Long-distance motorcyclists with Wikipedia articles, with tours in chronological order.
List of motorcycle riders and tours
edit| Rider | Date | Motorcycle | Route | Distance | Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George A. Wyman (USA 1877–1959) | 1903 | 1902 California Motor Company motor bicycle | San Francisco–New York | 3,800 mi (6,100 km) | Unsupported | First transcontinental crossing of the United States by motor vehicle[1] |
| William Chadeayne | 1905 | Thomas Auto-Bi motorized bicycle | New York–San Francisco (via Chicago, Omaha, Cheyenne, Ogden, Reno, modern day I-80) | 3,800 mi (6,100 km) | Unsupported | 47-1⁄2 days, new record transcontinental crossing of the United States by motor vehicle[2][3] |
| Carl Stearns Clancy (USA 1890–1971) | 1912 | 1912 Henderson motorcycle | Circumnavigation. Dublin–New York | 18,000 mi (29,000 km) | Unsupported | First man to go around the world with a motorcycle[4] |
| Erwin "Cannonball" Baker (USA 1882–1960) | 1912 | 1912 Indian motorcycle | United States, Jamaica, Cuba, central America | 14,000 mi (23,000 km) | Unsupported | Demonstration tour sponsored by Indian[5][6] |
| Erwin "Cannonball" Baker (USA 1882–1960) | 1914 | Indian V-twin motorcycle | San Diego–New York | 3,378 mi (5,436 km) | Unsupported | New transcontinental record 11-1⁄2 days. Newspapers dubbed Baker "Cannonball" for the feat.[5][6][7] |
| Avis and Effie Hotchkiss (USA) | 1915 | Harley-Davidson sidecar | New York–San Francisco–New York | 9,000 mi (14,000 km) | Unsupported | First transcontinental crossing of the United States by women[8] |
| Augusta and Adeline Van Buren (USA) | 1916 | Indian Power Plus | New York–Los Angeles | 5,500 mi (8,900 km) | Unsupported | [9] |
| Marjorie Cottle and Hugh Gibson (UK) | June 1–12, 1924 | Raleigh | Circumnavigation of Great Britain (in opposite directions) | 3,429 mi (5,518 km) | [10] | |
| Clare Frewen Sheridan and Oswald Frewen (brother) | July 1924–September 1924 | 799 cc, 7 hp AJS motorcycle–sidecar (Sheridan as passenger) | Sussex (UK)–Odessa via Holland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, USSR (Russia, Ukraine); shipped to Istanbul, then more travel in Turkey[11] | 4,226 mi (6,801 km)[12] | First British motorcycle in the Soviet Union.[13] Book, Across Europe with Satanella[14][15] | |
| Svend O. Heiberg (Denmark/USA) and Aksel Svane (Denmark) | 1924–1925 | Harley-Davidson sidecar | Circumnavigation. Europe, Turkey, Iraq, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China, United States | Unsupported | To conduct forest research. Heiberg later became professor of silviculture in the U.S. | |
| James C Wilson and Francis Flood | 1927 | Triumph motorcycles single cylinder with sidecars | First motorcycle crossing the continent of Africa. From Lagos, North of Lake Chad to Massawah on the Red Sea. | Estimated 3,400 miles (5470 km) | Unsupported | Travelogue, Three-Wheeling Through Africa, 1936. Self-filmed. |
| Marjorie Cottle, Louie McLean and Edyth Foley | 1928 | Raleigh, Douglas, and Triumph, respectively | Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands | 7,000 miles (11,000 km) | Tour of European capitals celebrating the women's victory at the 1927 International Six Days Trial[16] | |
| Zoltán Sulkowsky and Gyula Bartha (Hungary) | 1928–1936 | Harley-Davidson | France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Cairo, Jerusalem, Beirut, Syria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Bucharest, Budapest, Athens, Luxor, Sudan, Karachi, Bombay, Delhi, Lahore, Madras, Colombo, Australia, Padang, Singapore, Bangkok, Saigon, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Nagasaki, Tokyo, Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, New York, Mexico, Havana, Panama, Chile, Brazil, London, Dublin, Brussels, Madrid, Nice, Bern, Zurich, Munich, Vienna, Budapest | 170,000 km (110,000 mi) | Unsupported | First round the world on all inhabited continents (66 countries) with a motorcycle[17] |
| Betty and Nancy Debenham (UK) | February 1929 | BSA motorcycles | England | 2,000 mi (3,200 km) | Unsupported | Toured 2,000 miles with no money to win a bet with Kaye Don[18] |
| Bessie Stringfield (USA, 1911–1993) | 1930s | Harley-Davidson | 8 trips across US | Unsupported | [19] | |
| Max Reisch (Austria, 1912–1985) | 1933–1934 | Puch 250 | Austria (Kufstein)–India (Bombay) | 8,015 mi (12,899 km) | Pillion rider Herbert Tichy | First motorbike ride from Europe to India[20] |
| Robert Edison Fulton, Jr. (USA, 1909–2004) | 1932–1933 (18 months) | Douglas twin cylinders | Hemispherical route through 22 countries. From London and across Central and Southeastern Europe, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq (across the Northern Arabian Desert), British India, Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. | 40,000 km (25,000 mi) | Unsupported | Travelogues: book, One Man Caravan,[21] and a film:The One Man Caravan of Robert E. Fulton, Jr. An Autofilmography[22] |
| Theresa Wallach and Florence Blenkiron | 11 December 1934 – 29 July 1935 | 600 cc single-cylinder Panther with sidecar and trailer | London to Cape Town | 13,500 mi (21,700 km) | Unsupported | Parts recorded on film and in Wallach's book, The Rugged Road[23] |
| John Penton | 1958 | BMW R69S | North America transcontinental, New York to Los Angeles | 2,833 mi (4,559 km) | Transcontinental crossing record, 52 hours and 11 minutes[24][25] | |
| John Gerber (USA, 1945–2010) | 1966 (2 months) | Vespa GS 160 single cylinder scooter | Continental route through 8 countries. From Minneapolis to Panama and back through the USA, Mexico, British Honduras, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. | 11,000 mi (18,000 km) | Unsupported | Travelogues: blog South to Panama and Back[26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] |
| John Gerber (USA, 1945–2010) | 1971 (2 years) | Vespa SS 180 single cylinder scooter | Hemispherical route through 21 countries. From Menomonie, Wisconsin to Cape Horn through the USA, Mexico, British Honduras, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Dutch Guiana, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and north through central America again. Gerber intended ride through Canada to reach Alaska, but his ride was cut short when he was hit by a car in Hayward, California. | 25,000 mi (40,000 km) | Unsupported | Travelogues: blog South to Panama and Back[26][27][28][29][30] |
| John Gerber (USA, 1945–2010) | 1978 (1 years) | Vespa Rally 180 single cylinder scooter | Circumnavigating through 23 countries. From Singapore to London through the Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Vatican City, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France, and England. | 20,000 mi (32,000 km) | Unsupported | Travelogues: blog South to Panama and Back[26][27][28][29][30] |
| Peter Thoeming and Dr Charlie Carter | 1978-1981 | Honda XL 250s | Sydney to Dublin and on through USA. | 46,000 mi (74,000 km) | Unsupported | Book: Motorcycle Touring Radio: ABC 2JJ |
| Anne-France Dautheville (France) | 1972–73[34] | Kawasaki 125[34] | 12,500 mi (20,100 km)[34] | First woman to motorcycle solo around the world.[34] | ||
| David McGonigal (Australia, b.1950) | 1970s (4 years) | Yamaha RD350 | Circumnavigating via Asia, Europe, North America. | First World Tour[35] | ||
| Ted Simon (UK, b. 1931) | 1973–1977 | Triumph Tiger 500cc | Circumnavigating. 1973: England, France, Italy, Sicily, Tunisia, Sudan, Ethiopia. 1974: Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Rhodesia, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Brazil, Argentina, Chile. 1975: Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, USA, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia. 1976: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal. 1977: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia (formerly), Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, England. (49 countries) | 78,000 mi (126,000 km) | Unsupported | Jupiter's Travels[36] |
| Walter Muma (Canada, b. 1956) | 1978 | Motobécane Mobylette 50 cc moped | Toronto to Alaska and Inuvik via gravel Alaska Highway, and back | 11,500 mi (18,500 km) | Unsupported | [37][38] |
| Helge Pedersen (Norway) | 1982–1992 | BMW R80G/S | Circumnavigation: 77 countries on every inhabited continent[39] | 250,000 mi (400,000 km) | Unsupported | First south-to-north crossing of Panama's Darién Gap by motorcycle[40] Book: 10 Years on 2 Wheels |
| Emilio Scotto (Argentina, b. 1956) | 1985–1995 | 1980 Honda Gold Wing GL1100 | Circumnavigating. All of Europe, all of Africa, all of the Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, some Pacific islands, and all of North and South America (279 countries) | 735,000 km (457,000 mi) | Guinness record for the world's longest motorcycle ride. Travelogue: The Longest Ride: My Ten-Year 500,000 Mile Motorcycle Journey[41][42] | |
| Jim Rogers (USA, b. 1942), Tabitha Estabrook | January 1991–November 1992 | BMW (x2) | Circumnavigating . Section 1: Ireland, across Europe, Russia (Europe and Siberia), Japan. Section 2: Japan, China, Karakoram Highway, Pakistan, Central Asia, Caucasus, Turkey, across Europe and back to Ireland. Section 3: Ireland, Southern Europe to Northern Africa, across the Sahara through Tamanrasset, Central and Southern Africa to Cape Town. Section 4: Australia and New Zealand. Section 5: Ushuaia, Patagonia, Chile, Peru, Columbia, Central America, Mexico, Eastern USA to New York, across Canada to Alaska, Pacific Coast to San Francisco (52 countries) | 105,000 km (65,000 mi) | Travelogue: Investment Biker.[43] Videos: The Long Ride, The Party's Over | |
| Nick Sanders (UK) | 1992 | Royal Enfield Bullet | Circumnavigating | 61,200 km (38,000 mi) | ||
| Dave Barr (USA, b. 1952) | 1994–1996 | Harley-Davidson | Circumnavigating. Section 1: USA, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Southern America (Atlanticantic loop) to Ushuaia, Chile, Southern and Central Africa, North Africa (across the Sahara through Tamanrasset), Central and Northern Europe (winter time), Russia (Europe and Siberia in winter time), Mongolia (winter time), China, Southeast Asia. Section 2: Australia (about 40 countries) | 133,575 km (83,000 mi) | Dave made the trip on a 1972 Harley-Davidson® motorcycle with two prosthetic legs. Travelogue: Riding the Edge, Riding the Ice[44] | |
| Andy Goldfine (USA) and Helge Pedersen (USA/Norway) | 1996 | 2 × BMW R80G/S | North America: Duluth to Seattle (Goldfine); Hyder, Alaska; Anchorage. Asia: Magadan, Siberia; Lake Baikal; Ulan Ude; Mongolia; Beijing; Vladivostok; Sakhalin Island; Holmsk; Hokkaido; Yokohama. North America: Los Angeles to Seattle (Pedersen) and LA to Duluth (Goldfine). | 17,000 mi (27,000 km) | [45][46] | |
| Austin Vince, Gerald Vince, Chas Penty, Bill Penty, Clive Greenhough, Nick Stubley, Mark Friend, Louis Bloom | 1995–1996 | Suzuki DR350 | Circumnavigating. London, through Central Asia, Kazakhstan and Siberia to Magadan across the Road of Bones to Magadan, then from Alaska to Chile, and finally from Cape Town through Africa and the Middle East back to London | 65,000 km (40,000 mi) | Unsupported, filmed | TV series and book: Mondo Enduro[47] |
| Benka Pulko (Slovenia, b. 1967) | June 1997–December 2002 | BMW F650 | Circumnavigating. Europe, Russia, Egypt, Middle East (including Saudi Arabia), South Asia, Southeast Asia, South America, North America, Australia (75 countries) | 180,015 km (111,856 mi) | Unsupported | Guinness Record for the longest distance and duration solo motorcycle ride by a woman. First motorcyclist to ride in Antarctica. First woman to ride solo across Saudi Arabia.[48] |
| David McGonigal | 1997–1999 | BMW R1100RT | Circumnavigating . Section 1: Australia, Chile, Antarctica, Ushuaia, South America to Alaska. Section 2: Australia, Vladivostok, Siberia, Mongolia, Russia (Europe), Europe, Morocco, back to Europe. Section 3: New Zealand, Pacific islands. | 114,063 km (70,875 mi) | The First Seven-Continent Motorcycle[49] | |
| Nick Sanders | June 1997 | Triumph | Circumnavigating | 32,070 km (19,930 mi) | Record for circumnavigating the Earth on a motorcycle in 31 days and 20 hours.[50] Travelogue: Fastest Man Around the World. | |
| Jūgatsu Toi | 1997–2002 | Honda XRV750 Africa Twin, Honda NX650 | North America, Australia, Africa, South America, Eurasia | 120,000 km (75,000 mi) | 2010 NHK television documentary covered 30,000 km Eurasian leg[51][52] | |
| Nick Sanders | 1998– | Yamaha YZF-R1 | Circumnavigating. Seven complete world tours | Books: Anatomy of an Adventurer, Parallel Coast, Parallel World–Around the Globe on an R1, Loneliness of the Long-Distance Biker, Fastest Man Around the World, Journey Beyond Reason, Biker Britain, Timbuktu–In Search of the Dakar Rally and Timbuktu[53] | ||
| Neil Peart | 1998–1999 | BMW R1100GS | Quebec–Alaska–Mexico–Central America | 88,000 km (55,000 mi) | Unsupported | Book: Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road. His BMW was on display at Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.[54] |
| Pat Garrod and Vanessa Lewis | 1998–2002 | BMW R100GS | Circumnavigation — 64 countries, 6 continents | 100,007 mi (160,946 km) | Unsupported | Book: Bearback — The World Overland |
| Chris Ratay and Erin Doherty-Ratay | 1999–2003 | BMW F650 and BMW R100PD | Circumnavigation — 50 countries, 6 continents | 101,322 mi (163,062 km) | Unsupported | Claim Guinness World Record for distance ridden (team)[55] |
| Vladimir Yarets | 2000–present (As of July 2014[update]) | Jawa 350 and BMW F650GS | Circumnavigation | More than 100,000 mi (160,000 km) | Unsupported | Rider is deaf[56] |
| Sjaak Lucassen | 2001 | Yamaha R1 Honda Fireblade | Around the world, Polar Ice | 458,000 km (285,000 mi) | Autobiography: Leven op 2 wielen[57] Documentary: Sjaak the World (2010)[58][59][60] | |
| Ted Simon (UK, b. 1931) | 2001–2004 | BMW R80G/S | Circumnavigating. 48 countries in North America, Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, Australasia | 88,000 km (55,000 mi) | Unsupported | Dreaming of Jupiter[61] |
| Simon and Monika Newbound (UK) | May 2002–October 2003 | BMW R1150GS, BMW F650GS | Circumnavigating. All of Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Iran, Russia (Europe and Siberia), Mongolia, China, USA, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Haiti | 189,000 km (117,000 mi) | Unsupported | Guinness Endurance Record. Crossed the USA 5 times and the Arctic circle 3 times.[62] |
| Kevin Sanders (UK, b.1964), Julia Sanders (UK) (passenger) | June 2002 | BMW R1150GS | Circumnavigating . Alaska to Florida across Canada and the USA, Europe to Turkey, Iran, Dubai, Australia, New Zealand, and back to Alaska (12 countries) | 31,319 km (19,461 mi) | Guinness Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by motorcycle, in 19 days 8 hours and 25 minutes. | |
| Kevin Sanders (UK, b.1964), Julia Sanders (UK) (passenger) | August–September 2003 | BMW R1150GS Adventure | Hemispherical. Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, across the USA, Mexico, Central America, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina (Ushuaia) (13 countries) | 27,200 km (16,900 mi) | Guinness Record for the fastest Pan-American motorcycle ride, in 35 days. TV series: The Ride: Alaska to Patagonia (National Geographic, 2005). | |
| Kanichi Fujiwara (Japan, b. 1961), Hiroko Fujiwara (Japan, b. 1962) | March 2004–June 2008 | Yamaha Passol electric scooter and Yamaha Majesty scooter | Circumnavigating. Australia, Thailand, India to Scotland, Scandinavia, Africa, America from New York to San Francisco. (44 countries). | 50,552 km (31,412 mi) | Unsupported, sponsored by Yamaha | May be first circumnavigation by electric scooter or electric motorcycle.[63][64] Scooter weighed 45 kg (99 lb), with 30 km/h top speed, 20 km battery endurance. |
| Ewan McGregor (UK, b. 1971), Charley Boorman (UK, b. 1966) | April–July 2004 | BMW R1150GS Adventure | Circumnavigating. UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, USA, Canada, ending in New York (12 countries) | 30,396 km (18,887 mi) | Truck and crew | Documentary TV series & book: Long Way Round |
| Allan Karl (U.S.) | 2005–2008 | BMW F650GS Dakar | 5 continents | 62,000 mi (100,000 km) | Unsupported | Book: FORKS—A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection[65] |
| Jeffrey Polnaja (Indonesia) | 2006–2015 | BMW R1150GS Adventure | Circumnavigated thorough 97 countries | 440,000 kilometres (270,000 mi) | Solo unsupported | The first Indonesian to circumnavigate. Book: Wind Rider |
| Bharadwaj Dayala (India, b. 1969) | Apr 2006-Oct 2007 | Hero Honda Karizma | India, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France, UK, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Bangladesh (15 countries) | 47,000 km (29,000 mi) | Unsupported and unsponsored | Book: Ride the World[66][67][68][69] |
| Woodrow Landfair (USA, b. 1982) | May 2006-Oct 2007 | Suzuki Intruder 800 | 48 contiguous states, United States of America | 94,000 km (58,000 mi) | Unsupported and unsponsored | Book: Land of the Free[70] |
| Ewan McGregor (UK, b. 1971), Charley Boorman (UK, b. 1966) | May–August 2007 | BMW R1200GS Adventure | Hemispherical. UK, France, Italy, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa (17 countries) | 19,500 km (12,100 mi) | Truck and crew | Documentary TV series: Long Way Down |
| Cathy Birchall (UK, 1957 – 2013), Bernard Smith (UK, b. 1955) | August 2008–August 2009 | BMW R100RT | Hemispherical. UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, USA, Canada (31 countries) | 26,385 mi (42,463 km) | Alone | Book: Touching the World: A Blind woman, Two Wheels and 25,000 Miles[71][72] |
| Simon Gandolfi (UK, b. 1933) | 2008–2013 | 125 cc Honda (America) 125 cc TVS Phoenix (India) | Mexico to Tierra del Fuego via Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina (2008: 34,000 km) Tierra del Fuego to New York (2012: 40,000 km) India (2013: 16,000 km) | over 80,000 km (50,000 mi) | Solo and unsupported | Several non-continuous rides; octogenarian on latest ride. Books: Old Man on a Bike and Old Men Can't Wait |
| Kanichi Fujiwara (Japan, b. 1961) | April 2009–November 2013 | 50 cc Honda Super Cub | Numbered highways of Japan | 100,000 km (62,000 mi) | Several non-continuous rides | |
| Paul Pelland (USA, b.1968) | 2012- | Yamaha Super Ténéré | Documenting one million miles raising awareness for multiple sclerosis (MS) | 1,000,000 mi (1,600,000 km) (projected) | Solo and unsupported | Rider, writer and speaker with MS on one million mile journey Chasing the Cure[73] |
| Danell Lynn (USA) | 2014-2015 | Triumph Bonneville | Lower 48 U.S. states non-overlapping route[74] | 48,600 mi (78,200 km) | Solo | Guinness World Record: Longest journey by motorcycle in a single country. |
| Kane Avellano (UK, b. 1993) | 2016-2017 | Triumph Bonneville | Circumnavigation UK, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Pakistan, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, US, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Spain, Morocco (36 countries). Return to the UK via Spain and France. | 28,000 mi (45,062 km) | Solo and unsupported | Guinness World Record: Youngest person to circumnavigate the globe by motorcycle (male).[75] |
| Ewan McGregor (UK, b. 1971), Charley Boorman (UK, b. 1966) | September–December 2019 | Prototype Harley-Davidson LiveWire | Hemispherical. Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, US (13 countries) | 13,000 mi (20,921 km) | Truck and crew | Documentary TV series: Long Way Up |
| Michel v. Tell (Switzerland) | 2020– | 2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire | March 2020: 1723 km in 24 hours – over 400 km more than old e-bike record. Driven on normal street by just one person. Regular bike, regular recharge stations. [76] | c. 1,723 km (1,071 mi) | Mileage all accomplished on a single motorcycle and a single driver. Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria. | |
| Carol and Ken Duval (Queensland, Australia) | 1997– | 1981 BMW R80G/S | Two circumnavigations, starting in March 1997 | c. 1,000,000 km (620,000 mi) | Mileage all accomplished on a single motorcycle | |
| Jess Stone (Canadian) | 2021– | BMW G650GS | Americas in 2022, Europe and Africa planned | With dog companion riding pillion |
References
editFurther reading
edit- "Table of transcontinental automobile trips and table of transcontinental motor cycle trips – to 1907". The Automobile Blue Book. Vol. 1. New York, New York: The Class Journal Company. 1907. p. 561.