Me

And my bikes

I got the first book by a world traveler about 25 years ago for my birthday. Ted Simon traveled the world with his motorcycle for 4 years and described his adventures in the book 'Jupiter's travels'. He writes in a fascinating way about the breathtaking landscapes, the intriguing people and the colorful cultures, but also about the poverty and the often bizarre circumstances in which he found himself.

However realistic his descriptions were, to me it was still complete fiction at the time. I had a family and a great job in advertising, but not even enough days off to be home for all the kids' vacations. A long solo trip couldn't be further away…

I was born in 1968 and in my teens I became interested in everything that runs on petrol. Driving started for me with a cross-moped and before I turned 16 there was a gearshifted moped in the garage. There were posters of motorcycles in my room and the first thing I did after my 18th birthday was to get a car and motorcycle license. Soon I had saved up enough money to buy my first motorcycle: a Honda Magna VF700C. A real custom motorcycle (this kind of motorcycle was very popular in the 80's), ideal for touring around very relaxed. But my custom bike did have a potent V4 engine hanging in the frame. Always enough power at hand and I soon changed the steering wheel to be able to adopt a sportier position on the increasingly faster rides.

After a divorce and forced part-time fatherhood as a result, my free time increased more and more. Time that I liked to spend on my motorbike and the trips and holidays I made, I usually undertook alone. I have never experienced this as a disadvantage because the internet always made it easy to contact loved ones. Traveling alone also has the advantage that you do not have to discuss routes, breaks or accommodation options.

During a coffee break at a motorcycle dealership, I fell in love with another... A Cagiva Raptor 996. In my opinion the most beautiful naked bike there was at that time. Italian shapes with a Japanese beating V2 heart. But I couldn't afford a new bike and I decided to wait until there was one offered on the second-hand market. And it worked. A year and a half later that became my motorbike. Every day, every weather and season I drove my commute, which resulted in an unrecognizably dirty machine after the winter. Because of the many kilometers, I often had to do maintenance on the chain and that was certainly not my hobby. The next bike had to have a shaft drive for sure.

Due to a change of job, I now work in educational support, and two student sons who are increasingly making their own plans, I was able to go out more and more and go on holiday with the motorbike. In my new relationship, which later became my second wife, there was always room to do a lot of things together, but also separately. But then my life took another big turn. My wife became ill and on Valentine's Day 2019 she passed away after a long illness. For the umpteenth time, my future looked different than I imagined.

A few years and two Raptors later (the first was a total loss in a collision) I saw the successor. A brutal, sporty engine with no less than 162 HP and cardan. That combination had to be made for me! After a test drive I was sold. The BMW K1200R became mine and I have enjoyed it for over 10 years with commuting, track days, autobahn blasts and Alpine holidays. Unfortunately in 2019 the gearbox broke during a ride to the French Alps and I was forced to look for a replacement. And with a dream in the back of my mind I already knew it was going to be this one ...

When it became clear that we would not grow old together, this taught me that I should not put life goals, ambitions or dreams ahead. Because life can always turn out differently. Something we experienced live at that moment. During that sad period in my life, I threw myself completely into making my dreams come closer and it became increasingly clear that what at first seemed an impossible journey, seemed increasingly feasible. Preparing for the trip filled the void she left behind…

There is now room for new love in my life and Covid continues to throw a spanner in the works very unpredictable. At the moment (Nov. 2021) the world is still largely closed to overlanders. Hopefully this will change soon!

“When the road ahead seems impossible…

start the engine.”