Motorcycle Adventurers or Motorcycle Tourists. Discuss.

[Elle]

people who say "...you went all that way on a bike? On your own? I couldn't do that... hmy:"

Oddly, that's been said to me by a couple of folk who lurk on this very forum

tour·ist noun \ˈtu̇r-ist\
: a person who travels to a place for pleasure.

Does it depend on the pleasure sought?

I know a few folk who regularly visit Benidorm-like resorts purely for drinking; eating kebabs and pizzas & going to nightclubs, all of which dominate any UK city. The only difference seems to be the hangover by the pool in almost guaranteed sunshine.
I wouldn't even class them as "tourists" - they see nothing of the country or town they visit nor care about the local cuisine, history or people..... :whistle:

[IainD]

Sorry AndyB and Gedge, you're missing the point.

I have been a "tourist" for many years, always planned trips booked in advance etc. left nothing to chance. The only adventure element going where I had not been before, but still had looked on internet, had maps etc.

The same trip could become an adventure: throw some stuff in a bag, strap it to the bike and go.....no map, no forethought and no idea where you are going or how to get there till you decide on the hoof.

Road of Bones if meticulously planned would be tourism.

Road of Bones with nothing but a visa and a tooth brush would be Adventure.

As for an Adventure Bike, no such thing!

Not missing the point at all..in fact I think you are...an adventure is a different thing for different people and YOU cannot decide what is and what isnt..likewise you cannot decide what generic name is appended to certain types of bikes.,.. we all get it that you are a big string brave adventurer and that anyone that doesnt do it your way is just a feeble tourist...but thats just your opinion and like arseholes we all have one, and each is different..... please let it go its really starting to affect the feel of this lovely forum..split now by the hardcore V anybody else..............

Sorry Gedge, if you're that sensitive, then go elsewhere. A debate is just an exchange of views; most likely differing ones. If you can't debate and only want to complain when your cosy world is upset slightly then don't debate! None of this is a personal attack, just my views and everyone else's on a web forum. Man (or girl)up.

If you actually read what I said (between spitting phlegm) then you would notice that I have never classed any trip I have ever made an "Adventure", it's not my thing. I like pootling around knowing where I am going, how long to get there and a comfy bed at the end of the day. I don't even take a tent, or a stove or a sleeping bag.

That doesn't detract from the point (remember that) which is that to define something you need parameters. Our opinions were requested way back on page one and the heading says discuss, so discuss I do. My thoughts at parameters are in my previous posts. I am not saying they are set in stone tablets, but they are my opinion. If you don't like my opinion then please let me know why, don't just take a cheap shot.

I started by saying in my opinion that the generic "different for everyone" wasn't really a good enough answer, as, in my opinion, it isn't, that is just middle Britain, grey jumpers and tartan slippers.

[Selous]

Ok I will bite, I took my new GF to Austria this year camping via Netherlands & Germany.
she had never camped before, never been to Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belugme etc before.

I wanted to go to Austria because never went before, even though I lived in Germany for 5 years, she loved it, she told her friends mates mum the whole bloody world 'We had a wonderful adventure'
was it an adventure Austria was the rest of eu meh as i said been there before I enjoyed it as went to places where I was did the N ring too, plus a few other bits & bobs so yes in a way.
our perceptions where different, I had booked campsites, but that was all, why because I only have 14 days a year for Leave, if we had longer may be a bit further.
what I can say was it was enjoyable, so yes it was

[johnnyboxer]

The word Adventure is overused & incorrectly used by many

Only a lucky few experience it, most don't

I haven't & don't really want to

Does it really matter

Tourist or Adventurer - they're only words after all

[Gedge]

Sorry AndyB and Gedge, you're missing the point.

I have been a "tourist" for many years, always planned trips booked in advance etc. left nothing to chance. The only adventure element going where I had not been before, but still had looked on internet, had maps etc.

The same trip could become an adventure: throw some stuff in a bag, strap it to the bike and go.....no map, no forethought and no idea where you are going or how to get there till you decide on the hoof.

Road of Bones if meticulously planned would be tourism.

Road of Bones with nothing but a visa and a tooth brush would be Adventure.

As for an Adventure Bike, no such thing!

Not missing the point at all..in fact I think you are...an adventure is a different thing for different people and YOU cannot decide what is and what isnt..likewise you cannot decide what generic name is appended to certain types of bikes.,.. we all get it that you are a big string brave adventurer and that anyone that doesnt do it your way is just a feeble tourist...but thats just your opinion and like arseholes we all have one, and each is different..... please let it go its really starting to affect the feel of this lovely forum..split now by the hardcore V anybody else..............

Sorry Gedge, if you're that sensitive, then go elsewhere. A debate is just an exchange of views; most likely differing ones. If you can't debate and only want to complain when your cosy world is upset slightly then don't debate! None of this is a personal attack, just my views and everyone else's on a web forum. Man (or girl)up.

If you actually read what I said (between spitting phlegm) then you would notice that I have never classed any trip I have ever made an "Adventure", it's not my thing. I like pootling around knowing where I am going, how long to get there and a comfy bed at the end of the day. I don't even take a tent, or a stove or a sleeping bag.

That doesn't detract from the point (remember that) which is that to define something you need parameters. Our opinions were requested way back on page one and the heading says discuss, so discuss I do. My thoughts at parameters are in my previous posts. I am not saying they are set in stone tablets, but they are my opinion. If you don't like my opinion then please let me know why, don't just take a cheap shot.

I started by saying in my opinion that the generic "different for everyone" wasn't really a good enough answer, as, in my opinion, it isn't, that is just middle Britain, grey jumpers and tartan slippers.

You stated it as though it were a fact ..its not its YOUR opinion.... Like I said this whole forum is getting hung up on the word ( odd really considering the forum name..surprised that those that dont think what most people do is an adventure , managed to find the forum?? after all, what were they looking for?? )

I am not in theleast bit sensitive..... You clearly have missed the debate point... that is that it means different things to different people and unless you are the editor of the OED thats how its likely to stay.................

As to your final point.. can you explain how, if there is no such thing, that Triumph and KTM both have adventure bikes in their range, and Triumph and Suzuki both use the word Adventure when describing a couple of their bikes??................thats because it is just a word.................not a religion............

[Redmurty]

people who say "...you went all that way on a bike? On your own? I couldn't do that... "


Oddly, that's been said to me by a couple of folk who lurk on this very forum

Now that's funny :laugh: :laugh: would of loved to of seen your face when it was said Elle

cheers Spud

[AndyB]

I'm still trying to work out how my belief that if the person involved thinks they're having an adventure then they're having one is missing the point.

[Redmurty]

Adventures depends on boundaries, if you've done a lot in life then a relatively simple trip across France will mean very little on the adventure scale, but if you've never left your home town before then it could/would be a massive life effort/event and adventure.
It all depends on life experience and one's own view point.

cheers Spud

[Robbo1]

People who are unfortunate enough not to travel by motorcycle, people who go on holiday by plane are not travellers, they are "arrivers". When I go on holiday by plane it's all about the final destination, the journey is crap.
As motorcyclists the journey is perhaps more important than the destination.
A motorcycle journey for me always qualifies as an adventure, tourists go on package holidays!

Don't think that's strictly true not everyone who gets on a plane is a 2week tourist sometimes the adventure starts when you get of the plane.

[haggis]

Ah Yes, most days I'm a tourist, only when something turns to shit does it become an adventure. This means I don't moan as much.