Escape & Explore—A Letter from Florian

Each year, we send out our reader survey to learn more about you and your riding habits. One of the questions asks you to rank the reasons why you ride. Consistently, the number one answer is “the desire to escape and explore.” I second that.

It has been a great travel year for me so far. I developed cabin fever last winter, even though it was the warmest I can remember. Two quick trips to Europe to test new motorcycles, a couple of short family outings to keep sane, and three very different but equally fun motorcycle tours have kept me on the road in 2024. I fulfilled my need to escape and explore well before the halfway point of the year.

For my first adventure, I tapped my friend Josh for a 1,200-mile loop through South Carolina—riding Honda Trail 125s. I’m glad we did! We rode for six days and even included two camping nights, one at a beach and one in the mountains. The lack of speed wouldn’t let us escape anything, at least literally, but it did emphasize exploring. Plus, the bikes were conversation starters wherever we went. The trip will be chronicled in our 2024 Special Collector’s Issue for your reading pleasure.