What is the relationship between Colombians and motorbikes?
Motorbikes are the main form of transport here, not bicycles – it’s too steep and way too hot. But motorbikes go, in all shapes and sizes. Scooters, mopeds, 80 cubic boxer motorbikes from India. Everything is transported on them – just not on trailers, but rather strapped on top. We could never manage that here. And you often see five kids all on the same moped.
Who are your guests?
Most guests come from Germany and the Netherlands, but there are also Danes, Austrians, Swiss people... two-thirds men, one-third women.
What kind of relationship do they have to motorcycles before they come to you?
They all own a motorbike –and to come on my tour– they also need a driving licence. For them, the motorbike is a vehicle for travelling. Which, you know, is nice. You experience everything much more intensively. But the weather is often bad at home, so they come here. They’re often escaping the winter.
What machines are popular with your target audience?
Definitely adventure bikes, bigger lugs, longer spring travel. The BMW 1250 GS, for example. My customers ride less on country roads, more on dirt and gravel tracks. And they are in the 40-plus segment. On my tour, they sit around the campfire and talk shop. Which pannier system should I choose, which are going to be my next tires?
What are the differences between men and women when it comes to motorcycling?
Men talk more about what they ride, women about where they ride to. And: Which machine do I feel comfortable with? Women aren’t interested in 200-kilo machines that they can’t even pick up if they fall over. Or where they can’t change the tires. However, when it comes to technical skill, the differences between men and women are not all that big.
But your guests don’t bring their own motorbikes. They ride yours.
Yes – and in my agency, DirtRoadsColombia, I have twelve Colombian bikes built by a company called AKT in Medellín, the AKT 200 TTR. The bikes are relatively simple in design, with few electronic components. It was important to me that the bikes were easy to repair, even using basic tools. You can get spare parts for AKT in every village here. The 200 model is priced at 2,500 euros, which is what an average Colombian earns in a year – or more.
What do you do if something breaks?
There’s a mechanic here in the village. But I can do a lot myself when he’s sick.
How do your guests feel on the machines?
They are good-natured machines, perfectly safe. I call them “little donkeys”. They only have 16 horsepower. But that’s good for touring, it’s less dangerous. With a powerful machine, too much can go wrong.
