.
I'm probably one of them!
So here are some basic tips from experienced riders.
Ride your own ride.
There are all sorts of factions, tribes and cliques in the adventure world.
You must ride a KTM.
A BMW.
Your riding gear must cost at least $5000 to be in the cool crowd.
You need at least 800cc to be taken seriously.
Adventure riders can be worse than religious fundamentalists in telling you what to think.
Listen to all the advice.
Treat it all with healthy scepticism.
And in the end just do what feels right for you.
A principle that many riders follow is
"It's 80% the rider, 20% the motorbike."
Some adventure riders spend crazy amounts of time discussing the best tyres, suspension
setup and motorbike choice.
This does make a difference of course.
But it's actually your riding ability that makes the biggest difference.
But it's strange how rarely riders discuss ways to improve their riding technique.
There are plenty of free training vids which are very useful if you haven't ridden on dirt
roads before.
Consider spending money on some rider training.
Safety!
Accident statistics in some countries show that middle-aged riders are now more injured
than young riders.
It seems many guys stop riding for 20 years to raise a family, then start riding again.
The problem?
It's easy to assume you still have all those old riding skills.
But you probably don't.
Ease your way in.
Don't try to keep up with friends if they are experienced riders.
Get decent protective gear.
And again, consider some rider training.
Free internet resources or paid coaching.
Some adventure riders not only spend huge amounts of time discussing tyres, suspension
and motorbike accessories.
They can also spend huge amounts of cash.
If you have lots of money to throw around, why not?
Be the king of bling.
But new riders often wonder if they are missing out if they don't spend thousands of dollars
on everything.
The good news?
With good research you can find decent riding gear on a budget.
Older adventure motorbikes on the secondhand market that will be more reliable than brand
new models.
Instead of expensive GPS units, just upload a free GPS app to your phone.
It doesnt' have to be an expensive sport!
These mods will turn you into a pro rider.
They'll give you firmer lasting erections for your tent.
And attract the opposite sex.
And probably the same sex too.
Which motorbike to choose?
You will get a hundred opinions about this.
Then after you buy it, 99 opinions telling you why you made the wrong choice.
There are so many fundamentalists out there!
Are you completely new to motorbike riding?
Or do you only have road riding experience?
Consider starting on a smaller adventure motorbike.
Many riders agree they started big and regretted their choice.
Usually you will learn faster on a smaller motorbike.
You will probably be safer.
Ditto for outright horsepower.
You can always upgrade when you are ready.
It's interesting to see many experienced riders are opting for 250cc models for big trips.
We have a basic guide to light-weight and mid-weight models that might be helpful.
Get test rides on a few models if possible.
In the end, the important thing is just getting out there and having fun.
Don't worry too much about making a mistake with your choice.
Just pick your main criteria like weight, seat height, suspension and engine size.
Don't get bogged down in the less important stuff.
Which tyres to choose?
As mentioned, ridiculous amounts of time are spent discussing this online.
Generally you just need to choose a tread pattern that suits your style of riding.
And don't get too hung up about the massive range of choices you will have.
Or all the contradictory opinions riders will give you on each brand.
We have a basic guide that can help.
Personally, I think choosing the right air pressure plays an important role when you
hit the dirt.
We have a basic guide about this too.
One of the responses to the advrider article summed it up very well.
Don't concern yourself with about what others think of you.
Live your life.
Pursue your dreams.
And be true to yourself.
So, buy the motorbike you want.
Get the riding gear you want.
And ride to the places you want, with whomever you want.
Or by yourself.
Without concern for the opinions or judgement of others.