#RideTheHighlands Moto InstaMeet 2017 - A Photo Essay

The shutterbug behind the 2017 #ridethehighlands Instameets shows his side of the ride.

By Martin Lortz Martin Lortz is a freelance photographer/writer specializing in the outdoor lifestyle.

April 12, 2023

What do you get when you match up a handful of new Honda and Yamaha motorcycles with equal number of moto loving social media influencers, and point them all north toward some of the best motorcycling roads in the province? You get what might just be the first of its kind in Ontario, a Moto InstaMeet. That’s exactly what took place a few weeks back when the Ride The Highlands set out to tell the world what Ontairo's Highlands are all about. Welcome to my photo run down of what went down, as seen by an outsider looking in, for the inside scoop you will have to read all their stories.

How We Got There - Route

All adventures must start somewhere. In our case it’s the Propeller Coffee Co in Toronto. Already well know with the GTA moto crowd as a maker of good cup of brew and the host of the Motosocial, it just made sense.

The walls are closing in along Hwy 35; not really it’s just the gateway to some of the best roads in Ontario

We settle in at the beautiful Bonne View resort in the Haliburton Highlands on the shores of Lake Kashagawigamog, just 7 km’s from the village of Haliburton

How do you get a group of motor heads to bond? All it takes is a giant inflatable wiener, a power boat and the need to hang on for dear life. LOL, it worked!

Time to ride. Okay Ride the Highlands, show us what you got.

Ginny Allen (@ginny.allen) aboard the Honda CBR 500 F, enjoying some of the area’s paved highlights along Dyno Road.

James Bai (@wobblycat) leads the way along Elephant Lake Road, aboard the Yamaha FZ-07.

We stopped in at the Artech Glass Blowing Studio for a demonstration of the art of glass blowing. All captured of course on the ever present camera. As you can imagine it gets pretty hot in a glass blowing studio, so what do these guys do to relax? Hit the sauna of course.

All those Highland twists and turns makes for a hungry bunch. Bobby Turner at Olde Ridge Authentic BBQ, makes sure the condition does not persist.

Jess Kline (@motogirl_jess) aboard the Honda CBR500, even Jesse’s helmet is smiling.

@AirCordeiro) made his way up all the way from Arizona to experience the amazing riding in Ontario Highlands aboard the Honda NC750X.

SunRun Café in Maynooth, pretty well perfect.

@Woblycat working it and keeping it real for his fans, lol.

The Highlands amazing roads didn’t make themselves, we get an important lesson on how things used be done. As much as we appreciate the early days, we sure are glad things have come a long way.

Mondo Lulu (@dzgnboy) looking relaxed. As a scooter guy he appreciated the automatic set up on the Honda NC750X DCT.

Ready, set, camera, action, it’s all fun and games until the video camera starts rolling.

When your passion includes twisty roads on a motorcycle and Butter Tarts, there are very few places in the world that will make you smile. Glad to say Ride The Highlands delivered.

The behind the scene reality of social media life. Work goes on even as the sun goes down.

End of the day debrief, we had to enforce the no electronics rule, hence no phones just smiles.

There you have it, the first of its kind in Ontario, moto instameet is in the books. Thank you for the good times Ride the Highlands.

You will be happy to know that, thanks to this bunch, the secret backroads of Ontario Highland's region are no longer a secret.

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About Martin Lortz

Martin Lortz is a freelance photographer/writer specializing in the outdoor lifestyle. Whether he is covering adventure motorcycling, kayak fishing or family oriented outdoor pursuits, his passion for capturing the beauty of nature and the people that partake in it, is evident in his work. His photos and articles have appeared in magazines such as Ski Canada, Explore, Bike, Mountain Life, Couloir, Kayak Angler and Family Camping, as well as in calendars, catalogs and brochures.