Ted Simon is a well-known figure in the adventure motorcycle travel community. He rode his motorcycle around the world in the early 1970s, documenting his journey for a newspaper and later writing the book Jupiter’s Travels. The book became hugely popular and is still selling briskly almost five decades later. Ted recently turned 93 years old, and for his birthday, our host, Jim Martin, sat down with him to discuss how a rider today could have a similar trip. Ted came up with some criteria that anyone can follow to have a real adventure. During the conversation, it was revealed that Ted may not have been alone for the entire trip as previously thought and he also shared how his clear idea of what he wanted from his trip led him to turn his back on someone close to him so that he could continue his journey alone.

Ready for another big adventure, Dustin Nere reunited with a good friend at the Delhi airport for a 2-month adventure in the Himalayas. Apart from booking flights, reserving a hotel for the first few nights, and reserving bikes in Dehradun, they had no real plan. They knew of only a couple of notable places that Dustin had read about, and they hoped they could connect the dots. To make things more interesting, they began the journey with two other Americans who were visiting India for just two weeks. In the first week, they experienced bike troubles, landslides and altitude sickness. They made poor decisions and learned valuable lessons.

When 62 year old Don Nelson from Colorado walked into a motorcycle dealership for a casual look around, little did he know what was about to happen. After the salesman offered for him to test ride a bike, Don found himself making an impulsive decision—he bought a Triumph Bonneville on the spot. Despite not having ridden a motorcycle in over 40 years, he rediscovered his passion for riding and felt immediately at ease on the bike. Now, over a decade later at the age of 75, Don prefers to travel solo, riding long distances from his home to Alaska, coast-to-coast across the United States, and to the Rocky Mountains in Canada. For Don, age is just a number as he continues to embrace the freedom and excitement that motorcycling brings.

In this episode of DEEP TROUBLE, we talk with James McCormick who went on what he calls, a ‘leap of faith ride’ in Baja, somewhere he had ridden many times before. This time he and his friend chose to explore a more remote area and everything seemed to be going smoothly until they were well past halfway into the ride, when suddenly the road they had counted on following was gone and all that remained was sand, rocks, cactus, and brush. Facing a critical decision, they decided to push on and by nightfall they found themselves stranded in the desert without enough fuel to either continue or turn back, and even worse, they ran out of water.

Proactive off-road awareness is a crucial safety step which allows riders to anticipate and respond to hazards effectively. Being in tune with the environment enables riders to navigate unpredictable obstacles such as rocks, roots, or uneven terrain, reducing the risk of accidents or injuries. And to talk about that we have SMART instructor, Clinton Smout.

When planning a motorcycle adventure, it’s important not to forget essential items that could impact your trip. You’ll double-check your tools, riding, camping, and cooking gear, and ensure that any necessary maintenance has been done. However, there’s one crucial component that’s often overlooked—think of it as a safety net for when you’re on the road, something that will give you the ability to deal with unforeseen situations effectively. Greg Turp, a lifelong motorcyclist with a career in healthcare, is now training riders in effectively dealing with trauma and emergency situations.

Africa is a top pick for motorcycle riders seeking adventure, but many see it as a tough destination for only experienced travelers. Is it too risky for beginners? Do you need special skills? What's there to see? In this episode, we'll explore these questions with an expert in Southern African motorcycle travel.

Two adventure riders, worlds apart are pinned by their own motorcycles. Join Dave Rodgers and Joe Siegel, as they face perilous challenges in this episode of DEEP TROUBLE.

In 1999, Todd Lawson lost his brother, Sean, to cerebral malaria after a motorcycle journey through southern Africa. Wracked with guilt, Todd meets Christina, a kindred spirit, and together they embark on a motorcycle trip across the Americas, spreading Sean's ashes along the way. Inspired by Sean's adventurous spirit, they decide to return to Africa to distribute mosquito nets to those in need, turning their journey into a meaningful exploration of the continent's beauty and its people.

Situational awareness while riding a motorcycle means being aware of your surroundings and predicting what might happen based on what you see. It's about paying attention to the road, other vehicles, weather, people and more. In this episode, Clinton Smout, Chief Riding Instructor at SMART Adventures, tells us how by staying alert, you can anticipate dangers and react quickly to avoid them.

Carl and Isabel Abrams led a content life in the UK, with a comfortable home and fulfilling jobs that they enjoyed. In 2017, they embarked on a memorable motorcycle tour of Scandinavia, igniting a dream to circumnavigate the globe on their bikes. However, everything changed when three months later Isabel discovered a lump in her breast. The subsequent diagnosis forced Isabel to confront her mortality, abruptly shifting their perspective on the future. The idea of travelling the world once again came to the forefront, and they started to do some research, even buying the bikes. But still, the prospect of a world tour was a distant and flexible goal, as there was no set date; it was a plan for someday, something they couldn’t actually see happening. Until they surprised everyone, even themselves, and the day when they finally followed their dream arrived.

Lavi Scholl and Ollie Gamblin met when picking cherries on a farm in Australia while on working holiday visas. It might have been Ollie’s van, maybe his guitar playing, but something sparked for both of them and they have been partners in travel and life ever since. They seem to fit together like pieces of a puzzle, complimenting each other, naturally falling into the roles that allow them to travel even farther on a budget. Their mantra and secret for travel is underpinned with a simple mantra - that the best things in life are free. After trying out van life, backpacking, and cycling, they ultimately fell in love with the perfect mode of transportation - the motorcycle. Lavi and Ollie have just returned from a trip around the world.

On this episode of our Exclusive RIDER SKILLS we have Chief Riding Instructor Clinton Smout from SMART Adventures talking about common mistakes motorcycle riders make and how to avoid them. Clinton offers unique insights into what can go wrong with novel suggestions on prevention. He also talks about exercises that can be done while driving a car that will improve your motorcycle riding skills and safety.

Chad Horton and Rose Padilla have been exploring South America by motorcycle for years, with no specific agenda or direction. Recently, they took on what can only be described as an adventurer's route that was far off the beaten path. It was a route that would bisect the Amazon Jungle from east to west, passing through some of the most remote and unfrequented areas of the region. However, what they didn't anticipate was that the Amazon was experiencing a 125-year drought that would affect all travel in the area. Moreover, they were not aware that some of the boats that they were told could carry their motorcycle would not, while others would unload them far from land on the muddy bottom of a diving river. One boat's owner even attempted to hijack their motorcycle deep in the Amazon jungle. It was an incredible story of high adventure that was worth doing, but one that Chad and Rose say they would never do again.