That's the second link to the Horca site I've seen in the last 24hrs - not surprising as it seems to be well written with a lot of relevent stuff.

When it comes to the "bike traveller vs travelling biker" arguement I think it's more subtle than which side of the see-saw you're sitting on. Over the years I've travelled a lot by bike and a fair bit by car, van, public transport and on foot. Bike travel (for me anyway) isn't just one option among many, something I'll do when the budget is too tight to take the car or it's too far to walk, it's something that goes to the heart of my personality. I'm interested in the mechanisms of bike travel as well as the mechanics of the bike. I actively enjoy the interplay between riding the bike and the activity of travelling - even when I'm soaking wet or freezing cold, in a way that I get to a lesser degree when I'm in a car for example. The two come together to form something that's more than the sum of the individual parts. If you think that's a load of pretentious bollocks then might I suggest you might be more suited to a rucksack and the bus stop down the road.

It's because of that I'm not that bothered by the "adventure bike" industry that's sprung up over the last couple of decades. Yes I appreciate the wider range of bikes and bolt on bits that the upsurge has made available but for me the choice of bike has always come down to something that interests me, not something that ticks the perceived travel wisdom boxes. Money (within reason) has very little to do with this.

The eclectic collection of wrecks that have made up my biking history have come from somewhere else other than a desire to find the perfect travel / adventure bike. They've all been adventure bikes but the adventure has been inside my head. I want to ride a bike that interests me to on a journey that interests me and if the thing blows up a mile down the road, well, so be it. It even, at one point, included an MZ250 (and it might well again in the future) but never, ever a CZ. Even I have limits.

Re good attitude and "the blues", I've been there, suffered that, and right at this moment I'm acting as support back up to my daughter who's a couple of weeks into her first long (three months) solo trip. I can see the signs of hyperactive nervousness developing in her as I've been there myself in the past.

Years ago I was involved in a series of minibus trips, all of which had problems of one sort or another and it was interesting (afterwards anyway) to see that some people were devastated when were (inevitably) periodically stuck at the side of the road, they just went to pieces. Others just took it in their stride. People's core personalities come to the fore at times like that and you soon learn whether you want to travel with them again.
I have an intense dislike of the "my way or else" travel companion and will no longer go anywhere with someone who insists they're in charge (other than my dear wife of course!) even if they're otherwise perfectly pleasant. It's not because I want the dominant role myself but because I much prefer it to be a voyage of equals. Not some communist collective on the road but taking others preferences and wishes into account is important to maintaining "group happiness". Finding that some sort of factionalisation develops and it ends in a mutiny (been on a trip where that happened) doesn't make for a good atmosphere.

Excellent point! above and good post! I'm a motorcyclist at heart, have always done most of my own maintenance ... I too like the mechanical interplay. But my point (sort of, in a not very well presented way) was more about newer, younger and inexperienced riders coming from varied backgrounds ... most who never rode bikes before. Plenty of these guys and gals out there NOW as "adventure biking" really spreads out.

Far as bikes goes, I do prefer something more basic and simple over complexity. Reliability is important ... but this must be proven to me empirically, not from experience of others. I did lots of non motorcycle travel too .... and like you, enjoy traveling on a bike BEST! I work hard to keep my bike in good running order, after all, on a bike you could say your life depends on it!