ELI Biker Adventures

I met my next guest, Elemert Barczán (Social Media: ELI Biker Adventures) during my motorcycle adventures in Romania. It happened that I was on my way up to the Transalpina, when due to a then unknown fault (cable break at the transformer) the bike stopped under me. Then a group of Hungarian motorcyclist friends from Transylvania came to my rescue. My bike was towed to Székelyudvarhely. Here Elemér took it in for treatment, dismantling it to pieces until the cause of the failure was found. I spent about 2-3 weeks touring Transylvania. During my time here I became close friends with him and his companions and I have been going back to them once a year by invitation ever since.

Elemér is the tougher kind of adventure biker. He and his companions also regularly go on winter rides. The last time we had the opportunity to meet was at a winter motorcycle meeting (Wolfentreffen) in Poland at the beginning of the year at the height of Zakopane.

Adventure Bike Rider Interview:

What role does motorcycling play in your life and in your daily routine?

Riding motorcycles is part of my day, and it goes back to my childhood. I try to combine this passion with hiking and exploring interesting sights.

What was the moment or experience that started your passion for adventure motorcycling?

The mountain roads made me really curious. I was attracted to exploring higher landscapes on the back of a motorbike.

What type of tours do you prefer?

The camping trips. This gives me the real feeling of life for my travels. 

Solo or group trip?

Most of the time I ride solo, but sometimes my wife joins me as a passenger or with a friend on a separate bike. There is also group motorcycling with friends, mainly attending the winter motorcycle meetings, the so-called "treffen".

What has been your most memorable motorbike ride to date and why?

Asia Minor, crossing the Dardanelles Pass, Troy, and the European Carpathians, parts of the Alps, the Balkans and Transnistria. 

How do you prepare for a long motorbike ride, do you have any special rituals or habits?

When preparing for the trek, I try to gather information about the destination I am going to visit, so that I know as much as possible about the zone I am going to visit. If I don't find enough information, then the reconnaissance part of the adventure is left. I would include the Transnistrian region, the military protected area I managed to get permission to enter, or the war zone I entered during my former tour of Ukraine, which we managed to enter as a team in 2019.

What type of bike do you use and why?

I do my long rides on the back of a Yamaha Super Tenere 1200. Good packing capacity and space are good, especially when I'm travelling with two people. I also have a 600cc XT that I use for more adventurous rides, because of its lighter weight. 

What was your favourite bike?

These bikes are my favourites, and they are still the bikes I use on my adventurous rides. 

Dream bike?

I consider the Ténéré as my dream bike, the big or the small one as an innovation, but it's not the main point, I prefer to focus on the experience.

What equipment do you consider important to take with you that others might not think of?

Facilities include a small red gas cooker, a coffee maker with a burner and a plaid tablecloth. This is an essential travel companion for me, as is the tent. I also pay attention to my body before a longer trek, especially when preparing for Mediterranean destinations, I try to replenish my body with fruit, vegetables and vitamins in the heat and to deplete it with potato sugar to make my body more resistant to extremes when over-evaporating. 

I live near the foot of the Harghita in Odorheiu Secuiesc. Here, the colder months tend to be stronger half the year.

And what do I take with me on my hiking trips? Mostly the love I have experienced in certain places, the warm welcome I have received as a guest in certain places in poorer countries.

Do you have a favourite destination or country you would definitely like to return to?

The typical landscapes of Albania.

What are the biggest challenges you face on your tours?

The unpredictable winter roads are the highest benchmark for sleeping in a tent. Personally, the most challenging part of my travels is in a foreign wilderness where there is no one, but I am still curious to explore it, because the sense of adventure brings it, and also wild camping, which I did on my last wild camping trip on the banks of the Dniester River.

What tips would you give to those who are also planning to do something similar but have not yet done it?

I can only encourage those riders to start dreaming their dream ride, if possible, to enrich themselves with these wonderful experiences and to gain a lot of experience.

What is the most important lesson you have learned about yourself or about life during your travels?

I always say that the best teacher is the mileage left behind.

What are your plans and dreams for the future?

I plan to visit Northern Europe, but I also want to visit Andorra as soon as possible.