By now, Honda hopes that you have all heard of the Quest True Adventure event. While the event has been a dark horse in terms of exposure in previous years, Honda is determined to rectify that in 2023. To that end, over the past few months, the Quest road show has been making its way around South Africa, visiting Honda dealers with a fleet of Africa Twin adventure bikes, inviting anyone to come along and try out the bike and find out more about the event, entries to which are open to anyone, irrespective of their adventure riding experience.
Further to this initiative, Biker’s Warehouse, itself a Honda dealer, organised a Mini Quest event at the A.D.A. training facility near Hartebeespoort recently. To understand what this entailed, an understanding of the Quest event itself is required.
The Honda Quest is not a race, even though teams of two riders compete together against other teams. It is more of a challenge, not only for the bike but of the participants. It’s not how many times you fall, but how many times you pick yourself up again: how you handle the pressure: how many times you will put others before yourself: how much empathy you have for your surroundings, of the culture of this amazing country, its people and nature. Of course, it is also a test of skill, endurance, mechanical sympathy and knowledge and riding ability but, over everything else, it is a test of teamwork.
With this in mind, various challenges had been set up at A.D.A. and a fleet of Africa Twins was supplied on which to complete them. Paired off into teams, the participants had to complete the following tasks: pushing the bike around a pre-determined course (not as easy as it sounds): riding along a tight trail through woodland, counting hidden cones along the way: picking up cones with your feet and placing them in a receptacle: towing your teammate around a coned course: removing and replacing a front wheel: picking up two bikes (two picking up one bike and then one picking up the other bike) and removing a screw from a tyre and plugging the hole successfully.
All sounds simple, doesn’t it? Yes, some of the tasks were easier than others but all required a level of skill that you either possessed or had to learn quickly. Most of all, however, it was fun with a capital F. We all got to know new people, laughing with them and cheering them on. And that is the key to the Quest: as much as it showcases the abilities of the Honda Africa Twin, the Quest is about people. We’re all from different walks of life, have different issues to deal with but, at the end of the day, we all share a love of motorcycling and there is a strong sense of community. The perfect Honda Quest participant is someone who is confident in him- or herself but just as ready to recognise faults and work on them, open to new experiences and influences, ready to push the boundaries, ready to help others and be grateful for everything we have in this incredible country we call home.
In the half-day the Mini Quest took up, we experienced but a fraction of what the full Quest entails but there was not one of us who left there without hoping that we might be one of the lucky few who get through to the final selection of participants.
The Honda Quest is open to anyone to enter. You don’t need your own bike – Honda supplies Africa Twins for every participant – just your own protective riding kit. All you have to do is look out for the notification on the Honda SA Facebook page that entries are open. You’ll have to write a short justification as to why you should be considered and answer a few questions. 200 entrants will be selected and will attend regional qualifying events. From there, 28 entrants will be selected to attend a three-day boot camp which will whittle the number down to fourteen finalists who will go on to take part in the ten-day Quest event in October.
To give you further insight into the qualities required, I can do no better than to quote from the Quest website – regarding the 2021 Boot Camp qualifier:
“The selection panel had the arduous task of eliminating 14 of the 28 hopeful semi-finalists by conducting theoretical and practical tests that varied from adventure-related general knowledge questionnaires to African geography quizzes. The semi-finalists were also asked to perform various practical and mechanical tasks with the added pressure of time limits per task.
“The individual tasks also included the assembly of adventure essential accessories to the CRF1100 Africa Twins, one of the finest adventure motorcycles, and the bike they will be using to compete in the Honda Quest 2021 competition. Additional tasks over the 3 days included the assembly of a camp, motorcycle maintenance, tyre and tube repairs among others.
“The selection panel were constantly on the lookout for individuals who demonstrated the competitive spirit and determination to complete the necessary tasks that would stand them in contention to compete in the final of Honda Quest 2021. Individual interviews were also conducted with each of the 28 semi-finalists which gave the panel insight into the behavioural responses of each semi-finalist.”
As you see, riding is almost the least of the challenge and it is this that makes the Quest unique. It is the most comprehensive test of adventure riders yet devised and, should you be one of the lucky ones, you will experience an adventure beyond your wildest dreams and which will only serve to increase your hunger for adventure.
To keep up to date with Quest developments, follow the Honda Wing SA Facebook page and website.
