Issue link: https://read.epgmediallc.com/i/1280060
8 / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0 / R I D E R M A G A Z I N E .C O M I f we're lucky, on any given day we're empowered by some of the people and objects in our lives to do both amazing and insignificant things. My boss empowers me to help create content for this magazine, for which I am compensated both financially and spiritually. My wife em- powers me to love her, to care for her and to occasionally do the dishes — OK, regularly do the dishes — for which I am compensated with her love and care and awesome cooking. And my big coonhound empowers me to take her for a walk every evening that I am home, for which I am compensated with her good behavior, unreserved affec- tion and holes in my slippers. Good dog, Penny. Lots of inanimate objects empower us too, like comput- ers, tools, fire and airplanes, even when we're not at the controls. And when you stop to think about it, motorcy- cles are extremely good at empowerment, partly because there are so many different kinds from which to choose. Fancy a nice, long, comfortable ride up the coast or across the state, with an overnight or two, dinner in nice ho- tels and little in the way of inconvenience (goodness knows we deal with enough of that every day)? Any good touring bike (like the Honda Gold Wing tested in this issue) with comfortable seating for two, decent luggage space and wind protection will empower such a trip, with the possibilities of audio entertainment and Bluetooth communication along the way. You only need a change of clothes, your toothbrush and a credit card if you're staying within cellphone range, and perhaps the peace of mind that a flat repair kit and/or roadside assistance plan (like the AMA's) provide. Maybe you're of a more sporting mindset — many of us started riding on the street for the thrill of arcing into a curve and powering out, after all. Sportbikes like the KTM 890 Duke reviewed on page 38, with their light weight, finely tuned suspension, short wheelbases and sticky tires can empower your MotoGP-champion Valentino Rossi fantasies (riding like him, anyway), and help you carve up famous twisty roads such as CA State Routes 58 and 229 like a honey badger carves up a beehive. I highly recommend taking an intermediate or advanced riding class at a racetrack, like the California Superbike School or CLASS, where you can learn the fine art of riding both briskly and safely from experts before you set out to grind off your sportbike's footpeg feelers. Motorcycles aren't alone in empowering us to go camping, but they do force you to take a minimalist ap- proach that often ends up adding greatly to the experi- ence of sleeping and eating in the great outdoors. There's only room for so much stuff, which means that you're responsible for so much less when it's time to set up camp, eat a meal, clean up and enjoy the caveman TV (a camp- fire). Backpacking-type tents, stoves, sleeping bags and pads pack small and light, so you don't necessarily need a behemoth of a bike to carry it all — saddlebags, water- proof duffels and ROK Straps can handle most of it, and if you plan well you can get water, firewood and even food and drink at the campground or a store nearby. Before you know it you'll be marveling at millions of stars on the darkest night you've ever witnessed, curled up in a cozy sleeping bag. Or scrambling in the mud trying to dig a rain trench around your tent with a flat rock. Ahem. Never mind—it's all part of the story for the next campfire. For empowering those serious remote camping and other adventures, nothing satisfies quite like a good adven- ture-touring or dual-sport bike. With their greater ground clearance, suspension travel and handlebar/footpeg posi- tions that lend themselves to standing up and dancing over ruts and bumps, an ADV machine can take you places you might never otherwise visit let alone camp, like Prewitt Ridge in Big Sur, California, or along the Mid Atlantic Back- country Discovery Route in Virginia and Pennsylvania. The bigger you go, the more comfortable and convenient these bikes are on the road. But in this genre we find that for a mix of on- and off-road riding, middleweight machines like Yamaha's new Ténéré 700 or the KTM 790 Adventure are best. Remember that if you venture into the outback, you should carry essentials for bike repairs, first aid, survival and communications, such as a Garmin or SPOT satellite- messaging device when there's no cellphone service. And most importantly, learn how to use it all before you go. Of course, early motorcycling empowerment comes from an entry-level bike, like the Honda Rebel 500 tested in this issue. A low seat, light weight, simple controls and confidence-inspiring power delivery are all keys to learning how to practice once you learn how to ride in one of the many beginner courses around the country. And there is no greater feeling of empowerment than master- ing a motorcycle, on the street or in the dirt! Finally, the ultimate motorcycles for riding empow- erment are the ones we already own, most of which are capable of so much more than we give them credit. Pick a route, plan a trip, pack a bag…and go. It's always worth overcoming the inertia and getting out there. Now, if only my wife would empower me to buy an- other bike…. Two-Wheeled Empowerment MARK TUTTLE Editor-In-Chief ONE-TRACK MIND