There are plenty of tongue-in-cheek phrases that many gearheads have deployed at one time or another, and sometimes it’s good to throw in a lighthearted cliché into the mix. The thing is, sometimes nothing else fits. We have many such idioms on the two-wheeled side of motorsports, and one such variation goes like this: “Anything is an adventure bike if you’re bold enough.” Use it wisely, folks, as it can be adapted to many situations.

That quick quip is usually tossed out in situations when riders have the wrong tool for the job, and an off-road excursion is within earshot of their decidedly road-going steed. It’s a friendly jibe given to buddies, and should illicit a smirk, sigh, or groan from your compatriots if they’re of the wholesome sort.

On the other end of the spectrum, we might hear this quote used when admiring a fellow rider’s boldness in action. As is the case with this Honda Gold Wing, which certainly earned its wings in the dirt.

In this instance, we might be looking at that situation with admiration, horror, or even disgust. And, as we all know, life’s best experiences usually balance all three of those elements carefully to make one hell of a story for the hypothetical grandkids/nieces/nephews. Or maybe you shouldn’t tell them (use your judgment on that one, folks, as therapy is expensive).

It’s tough to spot a flaw in the logic. Anything is an adventure bike in the same way that anything is a track bike or trials bike if you try hard enough. After watching Yamaha Ténéré 700 maestro Pol Tarrés do impossible things on his motorcycle, we shouldn’t need much more convincing that definitions aren’t as strict as we thought.

Leading life with that mentality expands your worldview quite a bit. Those who have explored off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails throughout the country know how the sentiment applies to four-wheeled vehicles as well. What some readers may already guess is that I’m speaking of the legendary off-road Toyota Prius, a not-uncommon sight in wilderness settings.

Did Toyota intend for its hybrid economy car to be used in such a manner? Absolutely not, but the Venn diagram of Prius owners and outdoorspeople probably looks like an overlapping circle. Naturally, activities such as hiking or camping could require exploring dirt roads of varying difficulty, and well, why let that get in the way of a good time?

I am committing the unjournalistic sin of using myself as a data point, but I have personally seen numerous Priuses performing valiant trail antics. Sometimes you’ve got to use what’s available to you, and these owners are completely undeterred. Call it stupid, call it ignorant, but I’ll always doff my helmet’s peak to those intrepid individuals. From winding mountain routes near the rugged mountainous Sequoia National Park to the harsh Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the Prius finds a way.

Let’s look at this from a non-silly perspective for a moment. As much as we all enjoy an act of potentially dangerous or foolhardy behavior, how can this sentiment be applied less destructively? Well, Yamaha Champions Riding School actively promotes bringing any motorcycle to its various programs, citing that what you learn in a controlled, racetrack environment will transfer directly to the road. I’d be hard-pressed to find fault in that line of thought as well.

Many riders have space in the garage for only one motorcycle at a time. That bodes well for manufacturers who have yet to invent a bike capable of performing every riding discipline with any degree of competency; some do get pretty darn close. As for ticking those other boxes, well, sometimes all you need is a little imagination, and if the videos linked earlier can speak to anything, apparently, a total lack of mechanical sympathy. Be bold, friends, and stay safe out there.