In the world of modern motorcycling, it’s easy to assume that your bike will always be 100 per cent reliable; that you’ll not have any mechanical issues or kit failures; and that each and every journey will be nothing but sunshine, joy and light. However, even in the 21st century nothing is for certain, and the concept of adventure riding or overlanding is that you have to take absolutely everything to cover every possible eventuality – regardless of the fact that there is very little likelihood of there being any chance of machine reliability problems, poor road conditions or threat to personal safety.
For most of us, the truth, naturally, is somewhere in between the two, especially if you’re the sort of rider that considers each ride to be an adventure, or to at least have the potential of an adventure, even if it’s only the daily commute. And it is fair to say that modern motorcycles are very reliable, but not without issues, particularly when travelling off-the-beaten-track, most especially that of punctures.
While your daily ride to the office, or the Sunday ride out to get a cup of splosh at your local biker caff, won’t necessarily mean that you need to carry all manner of spares and provisions to see you over in the event of a breakdown, you may want to carry a little more for those times that you travel a little further. We might not all be planning a round-the-world trip, or to head away from the beaten track, but it’s always good to be prepared for the unexpected. Even if the unexpected is just a broken zip, a mild shower of rain, or a transport café that hasn’t got any sugar…
Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
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Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.
