nicholastanguma
Los Angeles, San Francisco
Here's an odd General Vehicle Modification for folks to ponder: a motorcycle. Yes, really.
Years and years ago there was an ongoing Epic Ride Report from a female inmate on ADVrider.com (name I don't presently recall) that featured a somewhat controversial aspect for the time: the ride reporter drove around the USA (maybe it was all of North America, I don't presently recall) in her pickup truck with her little dualsport in the bed, and would use the truck as a portable basecamp for her daily moto adventures.
Essentially, she was practicing an epic long term motorbike tour via van life before van life had become the alt lifestyle tour de force that social media has made it into these days.
She liked her 250cc bike's small size and ultra light weight and naked aesthetic, and didn't want:
A) to load her nimble machine with heavy luggage or a pull along trailer
B) to ruin her bike's naked looks with luggage or a pull along trailer or a fairing or other touring accoutrements
C) get a bigger displacement, heavier weight machine that was better suited to highway touring
She liked her moto's lightness, nimbleness, compact size, and naked aesthetic, and wanted to enjoy the machine exactly the way she liked her machine.
Many commented in the ride report just to lambast her, labeling her as "fake adventure rider" or "too soft" or "too vain" and other such predictable things as that. Others defended her, noting the idea of driving around one's own portable basecamp was actually remarkably practical, as it allowed for secure stowing of valuables in a campground while away riding, the carrying of huge amounts of pretty much everything from spare moto parts to as many creature comforts as one wanted, to a ready-made place to sleep whenever setting up a ground tent was for some reason undesirable.
I myself was kind of on the fence regarding her drive-to-ride touring model, noting the pragmatic argument for a portable base camp was undeniable, as was the fact she was indeed getting to enjoy exactly the motorcycle she wanted to enjoy without having to concede to any of the bike's inherent touring deficiencies; however, a somewhat vainglorious part of my psyche was also a bit offended at the ride reporter because of the thought she undeniably was sort of being a "fake adventure rider."
These days, with the wisdom of more years coloring my perceptions of van life moto touring, I find myself increasingly drawn to the whole practice for precisely the reasons that ride reporter herself was so many years ago. So much so that I'm actually considering restomodding a vintage Chevy G20 or G30 van for drive-to-ride moto touring.
To reiterate:
1) I could carry as much stuff as I want in my own portable base camp, from spare parts to food to water to a chemical loo to first aid supplies to clean clothes to a gravity shower to camping swag to gallons of spare fuel.
2) Said portable base camp is completely lockable for securing all of the above belongings while I would be out riding for the day.
3) I like small, lightweight, naked motorbikes that I don't want to ruin with cumbersome luggage weight, or a trailer, or touring accessories such as a fairing or hardbags.
4) The van itself is a ready-made sleeping solution for any time setting up a ground tent doesn't appeal for some reason.
Really, in these days of more adult wisdom, I find I care less than ever about impressing other riders with how hardcore I am as an adventurist...and more about getting to ride exactly the machine I enjoy most without having to concede to its inherent touring deficiencies. I'm not interested in becoming a full time van lifer, but a van life moto tourer, well, it just seems to be so practical I might even paradoxically call it sexy...
Anyone else?
What am I perhaps not clearly discerning about the whole notion of van life moto touring that might actually put me off the idea?
Photo is of a vintage Chevy G20 van.
Years and years ago there was an ongoing Epic Ride Report from a female inmate on ADVrider.com (name I don't presently recall) that featured a somewhat controversial aspect for the time: the ride reporter drove around the USA (maybe it was all of North America, I don't presently recall) in her pickup truck with her little dualsport in the bed, and would use the truck as a portable basecamp for her daily moto adventures.
Essentially, she was practicing an epic long term motorbike tour via van life before van life had become the alt lifestyle tour de force that social media has made it into these days.
She liked her 250cc bike's small size and ultra light weight and naked aesthetic, and didn't want:
A) to load her nimble machine with heavy luggage or a pull along trailer
B) to ruin her bike's naked looks with luggage or a pull along trailer or a fairing or other touring accoutrements
C) get a bigger displacement, heavier weight machine that was better suited to highway touring
She liked her moto's lightness, nimbleness, compact size, and naked aesthetic, and wanted to enjoy the machine exactly the way she liked her machine.
Many commented in the ride report just to lambast her, labeling her as "fake adventure rider" or "too soft" or "too vain" and other such predictable things as that. Others defended her, noting the idea of driving around one's own portable basecamp was actually remarkably practical, as it allowed for secure stowing of valuables in a campground while away riding, the carrying of huge amounts of pretty much everything from spare moto parts to as many creature comforts as one wanted, to a ready-made place to sleep whenever setting up a ground tent was for some reason undesirable.
I myself was kind of on the fence regarding her drive-to-ride touring model, noting the pragmatic argument for a portable base camp was undeniable, as was the fact she was indeed getting to enjoy exactly the motorcycle she wanted to enjoy without having to concede to any of the bike's inherent touring deficiencies; however, a somewhat vainglorious part of my psyche was also a bit offended at the ride reporter because of the thought she undeniably was sort of being a "fake adventure rider."
These days, with the wisdom of more years coloring my perceptions of van life moto touring, I find myself increasingly drawn to the whole practice for precisely the reasons that ride reporter herself was so many years ago. So much so that I'm actually considering restomodding a vintage Chevy G20 or G30 van for drive-to-ride moto touring.
To reiterate:
1) I could carry as much stuff as I want in my own portable base camp, from spare parts to food to water to a chemical loo to first aid supplies to clean clothes to a gravity shower to camping swag to gallons of spare fuel.
2) Said portable base camp is completely lockable for securing all of the above belongings while I would be out riding for the day.
3) I like small, lightweight, naked motorbikes that I don't want to ruin with cumbersome luggage weight, or a trailer, or touring accessories such as a fairing or hardbags.
4) The van itself is a ready-made sleeping solution for any time setting up a ground tent doesn't appeal for some reason.
Really, in these days of more adult wisdom, I find I care less than ever about impressing other riders with how hardcore I am as an adventurist...and more about getting to ride exactly the machine I enjoy most without having to concede to its inherent touring deficiencies. I'm not interested in becoming a full time van lifer, but a van life moto tourer, well, it just seems to be so practical I might even paradoxically call it sexy...
Anyone else?
What am I perhaps not clearly discerning about the whole notion of van life moto touring that might actually put me off the idea?
Photo is of a vintage Chevy G20 van.
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