Long-distance motorcyclists with Wikipedia articles, with tours in chronological order.
Rider | Date | Motorcycle | Route | Distance | Support | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George A. Wyman (USA 1877 - 1959) | 1903 | San Francisco–New York | 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) | Unsupported | 47- days, new record transcontinental crossing of the United States by motor vehicle[2] | ||
Carl Stearns Clancy (USA 1890 - 1971) | 1912 | Circumnavigation. Dublin–New York | Unsupported | First man to go around the world with a motorcycle[3] | |||
Erwin "Cannonball" Baker (USA 1882 - 1960) | 1912 | United States, Jamaica, Cuba, central America | Unsupported | Demonstration tour sponsored by Indian | |||
Erwin "Cannonball" Baker (USA 1882 - 1960) | 1914 | San Diego–New York | Unsupported | New transcontinental record 11- days. Newspapers dubbed Baker "Cannonball" for the feat. | |||
Avis and Effie Hotchkiss (USA) | 1915 | Harley-Davidson sidecar | New York–San Francisco–New York | Unsupported | First transcontinental crossing of the United States by women | ||
Augusta and Adeline Van Buren (USA) | 1916 | Indian Power Plus | New York–Los Angeles | Unsupported | |||
Marjorie Cottle and Hugh Gibson (UK) | June 1–12, 1924 | Raleigh | Circumnavigation of Great Britain (in opposite directions) | [4] | |||
Clare Frewen Sheridan and Oswald Frewen (brother) | 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[5] | First British motorcycle in the Soviet Union. Book, Across Europe with Satanella | ||||
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. | 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 | Tour of European capitals celebrating the women's victory at the 1927 International Six Days Trial[6] | |||
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 | Unsupported | First round the world on all inhabited continents (66 countries) with a motorcycle[7] | ||
Betty and Nancy Debenham (UK) | February 1929 | BSA motorcycles | England | Unsupported | Toured 2,000 miles with no money to win a bet with Kaye Don[8] | ||
Bessie Stringfield (USA, 1911 - 1993) | 1930s | Harley-Davidson | 8 trips across US | Unsupported | |||
Max Reisch (Austria, 1912 - 1985) | 1933 - 1934 | Puch 250 | Austria (Kufstein) - India (Bombay) | Pillion rider Herbert Tichy | First motorbike ride from Europe to India[9] | ||
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. | Unsupported | Travelogues: book, One Man Caravan,[10] and a film:The One Man Caravan of Robert E. Fulton, Jr. An Autofilmography[11] | ||
11 December 1934 – 29 July 1935 | 600 cc single-cylinder Panther with sidecar and trailer | London to Cape Town | Unsupported | Parts recorded on film and in Wallach's book, The Rugged Road[12] | |||
1958 | North America transcontinental, New York to Los Angeles | Transcontinental crossing record, 52 hours and 11 minutes[13] | |||||
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. | Unsupported | Travelogues: blog South to Panama and Back[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] | ||
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. | Unsupported | Travelogues: blog South to Panama and Back | ||
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. | Unsupported | Travelogues: blog South to Panama and Back | ||
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[19] | Kawasaki 125 | First woman to motorcycle solo around the world. | ||||
David McGonigal (Australia, b.1950) | 1970s (4 years) | Yamaha RD350 | Circumnavigating via Asia, Europe, North America. | First World Tour[20] | |||
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) | Unsupported | Jupiter's Travels[21] | ||
Walter Muma (Canada, b. 1956) | 1978 | Motobécane Mobylette 50 cc moped | Toronto to Alaska and Inuvik via gravel Alaska Highway, and back | Unsupported | [22] [23] | ||
Helge Pedersen (Norway) | 1982–1992 | BMW R80G/S | Circumnavigation: 77 countries on every inhabited continent | Unsupported | First south-to-north crossing of Panama's Darién Gap by motorcycle Book: 10 Years on 2 Wheels | ||
Emilio Scotto (Argentina, b. 1956) | 1985–1995 | 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) | Guinness record for the world's longest motorcycle ride. Travelogue: The Longest Ride: My Ten-Year 500,000 Mile Motorcycle Journey[24] [25] | ||||
Jim Rogers (USA, b. 1942), Tabitha Estabrook | 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) | Travelogue: Investment Biker.[26] Videos: The Long Ride, The Party's Over | ||||
Nick Sanders (UK) | 1992 | Royal Enfield Bullet | Circumnavigating | ||||
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) | Dave made the trip on a 1972 Harley-Davidson® motorcycle with two prosthetic legs. Travelogue: Riding the Edge, Riding the Ice[27] | |||
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). | ||||
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 | Unsupported, filmed | TV series and book: Mondo Enduro[28] | ||
Benka Pulko (Slovenia, b. 1967) | BMW F650 | Circumnavigating. Europe, Russia, Egypt, Middle East (including Saudi Arabia), South Asia, Southeast Asia, South America, North America, Australia (75 countries) | 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.[29] | |||
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. | The First Seven-Continent Motorcycle[30] | |||
Nick Sanders | Triumph | Circumnavigating | Record for circumnavigating the Earth on a motorcycle in 31 days and 20 hours.[31] Travelogue: Fastest Man Around the World. | ||||
Jūgatsu Toi | Honda XRV750 Africa Twin, Honda NX650 | North America, Australia, Africa, South America, Eurasia | 2010 NHK television documentary covered 30,000 km Eurasian leg | ||||
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[32] | |||
Neil Peart | 1998–1999 | BMW R1100GS | Quebec–Alaska–Mexico–Central America | Unsupported | Book: . His BMW was on display at Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. | ||
Pat Garrod and Vanessa Lewis | 1998–2002 | BMW R100GS | Circumnavigation — 64 countries, 6 continents | Unsupported | Book: Bearback — The World Overland | ||
Chris Ratay and Erin Doherty-Ratay | 1999–2003 | BMW F650 and BMW R100PD | Circumnavigation — 50 countries, 6 continents | Unsupported | Claim Guinness World Record for distance ridden (team) | ||
Vladimir Yarets | 2000–present | Jawa 350 and BMW F650GS | Circumnavigation | Unsupported | Rider is deaf | ||
Sjaak Lucassen | Yamaha R1 Honda Fireblade | Around the world, Polar Ice | Autobiography: Leven op 2 wielen Documentary: Sjaak the World (2010)< | --http://www.sjaaklucassen.nl--> | |||
Ted Simon (UK, b. 1931) | 2001–2004 | BMW R80G/S | Circumnavigating. 48 countries in North America, Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, Australasia | Unsupported | Dreaming of Jupiter[33] | ||
Simon and Monika Newbound (UK) | BMW R1150GS, BMW F650GS | Circumnavigating. All of Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Iran, Russia (Europe and Siberia), Mongolia, China, USA, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Haiti | Unsupported | Guinness Endurance Record. Crossed the USA 5 times and the Arctic circle 3 times.[34] | |||
Kevin Sanders (UK, b.1964), Julia Sanders (UK) (passenger) | 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) | 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) | BMW R1150GS Adventure | Hemispherical. Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, across the USA, Mexico, Central America, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina (Ushuaia) (13 countries) | 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) | 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). | Unsupported, sponsored by Yamaha | May be first circumnavigation by electric scooter or electric motorcycle. Scooter weighed 45kg (99lb), with 30 km/h top speed, 20 km battery endurance. | |||
Ewan McGregor (UK, b. 1971), Charley Boorman (UK, b. 1966) | BMW R1150GS Adventure | Circumnavigating. UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, USA, Canada, ending in New York (12 countries) | Truck and crew | Documentary TV series & book: Long Way Round | |||
Allan Karl (U.S.) | BMW F650GS Dakar | 5 continents | Unsupported | Book: FORKS—A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection[35] | |||
Jeffrey Polnaja (Indonesia) | 2006–2015 | BMW R1150GS Adventure | Circumnavigated thorough 97 countries | Solo unsupported | The first Indonesian to circumnavigate. Book: Wind Rider | ||
Bharadwaj Dayala (India, b. 1969) | Hero Honda Karizma | India, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France, UK, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Bangladesh (15 countries) | Unsupported and unsponsored | Book: Ride the World[36] [37] [38] [39] | |||
Woodrow Landfair (USA, b. 1982) | Suzuki Intruder 800 | 48 contiguous states, United States of America | Unsupported and unsponsored | Book: Land of the Free[40] | |||
Ewan McGregor (UK, b. 1971), Charley Boorman (UK, b. 1966) | BMW R1200GS Adventure | Hemispherical. UK, France, Italy, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa (17 countries) | Truck and crew | Documentary TV series: Long Way Down | |||
Cathy Birchall (UK, 1957 – 2013), Bernard Smith (UK, b. 1955) | 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) | Alone | Book: Touching the World: A Blind woman, Two Wheels and 25,000 Miles | |||
Simon Gandolfi (UK, b. 1933) | 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) | 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) | 50 cc Honda Super Cub | Numbered highways of Japan | Several non-continuous rides | ||||
Paul Pelland (USA, b.1968) | 2012- | Documenting one million miles raising awareness for multiple sclerosis (MS) | Solo and unsupported | Rider, writer and speaker with MS on one million mile journey Chasing the Cure | |||
Danell Lynn (USA) | 2014-2015 | Lower 48 U.S. states non-overlapping route[41] | Solo | Guinness World Record: Longest journey by motorcycle in a single country. | |||
Kane Avellano (UK, b. 1993) | 2016-2017 | 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).[42] | ||
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– | 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. [43] | Mileage all accomplished on a single motorcycle and a single driver.Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria. | ||||
Carol and Ken Duval (Queensland, Australia) | 1997– | Two circumnavigations, starting in March 1997 | 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 |