Should I join a group?
There are obvious benefits to
joining a group, most obviously
comfort and security. On the
other hand, I can’t imagine
anything less conducive to the
spirit of a motorcycle adventure
than having my daily routine
dictated by someone else’s
schedule. But that’s just me.
Ride on your own, or with a
friend, and you’ll meet other
people and have the freedom to
do and go where you please.
You’ll end up off the beaten
path and find yourself in places
you’ve never dreamt of. True,
that may be staring at a rubbish
dump outside Modena and
wondering where the road went,
or lost in a French council
estate
Sat-nav or map?
Both, but turn the sat-nav off
when you’re out of the city.
Just my opinion, but trying to
navigate busy towns with
their
stupid
one-way
systems
and
confusing
traffic lights is a horrible,
dangerous nightmare. I must
have wasted days trying to
That said, in a group you’ll be
escape the likes of Grenoble
safe, you won’t need to worry
and St Petersburg when I
about where you’re staying, or
could have been on my way in
where to get fuel, or how to
minutes if I’d only had a sat-
translate the menu. You
nav to hand. There’s no
probably won’t have to interact shame
in
relying
on
with the locals if you don’t want technology to get you on
to and you won’t need to worry your way again, but once
about getting lost. They’ll
you’re on the road proper, let
probably even check your oil
the route unravel as you
and lube your chain for you too. along.
Each to their own.
attracting the attention of the
local gangs. But it might also be
sat on the bank of a shimmering
lake with your best mate, a
bottle of wine to hand and a
wonderful day’s adventure to
chat about long into the night.