Dreaming of a motorcycle trip to distant climes? This section will help you to plan your trip, whether it's to the next state, country or all the way around the world! Start here!
The Achievable Dream 5-part series - the definitive video guide for planning your motorcycle adventure. Get Ready! covers planning, paperwork, medical and many other topics! "Inspirational and Awesome!" See the trailer here!
You could just get on a plane with your credit card and passport and buy or rent everything you need when you get there. That includes the bike, riding gear, etc. etc.
Gear Up! is a 2-DVD set, 6 hours! Which bike is right for me? How do I prepare the bike? What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers! "will save you a fortune!"See the trailer here!
So you've done it - got inspired, planned your trip, packed your stuff and you're on the road! This section is about staying healthy, happy and secure on your motorcycle adventure. And crossing borders, war zones or oceans!
On the Road! is 5.5 hours of the tips and advice you need to cross borders, break down language barriers, overcome culture shock, ship the bike and deal with breakdowns and emergencies."Just makes me want to pack up and go!" See the trailer here!
Tire Changing!Grant demystifies the black art of Tire Changing and Repair to help you STAY on the road! "Very informative and practical." See the trailer here!
With an HU blog, you'll get a lot more readers than in some obscure corner of the web, it's all set to go, no setup required, and it's free! Start your Travel Story Blog right now!
800+ HU Communities in over 115 countries! People who want to meet travellers - yes that's YOU - and can provide local assistance, and may be your new best friends!
Make a DifferenceTips on fundraising or donating time and energy to a cause.
After the big trip - Was the trip the best - or worst - thing you ever did?
Resources and Links
Horizons Unlimited Presents!
Ladies on the Loose! For the first time ever, a motorcycle travel DVD made for women, by women! These intrepid women share their tips to help you plan your own motorcycle adventure. They also answer the women-only questions, and entertain you with amazing tales from the road! Presented by Lois Pryce, veteran solo traveller through South America and Africa and author of 'Lois on the Loose', and 'Red Tape and White Knuckles.'
"It has me all fired up to go out on my own adventure!" See the trailer here!
Meet people who don't think you're crazy for wanting to ride your bike to South America or across Asia! They will encourage you, share their experiences and advice on how to do it!
We're not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown a hobby into a full time job and a labour of love.
When you decide to become a Member, it helps directly support the site. You get additional privileges on the HUBB, access to the Members Private Store, and more. Of course, you get our sincere thanks, good karma and knowing you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. :-)
All contributions are gratefully appreciated and acknowledged.
T-shirts, Calendars, Stickers
T-shirts Cotton or synth sweat-wicking t-shirts with the cool Horizons Unlimited graphic on the front and a snappy slogan (changing every year) on the back.
Calendars Featuring the 13 winning photos from the Horizons Unlimited annual motorcycle travel photo contest!
World Map Sticker for PanniersShow your route on your panniers. Great conversation starter when you meet people on the road!
Travel BooksMotorcycle and travel books to inspire and inform you!
Videos - Watch and Learn!
Horizons Unlimited presents!
Achievable Dream The definitive guide to planning your motorcycle adventure! This insanely ambitious 2-year project has produced an informative and entertaining 5-part, 18 hour video series. "The ultimate round the world rider's how-to!" MCN UK.
"The series is 'free' because the tips and advice will save much more than you spend on buying the DVD's."
Advertisers- Horizons Unlimited is well-established as the first source of reliable, unbiased information on all aspects of adventure motorcycle travel.
We reach a dedicated, worldwide group of real travellers, and are the only website focusing exclusively on long distance motorcycle travellers.
If you sell motorcycles or motorcycle accessories, riding gear, camping equipment and clothing, transport motorcycles, organize motorcycle tours, or have motorcycles to rent, you should be advertising with us!
Currently on a motorcycle trip with my Honda CRF250L which is parked in Athens for the moment. My plan is to get over to Morocco and then ride down the west coast of Africa to South Africa.
Problem is I've found a travel buddy who would like to join me that has no license/possibility to ride a bike on her own and with the luggage the room on the bike is a bit limited for 2 people.
So far we've come up with the following options to allow us to ride together:
* Attach a sidecar to the motorcycle (prefered)
* Attach a trailer to the motorcycle for luggage
* Buy another bike with more capacity/sidecar in Spain/Italy/Morocco
What do you guys think is the easiest/best solution? Any of you guys that have experience attaching some form of side car to a dualsport bike? Do you think this is possible to get done by some mechanic on the way or do you perhaps know any resources along the way which might be able to get it done?
We don't really need a perfect solution, just one that would work. Am currently in Egypt and people seem to attach all sorts of things to their motorbikes so we figured it should be possible to weld something together. We wouldn't mind that the speed would be a bit limited considering it's a 250 and that we might run into more issues. We both have plenty of time and as long as we eventually get to the destination any solution would be fine.
Agree with Mark, lose a pile of unnecessary luggage, and ride two up. A sidecar is HEAVY, and much harder to do right/safely than it looks. A bad sidecar rig is a nightmare. And it will also encourage you to take more junk you don't need, and did I mention a sidecar rig is HEAVY? And same goes for trailers.
Susan and I did fine, as did MANY MANY other people, two up, on both small bikes and big bikes. It's all down to getting the luggage reduced to what you MUST HAVE.
I KNOW you have too much luggage right now!! If you can't get it all into a pair of soft saddlebags and and a 30-40 liter roll-bag across the back, it's too much stuff.
Strip the load to what you use everyday - and that's it.
You COULD add a pair of tank panniers, but that's adding weight you don't need just to carry stuff you almost certainly don't need.
Remember that you are on a road, and there are towns everywhere along the road, and people live in them - and guess what, they need much the same as you. You can always buy another sweater / jumper, or pair of pants and food along the way. If you're not in a hurry, you can wait for repairs or parts too, no need to carry them.
Best of luck! We look forward to hearing how you do.
Number one phrase every traveller ever has said:
"I just sent another box full of stuff I didn't need home"
__________________ Grant Johnson Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------ Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997! www.HorizonsUnlimited.com
You could also go to our "How to" video series "The Achievable Dream" for everything you need to know about overland travel: https://www.vimeo.com/horizonsunlimited
Have a GREAT trip, and keep us posted in the Travellers Tales section!
__________________ Grant Johnson Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------ Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997! www.HorizonsUnlimited.com
__________________ "For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)
I drove outfits for years. This is key, you drive them. The fact they started life as a motorcycle is neither here nor there, they are totally different vehicles. Get one because you want the stability and involvement of a vehicle that is far more interesting than a motorcycle.
An "Adventure" style 250 Honda with a bit welding done by a workshop is likely to be pretty hellish. There are no fast solutions to this. Adding a sidecar to a 60HP plus machine and learning to drive it is a project that is going to take months to get right, especially if you want the strength to go off paved roads. Buying a Ural and learning to drive it and fix it takes just as long.
Unless you want the involvement of a totally different machine, follow the advice above and carry less stuff.
Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's thelist of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.
"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)
Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.
Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.
Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!
What others say about HU...
"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia
"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK
"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia
"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA
"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada
"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa
"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia
"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany
Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.
You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.