Motorcycle travelers: Take me everywhere, the never-ending adventure for couples

Exploring the world on a motorcycle: what a vast undertaking. What excites us most? Meeting the travelers and adventurers who have set themselves the challenge. As each of them has his or her own vision of the journey, we're giving them the floor in a series of interviews.

In thisarticle, Natha and Vins aka "Take me everywhere" answer our questions.These two travel enthusiasts and their Falkor (BMW GS800) have been on the road for 2 years, and it's far from over!

----> You can follow their adventures on Instagram, Polarstep, Facebook, Youtube and their website take-me-everywhere.com

Hello Nathalia and Vincent, on August 1, 2021 you set off on quite an adventure: a motorcycle trip of indeterminate length. Can you tell us more about it (your pre-departure desires, travel philosophy, slow travel, objectives? Major preparation or team improvisation? Was it difficult to "leave everything behind"? )

Hello, yes, with pleasure. Nathalia and I have been together for over 21 years. We met when we were 14 and our first trip came a year later when we were 15. Since then, travel has been a big part of our lives. When we turned 20, in 2009, we set off on a year-long round-the-world trip through 21 countries. This got us even more hooked on travel, and taught us that our relationship works better when we're together, rather than at a distance. It also taught us that we don't want to travel as quickly as we did on this round-the-world trip. Since then, we've been in favor of slow travel. The more we travel, the less we put up with time constraints. We also like to try out different means of transport and forms of travel: expatriation in India, a 5-month transatlantic crossing by sailboat from Spain to Brazil, a tandem bicycle trip in Colombia, Couchsurfing in South America, etc.

Preparing the trip took exactly one year: the trigger for this trip was the departure of Natha's father. You have to live what you have to live now! When we found out he was seriously ill, we didn't want to leave and then regret it. The day he left, our world was ready to change again. Nathalia got her big cube license, we found the gear we needed, made a few partnerships and adjusted our desires, needs and goals. We were ready.

For this trip, we wanted to leave everything behind and head off by motorcycle to India, where we'd lived in 2014. With Covid still in effect at the time, many borders were closed. So we decided to let 100% chance decide for us, asking our nephew to spin a bottle on a map to get an initial travel direction. The destination doesn't matter, the journey and the encounters will be our mainstays.

We want to learn to become more minimalist, to be happy with what we have and to understand the stakes of a more conscious and benevolent humanity. If we can't open our doors (because we won't have a house anymore), we'll open our hearts. And we've been traveling on Falkor, our GS800, for over 2 and a half years now.

In August 2023, you'll be celebrating 2 years on the road, with 20,000 km and 21 countries on the clock. How has this motorcycle road-trip project evolved over time? (Changing objectives in the face of travel realities? Different desires...)

We celebrated our first year on the road in Morocco. We had reached the most south-westerly point of Europe, touching Cape Sao Vicente in Portugal. So the mission of our nephew and the bottle turned on the map was validated. At this point, we had to decide whether to embark on a grand tour across the whole of Africa, or to head back up towards Europe and head for Asia, our original plan. Since we're bad at making decisions, we decided to use a tarot deck to get a clearer picture. After a high-voltage draw, we pulled a card that told us we should head for Asia.

Our itinerary:

Our slow travels give us the flexibility to say that if we want to be somewhere at a certain time, we'll just have to make more detours to get there. We could have arrived in Greece in a few days, but in the end we decided to wander through all the Balkan countries and spend over 7 months there.

We also want to leave the door open to all the opportunities that come our way. When we arrived in Greece, for example, we decided to leave Falkor for a while in a garage in Athens, to embark on a sailboat for an exchange of services that enabled us to travel around some of the Greek islands. We're going to keep this state of mind in mind, leaving the door open to all possibilities.

Over time, we've also come to realize that movement is life, but never stopping prevents us from enjoying and integrating our experiences. This makes us cherish moments of pause in unexpected destinations all the more, in order to re-anchor ourselves and rest. We're more aware of the balance we need. To live is to move, integrate, create and begin again.

You share your mount nicknamed Falkor, a BMW GS800. Can you tell us a little about your beauty? What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Falkor is our 2014 BMW GS800f. We bought it exactly a year before we left and it's our first touring bike. We chose it because we'd seen lots of super-inspiring travelers using it on big trips around the world. We didn't want a bike that was too big, and we felt that 800cc was more than enough for a duo. It's renowned for being a reliable, low-maintenance bike (which is just as well, since we're both mechanically challenged). It goes everywhere and has enough power if we want to overtake. The second-hand market for this model is also interesting, as you can find well-equipped bikes for not too much money.

In terms of faults, the fuel pump is sometimes faulty on certain models, the seat height is too high for the two of us, and sometimes the weight when we're on technical trails.

Otherwise, Falkor is our LUCKY DRAGON bike. It's the hairy dragon from The Neverending Story, that crazy 1984 film in which a child flies on the back of this fantastic creature. He must save the world by reminding and enabling humans to dream! This moral of the film is very close to our hearts, because if you want to make your dreams come true... well, you have to start by dreaming.

How did you prepare your motorcycle for this trip?

Falkor had already crossed Africa from South to North with his previous owner. He was already well-prepared for the trip, with a number of Touratech accessories (engine mount & various protections). We fitted an additional external tank (Camel Tank) connected to the original tank to increase the fuel capacity from 16 to 23 liters. With this additional tank, we've got a range of almost 500km. For the baskets, we opted for Romanian brand Heavy Duties. Inexpensive, top-quality and high-capacity, we're fans of this rigid luggage with 48 liters per side! In terms of tires, we're sticking with the Heidenau K60 Scout, which we find really excellent in all types of terrain and, above all, very long-lasting!

By the way, do you both ride? What's your relationship with motorcycles? What have been your previous road-trips and two-wheeled experiences?

Yes, we both ride. Nathalia a little less, but often in the most scenic places. Often when she's driving, I sit behind her and pilot the drone to film us as we go. I've been riding motorcycles since I was 14, mainly supermotard bikes (Aprilia MX50, Yamaha DT125, Honda MXR 650, Suzuki RV 125, Yamaha XT 660, etc.). For us, the motorcycle has always been our means of transport in town, but never when travelling. I've never had my own car so the motorcycle is a pretty key element in my life. In November 2019, my job is forcing me to take a vacation as I have too many extra hours. As Nathalia is not available, I decide to make a dream come true by going to India and renting a Royal Enfield to travel around this country that fascinates me so much. My first motorcycle trip was a round trip from Mumbai to Goa, via the back roads. I discovered the pleasure, freedom and difficulties of motorcycle travel.

What motorcycle equipment do you have for this trip (helmet, jacket, pants, boots, gloves, etc.)? Are you happy with your choices? Are there any in particular that you'd recommend?

Vins: Klim Badland Pro set, Touratech Ultimate GTX boots, LS2 Explorer Carbon helmet,

Natha: Klim Artemis set, Touratech Ultimate GTX boots, LS2 Explorer Carbon helmet,

All in all, very good gear. It's the first time we've had this type of gear, even though we've been riding for almost 20 years. The Klim combis are great because they're waterproof, and one size up they're a little more breathable. So we don't have any extra rain gear, but on the other hand it's super heavy to wear. The new models would be lighter. The Touratech boots are ultra ultra ultra comfortable, waterproof and very secure. The helmets are very good, but took a long time to mould to our heads, putting a lot of pressure on our foreheads at first.

To travel for such a long time as a couple, you need to be well loaded, don't you? What kind of luggage do you have? Are you more of a soft or hard team? How is your luggage organized on the bike?

Over the years, we've tried to be as minimalist as possible, and our luggage has evolved a lot over time. We set off with way too much stuff, but it was important to us to take non-essential items with us. This was to ensure a smooth transition and not to feel that this way of life was a total deprivation of our hobbits (again, our difficulty in making choices). We weren't leaving in survival mode, nor for a short time, so we fed the fantasy that this nomadic life would be comfortable. And the definition of this word is bound to evolve throughout our lives.

From the outset, we've travelled with 2 rigid baskets and a soft, waterproof carry-on from Zulupack. This company has never let us down, and we use the product every day. Many bikers have given us arguments in favor of soft luggage, but for the moment we're happier with what we've got. Nothing makes us want to change. To be reconsidered if we go solo on the bike.

Do you have any sponsors? How did you go about creating partnerships?

Before we set off, we put together a sponsorship file and video, and contacted a few partners we thought would be important and interesting. It's only partnerships where we receive equipment, no money involved at the moment.

During the trip, we started posting photos/videos of our adventure, and other brands joined in. We went looking for some of them, and others came to us with proposals. We're very grateful for these exchanges, because they give us a certain level of comfort, without having to touch our savings. But it's still hard work, which deserves to be rewarded. However, we also want to be careful not to get caught up entirely in the world of marketing, because as minimalists and consumption-conscious people, our values are far removed from the idea that we always need to add new objects to our lives. We value quality, durability and utility.

When you leave everything behind for a long-haul trip, the question of budget quickly arises. How do you finance your nomadic lifestyle? Digital nomadism? Is working regularly as a workaway part of your strategy?

After 2 and a half years, we're still working on our savings. Workaways, service exchanges, our resourcefulness and flexibility have enabled us to do this for the time being. This life of travel costs us less than "simply" living in Switzerland.

We get a few payments from YouTube (around €10 a month at the moment), from one-off personal projects or from people who like what we share. This helps us and we're very grateful. So, for the time being, we can't talk about "lucrative digital nomadism". The time we've given ourselves has enabled us to learn an enormous amount, and we hope to be able to continue making a living from all the skills we've developed along the way. Money isn't everything, or at least we don't want it to be. In fact, for us, Workaway is one of the best ways of living well and exchanging our skills with other human beings. We're less obsessed with money and more focused on the values of sharing, caring, connecting and expanding our consciousness.

Can you tell us more about the workaway mindset? What does it bring you and how does it enrich your experience as a traveler?

Each Workaway or service exchange stop is always an important step in our trip, as it allows us to settle down and learn more about the region and its people. We try to find experiences where we don't really feel like we're "working", but rather learning new things or exchanging knowledge. We don't want to do concealed work, but to live an experience, an interlude in our busy lives. We like to find a variety of experiences so as to expand our range of possibilities. These interludes, ranging from one week to two months, are good for us and provide an important break in a long journey, so that we don't fall into a routine of just riding our motorcycles. We learn languages and make contacts all over the world. Watching this web of relationships grow over time is simply magical!

What type of roads do you use? Are you more into asphalt or dirt tracks?

There's one rule we try to stick to: never take the freeway. After that, as we have time, we try to take the smaller roads as much as possible. We love dirt and rock tracks, but then, we're not Pol Tarres, so we respect our limits and are careful not to take on too technical a track with two people on an overloaded bike. Well, when we can, because it's rare to know exactly what you're getting into before you get there!

Tent, youth hostel or hotel, what type of accommodation do you prefer (and why)?

There's no routine, we change with the seasons, our desires and our needs. We love camping, but our record is 15 days in a row. If we feel like a change and we get invited, we rent a room or a studio for a change. We've taken a tent with a large apse to provide some comfort when we're bivouacking, and otherwise we alternate between camping, guesthouse, workaway and airbnb. We've also done house-sitting once, which was a great way to rest for 2 weeks at no cost. We find our happiness in variety, non-routine and predefined rules.

A long-distance motorcycle trip is intense, both great and demanding. What are the little difficulties of everyday life (or things that get tedious in the long run) and, on the other hand, the small/great pleasures?

Painful or trying: loading and unloading the bike if we're on the move every day. Wearing our super-heavy motorcycle clothes in very hot weather. Sore buttocks, backs and shoulders on long trips. Riding with the visor open: wind noise and bugs in the eyes. Gusts of wind and rain can make journeys dangerous. And let's not forget the lack of reference points, the need to switch languages quickly and constantly adapt to everything, if you want to get the most out of your trip.

Small/great pleasures: being immersed in the elements, experiencing the landscapes you've crossed while being 100% in them. A feeling of total freedom when you're on the road, closeness when you meet people, the joy of managing to live in a minimalist way with the few things you have for such a long trip. A sense of adventure, excitement and pride in getting where you want to go. Unleash the emotions of love, friendship and pura vida. An endless hot shower. Tasting a hitherto unheard-of recipe. Clothes that smell good. Meeting people you know and love on the road.

Can you tell us about your most memorable moments and encounters?

Philosophically speaking, I'd say that the most intense moment of the trip is the exact moment we left! It's a contrasting feeling, between the excitement of leaving and making our dream come true, and the sadness of leaving our families and friends behind. But here we are! Freedom that makes you dizzy. We're free, but free to do what? Where do we start?

On a more down-to-earth level, for me (Vincent), I love the feeling of being far from home, in places and cultures that are different from my own. So Morocco was the first country where I felt this sensation of being far away. Disorientated by my surroundings and amazed by the people I met and the landscapes I crossed. The incredible sensation of saying to myself, we're in the Sahara and we've arrived here on our own in this desert.

Motorcycle travel can be full of pitfalls. Can you share with us your worst problems, mechanical glitches or bad experiences?

Worst problems: in October 2023, in Albania, we took on a TET trail (Trans Europeen Trail: Europe's offroad trail network). The first hour was pretty tense but manageable, until we came to a looooong, steep slope filled with large, rolling stones... It took us about an hour and 3 falls to get through this mini section, which was really hard to get over. At the top, the trail was still super-technical and we hesitated for a long time before giving up and turning back. Fortunately, we persevered and the reward was there, after 30mn of difficulty, a magnificent asphalt to reward us for having overcome this technical ordeal on the back of a slightly overweight dragon.

Mechanical problems: just one in almost two and a half years. The fuel pump on some GS800s can be temperamental in hot weather. We were in Morocco at the height of summer, and experienced record temperatures of 52.5°C. I might as well tell you that neither the pump, nor we, appreciate this kind of record. The bike coughs and pretends to stall, but doesn't stall. The solution was to change the fuel pump, which we finally did after more than 2 years and 3 months on the road.

Bad experiences: During our border crossing from Romania to Moldavia, we were attacked twice by a pack of 7 super-aggressive dogs! The pack really wanted to eat us, and chased us over such a distance that we ended up unintentionally at the Ukrainian border! Not wanting to turn back to find the horde of dogs, we decided to spend a night in Ukraine. Not being "prepared" to go to Ukraine, we didn't know that the region we were in (Odessa) had been bombed 2 days before we arrived... Not the most restful night of our trip.

Not too difficult to travel as a couple?

We've been together for a very long time, so we've learned to communicate well. Communication is the key and we've learned to talk about everything and to be able, when necessary, to realign ourselves. As Christopher Mccandless said, "Happiness is only real when it's shared." We're always looking for someone to tell our adventures to, to share them with, to feel them with. That's why it's important to listen to each other, and it's a precious gift to be able to share this kind of life with someone who wants to too.

Nothing in life is perfect or simple. The challenge brings value to what we have and what we're able to co-create. It's an accomplishment in itself to be able to move forward together and grow the love that guides us.

Our desires and interests are not all the same, but it's an opportunity to introduce the other person to a new world, and vice-versa. Sometimes we get fed up, question everything and then rebalance each other's needs and carry on.

What advice would you give to a couple hesitating to embark on a long-distance motorcycle adventure?

Do you both really want to embark on this adventure? If so, let's GOOO! In life, you can't wait for the perfect moment - it'll never come. If it doesn't work out, you'll have learned something interesting about yourself and your relationship. Then, communicate as much as you can so as not to let problems arise during this long journey. Forget your old patterns and open the door to possibilities in each other's minds. Be flexible and understanding towards your other half and everything should run smoothly. Don't waste your life earning it, and get on your lucky horse!

If this travelogue has inspired you, we'd like you to know that other motorcycle adventurers have their say on our blog.