Royal Enfields take road to adventure

Around the world, Royal Enfields take the road to adventure -- except, by and large, in North America. No doubt some Americans take remarkable journies by Royal Enfield. But, if you look at used Enfields listed on this blog and elsewhere, it's evident that the vast majority are "garage kept," "low miles" and "never dropped."

In contrast, this blog has followed Gordon May's 8,000-mile trip from England to India on a 1953 Bullet. We've looked at photographer Iain Crockart's photos of the ascent into the Himachal Pradesh in India by Royal Enfield. We've experienced John Rhodes' earthy account of his ride across Russia from Siberia to Scotland on a Bullet.

A remarkable new magazine, Overland Journal, is devoted to "worldwide vehicle dependent expedition and adventure travel." This is a thick, colorful, quality publication, beautifully bound, cleverly written and lavishly illustrated. It is not cheap, at $10 for each of five issues a year. But articles are outstanding.

One author completes a motorcycle trip along the Continental Divide from Mexico to Canada and describes it in detail. He then turns around and does the trip again in reverse! That's authoritative journalism. Another article describes how to replace the frame of a Land Rover (easier than it sounds, apparently, but how easy could it be?).

Most articles don't concern motorcycles, but many do. Best of all, in the issues I saw, there were no ads for male enhancement products or "manly" colognes.

Executive Editor Jonathan Hanson, based in Arizona, said he is considering a Royal Enfield motorcycle for a magazine project vehicle. Maybe, when he's done, we'll find out how the Royal Enfield meets the challenge of the North American continent.