In recent years, the motorcycle backpacking movement on large-displacement motorbikes (PKL) has been developing strongly in Vietnam, especially among young people and the middle-aged class who love to experience. Not only a trendy pet, backpacking by "huge car" has become a way of life - where every journey is a story.
From a passion for speed to an exploration journey
Unlike traditional trips by convenient car or motorbike, backpacking on a PKL motorbike is a challenge that requires physical strength, driving skills and a true passion for the route. Vehicles with engines from 400cc or more such as Honda CB650R, Kawasaki Z900 or BMW GS1200 and many other models with a power of 1,300 to 1,800 not only impress with their resounding sound but also for their power, flexibility, suitable for both mountain and mountain mountain tracks.
Mr. Nguyen Hoang Nam, a veteran biker in Thanh Hoa, shared: Running a PKL motorbike is not for show but to immerse yourself in the breathing of the land and sky. When you cross a rugged pass, or stop in the middle of a windy grassland, that feeling is irreplaceable.
Roads to help yourself discover
Along the S-shaped strip of land, there are countless roads calling on passionate drivers. That is Hai Van Pass with a curve back to the sky, a misty Dong Van stone plateau, a sunny National Highway 14 through the windy Central Highlands, or simply a coastal route of Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan - where the sunset spreads on the wheel range.
Each trip is not only about conquering the terrain but also a journey to self-discovery of one's limits. There are bikers who have run all night on Ho Chi Minh Truong Son Street, some who travel thousands of kilometers alone just to "find themselves".
A special feature of PKL motorbike players is their high community membership. Groups such as BMW Motorrad Vietnam, Saigon Free Chapter, Hanoi Biker Club... are not only a meeting place but also a place to share experiences, safe driving techniques, and support each other when encountering incidents in the middle of the road.
The handshake of the road dust, the wild meals in the forest or the minute of resting under the temporary porch between the plateau are left in the body of the warm feeling of the friendship without self -interest - where the difference in age, career or background are blurred under the helmet.
Not an impromptu game
However, backpacking by PKL is not an impromptu walk. Each trip requires careful preparation in terms of vehicle techniques, physical strength, route, climate, road use items and especially safety factors.
Many accidents involving PKL motorbikes often occur due to high speed, lack of handling skills on the pass or reckless overtaking. Therefore, genuine bikers always put the criteria of "safe top of the list" as the principle of immobility.
From scattered small groups more than 10 years ago, large- displacement motorbike players have now entered a period of strong development. Many major car manufacturers such as Ducati, Harley- Davidson, Triumph, KTM... have opened genuine showrooms in Vietnam. Accompanyed by after-sales services, maintenance, spare parts and professional driving skills training.
sightseeing tours are also increasingly organized systematically, connecting with experiential tourism, supporting local people, and protecting the environment. Many groups of bikers have combined their journey with volunteer activities, awarding scholarships, building bridges for people or protecting upstream forests.
For PKL motorcyclists, the trip is not just a travel but a lifestyle. It is a way to escape from the stifling urban life, to feel the smell of mountain wind, the flavor of the forest, the smell of flowers, the inner field to know what is a folded crab in the rain, and to understand that among the hustle of everyday life, there is still room for the silence in the saddle and engine noise like a heart beat.
