Trailblazer Guide Books

Trailblazer guidebooks provide practical information on specific routes… in less accessible parts of the world.
 - Wanderlust

Prepare. That is the first word of the first chapter of this book. The motorcycle adventure you are considering is going to be expensive, physically and mentally demanding, and maybe even dangerous.

Thorough preparation gives you confidence in a venture that will always include elements of risk. Short of joining an organised tour or renting a machine, by tying up every loose end you can think of before you go, you can set off knowing that whatever happens your chosen bike, documentation and knowledge of whatever lies ahead are as good as can be expected.

Certainly spontaneity is wonderful thing, but make no mistake, even if you’re just heading off on a two-weeker to Morocco, up to Cape York, or down to the Baja, there’ll be enough unexpected dramas to deal without adding to them with inadequate preparation.

How do you want it?
Ask yourself how much of a commitment you want to make to your motorcycle adventure. Do you have an urge to see some exotic part of the planet, but still like the idea of coming back to your job and house, or are you ready to take an entirely new direction in your life for several months or even years?

Time was when unless you had heaps of money you could not just nip overseas, do some exploring and come home. These days the possibility of hiring bikes across much of the globe, as well as joining organised tours (even round the world!) can make the commitment merely financial. But even with these easier options most of the considerations outlined on the following pages must be addressed. It’s just that with a rental you miss out on a whole load of freight and carnet tedium, and on an organised tour riding your own bike, you pay to have much of that done for you. This book focuses on the biggest adventure of all: doing it yourself, but even if you pay up to join a tour from Alaksa to Patagonia, you may still choose to buy and prepare your own machine.

So, you’ve seen the light and you’re going for it. When? As a rule a first time, independent, trans-continental journey such as crossing Africa, the Americas or Asia needs at least one year of preparation. If you’re heading right around the world (RTW) you might want to double that time; if you’re just taking an exploratory nibble into the above three continents, six months should do. Preparing to explore a wilderness region of your own country may only require a few weeks. All of these times can be comfortably halved if you’re joining an organised tour or renting a machine locally. And they all assume that you’re undertaking your preparations while continuing with the full-time employment that will help fund the trip.

You may not think so now but within a few pages you’ll be getting an idea of the mushroom effect of Big Trip Planning. The more you learn the more there is to consider.