Capturing the Ride...wi Royal Enfield and GoPro

Capturing the Ride...with Royal Enfield and GoPro

Since its dawn, the motorcycle has been the solution for man's endless search of freedom two wheels; the open road; just the horizon ahead. No other invention has exemplified the symbiotic relationship of man and machine.

The motorcycle was the evolution of the self-propelled bicycle first brought to life in the late 19th century. In 1894, England saw the first internal combustion, petrol-propelled two-wheeled motorcycle. The Hildebrand & Wolfm ller production motorcycle introduced itself to an eager British audience and it went into production quickly thereafter.

Not long after, a bicycle company by the name Royal Enfield began its exploration into the self-propelled realm of two-wheeled machines, and over 100 years later, the logo is still hand-painted onto production motorcycles sold all over the world.

Once British iron, Royal Enfield is now a wholly Indian company, although its design, identity, and DNA remain exactly the same as they were when century-old company introduced the Bullet to a post-war England in 1949.

Above: The Royal Enfield Bullet started a revolution, and its heritage still lives on today.

To this day, Royal Enfield produces models like the Bullet to almost the identical spec it has for decades. With the inclusion of modern technology like Brembo floating disc brakes and electronic fuel injection, the Royal Enfield motorcycles of today carry on the classic, iconic styling while adopting modern performance.

The ride, however, is always more important than the machine. The feeling aboard a motorcycle is second to none, and nothing can replace it other than yet another ride. However, capturing those coveted moments on the open road can be a close second. When you cannot actually be on the bike, virtually experiencing it again with a photo or video can be both therapeutic and engaging, especially if the content is as immersive as possible. Traditionally, though, capturing those moments on the bike have come at a price. Whether it is the need for a friend to snap photos or video as you ride by or attempting to dangerously capture yourself with your mobile device, digital camera, or other device, the ride is compromised. And if capturing a memorable moment (whether on a motorcycle or not) dilutes the actual experience, then why do capture it at all, right?

Above: The cafe racer-inspired Continental GT offers that classic 60s-era stance with the Royal Enfield touch of style.

Thankfully, with a GoPro and a few handy mounts, you can focus on the road and be present in the moment while still capturing the experience to relive and share when the motorcycle sleeps in the garage. Recently, we joined the Royal Enfield crew for a ride through the hills of Northeast San Diego County, and because we were presented with the rare opportunity to ride Enfield's beautiful caf -inspired racer, the Continental GT, we had to capture our experience with a GoPro camera.

Above: A Chesty harness mount can get that immersive POV shot on the open road. When the road is tame and not too windy, set your GoPro to Time Lapse at every 2 to 5 seconds to capture the surrounding scenery.

With perfect Southern California temperatures and billowy white clouds hovering overhead, a group of 15 or so riders took to the smooth undulating, winding roads surrounding the Temecula wine country. The smooth 535cc powerplant of the Continental GT propelled us for hours through the countryside, and the caf racer stance felt natural and purposeful through the windy, back-and-forth country roads.

Above: A Suction Cup mount atop the gas tank can capture that perfect immersive angle of the road ahead. To catch that perfect lean on windy roads, set your GoPro to Time Lapse at .5 or 1 second intervals.

And while we focused on the road and the exuberance of freedom, our GoPro camera captured the entire experience. A single camera, chest mount, and suction cup mount offered multiple immersive angles, and it was only at rest and fuel-up stops that we gave our camera any attention. A quick change of mount and perhaps a Time Lapse setting adjustment, and we were off again on man's endless search for freedom.

Tips for success when capturing your ride:

Have a full battery charge and clean lens

Handlebar mount for the classic selfie shot

Suction Cup mount for mounting atop or to the side of gas tank, or side covers

Chesty harness mount (If you wear a button-up jacket or vest, you can wear the harness underneath and have the camera protrude out in between buttons)

Smart Remote mounted to handlebar for easy mode changes and shutter actuation

Use 2- to 5-second Time Lapse mode for photos on straight roads

Use 0.5- to 1-second Time Lapse for photos on winding roads

Consider your surroundings...clouds, trees, old fencing, barns add to your shot; traffic, power lines, business buildings can take away from it.

Safety first. Have your camera set and rolling before you put your bike in gear. Resist the thought of making adjustments during your ride.

Learn more about Royal Enfield Motorcycles HERE, and be sure to stay tuned for more ways you can capture your experiences doing what you love to do.

LINK:	http://gopro.com/news/capturing-the-ridewith-royal-enfield-and-gopro...
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