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!
I'm travelling for 7 months now and started with around 1.000 € and it's possible. I learnt to live a very "simple" live and stayed one time in a hotel during last 4 months...
I suggest you guys to start into South-East direction. Everything becomes way cheaper and you don't have to buy ferry boat-tickets for a very looong time... ;-)
Except fuel in Turkey is a "problem" 4,85 TL/litre right now. And try to make as much visa-deals as possible at home, before you start!
I wish you all the best and good luck! Maybe we meet again on the road!
I was at HU-Greece this year, maybe you remmber...
Ciao Alex
Hello Alex!
You were on the black KTM right?
We plan to begin with Africa.
We heard it's the most difficult part of the RTW ($$$) so we think it will be the most wise to start from there.
Again we heard that visas are cheaper on the go. It isn't true or you mean something else?
Good luck with your trip, I look forward to reading about it; one thing is, I would been inclined to have called the trip 'Vespas around the world' and not used '3' as what happens if someone 'pulls out' or you added another rider?
Yes, I am one of the Bamako By Vespa guys ... after I did the Cape Town to Nairoby with my wife, I was able to convince two friends that it would be a good idea to participate in the biggest African Enduro Rally... we are still friends
Good luck with your trip, I look forward to reading about it; one thing is, I would been inclined to have called the trip 'Vespas around the world' and not used '3' as what happens if someone 'pulls out' or you added another rider?
That won't be a problem i think!
We'll take a BLANCO and just correct the number!
At this moment we are trying to find support from some companies and we must be specific with numbers and all the facts - infos about our adventure.
Yes, I am one of the Bamako By Vespa guys ... after I did the Cape Town to Nairoby with my wife, I was able to convince two friends that it would be a good idea to participate in the biggest African Enduro Rally... we are still friends
Yes, I am one of the Bamako By Vespa guys ... after I did the Cape Town to Nairoby with my wife, I was able to convince two friends that it would be a good idea to participate in the biggest African Enduro Rally... we are still friends
Guys the project for the round of the world on Vespas is going well!
I attach a small conversation/interview we had with Nicolo from Vespbook, a blog for trips on Vespas, just to know us better...
Recently I had the chance to talk with Stergios and Thanos two crazy guys from Greece that came up with a really strange and nice idea..what about touring the world on our Vespa? Here is the account of our conversation!
So guys, tell me more about this world tour? It sounds like every Vespa traveller dream!
And ours dream, too! From the first ride on our Vespas we were dreaming of a round the world adventure. And as it seems the time has come!
How long do you think are you going to stay on the road?
There is no time pressure. We are both unemployed so we will stay on the road for as long our pocket lasts! With at least 3 years (1 in Africa, 1 in Asia, 1 in America) we'll be pleased!!!
What kind of Vespa will you ride?
Our everyday Vespas after a good service! They are a '03 PX200 and a '04 GTS250.
Did you make a rough estimate of the kms in a world tour?
After 5 minutes of Google Maps we saw that very roughly the kms of the trip we're planning to do will be at least 150.000!
Do you have a website and a Facebook page where we can follow you along the road?
Yes we have both. You can visit our website/blog here : www.worldvespa.wordpress.com and our facebook page here : www.facebook.com/worldvespa. We'll try to update them as often as possible with photos and mainly with many videos!
Did you already travel somewhere with your Vespa?
Our Vespa have travelled in almost all European countries. The longest trip we made is from Greece to Nordkapp, going up from Russia and coming back from Denmark (a circle round Europe) crossing 16 countries in 25 days, covering more than 11.000km! You can see all our past trips here : www.worldvespa.wordpress.com/past-trips
Now that we got all the technical details for understanding your project, let's skip to the philosophical part. Why a world tour and above all why on a Vespa?
As we told before we were always thinking and dreaming of it! And with this economic situation here in Greece and almost in all Europe, the timing is perfect! Why on a Vespa? Because we have Vespa for many years, we love it's simplicity, because it's practical, comfortable and economic!
On Vespbook we have been talking about travelling Vespa for six months already and what I think it's great is the enthusiasm in the community about travelling with your Vespa, no matter if you are starting a world tour or riding in your backyard. What's in your opinion make different the Vespa traveller from the average motorcycle rider?
We don't think that the Vespa travellers are different from all the other motorcyclists. We (Vespa riders) don't have something less or something more. Maybe some cc's less, maybe a little more passion, but all people out there has one common feature...The love for meeting other people, for understanding the different cultures. The love for travelling!
I want to thank Stergios and Thanos for this interesting and inspiring report, and also for theirs enthusiasm. I would like to invite everyone to check their Facebook Page and Website! Hopefully we are going to meet them again...this time, on the road again!
Another thing is that we're going to upload some videos from our adventure as often as possible!
One example is this one in which I test a chinese multifuel stove we're going to use for cooking meals and making greek coffee!
we will leave Ireland on 3 honda 90s heading for mongolia on the southern route through iran and the stans and russia....be so cool to hook up for a few days or even weeks.....also check us on facebook
We are 2 and not 3 as we were planning, but thats life.
The third guy had some problems with his family and his decision to come with us, so stayed back.
We're in Italy (Senigallia) at the moment hosted by a guy called Nico, found him in the couchsurfing.org and we feel very lucky to meet him!
He opened his home to us, made us something to eat, made us feel comfortable and told us to spend more nights at his place if we want (we've told him 2) so we 're thinking spending 2 more nights here!
Senigallia is a beautiful small city by the sea, so we cannot resist!
And some stats for our trip till now.
Each of us started the trip from his hometown, Thessaloniki me, Larisa Thanos and we meat each other in Egnatia highway, some kilometers after Ioannina city.
Some friends came to wish us good trip and say goodbye and 12 o'clock at midnight of last Sunday 27th October we took the ferry from Igoumenitsa to Ancona.
We didn't book any cabin so we opened our sleeping bags in the ferry's cafe-restaurant like everybody else was doing, till the waiter came and toled us to go somewhere else and sleep.
So we closed the sleeping bags and slept upright on the sofa!
Distance covered 350km – Total 350km
The PX200 spent on average 4lt/100km.
The GTS spent on average 3lt/100km.
For more information on our adventure you can visit our blog (we'll try to upload more staff in English):
We are 21 days on the road and everything is perfect!
We have the visas for Mauritania and tomorrow we'll take the road to Merzouga.
Today and the last night we slept in a small hotel in the city of Midelt.
It is our first time in hotel in since we started our trip.
And that's because of the very cold weather (4 degrees Celsius).
We're in Ghana the last 2 weeks. The border crossing was the easiest till now!
We got in from Burkina Faso, from the small city Hamale (not Leo).
Liam didn't have a Carnet de Passage but this was not a problem.
They let us go through without paying nothing, even Liam (I have a carnet)!
They stamped our passports, stamped my carnet, checked the yellow fever documents and within less than 40 minutes we were done!
Also the visas for Ghana was not an issue.
We payed 30.000 CFA in Bamako and took 3 months visas.
The ambassador just asked us to write him a letter explaining why we want to visit the country.
Ghana and people here are wonderful (they are not that friendly like in Mali or Burkina Fao but they are very friendly) and the country is the greenest country we've ever seen till now (that's an issue when you do a lots of bush camping)!
On Tuesday morning we begin out trip again, heading to Togo.
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.