If you think the Amazing Race is the most adrenalin pumping and emotional churning ride you ever heard of, well...check this out.

An emotional roller-coaster of an experience it was for former New Yorkers, Chris and Erin, who took their BMW motor bikes on one hell of a road trip; 51 months...50 countries...86 border crossings...6 continents...101, 322 miles ridden. Launching their supposed 15-month 'Round the World (RTW) adventure trip at Casablanca, the trip- in their own words- 'took a life of its own' and was completed after more than 4 years on the road. They returned on the 6 August 2003 and their feat was recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records 2005 as the Longest Motorcycle Ride by a Team.

Let them share with you their emotions and experiences on their Ultimate Journey.

Ultimate Emotions

ONE.MOTORING: Describe the adrenalin rush as you ride the bike on your journey?
Chris: Tough to put into words - I'd say there is the exhilaration of the unknown, and the anticipation of how a problem or breakdown will be resolved.

ONE.MOTORING: Any particularly interesting characters you met?
Erin: There are so many to choose from! Well there was this toothless rug salesman in Oazazat, Morocco who we had dinner with and kept calling Chris 'Alibaba'. In Australia everyone is a character.
South America was full of characters too...but the most memorable was a kindly truck driver/grape farmer who picked us up in the middle of a desolate road along the Andies. We had broken down again and he was the first vehicle we saw for almost 24 hours. He helped us load the bikes in the back of his cattle carrier and brought us over 350 kms to his home. His wife had a huge meal already prepared when we arrived. The next day he introduced us to his friend who is a motorcycle mechanic at a Honda shop. We intended a quick fix and to be gone the next day. We stayed for over a week. There were so many kind people who wanted to hear our stories and have parties for us. It was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for us.

ONE.MOTORING: Singapore is renowned for its food culture, did you enjoy Singapore?
Chris: Of course - the Chicken and Rice was delicious! Seriously, the influence of Indian, Chinese, and Malay foods made it one of our favourite places for eating!

ONE.MOTORING: Singapore is renowned for its food culture, did you enjoy Singapore?
Chris: Of course - the Chicken and Rice was delicious! Seriously, the influence of Indian, Chinese, and Malay foods made it one of our favourite places for eating!

ONE.MOTORING: The best sunrise or sunset you have seen?
Chris: There were many, but would say sunrise over Siem Reap in Cambodia, and sunset in Nicaragua of Central America

Ultimate Experience

ONE.MOTORING: What is the single most useful thing you have with you on your journey?
Chris: Besides Erin? Camera and tools are pretty important, as is our miniaturized repair manual, but most important is patience and a sense of humor.

ONE.MOTORING: What experience did you take away from the crash accident particularly in Malaysia?
Erin: The crash actually turned Malaysia into one of our favorite countries. It was not anyone's fault, just bad timing. All of the locals that witnessed the crash stopped what they were doing to help us, including the truck driver and his passenger. They first made sure that I was okay and then proceeded to help Chris pick up all the bits and pieces (it was like the bike exploded!). Then, several of the guys on scooters offered to show us to a hotel and then negotiated a fair price with the owner, so as not to take advantage of our situation. They wanted to take me to the hospital but I refused (stupidly), so they gave us directions in case we wanted to go later. I did go to the hospital later and the doctor was very kind and ensured I didn't have anything seriously wrong with me.
That night, Chris contacted the service manager for the motorcycle division of BMW in KL. We had met him in passing while we were there a week earlier and had his business card. It was a Saturday night. He immediately sent a truck to come pick us up (in the Cameron Highlands) and deliver us back to KL. He met us when we arrived and shuttled the bike inside the workshop. As it was a Sunday the shop was closed. He insisted that we stay at his home with him and his wife while the bike was repaired. They treated us like family. We will never forget the kindness of the Malaysians.

ONE.MOTORING: Describe the most difficult terrain you have ridden across?
Erin: Crossing the washed out bridges of Cambodia was a real challenge. The Australian outback is covered with miles and miles of corrugated road covered with bull dust. What doesn't jump up and grab your tires will shake you and your bikes to death. By far the best off-road riding was in New Zealand and the most adventurous was a four-day trip across the Solar de Uyuni in the high altiplano region of Bolivia. Oh yeah, there's also the "World's Most Dangerous Road" in Bolivia.

Ultimate Advice

ONE.MOTORING: Any advice for other 'round the world bikers' especially in terms of riding?
Chris: No matter how long/far you go, you can't see it all, so don't even try. Many travelers try to see all the great cities/villages, arriving at 6pm and leaving the next morning at 8am, for another mega-mileage day. It's fine if you are just ticking off destinations, which doesn't allow for experiencing the culture nor meeting the locals. We found traveling 3-4 days a week was perfect, with an average of 1,000km/week being ideal. We learned to skip one destination and have minimum of 2-3 nights in another interesting place. Lastly, our biggest mistake was not starting out on two identical machines.

On the lighter side.....
ONE.MOTORING: On the road, compare the washrooms that you visit when you are traveling across the world.
Erin: Hmmmm we've seen just about all there is. Along the Mediterranean coast of Europe we became accustomed to toilets without seats and bathroom stalls that wash themselves down like a shower. In Asia, there is the classic porcelain hole in the ground, which takes a bit of getting used to after growing up with Western-style toilets. Most were very clean. There are always the exceptions, such as the odd traveling businessman's hotel, which tended to be very cheap but not very clean. In Morocco, Chris would often have to ask the local men, on my behalf, where I could use the facilities. If I attempted to ask they would turn away from me, and often the women would not acknowledge me either.