This is a thought-provoking question and all the answers are very interesting. Ever since I first 'travelled' I've never felt I slotted into any pigeon hole or fitted in with any group.
I've never been a 'lifestyle' biker (to use a term already mentioned), or even, I think, 'a biker'.

So I'll start at the beginning with my earliest influences from parents and family.
My dad and at least 4 uncles were all motorcyclists of the ride-to-work kind, and to the seaside when the sun shone.
For that reason my dad and at least 2 uncles had sidecar outfits. No cars.

That got me onto a bicycle at a pretty early age, and I quickly built the ambition to copy the journeys my family often did on Dad's outfit. The main one being from home to my Grandparent's house, both the journey and destination being so enjoyable.

So one morning I determined to set off, on my first 'adventure' journey, having persuaded my close friend David to come along too on his bicycle.
This is where parental freedom No.1 came in. It was normal for me to wander off on a ride and not know where to or how far, so my parents seemed to accept they never knew either.
On this occasion I did know, but out of habit there was no need to tell them.

We were both about 11 years old, and I was confident I knew the route from the dozens of times I'd done it on Dad's sidecar outfit. We had no maps.

All was fine as we reached Charing Cross Station at the end of The Strand, about to enter Trafalgar Square. About 16 miles from home so far (Loughton), right through East London and the City.
In those days lots of big London road junctions had policemen permanently on point duty, and this was one such place.
The copper spotted us and came straight over, and in a very friendly way asked us where we were going.
"To my Grandma's," I proudly replied.
"Where's that?"
"Victoria," I said.
"Well, take lots of care as you turn down Whitehall!" he advised.

I was glad of that reminder. When I caught the first glimpse of Trafalgar Square I realised I couldn't quite remember for a moment which turning we needed. Now I knew.

A short while afterwards we arrived, and my Grandma was hugely surprised to see us (no phones at all in those days - what bliss!)
And I sensed parental freedom No.2 - she was definitely proud of our endeavour.
And we had a very nice visit.

Later in the day she asked me, "Does David's mum and dad know where he is?"
That puzzled me - how was I supposed to know? My mum and dad didn't know where I was - as usual.
Well, back home during the afternoon David's parents had been round to see mine. They weren't happy that no one knew where we were, and had asked the police for help.
My dad took a guess at our destination and a local Victoria policeman had been round while we played in the basement.
"I think your parents are a bit angry not knowing where you are!" my Grandma told David. She said that with the same surprise that I felt, that anyone should worry about where we'd got to. I suppose it ran in the family..... Parental freedom No.3.

So later on, to pacify David's worried parents, my dad arrived on his Panther outfit. He too seemed proud of what we'd done. He installed us in the sidecar, strapped our bicycles onto the top, and returned us safely home.
I was very disappointed not to be cycling home, my Grandma was too and gave me a knowing wink. Parental freedom No.4.
Next day my mum explained: "David's in big trouble with his mum and dad. Just because you ride about everywhere all day, you mustn't assume that your friends can as well without their parents knowing!"

I've remembered that "adventure" bike ride ever since, and learned that everyone travels differently.
So that leads me to tick 'traveller on a bike'.


Well, I have 4 bikes between 250cc and 1000cc, and a bicycle (and a car).
At times in the last 15 years I've thought "the bikes are too fast for travelling, I'll use the bicycle". So I've cycled a bit around Europe and N. America.
Now I realise, as well as all the wheels, I have 2 feet, and sometimes think "the bicycle is too fast for travelling" and find myself walking now a lot more than I ever used to.

So, it's back to the old chestnut I think, is there a balance between 'seeing' and 'travelling'? And the use of big engines or little ones......

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TTR250 - London to Cape Town