Gotta get this out there, cause it's too good not to share these thoughts (even if they sound a little too "mushy" for a bunch of adventure riders.)
It's particularly this time of year, "peak season" for our operations in southern Africa and stunning Patagonia, that I'm reminded about what I love so much about this business.
I've been talking or typing with so many of you for months now, discussing your riding wishes and advising with my best judgment about which of our options will best satisfy your riding desires. In doing so, I get to know you a bit. I've learned things like which motorcycles you ride, in some cases, which was your first bike ever, and reasons for finally taking your "dream trip." All of this brings back fond memories of my own riding past, and therefore a smile. Congratulations to so many of you for retiring, turning 50, or celebrating by going for a international ride somewhere to mark a special time in your life. (Not to mention those of you who are just due for a vacation.)
Frequent Question from Customers: "Can I Buy & Sell a Motorcycle in South America?"
This question comes to us quite frequently, and so we have this standard response:
"Sure, just about anyone can buy & sell a motorcycle in South America. But what address will you use to register your motorcycle? And for your insurance? How will you take care of the multi-week “tr
á
mite” (paperwork procedures) that go into making it possible for you to cross the international borders with addresses, passports, insurance, titles, and registration that all match?"
What we’re saying here is “be careful!" because the time and effort that goes into getting all these issues straight is no small task, and rarely makes it worth while to buy/sell a bike instead of renting one. Without having all of this paperwork straight, not only would you be operating a vehicle
illegally
in the country you’re purchasing the motorcycle in, but you
won’t
be able to cross international borders for greater exploration of the Andes Mountains and incredible features between countries. (This is exactly why we have
motorcycle rentals available in South America.
)
Riders, it's Baldy here with another reminder: Motorcycle adventures for peak season need to be booked as far in advance as possible!
Pardon the urgency, but we've gotten to this point each season for 8 years in a row now. Riders from around the world have been inquiring about trips all year long, and yes, many of you have confirmed reservations and are excited to start your trips. But so many Riders who have waited to commit are now being told that the dates they wanted for their Self-Guided motorcycle tours are sold out, and it's as frustrating to us as it may be to them! In this example, I'm referring to the peak riding months in Patagonia and the routes we've designed in southern Africa. It's right now that springtime arrives in October, and the riding temperatures and conditions remain their best through April or so.
Motorcycle riding has long been an obvious pastime for guys—time for the boys to get together, sometimes even with us women on the back of the bike. But, more and more often, women are getting into biking and today it's now said that we make up 1 out of every 8 riders. That's quite some progress, given the rarity it still may be to meet a free-spirited gal that rides motorcycles : )
A term that never popped into my head until just now, "adventure style" could be an easy way of explaining how RIDE Adventures has evolved over the years.
As an international travel service provider, we've constantly tried to stay-tuned to exactly what our Customers are interested in doing with their vacation time, and how to make the best use of the resources, effort, and risk that you all put into each travel endeavor. In other words, we've always strived to understand what your adventure style is.
RIDE Adventures started by offering Guided Group Motorcycle Tours back in 2010. I was living in Chile and finishing my work with another motorcycle touring company that was shutting down when this small business was born. Back then, it seemed that the only service aspect that other moto-related travel companies were focused on was being your Guide, physically there on tour with you. My own passion for motorcycle travel and getting to know fun people made guiding a natural fit for me; and since 2010, I've gone on to lead some of the most fantastically fun groups of people through some of the most incredible motorcycle routes in Europe, Africa, and South America.
Adventure-minded travelers can join us in celebrating; RIDE Adventures now offers 4x4 tour packages for international trips like exploring the Andes Mountains of South America!
A project and service offering that has long been considered and worked on was just announced this past week in our eNewsletter, and posted on our new Jeep / 4x4 Adventure Tours page. With the first 2 locations we're announcing being Patagonia and Peru, we'll soon have the details wrapped up for Bolivia, and the plans are to eventually work this option into our European and African offerings as well.
Most of the world thinks of motorcycles as just another way to get to another destination, only different from a car in that we get a little wind in our hair or bugs in our teeth (keeping in mind proper helmet use of course : ) Part of what makes a motorcycle the best vehicle for genuine adventures is just the fact that you're not trapped "within" the windows of a vehicle, or in the case of dual sport bikes, that you're not confined to a particular type of terrain.
Are you a Reader, a Rider, or a bit both?
Sometimes the sentiment and reasoning behind our motorcycle trip offerings is best explained by video and voice, instead of in written form for our Readers out there. No matter how you prefer to learn about these options though, one of our top priorities as a service provider is to make sure that you choose the best of our adventure rides to "scratch that riding itch" that so many of us are prone to.
It may have been all the rage bouncing around farm tracks in a woolen sweater with your cap turned backwards 100 years ago, but heading off-road on one of today's 500lb-plus dual-sport motorcycles is slightly more demanding on your clothing, thus the need for this adventure boots review.
