Bike travel is not easy. Your body gets sore from the constant seating position and the vibrations. The extreme situational awareness that is required for safe bike driving can be exhausting. There is the constant concern about the weather. None of these things are insurmountable, but it is these things that ensure only hardcore bikers do long bike trips. The limited space on a bike and subsequently small amount of belongings brought along on the trip, makes the driver feel a little like The Road Warrior - surviving on few of the comforts of home.
The positives of bike travel is the incredible mobility and nimbleness it give you. My favorite thing about bike travel is the smell - the rushing air drives the external smells (flowers, grass, trees, whatever) into your nose. In a 4x4 you never get the smells or the sense of closeness to the environment as you do on a bike. Everyone wants to talk to a biker; men especially want to talk to bikers ( i think it is b/c men have an infatuation with the 'freedom' of bikers)
I've been on both bike and 4x4. I prefer the 4x4 for long trips as it provides me with a feeling of more security; having a locked space to sleep in, place to store valuables, protection from weather, greater fuel range, more self-sufficient in terms of supplies, etc.
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