Five reasons to consider an adventure rally

The common thread with the bikes you'll see at these rallies is that they can legally be ridden on the road but are suited for off-road riding. If you have an adventure bike or think you might want to try one, you may be wondering if an adventure rally is right for you. As a writer/rider who has built a career supporting motorcycle communities and content for REVER, I can tell you (fresh off my 11th or 12th rally) that these events are about more than just the terrain — it's the takeaways, the tribe, and the transformation.

Here are five benefits of attending an adventure rally that I've noticed.

Doing adventurous things with an adventure bike

Riding an adventure bike off-road has a pretty steep learning curve, especially if you are going at it solo. Gravel roads are plenty sufficient to get the feel for traction, but you may want more: elevation, scenery, challenge. When you start to introduce elevation and trickier terrain, the likelihood of a tip-over increases.

Adventure bikes are made to take a spill and keep going, but if you're alone, picking up a 300-to-600-pound motorcycle is exhausting and may even leave you stranded. You may be more encouraged to try adventurous things while attending a rally, especially if you group up. Riding in a group can significantly compress your learning curve. Following other riders and seeing how they navigate tricky terrain (whether executed well or not) can teach you a lot. Beyond that, a little encouragement (or hazing) from the right group can be very motivating. And, when you do have a tip-over, picking up a bike with a buddy is much easier and will leave you with more energy for the ride.

Having a low-stakes lab for high-stakes mistakes

As in the rest of life, learning never stops on a motorcycle. An adventure rally provides a better environment to push your limits and test your resourcefulness. For instance, by camping at an event venue, you can drop your luggage and excess gear, possibly preventing unnecessary damage to both. You can also improve your riding skills more efficiently, as most rallies have on-site training. For those that don't, the value of peer guidance can't be overestimated.

Also, because of the volume of bikes and riders in a given area, the likelihood of coming across a mechanical opportunity is greater at a rally. Someone is likely to have a flat tire or other trail-side repair to help with. In my experience, mechanical mishaps or breakdowns that might be traumatizing on a time-constrained multi-day trip or in a solo situation are lower stress in a rally setting and provide an ideal time to practice roadside repairs. They can even become bonding experiences.

Social glue

Speaking of bonding experiences, rallies are a great place to meet fellow riders and maybe create a lifelong connection. People travel from all over for these meetups. One phrase I hear a lot in motorcycling is the idea of like-minded people getting together, but my experience at rallies has been quite different. My own idea of who is an ADV rider and what ADV riding is has continued to expand with each rally I attend, which is not only good for my understanding but also good for those seeking to belong as a ADV motorcyclist. The people you meet at a rally won't all be just like you, but you're going to find you have a shared interest in bikes, which makes the conversations flow more easily. And finding those connections to people from different backgrounds is a really good thing in an increasingly divisive world.

Save time, take advantage of local knowledge

Traveling outside of your usual riding area requires either extensive research to decide where to ride or finding someone who has local experience. That can be costly in time and money if the resources even exist. ADV rallies are generally located in places that appeal to a wide audience and include pre-scouted, well-thought-out routes that typically show off the best views and terrain or provide a unique challenge. Sometimes, they even allow access to private land that you may not otherwise be able to experience. Riding a pre-scouted route at a rally takes a lot of guesswork and stress out of trying to decide where to ride. And if you're ambitious enough to do multiple routes, you may get to experience a wide variety of terrain in an area, which is both physically and mentally stimulating.

That post-rally effect

Advancing your skills, meeting new people, and riding new terrain can be transformative. I have actually experienced moments of clarity regarding difficult personal challenges not necessarily related to riding. Bear with me; I think a rally can provide so much information for your brain to process that it actually expands your bandwidth. I know this is totally anecdotal and unscientific, but I have had some pretty lucid dreams while attending adventure rallies. Rally challenge: If you arrive at a lull in a conversation with a rally-goer, ask about their dreams while attending one. I bet you will have some interesting conversations.

After a rally is over, I'm usually exhausted, but I have a renewed energy about a week later. It has been a little over one week since I attended the Giant Loop Ride in Oregon, and I can say my focus and energy are in a pretty good place.

The ride is just the beginning

If you're still on the fence, consider this my invitation to join me at an adventure rally this summer. Even better, see more familiar faces at Get On! ADV Fest in the Black Hills of South Dakota, sponsored by RevZilla and REVER and attended by Spurgeon Dunbar, Patrick Garvin, Pat McHugh, and Bjorn Bredeson. REVER is also supporting several other events, including Touratech Rally West in Plain, Washington; Wailin Wayne Weekend in Nelsonville, Ohio; DevilStone Run through Wyoming; and we're virtually supporting the Rides4Fun series located throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.

These rallies are more than just gateways to new trails — they're catalysts for transformation. I should know, because I've built a life around adventure riding, and I still have more to learn, more people to meet, and new places to see. But don't just take my word for it. Find out what you have to gain from going to an adventure rally.