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!
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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."
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__________________ Our best trips....haven't been done yet.....
Last edited by Grant Johnson; 15 Dec 2019 at 20:39.
Reason: You can EMBED the video right here by posting ONLY the code: oaBeNJKqQlU and then selecting it and clicking the YouTube button. No need to go to Youtube then.
__________________ Grant Johnson Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------ Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997! www.HorizonsUnlimited.com
Works correctly on my iPhone and desktop, and not a spam / scam issue. Assume you are on Android? Anyone on Android confirm an issue?
No iPhone as well but I’ve got to the video. If I click on the image in TT then I get the download request. If I click on the text link it loads YouTube - very odd!
omg, they paved the road up to Gergeti Trinity Church ?!?
I was surprised to find a paved road switchbacking steeply up the hillside all the way to the church...where several large parking lots full of spit-shined Mitsubishi Delicas awaited. Fortunately, there are enough unpaved roads remaining elsewhere for those with a craving. There's a nice side trip in a valley running right up to the South Ossetia border just ten or twenty km south of Kazbegi where the Delicas all park as soon as the track gets rough, leaving their passengers to walk further on foot if they choose. Just watch out for the large dogs along the way, who definitely take their sheep-safety responsibilities seriously.
Worth noting: the church shown is not the one above Kazbegi; it's the one just a couple of hundred yards short of the Russian border, right along the paved highway.
I generally don't click on links provided by posters whose main message is "Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel." Maybe I'm just not suited to ten-minute videos which offer no context or personal process. I'd love to hear from the OP his thoughts about his journeys, which appear extensive and varied. On the other hand, I recognize that this is not always easy, particularly when English is a secondary language.
Worth noting: the church shown is not the one above Kazbegi; it's the one just a couple of hundred yards short of the Russian border, right along the paved highway.
The second church is the one near the border indeed. But the first is Gergeti, above Stepantsminda, where you have a nice view of mount Kazbeg. The Japanese import RHD Delicas used to run tourists up the bumpy trail to Gergeti, because "the road is impossible to ride on your own, please use my humble services" .
So I'm a bit surprised they would turn back on the trail to Abano (I assume that's the valley you are referring to).
The second church is the one near the border indeed. But the first is Gergeti, above Stepantsminda, where you have a nice view of mount Kazbeg......I'm a bit surprised they would turn back on the trail to Abano (I assume that's the valley you are referring to).
Ooops. Clearly I didn't really watch the video--just skipped through rapidly.
Yes, I was thinking of the road thru Abano--past the monastery to the ruined tower, beyond which the military declined to let me pass. When I checked Google Maps to refresh my memory, it shows a road which avoids Truso Gorge by climbing high above the river on the south side. I wasn't aware of this road--in fact, I'm wondering whether it actually does exist--so I crossed the river and followed the track thru the gorge and all the way back to the military barricade. It was rough in spots, but not too bad overall.
I didn't see anything which a Delica could not have managed, but there was a cluster of them parked just before the bridge, after which I saw only tourists on foot, looking resentful as I passed on my motorcycle. I believe I did see one private car back in the valley, but no other traffic. There were a couple of farm trucks, and the monks had a truck they were loading with hand-split stone.
If you're familiar with the area, I was curious about the road through Juta. It currently extends a ways past the town--6 or 8 km maybe--arriving at a military encampment but appearing to continue onward up into the mountains. There was no barricade, so I was tempted to keep going but was dissuaded by a bunch of soldiers who came barreling out at me yelling and waving their arms. Do you happen to know where that road ends up? It doesn't show up on Google Earth, but it's a nice, smooth, well-engineered, paved road past Juta.
If you're familiar with the area, I was curious about the road through Juta. It currently extends a ways past the town--6 or 8 km maybe--arriving at a military encampment but appearing to continue onward up into the mountains. There was no barricade, so I was tempted to keep going but was dissuaded by a bunch of soldiers who came barreling out at me yelling and waving their arms. Do you happen to know where that road ends up? It doesn't show up on Google Earth, but it's a nice, smooth, well-engineered, paved road past Juta.
I've explored some of the area, but not Juta itself. Since It is so close to the Russian border, I'd guess they wanted to keep you out of the border zone.
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...
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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.