After a few years spent in Singapore, we’re riding back to Poland on a motorcycle – the Honda Africa Twin. We're going home...

Why a motorbike?
For the adrenaline, sense of adventure and ability to go literally anywhere. We want to find places still undiscovered and untouched by western civilization. Places only reached by going ‘off-road’.

Why from Singapore?
We both lived and worked there for over 2 years. On 20th April 2008 all that ended and the adventure we've been dreaming about began.

     

Initially we planned a route back via Asia, Africa and western Europe. But after the first year on the road, we knew it was too soon to arrive at our final destination (with so much of the world left to see). So we hitchhiked on a yacht across the Atlantic to South America. Spent another year there and the flew to Australia. Now we're making our way through Asia again. It's been 3 years since we left Singapore and we still have some way to go.

     

We started on the one bike. After a while, Iza got her own bike(s). She usually buys light bikes - up to 250cc - in each continent that we travel through. She didn't have any riding experience prior to this trip and got her first lesson in a very muddy Liberia. For riding gear, we chose jackets and pants from Modeka's “Melville” line, which is designed for four-season motorcycle travel and ideal for our trip.

       

One of the most commonly asked questions is about budgeting. We are not being paid for our trip and only have a couple sponsors. The majority of costs will be covered by us alone.

How can we afford this?
Well, we do not have an expensive car or other ‘luxury’ items. Our main possession is the Africa Twin and a sense of adventure. We plan to spend US$30 per day. This has to cover our daily expenses including accommodation, food and petrol. It does not factor in visa, shipping and other miscellaneous costs (ie. park entry fees, insurance…). Life on the road can be amazingly cheap. We often cook our own meals and camp wherever possible, sometimes accepting free accommodation from generous hosts or sleep in hotels. To travel as we do, you definitely need determination and a lot of motivation. We believe that if you want something badly enough, money is not an issue…

     

Most of the preparation work on the Africa Twin was done at Aseng’s - a local Singapore mechanic. Of the countless documents to be arranged, the 'Carnet de Passage' was the most important (and difficult) to obtain. It allows for the bike to be ridden through countries without having to pay import duties, which would otherwise be applicable. It is issued by the country in which the motorcycle is registered, but only after a deposit (equal to the value of the bike) is left with a bank guaranteeing the bike will not be 'illegally' imported into one of the countries visited. To get the CDP Kamil actually had to apply for a Singaporean permanent residency (for you couldn’t get it on a temporary visa), which he obtained just a week before departure!!

     

Overall we have about 70kg of baggage. This includes spare parts, tools, camping/cooking equipment, maps/guides, clothing (a minimal amount), a medical kit and electronic gear (photo/video/laptop). We did not take a GPS and will rely solely on the traditional navigation technique of map and compass. And besides, the best GPS is the local you meet on the street!

     

MOTORCYCLE: Honda XRV750Y “Africa Twin”
Year of production: 2000
Milage before the trip: 39,902km
Modifications/Additions:
- Change of suspension (Ohlins) and front springs (Wirth) something that would handle off-road two up riding with lagguage
- Change to more durable steel braided brake lines
- Change of the troublesome AT fuel pump
- Cigarette lighter/car charger power outlet and voltmeter
- Set of Touratech 35/41L side panniers and 35L Hepco & Becker top box
- Custom made crash bar and headlight protector
- Change of the original plastic AT rear rack to a customized stainless steel rack with attached back rest
- Customization of the original (uncomfortable) AT 'bench' seat to a 'king and queen' style seat
- Touratech 25ltr tank bag with 10ltr side bags
- Addition or larger 'footprint' for sidestand (for time when parking the bike in soft dirt or sand)
- Addition of Touratech handguards


You can read regular updates of our adventure in the BLOG!