Mick Hoy Around the World Journey

[timmythecop]

I have been following my new friend Mick's progress as he goes around the world on a 4th gen. He is currently awaiting his bike in Bueno Aries, and the boat is late!. Mick is doing this with a shoestring budget, so support him in any way you can. You can contact him at his web site / travelogue here: http://www.mhoey.eu/

Really good reading, and Mick is a super friendly good guy, so drop hime a line. I''m thinking about trying to convince him to time his north american leg to coincide with TMAC. That would be a hoot.

[mhoey]

Hi fellow VFR riders

Thanks for showing the flag Timmy.

I look forward to see you guys up north. At the moment I am in Buenos Aires awaiting the VFR from Africa. I plan going down to Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego) once I get the bike back though it is winter and travel up the west coast to Columbia and then a ride east to Fortaleza in Brazil. At the time I am writing I can't say when I will arrive to the States as things might quickly change and I will hang around in South America for a bit longer than expected. Well you have already waited over a year, so I think you can wait another 6 months.

If anybody wants to see me and the "Red Devil" you can find my details on my site: www.mhoey.eu

I am not just looking for a bed, but willing to offer some great company, exchange cultural experiences around the world, meet for a ride, drink beers (which I am good at) etc.

Lets meet and share some stories from the road.

All the best and enjoy riding.

mhoey

ATWJ - mhoey.eu

[E-Ticket]

Hi fellow VFR riders

Thanks for showing the flag Timmy.

I look forward to see you guys up north. At the moment I am in Buenos Aires awaiting the VFR from Africa. I plan going down to Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego) once I get the bike back though it is winter and travel up the west coast to Columbia and then a ride east to Fortaleza in Brazil. At the time I am writing I can't say when I will arrive to the States as things might quickly change and I will hang around in South America for a bit longer than expected. Well you have already waited over a year, so I think you can wait another 6 months.

If anybody wants to see me and the "Red Devil" you can find my details on my site: www.mhoey.eu

I am not just looking for a bed, but willing to offer some great company, exchange cultural experiences around the world, meet for a ride, drink beers (which I am good at) etc.

Lets meet and share some stories from the road.

All the best and enjoy riding.

mhoey

ATWJ - mhoey.eu

I'm in .... if you ever hit Oregon ... you have a place to rest your head, work on your bike, and just ..... decompress.

Cheers, mate! - RandyB ("E-Ticket")

[VFRSuperfreak]

Hey man, I'll check your info. I'm in Mexico (Jalisco, western state), so it'd be a pleasure to see you through. (I also have a 4th gen).

Thanks Timmy for posting this.

The other pair of insane world riders I've been following, they use home-made replica bikes from 70 years ago;

The dumb way around, AKA "King Croesus contempt for death"

They already went by here.

Saludos!

/edit PS; you may already know about this, but just in case; Use Horizonsunlimited.com list of local resource contacts for each world region. I'm listed for western Mexico. click on "communities" there.

[mhoey]

Hi guys

Thanks for all your replies.

VFR is getting closer, has been off loaded from ship in Buenos Aires, shipping agent has been sorted out, just need to get the customs sorted out. But I am in good hands here at Dakar Motos in Buenos Aires (www.dakarmotos.com), awesome place. It's like a second home for me, I feel welcome because of the owners Sandra & Javier. If some of you guys come down south, give it a try. It is a combined motorcycle garage and hostel and wellknown by motorcycle-travellers all around the world.

I know about the two crazy vikings riding around the world on old Nimbus bikes with sidecar, and I dig their site. Travelling on a bike shouldn't be dull ;oP

Will make sure to drop by and say hello to those who are interested. It is a promise!

Salute mis amigos

mhoey

[VFRSuperfreak]

MMMH.... Starting to wonder, guy says he's either riding or drinking beer, right?... Check out this "Piss Club" he "found" one night in South Africa:

According to the rules, to enter you;

1 You have to drink one 25 ml shot of beer every minute for 100 minutes (2.5 liters in all).

2: You are not allowed to leave the table.

3: You are not allowed to eat while doing this.

4 YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PISS YOUR PANTS OR PISS ON THE FLOOR (which none of us knew).

I'll let you read the rest. Mick's as good with the camera as he is taking notes. [in this instance, I'm not sure we needed to know how he did in that contest, really..] :ohmy:

(you're sleeping in the garage if you ever make it here you crazy viking!)

And just so happens that a cute Danish girl was around to keep time. [pics], does Mick's luck ever run out?

[mhoey]

'VFRSuperfreak'

(you're sleeping in the garage if you ever make it here you crazy viking!)

You have beer's in the garage?

mhoey

[vfrcapn]

Good luck to you on the rest of the journey, that certainly is an adventure most of us (ok, all of us) only dream about doing.

[97VFR750]

Mad props on the ride around the world. Have you had any electrical problems yet? You are more than welcome to crash at my place in Atlanta if you plan to swing through, I'll buy the beer! Ride safe and keep us posted!

Vince (97VFR750)

[mhoey]

Good luck to you on the rest of the journey, that certainly is an adventure most of us (ok, all of us) only dream about doing.

Thanks, but keep one thing in mind, a journey is nothing without the people you meet on the road. Places you go can be beautiful, but they will always be there! The real people you meet out there are the memories you look back on. And some of them you have for life as good friends...

mhoey

[mhoey]

Mad props on the ride around the world. Have you had any electrical problems yet? You are more than welcome to crash at my place in Atlanta if you plan to swing through, I'll buy the beer! Ride safe and keep us posted!

Vince (97VFR750)

Hi

Not really, the electrical problems I had which was my own fault was:

1. I burned a lot of circuit breakers in Atar (main breakers), Mauritania trying to connect my 12 volt DC tyrepump to the bike. Smoke started to come from the area around the fuelpump, turnsignal relay, and I was affraid that I had burned some of the harness off!

2. Dropped the bike in the biggest pothole I could find, full of water in northern Angola after several days on a remote trail leading south towards Lobito. Unfortunately Hilly (Ian Hill) a great English chap I met in Africa was far ahead and I had to wait 40 minutes for him to finally realize something was wrong and get his butt back to help out his Danish friend to dig the bike out of the mud hole (too heavy with all the luggage on). I managed to save my tankbag and camera, but all the food etc in the pannier was soaked and not that interesting anymore! What we did was putting the kettle over and get a cup of tea (English people, they can't live without biscuit's and tea, hehe) and evaluate the sitution with a bike now not able to start ;oP

Water had penetrated the starter or electrical system which caused the starter not to crank the engine! Luckily some great local Angolan's came by on a Keweseki (yes you read right - China has invated Africa, more Chinese people than African's). They gave us, me and the bike a push and the V4 came alive again. I let i ran for 30 minutes while enjoying the rest of the tea. End result, no more problems with starter or electrical system. Even 50 degrees celsius in Spain and Africa hasn't had any effects on the bike, the radiator fan has worked a lot to keep the nedle out of the red band and with success.

Mick, where is the VFR? (Video of a normal day in Angola): http://player.vimeo.com/video/14131012

See the rest of the photos: Angola photos

I broke of the subframe off the bike in Congo (subframe bolts sheared) and a cracked rear rim which I discovered after arriving in Cape Town (fixed with chemical metal) but that is another story!

I don't mind buying a beer for my friends I meet on my way as long as I have a few quid in my pocket. I am interested in meeting the people and riders that want to see me, and as I wrote before. I am not just interested in a free place to stay, but most important is to see you guys, fellow motorcycle riders out in the world!

Keep asking and I will try and keep you informed untill I see you.

Mange hilsener til VFR MC'isterne og andet godtfolk på vejen (Danish)

mhoey

[E-Ticket]

Just read your last post ... and your pictures.

And I think this is the only proper response: "Holy ... crap!" :biggrin:

And to get it running again ... and not just walking away: :ohmy:

You definitely have a free beer, or two, waiting for you in Portland, Oregon, USA, my friend! E-Ticket

[VFRSuperfreak]

'VFRSuperfreak'

(you're sleeping in the garage if you ever make it here you crazy viking!)

You have beer's in the garage?

mhoey

It will have whatever we put in it my man!. Just ride safe, there's lots of sweet twisty roads around here, lots of canyons and peaks;

Here's a couple of recent videos, one is in the city, with a camera on board,

There's a few more at my yt channel there, and a few shots at my flickr album.

Take care!, don't stop taking and posting pix bro, -and yes you're right "A place is a matter of people, not geography".

-HB

(I got here on a 2 week vacation.... Back in 2003 but didn't return)

[Guest]

Found this thread and read a bunch of Mick's blog, looked at photos and video's....amazing stuff. Reminds me so much of "Long Way Round" (& Down) but tougher. He is alone and on a streetbike! I do remember someone doing a similar trip on an R6 years back and he had a video of him riding through the Amazon in puddles 3-4 ft deep and the R6 would just spit the water out the exhaust when he recranked it, amazing.

So I ended up sending a few bucks to Mick, I know it wasn't much, but hopefully he gets lots of donations and every little bit helps. He promptly emailed me and wrote a nice little note. Hopefully when he gets to the states he passes through Georgia. I know we have alot of members he and could show him a hell of a good time.

Good luck Mick!!

[mhoey]

Found this thread and read a bunch of Mick's blog, looked at photos and video's....amazing stuff. Reminds me so much of "Long Way Round" (& Down) but tougher. He is alone and on a streetbike! I do remember someone doing a similar trip on an R6 years back and he had a video of him riding through the Amazon in puddles 3-4 ft deep and the R6 would just spit the water out the exhaust when he recranked it, amazing.

Snip

Hola Amigo

The guy you are thinking of was riding a R1, yes and it was a blast of a trip. In fact he is a pretty cool guy from Holland (they are crazy and know how to have a great time, no wonder Dutch and Danish people have a lot in common). I have been in contact with Sjaak during my trip and he is nice to write back. I think he is currently promoting his new book and video - read more here: http://www.sjaaklucassen.nl/

I think he did a lot of riding in the States and in Alaska he went up with a German as I remember it.

Sjaak has gone extreme on his Yamaha more than once all over the planet, and I had the fun to watch several of his movies on YouTube as you probably had. It is not only about the bike you pick, but more about the rider. If it is snowing and ice on the road, there are options for that as well, like spikes! Why not go on a bike you like, we can't all ride Bimmer's.

Some videos from YouTube - I like the by-pass in the desert ;oP :

Nick Sanders is a great chap too, also on an R1:

Salute

Mick

[VFRSuperfreak]

Found this thread and read a bunch of Mick's blog, looked at photos and video's....amazing stuff. Reminds me so much of "Long Way Round" (& Down) but tougher. He is alone and on a streetbike! I do remember someone doing a similar trip on an R6 years back and he had a video of him riding through the Amazon in puddles 3-4 ft deep and the R6 would just spit the water out the exhaust when he recranked it, amazing.

Snip

Hola Amigo

The guy you are thinking of was riding a R1, yes and it was a blast of a trip. In fact he is a pretty cool guy from Holland (they are crazy and know how to have a great time, no wonder Dutch and Danish people have a lot in common). I have been in contact with Sjaak during my trip and he is nice to write back. I think he is currently promoting his new book and video - read more here: http://www.sjaaklucassen.nl/

/snip

O M G! :fing02: I had seen a picture of a guy on a sportbike with the pyramids in the background. Never knew until now who it was. Amazing tales!!

Makes my stupid rides along the coast dodging bullets cows potholes and headless army like a walk in a park.

[mhoey]

Can you wish for a better birthday gift?

What Sandra and Javier at Dakar Motos in Buenos Aires had for me when I returned home after a long day at the harbour. They had arrange this surprise together with my girlfriend Bea from Spain. Thanks so much!

Today I had Sandra to help me with the procedures to get the bike out of the harbour and she was great! It will be hard to leave both Javier and Sandra after spending 3 weeks here on Wednesday, but luckily I see them again in Azul for an Asado (BBQ) on Saturday. If some of you get the idea of going down to Buenos Aires in Argentina, you should give them a visit and stay here a couple of days when visiting the city, it is one of the best places I have stayed at yet. You feel like home!

Had some troubles with my clutch after I had put the handle bars on. It turned out that the clutch hose had sucked all the air from the resoir and contained no hydraulic fluid, after getting the custom guys to push me and later on bleeding the system and pump several times with the clutch lever I was back in business Two months in a box!

All from me

Mick

[timmythecop]

Watch out, south america, there is a viking on the loose down there.

Happy Birthday, Mick. :fing02:

[VFRSuperfreak]

Good to hear the red missile arrived. Careful now, you're in America!

There's huge snakes around here like you've never seen, check this out [link]

Sunny skies to you.

HB

PS; made a little video from yesterday's ride: I'll never get enough of this V4 sound.

[rescue13]

Loving the trip report. If you get to Phoenix, AZ we have a spare bedroom and I'm sure we can make room in the garage for the VFR next to ours and some good roads to ride. Plus I brew my own beer and always have a few on tap. :fing02: Just give me a yell if you need anything ride safe. Mark

[V4 Rosso]

Happy birthday Mick :cheerleader: And have a great time riding that beautifull continent :wheel:

[Guest]

Happy Birthday Mick! Glad the VFR made it across the Atlantic and now your journey starts fresh on a new continent! :cheerleader:

[Guest]

Hey there

Just found you on the site. Very interesting! I live in Cape Town, South Africa and it's a pity i didn't know about your adventure sooner! Would have joined you for a short ride. keep up the good work and keep posting pics. Ride safe!

From Ruan

[V4 Rosso]

Hey Mick, your letter got printed in the october issue of SuperBike magazine:

[VFRSuperfreak]

Hey Mick, your letter got printed in the october issue of SuperBike magazine:

:happy:

Aasom! Hope you can exchange the lock for a vaccination kit or water filtration or satellite 3G, or at least some Pirelli knobbies for crappy roads!: