ABOUT THE
RIDERS
RIDER
LISA THOMAS
For me, riding was a natural progression. My dad rode, my mum joined him on the back as a pillion, so when I was a teenager it felt natural to join them. I never imagined then that motorcycles would become the foundation of a lifetime of adventure, or that they would carry me across the world. When Simon and I met, neither of us owned a bike. It’s almost comical looking back now, considering how much of our marriage and our lives have revolved around two wheels. When we finally set out in 2003, we were hardly prepared. We weren’t experts; we were dreamers with little more than stubbornness, optimism, and a belief that we could figure things out along the way. Seventeen years later, we’ve proven to ourselves—and hopefully to others—that you don’t need to be extraordinary to live an extraordinary life. Together and unsupported we’ve covered more than 500,000 miles, crossing deserts, jungles, and mountains. I’ve been called the world’s foremost female adventure rider, having traveled farther and longer in a single journey than any other woman in history. Titles aside, I’m just someone who loves the challenge and joy of discovering the world from the saddle of a motorcycle. Travel has taught me resilience, patience, and the true value of connection. The most precious moments for me aren’t about the destinations—they’re about the meals cooked on the roadside, the laughter shared with strangers, and the small acts of kindness that remind me how incredible humanity really is. Motorcycling has given me more than freedom. It’s given me a perspective on what matters most: experiences over possessions, memories over things, and friendships that can last a lifetime. I ride because it makes me feel alive. And I keep riding because the world still has so many stories left to tell.
RIDER
SIMON THOMAS
I was obsessed with motorcycles from the moment I saw one. Growing up, my parents forbid me to ride, but I eventually wore them down and got my first bike while still at school. To me, anyone on two wheels belonged to a special brotherhood—people who didn’t follow the crowd. That’s who I wanted to be. What still surprises many people is that when Lisa and I first met back in the early 90’s, neither of us owned a motorcycle. Neither of us knew the other even rode. Considering how central two wheels have become to our marriage and our lives, that feels almost unbelievable. When we finally set out on our round-the-world adventure, we weren’t seasoned riders. In fact, we were complete novices. Between us, we had two days of off-road training and about 15 minutes of sand riding experience on a beach in the UK. We had no special survival or adventure training—just a wild optimism, an iron determination, and a sense of curiosity bigger than our fears. Since then, Lisa and I have ridden more than half a million miles, across six continents and through 82 countries. Together, we’ve carved first routes through the Amazon Jungle, set endurance riding records, and helped define what’s now called “adventure motorcycling.” But at the heart of it, I’m still that kid who saw motorcycles as freedom on two wheels, and I’ve never stopped chasing that feeling. For me, the real value of this journey hasn’t been the accolades or the miles. It’s been the nights under a Saharan sky, watching shooting stars after a day of riding into the horizon. It’s been the friendships forged on dusty roads and the unshakable bond between Lisa and me, tested and strengthened with every mile. I ride because motorcycles are more than machines—they’re a way to experience the world, one horizon at a time.
The more I hear, you can't or it's impossible, the more I want to prove them wrong. It's just how I'm wired".
Simon Thomas
in a recent interview