First inspiration
 

Hi folks,
I'm bored and should be working.
However, before I jack it in for the day and go to the post office to collect my new Touratech racks (you can't see it but I'm rubbing my hands with glee at the anticipation!) I thought I'd ask you all a question:
Is there one definative moment you look back on that inspired you to do the big trip on a bike? That first realisation that THIS was what you wanted to do?

For me it was India 1992. Backpacking round with a buddy. This grizzled looking German guy turned up at our Hotel in Udaipur on a Honda dirt bike caked in dust and mounted with two battered ammo boxes. He'd come overland from Germany through Iran and Pakistan. I thought "This is the coolest thing I've ever heard of!" It took years and a reminder in the shape of seeing the cover of 'Desert Biking' in Waterstons a few years later but I'm finally doing it!

I'd love to hear what/who inspired other folk, if only to kill more time when I'm meant to be working!
Matt

Hi,

I guess my brother inspired me to take more interest in off road bikes. We both rented a couple of scooters in Greece a few years ago and had a bit of a laugh tearing around on them.
Since then, we have both done our DAS licences and owned quite a few different big bikes and funny little ones - I even have a C90 at the moment :-)

On TV, the Mondo Enduro/Terra Circa chaps and also Nick Sanders have made me want to explore further away places than the normal European countries...indeed I went with Nick on one of his trips to Morocco. It taught me that I could do the trip myself - I don't need to rely on other people if I don't have to. Although backup/help/friends are always useful to have.

I'm in the process of looking for a house now, but once I am settled I would like to visit a few more countries in Africa and N/S America.

Regards,
Simon

I was already travelling a fair bit but didn't think of doing it on a bike until I read "Running with the Moon".

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Africa Trip web journal

I've always had a passion for bikes. My Dad bought me a field bike when I was about 7, raced moto X between the ages of 12 and 19. Loved them ever since.

My GrandPa was a Haulier and always gave me old maps when i visited. I loved reading maps
of foreign lands (foreign lands was anything further than 30 miles from home when I was a kid)

Then I watched Michael Palin in 'around the world in 80 days' - fantastic. I had to do what he did and was lucky enough to take a few months of work in my early 20's and travel the world with a couple of mates.

Now i'm in my early 30's putting all the above together. I love reading old maps and planning routes, preparing my 1150GS and heading off to foreign lands.

No RTW on a bike yet but I have done quite a bit around Europe!

When I was in Port Sudan in 1984/5 a grizzled looking German guy turned up on a BMW too! His name was Werner. Where are you now, Werner?

Jupiters Travels...read it donkeys years ago.

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Last seen in S.America, missing presumed fed.
http://www.smellybiker.com

There was an article in "Bike" magazine in approx November 2003 called "Jack It All In", which, irresponsibly enough, suggested dumping your job and home, getting on your bike and going somewhere a little bit more... exotic. By Feb 2004 I had bought a 5 year old Dommie, and by September I was in Cherbourg. I'm now in Malawi. What a hoot!

Simon

I would like to add Simon (sime66) as an inspiration. Excellent!

Wandering around the local library in Banbury aged 14 looking more gormless than usual, for some reason a librarian took pity on me and steered me over to a shelf and picked out a book for me: 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'.

Twenty five years later, cycling to work through rainy Hackney, very bored and generally unhappy, I thought, hey, why I don't I do *that*? I even stopped and got off, I was so startled that I couldn't find a convincing answer.

Three months later, I had got a bike licence and was heading east.

Simon
(not the inspirational one, the other one)

While travelling through Thailand in '99, i stumbled upon an oportunity to buy an XR250 in excellent shape from an American ex-pat. Travelled for six weeks with my backpack strapped to the back and bleeding sores on my ass, but i was hooked! Sold the bike before i left to an English bloke, got all my money back.

My sister brought my partner "John" a book one xmas, yes you have guessed
"10 years on 2 wheels" by Helge Pederson.

It was not placed on the coffee table but in the bathroom next to the loo. The morning's rituals now involved reading this book, until one morning he came down and declared we were going to go RTW on motorbikes!

I had a confidence failure at this point even thought I had been riding a motorbike for years, but he said we could do it. He booked me on an off road day course with John Deacon, who looked after me and taught me loads of stuff. After falling off numerous times, falling off into a barbed wire fence ripping my jacket, learning how to go over the handle bars several times whilst the bike stayed upright in the mud, which I do not think was part of the course!, watching the bike go down a slippery hill without me, I did finish the long, hard days training. John Deacon said he was impressed that I had finished the day, considering I had participated with 9 blokes. He put my confidence back in tact, told me to go and he inspired me to do the trip.

After 3 years on the road on two BMW R80GS's we returned home. The book is still in the loo and the one thing I take great pleasure in, is that in the book on page 65 is a photo of Helge at the Geiser del Tatio, Chile, 4,300metres above sea level. I have the exact photo shot but it has our motorbikes and camping equipment in the frame not his! and as he says after spending a night in the freezing temperatures up there it was great to slip into that hot tub in the morning.

You want inspiration, buy this book, the photgraphs alone will make you want to go if you look at them long enough.

Annette

Almost ashamed to admit it but it was the old Cliff Richard movie "Summer Holiday" where they went to Greece in an old London bus.
I saw it when it came out in the 60's and as soon as we were old enough I was off to Morocco two up on a friend's 250 Yamaha DS6. Luggage was two old suitcases on a Tower rack tied on with his mum's washing line!

I was initiated to riding by the sound of the Beating thump of the NOW Indian - ROYAL Enfield Bullet. If in India it is THIS bike that you should ride!
All the military/ police people had this bike and and since then I too wanted to be in military ride this bike to the exotic hills and stations in the Himalayas! Part of the dream has now come true, I have the bullet , not in the army though (was rejected for medical reasons)! Surprising dreams do come true if you just hang on to them, mine did after 15 years of dreaming:-)

First inspiration I got was on a trip to Australia where I met a couple who was sailing around the world. After 7 years they were not even half way round. I never really got to speak to them much, but the short meeting made me dream about the world. Though I realised that sailing was not the way I wanted to do it, and I also realised that I did not have it in me to burn all bridges and leave for years at a time... which was very depressing.

Then I read about two germans who were spending a few years travelling in their own airplane, which sounded really exiting... but also really expensive... which was also depressing.

Then a friend of mine showed that it is possible to divide the world into shorter legs, shipping ones bike in and out of every destination, making a RTW trip possible without having to burn all bridges... not as grand of a trip maybe, but still beats the hell out of a package trip under the sun.

At the same time I was getting into vintage Vespa's, and I read about this Betinelli fella who had done RTW+++ on a beaten old Vespa (he is currently spending 4 years doing every country in the world). I now knew that it was possible not only to travel the world bit by bit, but also on a Vespa. Initially idea was extremely facinating, but very daunting. Then I started doing research, and the more I did, the more I discovered that this was anything but impossible. People of all ages (babies to people in their 80's cross all sorts of continents, at all times of the year, with all sorts of vehicles (Vespa, Harleys, Camels, Vintage Enfields, Vintage cars, Enduro Bikes, Land Rovers, Bicycles, and even by foot). I immagined most extremeties to be even greater than they actually are (though some are still very severe)... I couldn't in my wildes fantcies for instance have immagined that you could ride from Paris to Dakar and barely have to leave the pavement... nor that a two seniors two uping on a huge Harley could make it through the muddy backroads of warring Congo... and I could never ever have immagined how many are actually doing this, it is simply amazing.

For every discovery I made (and still make), for good and for bad, I got ever more convinced that I have to do this. I have yet not left, but my planning and preparations are riding two up in over drive right now. I am making huge modifications to my 1960 Vespa (brand new 200 cc engine, hydraulic disk brake and clutch conversions, fork conversions, 12 v conversion, autolube conversion, shock absorber conversion, wheel conversion, luggage racks and panniers, and many other conversions). Hopefully I will have it ready for this summer so that I can ride one of three planned legs in Africa... if not, then I will do something closer to home, like the arctic highway, or Norway-Spain or something.

But nothing inspires more than this website!

Matt
For me it was a mixture of events and feelings from a teenage boy.Back in 86 learned to ride a bike with a CX 500.The first 100 meters where enough to know the way of transporting! Imagine a hughe country as Argentina....and i love the smell of open.So no cars for me.With 17 and no drivers licens my first 900 km trip to Cordoba(what where my parents thinking!!!).
After that more in Europe with a G/S for about 5 years,then back in south-america with a XR 650 L.(and three sons....now)
Again it was the smell of the open.....
KH

When I was 23 I was stuck in a remote wadi in my old Land Rover, met a german woman that passed Sinai riding a Yamaha on here way around the world. I spent great 3 days and nights with her, she went on. She left with me a german book on motorcycling trips. pics were great but I did not understand a word. so I found Ted Simon's Jupiter, and that was the start. sold my sport bike got an old R80GS and all the rest is history. (and yes, I met Martha a year later in germany).
I am in an endless preparations for my RTW trip. thank God (and Suzane and Grant) for this website, that keeps on inspiring my romance with adventure motocycling.

For us it was Susan and Grant giving a presentation at the BMW gathering in Montana in 1998. It was hot and crowded in the shed that the presentation was given but we didn't care. We were enthralled. That evening Helge Pederson gave a multi-media slideshow of his 10 years on 2 wheels. Even more inspiration!

We rode home but couldn't shake this vision of travelling around the world. Somehow we couldn't envision ourselves selling everything and making a giant committment to this trip though. A little while later we discovered that both of our respective employers offered self-funded leave of absence programs. Three years of saving later we embarked on a year-long journey through Europe and North Africa. Now we're planning our RTW for 2007 with another leave of absence.

Now, back to work and saving for the next journey!

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Ekke Kok
Redwood Meadows, AB
'89 R100GS
'03 R1150GS Adventure

I was actually thinking about doing the classic Africa overland in a Landrover. When researching that, I found people that had done it on bikes. At first I thought it was just one or two nutters, but the more folks I read about the more I became convinced that's what I would do.

Two years later I have got rid of my SIIA landy, bought a bike and in July I'm off to Aussie and then South America.

You mean it wasn't Ewan and Charlie on the telly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cheers
Andy
TLC H60
Landy 101 ambie/camper
1968 morris minor traveller

I regret selling my old Suzuki DR 250 enduro years ago. Last year, I found Greg Frazier's writings on the internet detailing his trips around the world, and fantasized about trying something similar. (His writings were linked to HU) However, I figured I could use my local geography to my advantage, and I will make my trips on a much smaller scale, on a 200cc Zongshen enduro, taking day and weekend trips to Mexico and around Arizona. Greg Frazier's writings, however, will keep me wishing for an out of the way trip to Thailand or Vietnam...

Long before I was into motorbikes, i was back packing through parts of the Middle East. In Dahab on the coast of the Red Sea i chanced upon a guy who was on the first leg of a round the world trip on his custom built Rotax engined bike. I only talked to him briefly and didn't catch his name, but in retrospect it seems clear that it was Simon Milward.
Unfortunately Simon was killed in an accident and will never receive my thanks for planting the seed that germinated into my own transcontinental trip.
Cheers Simon,
Sean

I think my first taste for travel started back when i was about 6 years old,back in the seventies.
we arrived in majorca and i just remember waiting outside the airport for the coach, sitting on a suitcase and feeling a hot sun that i never felt before,and watched people that looked so different and spoke in sounds that i never heard before,it just blew my mind and i loved it!
I think my fisrt inspiration for bike travel was when i was about 13,i was in malaga/southern spain and seeing all these guys on offroad motorbikes ,10 maybe 15 of them,some yamaha tenere's i think?
They stopped at our hotel for the night,then moved on the next day!
it was just such an amazing sight and sound!


Lee.

It was on the road to Damascus.......
We returned from a month backpacking in india in oct 04 and i just felt sooo out of place and depressed.. lifes too short...Why are we here...Whats it all about...Sod this i want to get out of here... and then it happened, why not pack the truck throw the dogs in the back rent the house and get the flock out of here.
14 months later and we are off for at least a year in April and i cant bloody wait.

so stop dreaming and making excusses
JUST DO IT!
Tim

I was never a big fan of travelling until the last year or 2. For most of my life my travelling was limited, and could not justify 'world' travel thinking that Monday morning I will return to my corporate job behind a desk.

I began riding late in life (and what is late anyway??), at 40. I purchased a cruiser and for 2 years I was content riding with a group of buddies on weekends - to the same places! But I enjoyed riding anytime and anywhere nonetheless.

While surfing I landed on the Paris-Dakar web site. WOW....THIS was far more interesting than the type of riding I was doing to that point.

Clicking away, I found 2 web sites and 2 books that sparked the M/C travel bug in me.

In no particular order:
Ted Simon - Jupiter's Travels
Helge Petersen - 10 years/2 wheels
Chris Scott (AMH) - have 3 of his books
Susan & Grant Johnson (HU)

Thanks to their inspiration, and the HU community, I have planned a cross-Canada trip this summer (funny...if you start and end at home, you cover the country twice!) that will carry us (wife too) across the country and back, via 2 different routes.

I am planning a trip for 2007 through the US, Baja and Central America.


[This message has been edited by tor1150r (edited 07 February 2006).]

Rode all over Europe on my Honda C50 between the age of 16 and 18. Then a more practical Peugeot 205 got into the picture, but not for long. Pretty soon I was back on the solo seat of a Super Cub, a C70 this time. The first really big trip took a long time coming though...

It happened in November 2003. Me and some mates were having dinner, complaining about our jobs, boring girlfriends, life in general. Then one of my friends said: Let´s take a trip on the Honda´s, it will just be like the good old days! I said ok, but only if we are driving the Panamericana. Turned out better than the good old days, more fun and more adventure.

Only problem is: Once you start you can´t stop. Northcape - Southcape on the Cub is up next.

Have fun riding and remember:

"You meet the nicest people on a Honda".

Dirk

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Everytime people see me it´s a KODAK moment!

[This message has been edited by Dirk Taalman (edited 22 February 2006).]

www.honda50.cc

This enough inspiration for you?

Don´t sit around, ride and have fun!

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Everytime people see me it´s a KODAK moment!

For me it also was Ted Simon, but I find myself alone at this stage in that it was "Travelling On" (now called "Riding High") that I read first and got me going. I already was a keen rider, having learnt to ride at 7 years old on my father's CT90 Honda which I rode regularly on the farm. Later I bought "Jupiter's Travels" and another of his books. When I found that he was repeating his trip, I emailed him. He told me he would not be in NZ as it wasn't on his first trip, but about a year later he emailed me saying that Air NZ had given him free tickets and was my offer of a place to stay still open. Was it! How many would pass up the chance to meet their inspiration? He stayed for three days, and was even more of an inspiration. I was inducted into the hallowed ranks of "Friends of Ted" and he invited me to his home-coming party in California (which, alas, I couldn't attend). I have to say that of course there are very many people so honoured but still.... A very good friend of mine, Tom Walsh from Ireland, met him while he was staying with me. When Ted asked him if he had read any of his books other than "Jupiter Travels", Tom said "No and I am never going to. I read just one and it ended up making ride my bike to the furtherest place from home. What would happen if I read another one of your books?"!! Tom was managing chef at one of the best restaurants in Christchurch, and when Ted and I turned up, we found there was a special table set up, with the usual menu and a special menu just for Ted and I, a bottle of the best wine in the house, and a room full of important people including 2 government MPs staring and wondering. It was truely the best meal I have ever eaten. Thanks Tom!

Regards

Nigel in NZ

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"The world is a book and those who do not travel read but a page"- St Augustine

Hi, my first "big Tour" was around tropical India in 2004 with a crowd called classicbikeindia.com.
One of the road mechanics was called Werner, tall guy ,mid 30's.
He told us how he brought an old German army wagon overland from Germany to India. You could probably contact him through the web site as I had the feeling he was pretty settled there.
Same guy????
Safe Biking - wherever
Kevin
Ireland

Hmmmm intersting question? i have always been interested in the ancient explorers and the courage they must have had to do what they did in there time. They were exploring the unkown and had very primitive technology, but they had the balls to carry the conviction of there beliefs.

In 1985 i bought a Harley, my first 'real' bike and rode to Cyprus and back, because thats where my folks are from. I thought i was doing something special, but i met a lot of bikers on the way and i realised what i was doing was a stroll in the park to them.

In 2001 i started fighting a divorce case for the next 18 months, In 2002 i went and bought a brand new Ninja and road around Spain to Gibralter and back. In 2003 divorce case was over. I was completly cut up and drained emotionaly, i took a 'normal' holiday with the lads I enjoyed it at the time but something was missing.

I sunk into depression and i just wanted to run away. In 2004 i decided it was sh#t or bust time. I decided take on something bigger than myself and rode the Scandanavian countries & Finland Russia Estonia and back through europe and home, about two weeks before i left for that trip i stumbled on the Horizons web site whilst looking for information about Russia and found more 'normal people' like myself. By coincidence it was the same year that Ewan & the long way round had been filmed. Though i did not know it at the time.

I was given the LWR DVD when i got back and the book, and it was then after watching the DVD i decided i wanted to do an RTW. Last year i bought an AT, i rode the Nordcap then back through Finland the Baltic states and Poland. Each trip prepares me a little bit more and gives me more experiance.

I am planning for a 2012 RTW trip, why 2012 My property is not far from the 2012 Olympic stadium and i want to maximise my profit from the property seculators, get the money back my ex legally stole off of me. I am on a motorcycle maintenence course at the moment and will start Russian and Spanish languages next year. I also gotta wait for my cats, who i have had since kittens, to pass on to that great cattery in the sky. There nineteen and twenty one years old so there not gonna last much longer. I could not bare to pass them onto anyone.

So the short answer is. Interest in ancient explorers. Divorce. & ......Ewan i'm afraid :o)

Maverick bubble

like so many fantastic ideas it started with two drunk friends talking shit...
My good friend Dom had heard a piece on the Radio about the Enfield Factory in Chennai, India, and said 'hey man - we should go out there, pick up some cheap Enfields and ride them back to the UK'. Enough said. A week of sat in the office crunching numbers and the idea was forged in iron will. Having absolutely no concept of my own limitations I wasn't going to let a total lack of experience put me off, so I did a DAS course, bought a ridiculous Italian machine and set off.. Unfortunately my friend couldn't get the cash together so I went on my own, but inmany many ways this has made the trip more memorable, and dare I say it even more enjoyable

matt

for me i was backpacking in vietnam and frustrated by having no real freedom of movement other than joining organised tours and tourist buses. at a party i met this english guy id been diving with a few days earlier, he had one arm in a sling. as bikers do we was talking bikes and he mentioned that he been riding round on a cambodian bought bike, i asked if he had a gps, he didnt even have a map! he said, always ask directions at least 3 times, and you could tell he'd learnt that the hard way. I figured he'd had a crash and was waiting for his arm to heal and diving a little to pass the time. I was right he had crashed his bike, although 18years previous. so he was doing this with 1 arm effectivly, if he could do it so could i.

a year later id traded my fireblade in for a dakar (great decision) and set off, sadly as did with matt the iran visa issue stopped me any further than turkey, but now i got the bug and a round the world is being planned