The Fake Hedonism of Motorcycle Travel / Motorcycle Trip Bosnia / Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 

I find that long distance motorcycling clears your mind. It's like meditation. The road disappears beneath the GPS's blue line of destiny, your body controls the bike by muscle memory, without conscious input, leaving your mind free to wander, to observe some new sight, to connect it to some past experience, and to reveal an insight that is sometimes a minor epiphany. Audacious construction and vast skies inspire awe, admiration, wonder, humility. You feel your smallness and are reminded to try to make a difference in the lives of those around you. The emptiness of the desert inspires anxiety, as you are far more aware of your vulnerability and your reliance on the kindness of strangers if things go pear shaped. You feel your loneliness and are reminded of the importance of friends. When you’re travelling solo, you have only the task in front of you, and the monkey chatter in your head, reminding you of what’s behind you. On a good day, the monkey chatter is silenced by the rhythms of the road, and something you see triggers the spiritual gift of a new inner monologue. Happiness isn’t something to chase. It happens organically, unexpectedly, and infrequently, like a Spinning Top passing through its axis; for a microsecond in perfect balance, a beer commercial moment before it continues the momentum of its wobble. You can’t find happiness, all you can do is spin the Top faster, to give it stability, so it oscillates less, giving it a better chance to pass through its axis. Riding spins the top.

Absolutely agree with the points you made on this topic. Just do something for yourself the way you want to do it - without being a victim of marketing and trends.

I couldn't afford a car when I got my first motorcycle in 1978 for 1100 EUR, a two stroke three cylinder Suzuki GT550. I saved 4 hours compared to the train when I visited my family in the weekends. My girlfriend and I went from Denmark to Monaco and back on that bike on a three week holiday with tent and sleeping bags. We didn't have credit cards back then and we ran out of money after an unexpected repair and a front wheel puncture on the Autoroute. We only had money left for fuel. We lived on a baguette and camped on edges of football pitches on our way back. That was a great trip. It was never a struggle.

One of my most memorable moments was not really an adventure. I was driving an old Dnepr sidecar outfit across the country to go to a party (admittedly it was about 200 miles away). About 50 miles short of my destination, the machine died. It was a lovely, sunny early evening among cornfields, with no people and no traffic. The problem was a loose wire, easily fixed. But, sitting there by the side of the road, it was so idyllic, so blissfully peaceful, that I almost regretted how quickly the problem was resolved. In the event, I sat there for maybe another 10 or 15 minutes, looking at the fields and the sky and the sun, and my old outfit, soaking it all in, before finally resuming my journey. A very little bit of adventure, but a lot of enjoyment.

This rings very true mate. I've been zig zagging around Australia on my bike for 25 years. I do seasonal harvest work and travel from state to state chasing the crops usually living in my tent. I get backpackers expecting some guru wisdom and dissapointed when I tell them my major skill is knowing where the best meat pies in Australia are located. Flipside some GS guys seem confused that I do a lot of living off my bike ( X 300 baby Versys) like I'm doing it wrong with all the wrong gear. Riders shocked to hear after Cherries finish I park my bike up and go fishing until apples start as non stop riding sucks ass everything is balance.............. Current highest ranked Pie (Chunky steak Pie @ Little Kiwi bakehouse Nerang Queensland)

The adventure happens on the way. That is so true. I was on a tour in Bosnia just a month before you. The videos (the Series) will be ready for December.

I love to travel and traveling by motorcycle is much more enjoyable than in a car. I bought into the “adventure” craze years ago, but luckily realized it was stupid before I was able to spend a lot of money on trying to achieve the ultimate status. There will always be someone telling you that you’re doing it wrong. Wrong bike, wrong gear, wrong destination, etc. There is no wrong way to do it. Enjoy life, ride when you can, and get over trying to meet someone else’s idea of what true motorcycling looks like.

Aaahhh.. I sense another First World identity crisis coming on.. well rest assured Miles, I am in total sympathy. I found that I was more in love with the "idea" of motorcycle touring than in the actual "doing" of it. It came as a shock and disappointment to me that motorcycling really wasn't that much fun or satisfying as I had idealized it in my imagination. So, I got what I could get out of it and moved on. Nothing lost through the motorcycling experience, I didn't get hurt or worse..killed, and I am now the wiser for it.

The best motorcycle is the one which actually fulfills your needs. The one your in full control of. It starts with filtering out the fashionable stuff and finding out what you really like and need. My favorite bike is the 1989 Honda NT650 GT Hawk. 170 kg. Between 50 and 60 hp. Nobody needs more.

I used to watch motorcyle "travel" channels a lot. However, as my husband and myself put together a camping set ourselves, I noticed that we will do no more "offroading" but the gravel road on the campsite. Yes, we are total glampers. We have our basecamp at the campsite and explore the area. On road. We did this one time now and it was a lot of fun. We are absolutely no rebels. We enjoy riding our bikes a lot. Otherwise, we are admittedly no different than we people who travel by car. Boring, I know. We also do not film anything. We really just do it for ourselves, to spend time together and relax. That's it.

I think, for me, that the disconnect and the contrast is what does it. Where do I want to go, what do I want to do when no one in the world has any demands on me? A few weeks ago I was touring the Baltics and stopped at the historical museum of Raseniai. I was only going to refill my water bottle but the nice lady asked me if I wanted to see the exhibit. I tell you, I was in tears before we had left the first floor of what she described as ‘a small museum in a small town in a small country’. Would never have stopped if travelling any other way. Is this possible when working whilst travelling? I’m not sure. But the very point of my travels is that I don’t know what will happen. Adventure for me is not knowing. I do it on a Tracer and it does dirt roads when I need it to. But it’s not the road, it’s not the bike. It’s the people you meet and the places you see. Pink soup and fried bread in Vilnius, swimming in a lake in Latvia because it was too warm in gear to do anything else. “Adventure bikes”? Shit, I can do that on a Honda Dream.

I have a stand alone voice in my head that loves to travel. We have the best conversations when alone and on a journey. It sounds like BS but the best decisions I've ever made have been in these situations. Not everyone has a guide, but there's much to enpowerment and enlightenment in these moments.

I have found that it is the existential challenges that make you realise that you are alive. I have never seen life as more valuable than when my life was in danger. Broken down to the hopefully NOT life-threatening motorbike tour, this means that it is the big challenges and the battle against yourself that remain in your memory and are seen as a great adventure from a distance. Your personality grows from this, and that is why it is right to make a motorbike tour a little more challenging. The wild times are over for me, but even today I have never felt more alive than with the Blade at 299 km/h on the Autobahn. PS: Du denkst zuviel nach... :))

Wow what a great philosophical mind bomb ! Your understanding of English is better than mine and I’m English 😂 an amazing video and felt like you where talking to me personally 👍

For me personally riding is an escape and that's how i feel free. It gives me the space I need to live my life to its fullllest

I love riding my motorcycle 🏍️. But l travel by train 🚂🚆. Nothing fun about riding your bike for 10 hours. Or riding in a monsoon all day. Off roading is over rated. Painful 😖😣 too at times.

I've just completed a trip from Northern England to France and back on an Interceptor 650. The most exhilarating and intense part was blasting through 150 miles of an amber weather warning for rain on the A1. It just wouldn't have been the same in the car.. half way through my banana split was a large tea, surprisingly blissful. Love your content, and the views in Bosnia!

I just hit this channel because I was curious about the interceptor and became more interested in the comments section, Why? Having just completed a road trip by myself from Cartagena Colombia to Ushuaia in Southern Argentina and back again over a 1 year and 3 months period I have become very introspective with regards to many facets of my life in general, spending hours alone riding through remote mountains, sometimes paved other times rough and dangerous terrain certainly enlightened me about what I was imagining before I left and what was the reality. Many times I just felt like I wanted to turn around and give it all up, I was tired mentally and physically and I just wanted to go home. I’m not sure why I kept going, it was a subconscious decision made by a part of me I wasn’t able to control. It’s been a couple of weeks now since I arrived back in Cartagena and I’m reading this comments section with great interest, never realized so many bikers were equally introspective with a great ability to communicate their thoughts, thank you.

Damn, I love your channel... You absolutely nail it! I own an Interceptor, I'll be 69 years old later this year and I'm planning an european road trip this sommer (maybe not as far as yours, though). That said, your video recalled some memories... I've actually been in this country in 1964 (It was Yugoslavia back then and I was only 9 years old) with my parents and my younger brother in an already ageing Peugeot 403 and we probably drived on the same dirt roads as you just did! We had a lot of fun, even when the car broke down a couple of times, always meeting awesome people always ready to help... Sleeping in the car or in a tent on the roadside (To be waken up by the Milicia because it was illegal!)... you get the picture. At the end of the day, it's not so much about the material challenges but mostly about interacting with people, experiencing another culture and enjoying the landscape.

ive been traveling for 28 years. I am currently motorcycling Albania on the cf moto Mt450. I don't know if its about finding yourself, or finding fulfillment. For me its about exploration, Freedom, and finding secret things. The beauty of places. The struggle and difficulty is only a part of it. It takes some struggle to find the places that others will never see. I love travel and motorcycles. It does not define me but it simply is me. It is what I do because of who I am.

I’m on my second GS, it’s a 2010 1200GS with over 100,000 miles of exploring. I bought an Interceptor 650 a few months ago that I turned into a Scrambler. With its short suspension travel, small fuel tank and 18” front wheel it will never be a capable adventure bike. Gravel roads like in your video no problem. I even mounted extra fuel cans on the pannier racks. But for a 2 up camping trip to the Arctic Ocean you need an adventure bike. I’m really liking the scrambler but I know its limitations.

I have no experience but imagine that lifestyle of full time traveling motorcyclist is pretty close to hobo lifestyle.

I think you have some very fair points here. I’m new to motorcycle riding and am currently testing things out to see where I wanna take this journey. I’m having my first Offroad training day in 2 weeks and I’m looking forward to it because I feel that having the skill will be useful (as could be seen in your video), but I don’t know where this will take me. One point though: it seems that fulfillment is often on the other side of struggle. I’m not sure why but it seems to be that way - human nature? You definitely won a new subscriber here.

Lovely video and lovely point of view. Our extreme boredom or simply lack of depth, has turned us into “adventure” junkies. Everything has to be an adventure now, life, career, relationships, travel etc. otherwise it’s not worth it, “you’re wasting your life if you’re not out here having an adventure”. I say that as someone who has come to the same realization. What happened to appreciating life instead of fighting and trying to win against it?

I still remember us in Portugal. Me as your backpack and we rode the bike so much and slept so little right after months of surfing and sleeping in a car together. I was so exhausted that I nearly collapsed on you 😂

ditto van life....subscribed.most sense i heard in a long time

Realistically very well reasoned, dude. Lots of people out there selling their dreams as the one we should all aspire to. Without sharing the less than glamorous (nightmare) aspects along the way. There’s plenty of truth in that “too much of a good thing” cliche.

I’m 52, motorcycle riding has been a part of my life since I was 18 mo old baby riding in front of my Dad’s Motorcycle, wearing my little red Bell helmet. I remember standing on the tank holding onto the windshield while we went down the road. It was the 70’s lol. So relax…. The only way motorcycle riding can be truly enlightening. Is the same way that anything can be enlightening, the Holy Spirit! 😇 when you become a Christian, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit come to live inside your heart. Then when you combine God, motorcycle and you. It becomes a spiritual and enlightening activity. Plus, God is the only one who can protect you on a motorcycle. 🙏🏻😇❤️

Wow, what amazing footage! What an amazing philosophic attitude! The amount of struggle someone "needs" depends on your capability, depending on experience and age of course. I am, for myself, done with the "adventure bike" (offroad) stuff, i have done it, happy to stay mostly on paved roads now! Asking what you have learned about yourself? I think the wrong question, i can tell you: Feeling the intensity, that's it! At latest when you get stuck in a silly job (in the office?) as most of us, you will treasure those experiences sooo much... There is no way out for you, you will always come back and be hungry for these experiences! The bike does not matter... i've had everything from 1k up to over 30k...the experience is everything! Most GSs live their lifes in shiny garages beside SUVs... what a shame... ;-)

As an occasional motorcycle "adventurer, I find that riding in new places and facing unknown challenges on my motorcycle very much keeps me "in the moment" and that, for me, is an invaluable and affordable way to destress from modern life. I don't sweat all the minutiae of adventure motorcycle gear, but I do ride a modern bike. I adapt my kit for the trip I'm planning but also make sure not to plan things out in great detail. I don't push beyond my limits and don't collect badges for a top box (truth be told, I rarely use a top box anymore). I find that the unscripted adventure is often the most rewarding... and that pausing frequently sometimes leads to amazing moments and people that i would never have experienced had I stayed home. As I get older, it also reminds me every time I go... how physical motorcycle adventures can be and forces me to maintain a minimum level of fitness when i might easily be convinced to just stay home and watch motorcycle adventure videos in youtube. Bottom line, if you have a bike... you owe it to your self to go out and explore the world on two wheels.

one of the big + on TET or gravel is that you're off of the tourists streams.... and yes of course, taking time on trip, don't matter if gravel or pave, you'll have a good time!

i truly loved your reasoning. the shot and your choice of ideas and words was beautiful. thx man!

Totally agree. For me personally I dont need to struggle and stress myself in my freetime. I just go on short trips for 1 or 2 days on the weekends. see something new, have something nice to eat, enjoy riding and also chilling

In my case, in general, I travel some weekends, many of them just for the day, and not take away much time from spending with family. And I enjoy the trip, the views, getting to know new places. Sometimes by waiting for "the big trip" we miss out on enjoying the daily and possible journeys. Greetings from Uruguay!!!

I don't necessarily agree with many of your philosophical points but I certainly encourage your contrarian/skeptical approach.

This was very important, Thank You!

Adventure is best shared with friends, that is what I learnt. Add good friends and good bikes and then you have a recipe for awesome adventures.

13:43 oh, there are some dogs again.... nice philosophical lesson about adventure biking ✌ I guess some riders are using the term "pushing oneself to the limits" when it comes to the search of struggle enroute/offroad

A lot of wisdom from a young man … love your videos

100% agree with you! I traveled from Germany to Greece with my DR650 and realized that the off-road stuff which I had planned didn't really fulfill my craving for adventure. A hard challenge like that is exciting at first, but then grinds you down later on. The people I met along the way made may Tour the adventure I was really seeking.

Thanks for sharing ,great video and good music in the end :)

I think its a great question to ponder, nice insights!

I have been riding various motorcycles since I was 15. At 67 I can confirm riding around new locations, is wonderful. Long distance highway travel is a boring grind. Traveling long distances on unpaved roads, will crush your spirit .

Agree..industry generates ideas to generate demand to sell the stuff..simple

Cool insights! Motorcycling is a recreational pastime and that’s about it (there are exceptions like commuting to work or basic transportation in a lot of countries, etc.). There are popular sayings that go like ‘you never see a motorcycle parked in front of a psychiatrist’s office’, or ‘wind therapy’, but it can be a deceptive waste of time with nothing to show for it in the end if you’re not careful. You don’t find yourself out there, you don’t resolve your mental, moral or relationship issues by riding motorcycles. That comes from other approaches to life that takes more explanation than what can be offered here. But it can be fun, and I enjoy riding and seeing beautiful sights at times on my touring bike, especially with my wife along, or with a couple of buddies.

Your outlook on adventure and struggle ring so true for me. Thanks for reminding me to enjoy the banana split as well as the ride.

Lovely shot at 8:35 Not many people realizes how much effort goes into this sort of shots including the editing... :)

godspeed miles! superb music at the end there haha

Like they say, its not the destination its the journey...some like its nice and easy, others love the struggle (and the rewards, either banana splits, the views, the challenges, etc)...I just love feeling like an explorer, that feeling of discovering new places (and myself along the way).

Wise words. Thank you my friend

Hi, in August I will be in Bosnia with my Royal Enfield Himalayan.

Always good to ask those type of questions. Often, they can’t be answered until you are thousands of miles into an exploring adventure.

The thing I like about it is going out each day, riding somewhere completely new and knowing I don't have to turn back. The bike doesn't matter so much

You're spot on here. You go, especially on a solo trip to leave your world behind and experience a new one, be in control of what you want to do, how and when. Having a commercially curated narrative to force you to ride longer, harder or whatever is a waste. By all means, push yourself if you want but for the right reasons.

great MAssage ! Great Video!

Firstly, a fantastic video with a great message. I agree with moist of your points made. I'm 63 and been riding sine 10 years old. I got the dirt bike stuff out of my system by about 30 something. I found one day I didn't need to be power-sliding around dirt corners anymore, spinning up as much mud or dirt as I could to prove I was 'The Man'. I took to the road and enjoyed a whole lot of new fun things that seemed more 'civilized'. I could really say I'd 'been there and done that' when it came to the STRUGGLE you mention of speeding along aggressive potholed trails. I know guys who ride the BMW GS ADV bikes and they're a weird bunch. Massive egos travel with them each time they venture out to 'find themselves' or prove to their mates they're the toughest in the group. If getting covered in mud, bogging a $40K+ machine in mud, crashing a $40K machine, having your kidneys pulverized with high-speed bush potholes, ruts and rocks is supposed to be an idea of fun then they're welcome to it. It was tremendous fun for me as a teen and in my 20s. Maybe you get a better idea of your mortality as you go through your 30's (I definitely did). hey, you're riding a road bike in your vid Mr. Free Miles . . . you shouldn't be surprised when you don't find THAT fun on the rocky trails. I thought that was off from the beginning - I said to myself "why isn't he on a trail bike or ADV bike?". Oh, BTW, these days I have a Ducati Multistrada which makes a superb road bike, when it's actually running (Italian and all that!). Anyway, thanks for the vid, lots of fun & safety in your travels and cheers from Sydney Australia.

Cool ride. I’d love to ride there. And…well said!

Nice video and nice thoughts :)

'm from Portugal, I've done several motorcycle trips around Europe with different types of motorcycles and in the end what gave me the most pleasure is the ease of talking to people. When you arrive on a motorbike you arouse people's curiosity, you are well received, people greet you. I'm older, I'm going to buy one. motorcycle with sidecar for comfort reasons. I think I'll make even more friends

Awesome 👌

I was last week with my Bullet 500 in Bosnia, super beautiful country!

Good points, and I think it's important to go through this process of mapping things out, but at a certain point you stop caring about it, I certainly don't. It's just you and the bike and your interest in riding it - nothing more, nothing less.

A good video. I did a "test" run last year September with 30 day trip on a rented motorcycle. The idea was to see how I like it, and if I do, to buy my own motorcycle and travel a lot. I haven't travelled before on motorcycle, so that was quite an adjustment. First week was quite hard, and then I learned to book hotel for two nights, it gives enough time to plan my next city and places to visit, also to visit the place I'm staying at, and just to have easier schedule and be more rested. I also reduced the expected mileage form 500-600 to just 250-350km per day. I would even take Uber to places in capital cities, because it was too hot and pointless to ride a motorcycle for 10-15 minutes. So, totally on point about that longer trips gets tiring, and the pace needs to be slowed down. At the end of my trip I was thinking that if I was to continue my trip passed 30 days, I would need to rent a place for a week, and just be lazy in a single spot to recharge. And then continue again. After all this I decided that travelling 2-3 months then taking 2-3 month break, and travelling again should be a very good approach for me. I'm starting my trip with now my own bike in September again, and plan to ride till mid November. It's warm for a long time once one goes South in Europe. And no plans for being influencer. Too much work for me. Thank you for your video and all the best!

An interesting and thought/discussion-provoking video, accompanied by some fantastic scenery. And some excellent responses generated in the Comments. After a lifetime of motorcycle travel (not 'adventure' - that is just marketing hype) I recognise almost every thought you expressed. Why do we do this? Is it really that great, when it is raining, the roads are getting worse, you are hot or cold, hungry or needing fuel, and just trying to get to somewhere you can STOP? Well, no, but there is a joy in making it through. You may have to eat food you wouldn't normally, but you may be very glad of anything at that point. You might have endured a worrying ride wondering if you might run out of fuel - you may have to sleep somewhere you wouldn't normally consider. Is this an "adventure", or just a sh1tty way to spend your time? Well, the joy at making it to the fuel-stop/meal/bed after the "struggle" you mention may bring you greater joy than something more significant in your usual life. The reality is that motorcycle travel is, for most of us (that don't have a RU-vid site) an occasional thing, not a year-round 'lifestyle'. But it IS a lifestyle while you are doing it, and while something burns inside you when you are planning to do it again. But it is a selfish pastime, as we aren't building anything, or improving our life goals and relationships with those close to us while we are doing it. (But then, we didn't buy a motorcycle in the first place to help our mothers with the shopping, did we)? But we meet strangers in different settings, and LEARN about life as we travel. Staying home and just going to work for a lifestyle isn't enough for most of us - just repeating the same thing - and travelling by motorcycle is more affordable than other means, making it easier to have an 'open-ended' trip, without so much by way of time and money pressures involved. Easy for me to say, as a retired Australian, and able to travel with less time constraints than someone working all but a few weeks of the year. Which is where the marketing images fall down. To afford this so-called 'adventure lifestyle', most need to work most of the time to afford the most fancy/comfortable model available. But they will still get wet/cold/hungry, and may have been better off working less, and riding more, if on a 'lesser model'. But as mentioned below - riding a bike for long periods is a meditative experience, and a lot of rubbish can wash out of our weary minds doing this. We only have to concentrate on riding, eating and sleeping, and this simplification from our more-complicated lives at home can open different parts of our brains. And this is why the struggle is worthwhile, even if we only get away a few times a year. So get into the meditating, and get away from the most sophisticated model of bike. Try to travel without the need be with a group, without having to to get to a certain place by a certain time, and you might find more enjoyment than you were. It IS enjoyable, as we take ourselves away from all our supports, and face things alone. Flat tyre, empty tank, cold/wet/hungry etc, but the difficulties we inevitably experience in the course of this (hopefully not too often) and our resolution of them, are paradoxically the things we remember the most vividly. Thank you for the video, and your thoughts. I have been travelling by motorcycle since the 1960s, and still enjoy it, on-road or off. But the off-road (which I tend to do more now) allows us to escape the scourges of trucks/police/tourists, which is why it has become so popular. Strictly speaking, it is only an 'adventure' when too much goes wrong, and that's not what we are seeking! Keep enjoying your travel, and keep producing your thoughtful videos. Sorry this comment got so long, but it's a big topic... 😁

It is all about having fun "your way". I travel by bike to see people. Friends who don't live in my area or country. Not to ride winding roads in the Swiss Alps. Not to be victorious over circumstances and challenges I have chosen to put myself through voluntarily. But hey if that does it for someone else... Why on a motorbike? Just because it is practical, cheap (my touring Honda from 1990 cost 1000 euros) and its different from a car. Same as a sailing boat but that is not my cup of tea. Everybody has their own motivation to get on a motorbike, buy a campervan or buy a night in a luxury hotel right on the Champs d'Elysses. I think you have a good point though in this video about ideals of what enjoyment is. What brings pleasure varies I guess really from day to day. A banana split today, a swim in the sea tomorrow, a motorbike ride over the Swiss Alps after that. Not being caught up in hype around one thing or a "lifestyle" thing is maybe something. Being aware, appreciating life's rich pageant or a two minute chat with the check out assistant at Lidl. A week just eating banana Splits would be pretty awful. Hope this makes sense?

As a 55 year old motorcyclist I can honestly say that my biggest two wheeled adventures were when I was 16 venturing out further than the bus routes on my Simson 50 moped. The last time was when I was 19 on an FJ1100 because that could cover a lot of miles in a short time so I saw many inspiring things. I liked touring France when I was 30 on an FZ750 and I gained my private pilot licence in 2005 seeking the same feeling of freedom but nothing felt as fulfilling as the first year on an unreliable restricted moped. That really felt like adventure.

I agree with everything you expressed. I started riding again and had the thought that I do not want to be a "biker". I just want to enjoy riding whenever and however I feel it.

I buy bikes that fit my needs and makes my heart clap extra looking at them and tend to keep them 3 seasons before I switch. Do quite a bit of long distance touring in Europe, looking back in 20 years I'm probably going have forgotten which bike took me where but the memories I made off the bike will stick. The good and the bad ofcourse, and even the most miserable breakdowns and mishaps tend to make you smile afterwards somehow. Thats what its about for me.

Important dialogue. I reached the same conclusions as you. I enjoy getting on my bike in my free time and riding, but enjoying the journey, taking my time, riding to destinations that I really want to visit and stopping to do activities that I enjoy along the way.

I love it when you theorise and I also love the analogy over the banana banana split…. And yes, I think you’re right and where you are going with your thinking….. I think sometimes people seek adventure when they think that their life is not an adventure …. So I’m 66 now and I’m still getting out there but in a very different way….. I would ride the furthest distances, cycle hundred kilometre mountain bike mountain challenges, 130 mile road cycle challenges, climb the biggest mountains available to me, all of it adventure yes but it was only when I had to stop eight years ago very unwell…. I saw that adventure was in my neighbourhood was close by. I just needed to slow down enough to see the wonderful places that no one else sees because they are too busy hunting for it in far away places….. And so I’ve learnt that it’s not so much about taking the popular long road whether it is paved or not, but perhaps the same distance somewhere unpopular somewhere local that you’ve never even knew was there…. The delight of finding it….. A lot of people don’t realise their desire for all the well-known journeys is often another thing to consume…. So flip the coin to the B-side and many will discover another reality which is so exciting and so rewarding and quite often everyone else is completely unaware of it …. And it’s yours and only yours or for just a few. Go well, good to see you again…🙏

Nice take down on life!

You are correct in all your points. It is not an alternative lifestyle silver bullet. You have to find what you want, what works for you and have realistic expectations. I have realized that I love riding regardless road types or bikes. It brings me therapy and a sense of being aware. During that time my inner self can make well founded decisions (or stupid ones). I don't see it as a particular life style nor as adventures as I don't look for struggles even though they of course happens from time to time. I really enjoy the banana splits and the vistas. Great episode.

At 59 riding a motorcycle along back roads ,on a Versys 650 …I am looking for me..looking for home ….looking for God . Sometimes I melt into the universe and become nothing . Every ride , each time end s, like all things good , and all things bad …nothing lasts . Where did I come from , who am I , what is this existence , is it a dream , a nightmare ? Did I fall asleep and haven’t realised , these are the things that occur on a motorcycle ride . The bike listens , and roars from curve to curve …stepping out of time …this life is mine. Then you put the bike away, at the end of the day …night falls once again .

The best part of my day is usually spent resting reflecting And refreshing. No time for any thoughts except what's around the next corner.

Velocity, faster than walking, that's the basement of our brain for watching awareness, is enough. Butterfly velocity, as pedaling bike, can be too fast. Running is the max. That's why we are dephased when going on vacations by car.

My adventure bike is a measly suzuki freewind that costed 1200 euro, it is bloody perfect. Does not impress no one, its just a tool to feel free..

The most important is to have fun, off roading is exhausting, doing it every day on a big trip its great for engagement but whats the point of being tired everyday instead of just having fun and relaxed while doing what we love the most, lets just not mess in whats already a great feeling and experience.

Congrats on 10k! . I heard the first 10k are the hardest

I like watching your videos, but it would be so nice if you can give us more in regards to where you are , places and names like towns you go to, a bit of fun facts and where your heading. The scenere is very nice, but don't forget to enjoy the ride each struggle and each victory. I just bought a Kawasaki Versey x 300. This little bike is great small and nimble on the twisties and does just fine on rougher roads. The thought of lifting a big adventure bike like the large GS bikes if I droppped it made me realize why go big. Looking forward to your next video, when you heading to Serbia? I visited Novi Sad and had the best of time there.so much to see in that city.

Very interesting and enlightened i subscribe to this way of living, i love riding my bikes but enjoy the other sides of my life too. Enjoy it don't force it 👍

It's just hiking but on wheels, that's how I see it. The pain through the journey trying to hike a mountain is what makes those memories for me. I like your take on this, though, I see where you're coming from.

My inspiration came from overlanding. People on one-off bikes and a time where global logistics was train and boat. Adventure motorcycling really made it easier for people to explore. There seems to be various vectors for people travelling by motorcycle. Backpackers, dirt bikers, all-inclusive resorters, cruise shippers, hôtel campers and probably mechanics like Helge Pedersen.

I just enjoy riding a motorcycle- and I am very nosy. I ride a KLR because the ergonomics suit me. I’m not a rebel, I’m not a trail blazer and I feel no need to pull wheelies or drift through corners. I regard every ride - even to work- as a micro adventure.

Hey, I'm Dutch and midlife-aged. I have a 2003 Kawasaki VN1500. This is the third season of having my motorcycle license and I just got back from my fourth 9-day trip to southern Germany. Also did a 9-day trip through Sweden. I like Germany (and Sweden as well) because it's civilized and has nice roads, I like it because it preferably has NO adventure. Just riding. I ride twisties or B roads (70 KM/H to 100 KM/H) and no Highways (Autobahn). I ride between 250 KM and 300 KM a day, preferably the lesser. I book different hotels for each trip so I don't ride the same routes (most of the time). So, my take on this is, never an adventure, please...

I‘m just mildly interested in off-road, in the sense that I might wanna try it one day - do a course or something. But I love riding my GS on the asphalt, in the mountains with neverending winding roads, and ending the day at the camp site with 5 other motorcyclists I have never met before and drink a beer. That is pure joy for me, adrenalin during the day and socializing in the evening. For introspecting I just go hiking for multiple days, by myself without earphones being at the mercy of my thoughts for hours and hours each day.

Your sentiments make compete sense to me. Here in the United States the biking culture is centered less on off road adventure riding, and more so on touring long distances from city to city. I rode my bike to a neighboring city once which was a 200 mile ride. I was being punished by the wind the whole way going around 60 to 80 mph on the highway the entire time. It wasn't all that enjoyable of a ride for me, but it was cool to be able to say I've toured to another city. For me, I don't care for the touring trends in my country. I'm much happier just being a city rider, commuting to work and going around town running errands on my bike. For me even something as mundane as commuting to work becomes a fun adventure while riding, and I don't feel fatigue going for hours on the highway.

Been following you for a while now and I really like your perspective on things. Myself (40) I don't have my motorcycle license yet, but I am going to put some money on the side to apply for it and purchase a motorcycle. I really would like to go on "an adventure" but I probably need some hands on experience on a light motorcycle first before taking on these kinds of difficult looking trails. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I will keep watching.

Accidently found ur chanell , great content .. Btw manny older guys that buy adv bikes , buy it for comfort, tall seating , upright position, at least that is what most of avd riders in serbia told me.. I just got Re Himi 411, and i like light offroad and backroads.. Hard off roads is kinda annoying hahah

I think that social media spoiled that idea and made people overhype/overthink motorcycle travel in general, but also, most people do it in this day and age to videotape themselves and generate clicks, which is quite the opposite of its original purpose (to enjoy the freedom, to 'forget the world' and the problems, to meditate', to just appreciate the view, nature, etc etc). I would guess that the people who do motorcycle travel and are most happy would be those that share that experience with just their friends and family in the moment right there, in the flesh, and don't bother to record anything to post on social media. Maybe I'm just old, but social media made life a bit fake and looking like a movie we already watched before.

Good point! I will share my experience. One thing that was stealing my joy was the need to film and take pictures for social media. Social media puts a lot of imaginary pressure on, for what?, likes and hordes of jealous people? It's not worth it. I end up doing stuff for "other people" and not for me. I got rid of all that crap and do not post anything; I do stuff only for myself with no intention to become youtuber. I'm riding a Ninja 250R. I had and still have the opportunity to get a bigger bike, but I refuse. I find so much benefit in riding small bikes all year round. Not only that, while fellow bikers have their big adventure bikes parked in garages for 9 months and have one 7-day adventure in a year and blasting all over social media, I have some bigger adventures and a lot of small ones throughout the year. I travel alone, with no pressure, and end up seeing and experiencing more stuff than them. Instead of a big bike, I invested the rest of the money in full gear and parts, including expensive tires for my baby Ninja. It is funny when my bike has more expensive tires than their big adventure bikes. My tires last between 1 and 2.5 years, while theirs are changed every 5-7 years, but not because they are worn out. If there is a place where it is very rough to go to see something, I walk, hike, or even pay to go there. No pressure; I enjoy going, riding, and seeing places only for myself. Another thing is that my baby Ninja sees more gravel roads than their adventure bikes because they are afraid to take them off-road, because they are too heavy, fancy that 😊

The Bulgarian guy says something like if you want to be comfortable travelling, go by car, you have aircon, you can cover many miles etc. And true enough my family holiday is a road trip to the Adriatic each year, we drive across Europe with one overnight stop and spend the rest of the time camping next to the beach. I suppose I could instead go by bike, alone, taking a week to get there before turning around and coming back but it wouldn't be as much fun.

Just enjoy the rides and give us more cool views...and do it your way

Long Live Banana Splits❤

Be safe 👍👍

My bigges bike adventure was also in Bosnia. Took a wrong turn on my ER6n naked bike and ended in similar mountanous gravel roads as you did. It was late in the day and only way was going forward..some 20 kms and 1200 m altitude later I got to asphalt again..alive.

Would like to give you 500 👍! This "adventure-hype" ran out of control ...😂

I think that if you set out with the mindset that you need to be doing some Long Way "Adventure" where you're doing huge distances, waving at foreign kids as you ride past and roughing it in tents just to be living "the motorbike lifestyle" or whatever you're going to try so hard to enjoy everything that you're not gonna enjoy anything. Motorbike travel can be really fun, but over complicating it can make it stressful and difficult. I've done some motorbike camp trips where I've brought tent, sleeping gear, cooking stuff etc and have ended up having some wet, pretty miserable nights and have had a bike loaded up with loads of crap. I think that staying in hotels/hostels/Airbnb really reduces the clutter and mitigates some of the bigger hassles of bad weather. Going out and buying food somewhere gives you something to do at night/morning and connects you to the area a bit more. I think unless you're on a really tight budget, the number of times per year you're actually likely to do a bike trip and their likely duration probably makes the savings associated with camping/cooking not that relevant. I recently did a trip with friends from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi in Vietnam. Stayed at a variety of different accommodation, bought all our food, had days off riding, didn't set out to recreate what we'd seen in travel documentaries or thinly veiled motorbike ads, didn't take things too seriously and had an absolutely awesome time. Being on the bikes wasn't a hassle because we took it easy. We also did it on 150cc Honda CB150X, definitely not high dollar, fancy adventure bikes, and they did everything we needed them to.

Only 11k followers and I’m not sure why. Your video content is excellent as is your philosophy. I’ve been riding from age 12 and have always said that I don’t care what kind of bike someone rides, if you ride you are ok with me. Just enjoy the ride…struggle will come, don’t go out looking for it.

I think Ed March from c90 adventures showed what adventure on a motorcycle is and proved that you don't need a big expensive machine to have fun. On the contrary. He went everywhere with his c90, on-road, off-road, he used his motorcycle as a means - not as the purpose of having an "adventure". He went to places that people with big 20k Euro bikes don't dare to go - and that's really sad because all they did is fell for the adventure motorcycle marketing. This marketing restricted them from having fun.

I'm kind of with you on this.Quite often I find myself thinking... What the hell am I doing this for? Although I usually think that when I've had a bad day through shitty weather or long boring sections of road. I'm totally with you on the big adventure bike, a status symbol really, you're immersing yourself in another culture then instantly separating yourself from it behind your wealth, technology and a helmet covered in gadgets.