No matter where you venture or how far you ride, when you’re on your motorcycle, you never feel like you’re commuting. You feel like you’re traveling. There’s a big distinction in there. Motorcycling is never about getting from A to B. Even if you’re going on a long weekend ride, you get the sense that you’re exploring, venturing out into the world, and discovering new things. And when you travel to another state or country, you’re taking things to a whole new level. In this post, we’re going to explore why it is that traveling on a motorcycle is not only enjoyable, it’s also smart.

Being Part of the Landscape

Say you’re going on a trip to Ireland. We all have images of that iconic green countryside in our minds, but when you take that kind of trip on a motorcycle, you’re literally stepping into that landscape and becoming a part of it. You’re feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin, breathing the air, and eating the occasional bug. (Good protein) You’re not passive within the scene around you, but are rather actively participating in it. This creates intense memories that last a lifetime.

On Your Own Time

There’s nothing more claustrophobic than traveling with a group, and heaven forbid, in a tourbus. It makes it impossible to take a detour, see the sights, or even have a break when you need one. Traveling on a motorcycle puts you on your own schedule, and your itinerary can shift at any time. Imagine taking a ride in the Italian hillsides and all of a sudden a cafe perched on a cliff comes into view. Pull over, man, and order a Peroni. Sit there for as long as you damn please, and pity those tourists who hear the whistle signifying that it’s time to get back on the bus.

Panoramic View

One of the tremendous benefits of riding on a motorcycle is your unobstructed view of things. You have 180° of vision, and that brings a whole new meaning to “taking in the sights." Not only can see the road in front of you, the bike actually allows you to feel it, as well. Riding down a cobblestone street or a dusty road in a Honda? No, my friend. Even looking out the window of a cozy train isn’t going to cut it. You get to see and feel it all on a motorcycle.

Take a Better Selfie

Speaking of riding on a train, how easy is it to take pictures when a marvelous vista passes your way? It’s friggin’ impossible. Riding on a motorcycle makes it so easy to stop any time that you see something remarkable and capture that perfect shot. Pictures of you just look cooler when you’re wearing motorcycle gear anyhow. And speaking of capturing footage, what could be more unforgettable than filming a winding road with your GoPro? Talk about memories that you can relive over and over again.

Taking the Road Less Traveled

Motorcycles make it effortless to get off the beaten track. Say you find a side road that leads to somewhere interesting, or a sign post comes into view pointing to some quirky landmark. Maybe you were traveling from one city to another, but a little village pops up on the horizon. On a motorcycle, you can make detours and find the undiscovered country. No other form of travel offers you this freedom.

Be More Social

There’s something about motorcycles that make people want to interact with you, and you with them. Riding a bike is a great way to meet locals, start a conversation, or even just ask for directions. It’s also a super easy way to look normal when traveling by yourself. There’s something isolating about traveling alone by car or bus. You feel like an outcast. But when you’re on a motorcycle, you magically seem to fit in better. Everyone can relate to the joy of traveling solo on a bike.

Save Money

Renting a motorcycle is not only affordable, but you’re also going to be using far less gasoline than renting a car. If you bring your own bike, even better. Not only that, but there’s something about riding a motorcycle that invites you to be more frugal. Stay at the Four Seasons Hotel? Hell no. When you’re on your bike, you want to stay at a Motor Lodge and find a local dive to eat some fish and chips. This is not true when you’re driving a Lexus.

An Engaging Experience

When you’re traveling on a motorcycle, you gotta use your head more. There’s a lot of planning involved, things can go wrong, the road needs your constant attention, and the weather can change on a dime. In a word, this means adventure. But when you’re on vacation, don’t you want to sit back and relax, and just coast on the journey? No. That’s not how memories are made. You begin to wish that you were at home on your couch instead of feeling nauseous on a cramped bus. When traveling by motorcycle, you have to sort a lot of things out. You might get lost, your bike could break down, you get a leg cramp, and that’s how memories are made. Think of all the colorful stories that you’ll have to tell your friends.

A Word of Caution

Just to make sure that we’re not painting an impossibly perfect picture, it should be noted that there are risks involved with traveling by motorcycle. You know this, because you’re no dummy. But you should be way more cautious if you’re an inexperienced rider. Use common sense, plan ahead, and minimize your risk. Also, know your surroundings. If you’re going on a ride in the south of France, there’s a good chance that your biggest problem ends up being that you don’t have enough room to store a bottle of Bordeaux on your bike. But, if you’re on a whirlwind tour through Africa and don’t know anything about your surroundings, you are going to run into a problem. Or a lion.

All of this is to say that traveling on a motorcycle, whether to a foreign country or a neighboring state, is an experience that you can never soon forget. When people think of vacation, they often envision being on a beach somewhere, and that’s fine enough. But we’re not talking about relaxing, we’re talking about creating a physical, mental, and spiritual journey that will last a lifetime. A motorcycle can get you there.