This Is Not Kansas Anymore Dorothy

The world of Adventure Riding is all abuzz for the rumored US release of the 500cc Benelli TRK 502 adv motorcycle that would have an approx. dry weight of around 450 lbs. The agility of a smaller bike married to the beefiness of the adventure frame and physique would be an answer to many riders’ questions.
 
What CC is “needed” when riding? To every rider this number may be different, and a BMW GSA adventure rider might look a CT110 and think “un-doable” or “impossible” – you need a large bike for a large adventure….right?

Not necessarily - Nathan Millward has done just the opposite taking a 105cc Postie bike on two grand adventures.  After a break up in Australia he found himself making a quick decision on how to make it back home to England – this included – unprepared with improper gear,  a bike “that would never make it”, a few funds left, and the need to heal through exploration.
 
“When I started I didn’t even know how to fix the bike, but I figured people would help along the way. Was I out of my depth and ill-prepared? Of course I was. For footwear I had Converse trainers, for storage a milk crate, for accommodation a tent.”
 
We all end up with difficult or spur of the moment life changing decisions, and for many of us “riders” significant journeys tend to be a cornerstone of those moments.  With a broken heart and just 20 days until his visa expired – he could fly home OR with limited days to prep he could ride a traditional “postal mail bike” back! This is where the story of Dorothy and Nathan began.
 
He then wrote two books about his adventure and has since combined them now in one journey chronicling of the rides he and Dorothy have taken.  The Postman represents the complete story from Sydney to Alaska on 105cc Australian post bike named Dorothy. The story was originally in two parts: The Long Ride Home, about the original trip from Sydney to London, followed by Running Towards the Light, about the subsequent trip from New York to Alaska on the same bike.
 
Notes on Adventure Riding-
To the question – what is the right bike?
The answer is simple – The right bike is whatever bike you throw your leg over on that epic day of departure!
 
“A reminder that mood is a consequence of circumstance, not location.” - Nathan Millward, The Long Ride 'Home'
 
Written by Danell Lynn, Guinness World Record Rider – www.danelllynn.com, @danelllynn
Photo credits – Nathan Millward, www.nathanmillward.com