What is the appeal of off-roading?

[BluebroncoNC]

I don't have to walk up the mountain.

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[supaDean]

Because you have to leave the pavement for this scenery, peace and tranquility.

Love and appreciate that. I added a P.S. to my original post to clarify I'm not referring to overlanding / camping. I live in Northern Ontario (Canada). Having access to and exploring nature is one of the reasons I relocated here. Thanks for sharing that wonderful photo.

 

[CarmeloS]

Because speeding is illegal, and I dont get cars simply to get from A to B.

if it doesnt have a purpose behind it (Speed, or offroading or utility), I dont want it, period

*utility like a Pickup Truck.

 

[Tacanta14]

It’s kind of like having to explain to someone why having sex is fun…. Gotta get out and try it for yourself and once you get dirty you’ll see what the hype is about. If your priorities are a pristine vehicle and zero money spent… go find a different hobby.
That said the majority of us didn’t start off-roading with the invention of the modern 6th gen Bronco.. it’s really more of a lifestyle that started very early. Passing it onto my 3 kids as we speak..

If I sent you my wife's email address, could you explain to her why sex is fun; I've tried numerous times and she still doesn't get it!

 

[HolidayDog]

Going off road is the best….There is a sense of freedom, the idea that you are entering the wilderness, the frontier of civilization; when the pavement ends you are no longer governed by speed limit signs; the painted yellow and white lines telling you are in your lane are gone; listening to the sweet sounds of pebbles pinging your hood liners are all reminders you’re in wild country now. The unpaved road leads you through the wilderness (not designated wilderness land of course) but you can encounter wildlife: deer, elk, moose, bear, mountain lion, lynx, possum, musk ox, coyote, wolves, badgers, wolverine, owl, armadillo, bovine, sheep, bison, caribou…this list goes on…. But these creatures tend to stay away from the paved roads. If you drive these roads enough you can see these animals and more.

I always love getting to the very end of any road! As far as the vehicle can take me. At that point I get out and keep going on foot or use my two wheeled muscle powered vehicle. I need to know how far can the bike get me into the wilderness?

These are some of my lifetime end of the road achievements. Some are paved, others have no asphalt for 100s of miles:
Deadhorse, AK
Wonder Lake, Denali NP
North Fork Road, MT
Kintla Lake, Glacier NP
Cape Bruny, AUS, Tasmania, Hobart
Key West, FL
Several roads on Kodiak Island, AK
Seward Spit, Homer, AK
Cape Lookout, OR
Hoh Rainforest, Olympic NP
Moclips, WA
Copper Harbor, MI


There are hundreds more but these are my lifetime greatest hits. Get to the end of any of these roads and you’ll get it at that point.

Sometimes the destination unpaved roads will get you to places where pavement just does not go or belong. My favorites are forest service rental cabins and fire look outs, hot springs, waterfalls, oceans, dispersed camping, fishing holes, beaches (by the way, if driving on a beach with the top down or completely off isn’t something you have ever done maybe start with that. Just stay out of the ocean water and you will have fun.

My son just questioned my definition of “off road”….he says I’m driving on roads without pavement. Driving “off road” (by my 12 year old’s world view) is driving through the forest, through deserts, on beaches.
To each there is a hierarchy of off road driving and I suppose there are opinions of which is better….but drive where you are comfortable and you will begin to yearn for more adventures. Then you will find true happiness. Bronco Zen can be achieved! You just got to get there first.

Off the Grind sums it up the off road experience with some amazing footage.

https://youtube.com/@OFFTHEGRIND?si=MmwTUiUeZ2q7N0Ot

 

[BadlandsA51]

At first blush off-roading appears to be a guaranteed way to damage a vehicle and spends lots of money on repairs. To someone like myself who is completely uneducated with no experience in real off-roading, what is the appeal? Is it simply being able to drive where most vehicles can't? This isn't meant to offend; I'm simply educating myself.

P.S.... Being in Northern Ontario I appreciate access to nature and exploring / camping. I guess that's what is called overlanding.

What I'm referring to are the folks going out as a group in their new expensive vehicles for a day and tackling rocks, mud etc. Every single video I've seen their vehicles are bottoming out on rocks, getting scratched etc, with repairs obviously required.

I can see tackling rough terrain being a lot of fun but thought I'd see what those with experience would like to share.

Cheers.]

At first blush off-roading appears to be a guaranteed way to damage a vehicle and spends lots of money on repairs. To someone like myself who is completely uneducated with no experience in real off-roading, what is the appeal? Is it simply being able to drive where most vehicles can't? This isn't meant to offend; I'm simply educating myself.

P.S.... Being in Northern Ontario I appreciate access to nature and exploring / camping. I guess that's what is called overlanding.

What I'm referring to are the folks going out as a group in their new expensive vehicles for a day and tackling rocks, mud etc. Every single video I've seen their vehicles are bottoming out on rocks, getting scratched etc, with repairs obviously required.

I can see tackling rough terrain being a lot of fun but thought I'd see what those with experience would like to share.

Cheers.

There are tons of places to go off roading and not destroy your truck. The beauty and solitude of being on a 12,000 foot pass alone while taking in the view is quite an experience. And the challenge of getting there is really fun. And that’s what Broncos are for.

 

[BoomerBarnes]

At first blush off-roading appears to be a guaranteed way to damage a vehicle and spends lots of money on repairs. To someone like myself who is completely uneducated with no experience in real off-roading, what is the appeal? Is it simply being able to drive where most vehicles can't? This isn't meant to offend; I'm simply educating myself.

P.S.... Being in Northern Ontario I appreciate access to nature and exploring / camping. I guess that's what is called overlanding.

What I'm referring to are the folks going out as a group in their new expensive vehicles for a day and tackling rocks, mud etc. Every single video I've seen their vehicles are bottoming out on rocks, getting scratched etc, with repairs obviously required.

I can see tackling rough terrain being a lot of fun but thought I'd see what those with experience would like to share.

Cheers.

this is where I think the difference between overlanding and sport off-roading come to light. I don’t like off-roading (in my area off roading is generally just mudding), but the overlanding concept brings a goal to mind. Trying to get somewhere that few people can/will go because the effort it takes to get there.

 

[Area51BS]

Great question. My answer would be a great way to experience the outdoors in the area you live. Some people live near lakes or the ocean and do outdoors that way. By boat or other means. Some do bikes. Either way it cost money.
Off roading damage can be none or minimal depending on the trail or driver not knowing or pushing limits. Boats require money by nature. Bikes can become pricey too. Hiking gets you killed by a bear.
If you do the Off rodeo you will see how the Bronco does on a course designed not to destroy it with just basic careful driving. Personally I think many of the videos show poor driving, vehicle not suitable for the trail or just the who cares attitude. Real rock crawling requires a purpose built vehicle in my opinion.

 

[35tires]

Drove there. No road, no easy way, and frankly I doubt without a 4x4, lockers and 35s or bigger you couldn't get here.

One of the best days I've ever had with the person I was with. The photo in no way does it justice. A LOT of the fun we had was getting there - 3 hours going from 5 mph up to 80mph depending on terrain.

I can get a new Bronco. They make tons. Nothing broke too bad on that drive and anything that took a bump kinda makes me laugh now. I couldn't pay money to get another day like that with the person I was with. That's why I enjoy it.

 

[Callelk]

I have hunted, fished, camped and backpacked all my life so off-roading went hand-in-hand. I don't rock crawl but after doing Bronco Off Rodeo in Moab I can see the allure and challenges. During the summer before hunting season I like to explore new areas and take my metal detector with me to check out old cabins, mining and hunting camps. Amazing what I find. I will be going to MT next year bird hunting and the 4-door Bronco will get me and my two hoodlum puppies there in comfort (compared to my Jeep) and be a capable off-roader though it will be primarily logging roads.

 

[6ronchitis]

even if u do not like off roading...I haven;t done it...it is nice to have a car that makes it thru floods where I live...construction sites and driving down country roads on edge of city....slick roads not a problem either...I guess that would be feeling safer than in a low small car ...which I used to buy

 

[PA BRaptor]

Wow...great question! You're gonna get tons of different answers...
For me it's a number of things.
Coming from having multiples of motocross bikes and atvs my whole life...I just love being out in the woods tackling different terrain, getting from point A to point B the fastest I can or just successfully completing difficult terrain.
2nd..Nature! Need I say more.
America has got to be the most beautiful country when it comes to diversity..beaches, mountains, deserts, swamps, dunes, plains..you get the point...alot of this is not accessible by your average vehicle.
So many different types of offroading for whatever your comfort level is. Some folks will absolutely beat the living shit out of their 4x4 and have a blast doing it and they probably enjoy fixing them just as much as they drive them..(not me)..
Now that I'm getting older the dirt bikes and atvs are starting to hurt my body alot more, the Bronco is my way of keeping me out there a while longer...I look forward to reading everyone else's thoughts on what offroading is to them! Cheers

^^^^^ This...

I rode and raced motorcycle enduros for years and also had ATVs. Turned 60 this yr and really began feeling the wear and tear on the body. Still have bikes but I'm a bit weary about tackling terrain I used to dive into without thought. Was out on a few group offload bike rides hitting fairly tough trails over the summer and felt it for days afterward. Bought a Bronco, a SXS and dual sport this year and really enjoy them. The dual sport is nice for scouting trails. I know most all of the single track in the area but not much about the dual track and wider trails. We always avoided those. Used to be the tighter the better...

 

[prospectfour]

At first blush off-roading appears to be a guaranteed way to damage a vehicle and spends lots of money on repairs. To someone like myself who is completely uneducated with no experience in real off-roading, what is the appeal? Is it simply being able to drive where most vehicles can't? This isn't meant to offend; I'm simply educating myself.

P.S.... Being in Northern Ontario I appreciate access to nature and exploring / camping. I guess that's what is called overlanding.

What I'm referring to are the folks going out as a group in their new expensive vehicles for a day and tackling rocks, mud etc. Every single video I've seen their vehicles are bottoming out on rocks, getting scratched etc, with repairs obviously required.

I can see tackling rough terrain being a lot of fun but thought I'd see what those with experience would like to share.

Cheers.

Driving on boulders? None for me, this is my DD!

Beach driving or exploring a state forest is 1000% worth your while though. Don’t confuse what people post about on here as what most people do with their Broncos. Not everyone is rock crawling on 37’s

 

[jbellousux]

My daughter and I road-tripped to Moab after her college graduation last summer. We have been on many great trips together over the years, but our days together in Canyonlands on Elephant Hill Road and White Rim Trail will undoubtedly be some of my fondest memories. She learned how to be a spotter and the basics of driving off-road, along with the nuances of driving a manual transmission.
Both roads were “permit only” which meant lots of privacy, which is an experience that cannot be had in most locales.

 

[Brian_B]

My Bronco is my DD, so I'm pretty conservative on where I will take it.

That said, getting off the pavement every now and then is like therapy. It doesn't have to be the Rubicon every time. I figure it's probably cheaper to replace a few broken parts or buff out a scratch than to pay a shrink.

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