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!
The HUBB PUBChat forum - no useful content required!
BUT the basic rules of polite and civil conduct which everyone agreed to when signing up for the HUBB, will still apply, though moderation will be a LITTLE looser than elsewhere on the HUBB.
Search Forums ONLY searches the HUBB, and not well. Use Site Search to search everywhere.
So what are we all up to in the enforced stay at home period. No doubt some are still working (I was last week and am not purely because our youngest has some of the symptoms so we are all at home for 2 weeks).
I have been sorting out my bike now that “list of jobs at home number one” has been completed. Yesterday and today saw me remove a single disc set up from my BMW R80 and fit twin discs. It will be interesting to see if they are significantly better and also to see if the insurance company charge me extra for what was an option on the original bike....
Whilst messing around I also broke the bead on both wheels so that I could smooth out the surface on the wheels where the tyres seal - or in my wheels case, are supposed to seal. Hopefully they will go more than 24 hours without needing to be pumped up. No doubt I will need to do it again until such time as I powder coat them.
Tomorrow “list of jobs at home number two” will appear once She Who Must Be Obeyed realises that I am enjoying myself excessively.
Before the days of the virus I'd started rebuilding an old bike for a trip this summer and I've just kept going with it. Main problem has been the businesses you depend on for stuff you can't do yourself - rebores, blast cleaning, plating etc have all shut down so progress is gradually grinding to a halt as I run into one bottleneck after another.
Luckily the two main spares companies I use are still trading although at much lower capacity than normal and email only. One of them only opens their order line at 4.00ppm each day and it's a bit like getting Glastonbury tickets - 4.00pm order line opens, 4.01pm order capacity reached and that's it for the day.
As the trip I'd planned is almost certainly off the deadlines I'd set are not that important any more but I need to get the thing finished. It's a kind of inversion of how these things normally go where I can get everything I need easily but my time is limited. Now I have the time but I can't get anything.
I know the feeling of frustration - I went to fit the callipers for the twin discs yesterday and they don’t fit over the discs. The discs I was sent are the wrong ones - the supplier is looking to see if they have the right ones in stock and hopefully they will be a simple swap out. Otherwise I will have to have the more expensive discs - still I will be able to stop more effectively once it is done And the brakes will be ready for a trip with a greater load than now - my weight is coming down (which is a nice change) and the increased load will by my son locally and luggage on longer runs.
I'm well ahead on stuff will get me off the naughty step at home should I choose to get a decent ride in later in the year. Painted the bedroom, revamped to load of the garden, full valet and tidy up service on the wife's car etc.
My 1973 CL350 is pretty much ready to ride but the short trips allowed to buy food etc. not only help with sanity but are showing up little defects. The suppliers are still working.
The week after next it's my turn to be officially working again. This is actually harder as there isn't any work to do, you are just hanging about waiting for the phone to ring, looking for emails to send to prove you are doing something
Above all we can't complain if this is the worst of it. They've chosen a balance between the economy and people's lives, so just crack on and plan for when it easer.
All my work is on indefinite hold and I wouldn't be surprised to find that it's been 'automated' out of existence by the time we're back to something like normal. I keep getting emails telling me how they've automated this bit and that bit so I suspect it's only a matter of time. As I'm past retirement age anyway it doesn't really bother me that much but it would be a cause for concern were I a decade or two younger.
Once I get the current bike (old 250 Yamaha) out of the 'workshed' there's quite a few more to take its place. My plan was to have the Yamaha running well enough to use it for the UK HUBB meeting in June but now that's off the table. Plan B is to use it for the HU French meeting in Sept if that's going ahead.
In the meantime next up is my CCM604 which had a top end strip last year to replace a damaged piston - something I thought would only take a week or so, but having managed to break the oil control ring I put it to one side in disgust. Then after that there's an old 500cc Kawasaki to restore and then . . .
My area (Vancouver Island) is not on lock-down per se, but is practicing "social distancing". Non-essential businesses have been ordered closed by the health officials. My work is doing tech support for one of these 'essential businesses' so I've at least had my work to keep me busy and a steady paycheque to keep my creditors happy.
I've been walking into the office, which is mostly empty as about 85% of our staff are working remotely. Before Easter the streets were almost empty, like a scene from a zombie movie. The last week, the traffic on the roads has increased substantially and I notice people out cycling or walking in family units, staying well apart from others.
I've been going out on the weekend mornings to ride for 60-90 minutes in the local area. The health officials have warned that they do not want vacationers travelling or day-trippers getting into trouble and putting a strain on first-responders, so I've been riding easy cruises at maybe 3 or 4/10s within easy reach of home.
Dealership showrooms for vehicles are closed - but repair and maintenance are considered essential services, so I've had my bike in for a tire and service, and it's ready to take for a long ride once restrictions are lifted...
Every evening at 6.30 in the town where we live, Belper, there is the lovely sound of “mooing” as in the sound cows make. It is called the Belper Moo and the local radio station picked upon it and made a video. Featuring, on violin, Mrs Benson, my wife.
Location: Cornwall, in the far southwest of England, UK
Posts: 597
Is anyone watching travel-related videos?
I've just watched "The Freedom Machine", intended to promote a sense of two-wheeled 'freedom' down through Baja California .. providing it's done a Ducati Scrambler! .. wearing an Arai helmet!
Worth a watch though, especially if you're into mermaids.
I'm working my way through Noraly's (a fair dutch maiden's) series of short overland videos on her 'Itchy Boots' YouTube channel, which is helping to pass the time and keep me well entertained.
Been riding along the north coast of Estonia on my free days. This is the northernmost point of the Estonian mainland, Purekkari cape. Was quite a cold day.
Slowly fixing the last bits from last year's end-of-season crash. Replaced the levers since this photo, got a new MRA touring screen and handguards coming from Louis.
I've been working from home in the city and my forest cabin.
I've also been reacquainting myself with motorcycling after shamefully dropping to 3 figure annual mileages.
As such I've looked up all my bike forum login details and I've started filling peoples post searches with nonsense.
I've also bought myself a TDM and I've rediscovered my garage and toolkits.
Work's taken a hit, but I've kept myself busy continuing with tasks at the cabin which had been on a to do list for a looooong time and stuff's really moved along.
So I guess, the lockdown has given me a chance to catch up with future projects and past passions!
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.
Virginia: April 24-27 Queensland is back! May 2-5 Ecuador June 13-15 Germany Summer: May 29-June 1 CanWest: July 10-13 Switzerland: Date TBC Ecuador: Date TBC Romania: Date TBC Austria: Sept. 11-14 California: September 18-21 France: September 19-21 Germany Autumn: Oct 30-Nov 2
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.