Enjoy The Freedom To Ride Any Road!
![Enjoy the freedom to ride any road! on a winding coastal highway.](https://mlq0rrsp7hsh.i.optimole.com/cb:uwYL.13399/w:694/h:347/q:mauto/f:best/https://corinnekey.com/wp-content/uploads/scenic-road694x347.jpg)
Where-oh-where can I go to enjoy the freedom to ride any road!
Where indeed … there is only one South Africa!
Beautiful Biking Beyond Borders
I am drawn to this freedom – just thinking about it is liberation personification.
So what’s holding me back? … Besides the wildlife and the remoteness – nothing I guess.
![Enjoy the freedom to ride any road. Group ride in the shadow of Table Mt.](https://mlq0rrsp7hsh.i.optimole.com/cb:uwYL.13399/w:340/h:171/q:mauto/f:best/https://corinnekey.com/wp-content/uploads/Table-Mt-ride340x171.jpg)
To show off the beautiful South African landscapes, off-road, and on-road motorcycle tours are big news on the extreme vacation holiday circuit.
This industry has opened tourism’s doors.
This isn’t just any ride… it’s a safari on 2 wheels, watching giraffes stroll by as you sip a brew while sloughing off your day.
Since sanctions were lifted in the 90s, people feel free to travel to South Africa during the northern winters.
Considering the practical side of a holiday like this, the exchange rate is so fantastic that I can afford the luxury-South-African-safari-motorcycle-tour.
It ticked all the boxes for me!
When I visit a place called Africa – I want to see wildlife and enjoy the great weather.
The country’s beauty is everywhere – the plains and coastal mountain roads – that’s what I was looking for.
Riding on South Africa’s roads can be unpredictable, and the distances are vast …
… that’s what makes the experience so rewarding.
There Are A Few Ways To Do This…
Choose your special South African adventure
I know what you’re thinking: “There are other ways to take an extreme vacation. You can go cave exploring, mountain climbing, bungee jumping, parasailing, sky diving” … OK!
When I say extreme vacation, I mean I haven’t done this before. I still want luxury and pampering. I still want good food and great accommodation.
I wouldn’t mind a real safari being thrown into the mix too.
(Read about a Real South African safari).
One can take two distinct paths on this tour:
1. You can ride a motorcycle ON the road – OR
2. – ride a motorcycle OFF the road
Tour operators are adept at helping you spend money in the best way. They’ll maximize the adventure and the value packages and the memories will keep you warm.
Option #1!
Enjoy the Freedom to Ride any Road! on a Rocking Chair Tourer…
The first option is to ride two-up on a touring motorcycle; they are the BMWs, Valkyries, and Hondas of this world.
These are your comfortable rides that are well-engineered – and perfectly equipped to tackle paved roads. This was a luxury for me, having been weaned on a non-touring bike.
Sitting astride our motorcycles the engine’s rrRrrrrrr-err pulses through us and we’re in sync – there is nothing like that sound when everyone’s engines turn over at the same time.
We’re in the mood to explore this beautiful place – I feel giddy with excitement, but I maintain a serious look. These group rides conjure a great feeling of camaraderie and friendship!
There’s access to hotels, restaurants, and iconic tourist sites. Visit Umtata in the Transkei – Nelson Mandela was born in the area and monuments to him are everywhere.
The highways meander in and out of rocky hills – they go on for eons. Roads ribbon down to wide dunes that lead down to the beaches and wildlife roams the plains.
Whether at a wooden planked and crystal-laden dining table or enjoying a braai, the evenings were unforgettable as we watched the sunset with all its magic.
![No matter where you dined, alfresco was always better.](https://mlq0rrsp7hsh.i.optimole.com/cb:uwYL.13399/w:340/h:204/q:mauto/f:best/https://corinnekey.com/wp-content/uploads/dining-on-dock340x204.jpg)
It’s the perfect fusion of relaxation and adventure… everywhere there are hidden gems.
Savor the two wheels under you because you feel completely alive. This is not just a motorcycle ride, this is a motorcycle-on-road-extreme-holiday-safari-tour …
– it’s spe-cial!
Nowhere else promises the welcome of the locals and the freedom that a motorcycle tour can offer.
It’s all here. It’s the ultimate on-road adventure.
It’s Called The Wilderness…
Ok, I get it – cruising the highway on a rocking chair tourer, why would you want to get off of this comfortable surface? Maybe you want something more? – it might be quite nice to visit the scenery out there.
Occasionally I would daydream that swerving off-road would feel like riding into a movie set and disappearing over the horizon. It was enticing and who wouldn’t want to see more?
And – why confine myself to this cushy ride when more adventure awaits off-road?
This is an extreme vacation – remember? I can sell myself anything!
There is the raw beauty of Africa – but they don’t call it the wilderness for nothing – it really is empty out there.
This is no longer about plush accommodations or the familiarity of road signs. This IS about the rugged terrain and danger beyond safety nets.
South Africa caters to both on-road travel and the unpredictable excitement of off-road challenges. You find your place when you commune with nature.
Option #2!
The wild adventure does not need to end when the tarmac ends … it continues when the wilderness takes over.
I was hooked … he was riding an adventure bike!
This is how we take care of the second option – with the off-road adventure bike.
The Adventures of On/Off-Road Motorcycles…
plains of the Eastern Transvaal!
I remember seeing races through the city between the good guys and the bad guys and that guy on the bike – the good guy – rode down the cathedral steps and through the city park and around buildings and climbed walls and streaked across roofs of tall buildings in order to save mankind!
I was hooked … he was riding an adventure motorcycle – it can take you anywhere.
It is dual-purpose, adaptable, and capable without limitations… you are free to veer onto dusty trails – and see what lies beyond.
Calling off-road enthusiasts…
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
When you get OFF of your hard, and flat, and oh-so-comfortable paved road, it will be bumpy, there will be rocks, there could be wet hillsides…
…and … you can get in touch with the out-of-touch.
Off-road there is the promise of unlimited space; it is amazing how the road fades behind you… Relax … turn off your engine.
There is no noise, there is no city sound – there are no people.
The breeze whispers around, and small herds graze in the distance.
If you are truly committed to riding off-road into the wilderness – you need an adventure motorcycle.
There is an element of danger when you leave the road and tiptoe into the open land.
You feel prying eyes everywhere and there is no one in sight.
Let’s not sugarcoat anything … your rides will be less comfortable, and the chances of you breaking a bone if you choose a “knievel kareer” is about 100%.
Choosing the off-road option forges a connection with nature and surrenders to the uncharted – be ready for this!
Navigating the Wild Terrain
This challenge is about riding to – where? Last I heard the unknown is available – –
You could ride there…
You will navigate rocky trails, push through dense forests, and cross rivers while trying to keep up with the others and stay ahead of the dark clouds moving your way.
The African landscape is unforgiving… it will push you to your limits of endurance and courage. (SA Weather Authority)
That sounds like an extreme vacation to me.
Announcing Arrivals
I often wonder how locals deal with our noise – rather, our intrusion. They live a solitary life, and the whine of a motor in this remote place is imposing.
It’s like blasting heavy metal in a library – you can’t ignore it.
Whispers in the Wilderness
Anyone living in the bush has a refined ear – they don’t use energy to tune out the noise, because there isn’t much.
Villagers hear the sound of our arrival from miles away – it’s the only disturbance there is, and the soundwave travels forever.
The people who continue to live there stay because they like the sound. It’s comforting, like a melody – and they have visitors!
The Path Less Traveled
Taking the path less traveled pressures you to explore beyond your comfort zone – you could never see such places from a car.
You wouldn’t see that sunrise hidden in a mountain pass, accessible only after a punishing off-road climb that saps your energy.
When you’ve booked your extreme vacation to South Africa on a motorcycle tour and it’s scheduled for February – be prepared to answer a lot of questions.
(Beyond The Headlines of SA)
Where else would the balance between wildlife and people be maintained to such a high degree? South Africans have navigated that tightrope between animals and humans.
Safety takes precedence. Riding through areas where wildlife roams freely demands caution and respect – don’t go jungle-ing alone – you need a guide.
When it comes to conservation, no one mucks about with the South Africans. Fines are stiff and no animal will be put down if he hurts you.
It’s a journey that pushes your travel boundaries and leaves you forever changed.
Excitement is in the air!
Have you been on an extreme vacation?
Did you go extreme on a motorcycle?
Tell us where you went; tell us about the experience.
I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below and I will get back to you within 24 hours.
Regards, Corinne :-)))