Returning to the Thrill: Re-embracing Two Wheels After Years in 4WD

By 2014, my partner in life and crime Jason and I had sold our 200-year-old cottage, pared down the belongings, and packed our new world on two dual sports bikes. We've embarked on a few adventures, but this one stood out—a transformative journey that lasted four and a half years.

It began when I stumbled upon Pearl, a factory-lowered 2001 BMW F 650 GS, on eBay. An epiphanic moment later, Jason recognized the practicality of Pearl and declared her a pack mule. His 2008 BMW F 800 GS for "tech" purposes—a drone, camera, and lenses.

After voyaging in a container ship with the bikes, we clocked 80,000 miles from Argentina to Alaska, taking in both Antarctica and the Arctic.

When Two Wheels Take Their Toll

Empowered as I became, moto traveling for years eventually made us weary. Here are just a few of the challenges we ran into.