World-record setting motorcycle adventurers, Simon and Lisa Thomas visit Touratech to make some upgrades to their bikes before leaving for the next four years of their journey. The Thomas’ are 152,000 miles into a 10 year continuous motorcycle journey around the globe. After overhauling the bikes with the help of Touratech and BMW, both bikes are shipping to Japan this week.
From Japan the Thomas’ will venture into East Russia where they will traverse west to Siberia and Mongolia. They will then head South through the "Stans," a group of countries bordering the Caspian Sea that include Kazakstan, Uzebekistan, Tajikistan and others. The final stage of this segment will take them back across the Southern part of the continent into the Far East.
Russia will be their 60th country in a quest to ride 122 countries. They left the UK in 2003 with nothing but their motorcycles, camping gear, and a dream. Simon has ridden the entire journey on a BMW R1100GS while his wife Lisa has been on board a BMW F650GS.
When asked what the defining moment of the journey has been, Lisa replied:
"We found ourselves in the middle of the Sahara Desert…and it’s then that you realize just how small and insignificant you are…You look around and realize that you are just a speck."
In the beginning of 2009, Simon and Lisa surpassed the world record for the longest continuous motorcycle journey by a team. They have other goals in sight, including being the first team to ride on all seven continents. When people stopped by the Touratech showroom to look at the bikes, Simon and Lisa were both quick to point out that all of the original Touratech parts have withstood the rigors of the entire 152,000 miles ridden so far… a true testament to the quality, design and durability of Touratech products.
If you would like to learn more about Simon and Lisa’s travels you can view their website www.2ridetheworld.com