And just in case you haven't figured it out yet, motorcycle parts and service are very often more expensive than comparable car/truck maintenance. Of course it all depends, but I sure pay a lot more for motorcycle tires which last 15,000 miles or so than I do for car tires which go at least 40,000 (and come with a warranty). Plus both the leakiest car I've ever owned (1968 Pontiac Tempest convertible) and the coldest (air cooled VW squareback) were far and away more comfy than any motorbike, anywhere. My neighbors even get better gas mileage than I do on my bikes...and they get to carry on conversations and listen to soothing music while doing so.

Which doesn't help explain why I like motorcycle travel so much, does it? Don't try to squeeze everything to suit linear, logical thinking.

I would wager you will smile more and have more interaction with the locals if you chose the 'bike over the pick up.

Then I suppose my only option is to do both! Perhaps I set off in the truck, and join a bike trip for a few days in the middle, see which I prefer!

I guess you can do a lot more on a bike thinking about it? If you get totally lost you can take a bike down a single trail track that even the toughest truck would struggle with?

This is true for the little things. Maybe I worry too much. New tyres at the end of a trip, whatever, no biggie. An axle breaking in the desert? A lot of cash to get (somehow) recovered from there and a new axle put in. Whereas a bike... At least the recovery would be cheap and easy!

Well, whatever, bikes can be expensive to fix too, but I feel like I could do near as damn it most tihngs on a bike. A truck I need to pay for labour too. Maybe I worry too much. Both could have expensive things go wrong. Neither probably will have anything go wrong. Might as well just go and enjoy myself, its only money at teh end of the day

I am a firm believer in the old saying that four wheels move the body, while two wheels move the soul.

I've had some good car trips, but the bike trips were always better.

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Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

There is a good way to start to dig a bit deeper! What did you like most on your trips? What did you not like? About what do you remember later?

Try to do a list for each extended trip.

Surfy

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About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

The chap that started all this ‘main stream’ motorcycle over landing was Ted Simon and his book Jupiter’s Travels.
He was a writer/journalist and had the idea to travel round the world and write down his thoughts about where he visited and send it back for regular publication in (if I recall correctly) The Sunday Times - which he did.

The mode of travel he chose was by motorcycle, even though he’d never ridden one before. His thoughts were such - again if I remember correctly:

> Aeroplane travel was out - he wanted to travel through countries, seeing/meeting/interacting with ordinary people and reporting on their lives, good or bad.
> Public transport was too restrictive, better the freedom of one’s own transport.
> A bicycle is too slow and too hard - the cycle ride then becomes the focus of the journey.
> A covered vehicle, such as a car or 4x4 separates the traveller from those outside the vehicle. In many parts of the world it may elevate the traveller in status and possibly close off or limit interaction.

For me I like being outside and I like travelling - on a motorcycle I’m doing both. As for camping, I believe that anyone can get used to anything and if you want to sit in the Sahara and watch the sun go down and stare at the stars then camping is the way to go.

Sounds like you’re at the beginning of your journey - so to speak.
The trouble with the Internet, I find anyway, is that people seem to want everything to be perfect - they ask loads of questions, pontificate and angst about what to do. I count myself as one of these - before the Internet (which is most of my life) I would just load up and go with a mixed bag of results but always a good story. Sadly I seem to pontificate more and more these days.

There are no mistakes to be made, just experiences to be had. Do what you feel you want to do, don’t take the trip or yourself seriously and have fun. Next time if you want to do it differently then do.

But………….. go on a motorcycle and take a tent hahaha only joking……. NOT.

Certainly I don’t travel by motorcycle for practical reasons (I don’t have a car) but it was the nature of Ted’s work that made his decision and it was one he has stuck with throughout his life as, I believe, he still rides a 2 or 3 wheeler on occasion and he’s 90 years old - another added bonus, motorcycling keeps you young

I've travelled extensively in truck and motorcycle, and if you're going for the journey, rather than to get somewhere, I much prefer motorcycle, it is a much more interesting and challenging way travel. More interactions, more connection to what's going on around you, you actually really care about the weather, less stuff you're dragging along, much easier to drive/park in crowded city centers, less incentive (and ability) to buy crap you don't need in every souk you walk into...

After travelling by moto, traveling by truck is so incredibly blah and unsatisfying.