Autumn is a spectacular time to explore Southern Ontario. Kids are back in school and most of the city folk have closed up their cottages for the season. The smell of the wood-burning fireplaces wafts across the crisp air through your helmet as you explore kilometre after kilometre of virtually uninhabited roadway. The changing leaves put on a performance that can’t compare to even the most vivid social media filter.
Ride the Highlands has been inspiring road trips through Ontario’s Highland region for years by crafting well-curated route recommendations. Searching out the best roads, points of interest, and motorcycle-friendly resorts, the organization offers suggestions to match the motorcycle and rider. Complementing their long list of routes that favour smooth, serpentine asphalt, they have recently started adding options to their portfolio that take riders where few have ventured, which is where the truly beautiful sights are.
I’ve been riding motorcycles on the road and racetrack for nearly 20 years, but I’m a total newbie when it comes to traversing surfaces other than tarmac. While many riders started on mini bikes shortly after exiting the womb, I didn’t start riding a motorcycle until I was an adult and only recently got turned on to the adventure bike scene.
The adventure (ADV) bike segment is growing. Recently, I’ve witnessed more and more riders moving from café racers to Scramblers to adventure bikes. They provide an upright riding position, additional suspension travel and traction to venture off the beaten path comfortably, but they’re also adept at handling the nasty, pothole-ridden streets of our poorly neglected cities.
If I were to become a student once again, Lawrence Hacking is perhaps the best possible person in the country I could hope for to be my instructor. He offered to go on a trip with me, which meant that I would be getting my very own private MasterClass from a seasoned professional.
Hacking competed in his first motocross race in 1971 and has completed at least one race every year since, including some of the most gruelling in the world. A podium finisher at the International Six Days Enduro half a dozen times, Hacking has completed the Mexican 1000, Baja 500, Baja 1000, and perhaps most notably, he was the first Canadian ever to cross the finish line of the infamously severe Paris-Dakar Rally. A punishing test of both man and machine, it is arguably among motorsports's most dangerous and challenging events.
We rented a pair of Harley-Davidson Pan America Specials from Blackbridge Harley-Davidson to ride on and off-road before the season ended. Would he be able to teach me how to keep the shiny side up on rugged dirt and gravel roads, or would my sheer incompetence be enough to cause a man with ice in his veins to boil over? Get your gloves on; we’re about to find out.
I’m not the only one who was late to the ADV game. Harley-Davidson launched the Pan America in 2021 after letting the likes of KTM, Husqvarna, Honda, Yamaha, and BMW feast on the segment’s piece of the pie for years. Known primarily as the company that builds massive American cruisers, the Pan Am may be its inaugural entry into a completely foreign segment, but it is immediately evident that Harley has done its homework.
Setting off shortly after dawn, which is much later this time of year, it was only 5°C when I got on the highway to head north. Thankfully, the hand guards and heated grips helped keep my extremities from becoming icicles.
Turning off the 400 N highway to meet Hacking in Bala, the temperature reached a more manageable level, and I could shed some inner layers and unplug my heated vest. Setting off in tandem, we made our way east towards the Highlands via back roads. Despite weighing 258 kg in running order (not including my minimal gear strapped to the back), the Pan Am is quite quick and adept at managing the twists and turns. The engine — along with how and where it is placed within the frame as part of the bike’s structure — makes it incredibly well-balanced.
The traffic became sparse, and the stoplights less frequent. Roads started to bend and undulate under us as we snaked our way to the Highlands. Switching from sport to adventure mode activated the various throttle response and suspension settings at the push of a button to suit the conditions.
Stopping in at Boshkung Brewing Social for lunch (and some tasty craft brews to be enjoyed after the ride), we talked more about the science and artistry of riding. Hacking may have snow-white hair and more years of riding experience than I have spent on this planet, but it is immediately evident that he has the stature and energy of a man who looks after himself. He was generous with his wisdom during our time together.
Our next stop was to stretch our legs at the Haliburton Sculpture Forest. Featuring 44 unique pieces curated by Canadian and international artists, the 1.4-km trail winds around Fleming College’s Haliburton Campus, home to the School of Art and Design.
Among the valuable lessons he imparted upon me as we walked through the outdoor art exhibit were the value of regular exercise and investing in proper, well-fitting gear. Safe riding gear doesn’t just mean how well the material will hold up in the unfortunate occurrence of a collision, but also the ability to properly move and regulate body temperature in changing conditions.
Another lesson came during breakfast at the Bonnie View Inn the next morning after a restful sleep (which is crucial). Rather than ordering a stack of syrupy pancakes and fatty bacon, Hacking opted for healthier choices that wouldn’t cause him to nod off during the day. Coffee or tea are great ways to perk up in the morning, but you don’t want to stop every 10 minutes for a bathroom break, either. It is also better to stay hydrated with water rather than sugary sports drinks or frappuccinos that will cause a sugar crash.
We chose to explore the Timber Trail Loop, a route consisting of winding gravel back roads and forest access trails with limited technical sections that were all well suited to these large adventure bikes. Following Hacking’s riding line, I was impressed with how smoothly he moved about the motorcycle to adjust his riding position and transition his body weight for each turn while making delicate adjustments to throttle modulation and braking. He was efficient with his use of gears, winding up through the rev range and changing them sparingly.
Among the benefits of venturing off the asphalt onto cottage roads are that there is precious little traffic, and you come across scenery few people will ever enjoy. We passed through towns I’d never heard of and passed by lakes, rivers, and waterfalls I’d never seen. For reasons unbeknownst to us, somewhere deep within the forest along Kenneway Road among the colour-changing trees, we found an old, derelict streetcar rusting away and covered in graffiti. We stood there staring at it before setting off, agreeing it was as good a destination as any to search out when the real mission was the riding itself.
Entering a dense forest trail, Hacking showed me how to properly stand on the pegs and use my body position to move the bike, modulating the clutch to navigate full lock turns at slow speeds.
Taking in the sunset over Bancroft at the Eagle’s Nest Lookout, Hacking suggested we make our way to the hotel before dark; the temperature was dropping, so our tires wouldn’t have as much traction. Nightfall surrounded by wilderness would also introduce the threat of coming into contact with animals foraging for food, which would be particularly hazardous on a motorcycle.
Gaining confidence on gravel and loose surfaces, I took the lead the following morning. Perhaps gaining too much confidence, I increased my speed and was having a blast ripping along the Wollaston Scenic Route. Entering a decreasing radius turn on deep, loose gravel, I gently squeezed the brakes and then grabbed them much harder, realizing I wasn’t going to make the bend. Sliding in what felt like slow motion, I opted to lay the bike down rather than go into the trees.
Thankfully, sliding through sand rather than gravel or asphalt and coming to a stop resting on the bike’s crash bar, the only damage was to my ego. I figured my mistake was too much speed and a bit of target fixation. Having witnessed the whole thing from behind me, I was eager to understand from Hacking precisely where I went wrong, aside from carrying too much speed for my ability and experience.
Helping me lift the bike and dust me off, he gave me valuable tips on where to look and how to choose a line with the most traction. He also reminded me that we were not in any hurry, so I should walk before I run.
Hacking is an excellent ambassador for the sport, and his calming voice and zen-like demeanour make his feedback feel helpful rather than hurtful. I am confident that I am a better rider for having the chance to learn from him. As effective a tool as the Harley-Davidson Pan America is, experiencing its highest potential comes down to the rider’s ability to harness it.
I always scoffed when someone would say to me, “It’s not a matter of if you’re going to fall, but when.” Evidently, I’m now a part of the fraternity of those who have crossed the line of traction to discover what is on the other side.
Enjoying a delicious meal at the Somerset Lakeside Resort before retiring to our cabins, we toasted a successful ride. We explored roads and trails we hadn’t seen before and got the chance to take in the fall foliage by exploring back roads in the Highlands, which was the best way possible to wrap up the riding season and learn some important lessons in the process.
