Bear and the Great Himalayan Motorcycle Adventure

Our friend Bear from Old Bike Barn has continuously made life choices that allowed him to ride motorcycles and have fun all over the world. No matter how little money he's had at the time, he’s always found a way. His recipe for happiness is a simple one:

"Live modestly and spend the rest on Motorcycles, good food, and travel"

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"We are living in a very special time in human history where travel to exotic locations that would only have been available to aristocrats is with in the reach of the working man." -Bear

Some might think that these trips are outlandish or expensive, but Bear can tell you they are attainable if you have the will to go for it. This Himalayan Adventure with @pipeburn cost $2550 plus $784 for round trip Airfare. He spent an additional $130 USD in the 16 days they where there. $3464 TOTAL for a once in a life time experience riding what is commonly referred to as some of the most dangerous roads in the world. Obviously, $3500 isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s money well spent and how much are real-life experiences worth?

The Team: Pipe Burn, Himalayan Heroes, Old Bike Barn 16 Days 1200 Miles 80% dirt road (or no road) 12 men, 1 woman, and a guy in a Yeti suit 15,000+ feet of elevation 1 40th Birthday celebration

This trip was put together to celebrate the 40th birthday of Scott Hopkin founder of @pipeburn. The first day of riding began on the Rohtang Pass, better know as the "Death Road" or the "Pile of Corpses" as the locals refer to it due to the extremely high number of traveler fatalities. The Rohtang pass was just the appetizer, as the crew hit the Sach Pass next with slippery, near-death switchbacks and life-affirming vistas at 15,600 feet of elevation.

“I can't say enough about the tour company Himalayan Heroes and the support of Motorcycle Expeditions. Sure we rode some of the worlds highest and most dangerous roads but with a world class support crew and our Royal Enfield motorcycles, it was cake. We had a truck in front of us pitching camp and one behind us with spare parts, fuel, water and mechanics. Add our experienced guides; Buddhi Singh, Rex Havoc and Viv Canini to the mix and the challenges of navigation all but evaporated. It was easy to have peace of mind and focus on the riding and scenery the entire time.” -Bear

Most of us struggle with the reality of adult responsibilities, so instead of dreaming about taking a year off and riding around the world, maybe we can find inspiration from guys like Bear and sack up for a week or two at a time. This trip might have only taken sixteen days, but the positive effects are going to be felt for a lifetime. Thanks for sharing with us Bear! Useful links: Old Bike Barn Pipeburn Himalayan Heroes Royal Enfield Motorcycles Photo Credit: Bear Haughton / Mike Vandergriff