Traveling the world on two wheels

Several months ago, I found myself unexpectedly riding the backseat of a motorcycle through some mountains in the southern Philippines. While that experience had its fair share of problems, it inspired me so much that when I came back home, I took out my rusty scooter from the garage, had it serviced, and practiced riding it again. My goal is this: to eventually be competent enough to ride and maintain the scooter all the way to Aparri. But before I get to that point, I have to take some shorter trips first.

You can blame it on shows like Long Way Round and books like Ted Simon‘s Jupiter’s Travels, but traveling on two wheels – whether it’s by motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle – has its appeal. Even the tourism industry is catching on to that appeal, with motorcycle tours like Easy Riders Vietnam and South Pacific Motorcycle Tours.

Despite the romantic appeal of such trips, it can also be practical. Here are some reasons why we should give two-wheeled traveling some serious thought:

You don’t have to be dependent on public transportation. Although I love public transportation because of the cultural immersion, it’s sometimes impractical to be fully dependent on it. Their schedule might not be compatible with yours, and your destinations are limited to what public transportation covers.

You have more freedom with the routes you want to take. The sights you see on the way from one place to another won’t be dependent on major roads and highways. You can be more adventurous and choose unusual scenic paths or even dirt roads, if you’re proficient enough with your vehicle. Apart from the routes, you also have freedom with your pace. You can’t exactly tell a bus full of people to stop while you take a picture or go to the bathroom.

If done right, it can be cheaper than your other transportation alternatives. I’ve been to places where your only alternative to get to a far flung destination is to hire a van or a car. Sometimes, riding a motorcycle or scooter can be cheaper – whether you’ll be driving it yourself or you’ll hire a driver.

Like every other style of travel, two-wheeled touring is not for everyone. It requires a lot of planning and stamina. But if you find that it’s something you’d like to try, you can learn more from the following resources:

• “Easy Riding: How to Travel by Motorcycle and Escape the Crowds” by Rhys Stacker
• Dale Borgeson’s Motorcycle Touring for Beginners
• Road Runner Magazine
• Canyon Chasers Motorcycle Sport Touring
• Scoot.net

Have you ever traveled on two-wheels before? What was your experience like?

Image by dimitri c from sxc.hu