Michael Satterfield 
If you’re in the market for an epic adventure on your favorite machine, there are plenty of global options to choose from. That’s right; the world is a weird and wonderful place with plenty to see, and thanks to generations of travelers, we have the roads and routes to see them. Both beginners and seasoned bikers will find something of interest in these inspiring collated routes.
Best Bikes for A Motorcycle Tour
One of the most important elements of your biking tour is the machine that’s going to take to you through distant and unpredictable landscapes. Make sure you have confidence in your bike and understand something about the terrain and conditions you will face for yourself and your bike.
When it comes to touring, it’s hard to see past some of the best bikes from TX Toy Sales, such as the Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro, the BMW R1250GSA, and the Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE Grand Tourer. Decide what matters, endurance, power, speed, for the conditions you will face.
Some Motorcycle Tour Essentials
The most essential piece of kit you will need for touring is the bike itself, but you don’t want to hit the trail without plenty of other essential items. Of course, you will also need protective headgear and clothing, but make sure you consider the local conditions of your trip.
Some other essentials include panniers to store your travel gear and supplies in, a rechargeable compressor that can inflate soft tires when you don’t have a service area, a puncture repair kit, an all-in-one toolkit, a first aid kit, and a helmet cleaning kit to remove all the bugs and insects.
Epic Motorcycle Tour Adventures
Ceuta to Marrakech, Morocco
For European-based bikers, Morocco is an epic adventure you don’t want to miss. In fact, the route from Ceuta in the very north across the water from the southern Spanish coast to the exotic Marrakech in the west – via Fez – is perfect for all levels, especially beginner bikers.
Morocco is a land of deserts and culture, and you will experience everything on a loop around the desert country. Stop off at the vibrant souks in Fez and Marrakech, or trek the snow-capped mountains for a change of pace. Make Morocco a foundation stone for your epic adventures.
Pyrenees Loop, France, and Spain
The Camino de Santiago has been a famous pilgrimage for centuries in the Spanish north. There are many routes on the pilgrimage, and the official routes have changed over the years. The routes tend to be for walking, but there are also many ways to visit the mountains by road.
The Pyrenees loop is a stunning and unmissable 1500-mile tour from the Basque port city of Bilbao to the French beachside Biarritz. Along the way, you will take in the tiny principality of Andorra as well as the beautiful French Mediterranean Coast. It is also a challenging route.
Che Guevara Bloivian Run, South America
The Motorcycle Diaries, a popular biopic about the youthful years of Argentina’s most famous revolutionary, tells the story of two friends exploring South America in the most adventurous way by motorcycle. The year is 1952, and the man in question is the legendary Che Guevara.
The epic South American road trip across Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela was pivotal in the life of Che Guevara, who awakened to the beauty and troubles of the region. Sure, you don’t have to be a revolutionary to travel the same 11,722 miles, but you need some guts.
Amalfi Coast, Italy
If a coastal motorcycle tour is your thing, you need to try the route along the Amalfi coast. The first thing to say about this epic adventure is that it’s not for the faint-hearted. The route is pretty perilous and features hairpin bends, zigzags, and narrow stretches of road. But the views are worth the risks.
Amalfi Coast is stunningly beautiful, featuring rugged mountains, fishing villages, and sparkling Mediterranean waters. Perhaps best suited to more experienced gentleman racers, Amalfi Coast is worth the effort if you can handle hazardous oncoming bus tours during the summer.
The Tail of the Dragon, North Carolina, USA
As the route name suggests, The Tail of the Dragon is dramatic and unpredictable – exactly how a bike tour should be if you ask some seasoned riders. The fact is, America is the how-to for the great biking road trip, so you might expect it to deliver on epic landscapes and fabulous vistas.
The Dragon’s Tail route – also designated as US route 129 – is widely regarded as one of the best biking routes in the world. The Tail of the Dragon route is flanked by the Great Smoky Mountains on one side and the Cherokee National Forest on the other. It’s roughly 800 miles.
The Great Ocean Road, Victoria
Australia, one of the world’s largest continents, is a great place for throttle jockeys to blaze some famous trails in an array of bush highways and rural stretches. Best known for its open landscapes and dependable weather, there’s no better place for your summer biking tour.
The Great Ocean Road is a 150-mile stretch between the Victorian cities of Torquey and Allensford. Reach the Twelve Apostles – epic limestone formations – in a day and enjoy some dips in the glistening ocean of
the world-class beaches nearby. An epic tour not to be missed.
Ho Chi Minh Trail, Vietnam
Stretching from Hanoi in the north to Saigon in the south, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Trail is both historical and beautiful. Used as the central logistical thoroughfare by the Vietcong during the war, Ho Chi Minh
Trail is the perfect way to traverse the country, stopping at some key sites.
The Vietnam way has long finished, but the trail remains, and for decades it has been used by motorcycle aficionados for epic adventures. Hop on a Russian Minsk and set off on the 1000-mile journey this summer; you will encounter verdant greener, friendly villages and more.
Gynbarrel Highway, Western Australia
It’s no surprise that war trails make excellent roads for biking enthusiasts; they are flat, straight, long, and relatively unused. This is certainly true of Gynberrel Highway in Western Australia, constructed in 1958 to facilitate atomic testing and become the first east-to-west road linkage.
Gynbarrel highway is one of the most isolated roads in the world, making it simultaneously appealing and appalling. Bikers will have to prepare themselves for a sun-scorched trek with intense conditions through indigenous lands. But with planning, this tour is one of the books.
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The Silk Road, Egypt to China
The ancient and unmistakable Silk Road, a network of trading routes between Europe and Asia from the time of the Persian Empire, is as epic as it gets when considering a motorcycle tour. This nexus of culture,
tradition, and trade between east and west is a dream tour for bikers.
If you intend to bike the Silk Road, you better set aside a chunk of time to do it, as it typically takes five months or more. But let’s face it; you have half a year of epic adventure ahead where you are likely to
take in The Painted Mountains, the Mogao Caves, as well as the Great Wall.
Gear up for another motorcycle tour with the inspiring ideas above. Beginning bikers would do well to start off with Ceuta to Marrakech in Morocco or the Pyrenees Loop in Spain and France. More experienced bikers will enjoy the challenges of the Australian and Italian routes, and Silk Road.
