What's Your Inspiration?
Should I Change My Bike - Or Just Change My Mindset?
This morning, I was out on a walk when I bumped into a fellow adventure motorcyclist. Naturally, we got talking about bikes - and more specifically, his. He rides a Honda Africa Twin, one of the most respected adventure touring motorcycles, but it’s due for a major service. The looming cost had him wondering: should he trade it in for a new bike instead?
That sparked a great conversation about what he actually wants from his next ride. Will he mostly be touring on the road? Or heading off into the dirt and gravel for off-road motorcycle adventures? Like many of us, he wasn’t entirely sure - probably a bit of both.
It reminded me of something I often reflect on: the biggest limitation in my own riding setup isn’t the bike. It’s me. My skills, my experience, my confidence. Upgrading to a newer model might satisfy that urge for something different, but it won’t automatically make me a better or more adventurous dual-sport rider.
That said, sometimes the spark we need isn’t a new motorcycle, but new riding inspiration. So I shared a few ideas that might spark the adventure spirit:
- The ABR Festival – one of the UK’s biggest adventure bike festivals, full of like-minded riders, gear demos, talks, and test rides.
- The Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF) – a great way to connect with the UK’s off-road motorcycling community and explore the country’s legal green lanes.
- Adventure Country Tracks (ACT) – creators of epic adventure motorcycle routes across Europe, specifically designed for big bikes like the Africa Twin. Their YouTube channel is packed with stunning videos that’ll get your throttle hand twitching.
So whether you’re thinking about trading in your motorcycle or just trying to rediscover why you started riding in the first place, remember: sometimes it’s not about the machine - it’s about the mindset.
As the links might be useful to others, I’ll maintain a list.