Motorcycle Explorer February 2015 Issue 4 | Page 3

Welcome to issue FOUR of Motorcycle Explorer Magazine!
We’ve come a long way since issue One and those god
awful layouts, for that I can only apologise. Much like a
new rider with the L plates thrown to the wind and heading
out into the world full of wide eyed hope – the ride is
such a rush from your own perspective fully unaware of
just how much you don’t know. That is of course until
people point out that your riding is as ugly as sin and you
have only just started to know anything about what you’re
doing! Much of the advice has been kind and some
perhaps ... not so kind but I’m armed with a thick skin!
I’m still not at the stage where I think MEM is settled but it
is taking shape and starting to form into what I hoped it
would become and I have you the reader to thank for that.
I don’t think MEM will ever be ‘done’ and that’s part of the
charm and allure for me. Along the journey you meet
people and they join that journey with you, some as full
time riding buddies and some take part of the trip and then head their own way, leaving you
richer for the time spent with them.
Graham Field has been with us from the start as the MEM columnist and continues to amuse and
bemuse in equal measure with his honest, frank and amusing view of all things that dare to cross
his Field of Vision. I’m so pleased to say that Dr Pat Garrod, author of Bearback Overland has
come to join the little clan and will be speaking on Healthy Overlanding and other aspects of
motorcycle exploring, a wonderful asset to the merry team, and welcome aboard Pat!
Now we, as a team will be moving into interviews and there are a lot of ideas in that regard, it’s
going to be a challenge but one that we’re very much looking forward to as you may get a few
surprises on who we end up speaking to. Who will be heading that up? Well Tammy Alice
Howard will be taking a good hard bite at this. That’s when she is not running her own business
and working over at the Adventure Bike Shop of course. Make sure you tune in for her ‘Pillow
Talk’ interview sessions in future issues.
Reviews! Yes MEM has moved into the gear review zone and we will continue to review books
and now kit n gear for you to enjoy. A lot of time and effort has gone into doing gear reviews
both on the feature section of the gloves and into the bits and bobs that come into the HQ for
testing. It’s a challenge because you must give an honest view of the product, giving your own
opinion and also giving the facts of the product in a non biased way – I hope it is of help to you
the readers when looking for gear. Always open to suggestions and we’d like to thank the
companies that have given the products to test, even if we stomped all over some – it was a hard
nut to crack but it is also testament to the growing success and popularity of Motorcycle
Explorer.
Last but by no means least ... MEM contributors! People like the wonderfully talented Sam
Manicom and Lisa Morris (my god can that Jason Spafford take a mean photograph or what!) of
Two Wheeled Nomad. Always on the lookout for international talent and tales as we bring you
writers from Spain, Croatia, Kenya and beyond and will strive to keep doing so in future issues.
Our thanks, ride safe, live, ride and explore.
James