Tormod Amlien and Klaus Ulvestad may not be your best friends yet, but sure you could live vicariously through their Norwegian escapades in an attempt to make the round-the-world trip on vintage motorcycles. The new age Vikings started their journey April 1st 2009 in none other but Toten, Norway. From there the fantastic duo will journey through the Baltic countries, up through Siberia, through Mongolia and then to the most easterly point of Asia before sailing or flying to Anchorage, Alaska. Saying that the two have a plan would be using that term very loosely. As described by Amlien and Ulvestad, making plans doesn’t make sense when criss-crossing central and South America, or going through Africa. What are the only definites on the journey? An amazing trip brought to you by two guys riding 70-year-old Danish Nimbus motorcycles equipped with side cars.
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So what makes these two the best men for the job? Well besides the fact both have been riding Danish Nimbus motorcycles since an early age, it seems from their blog absolutely nothing. The two have a true understanding of their simple machines, and plan on doing any roadside work to their cycles by hand. Since the times of the Vikings, and even earlier, Norwegians have had the deep desire to explore and travel, so it makes sense it would be in the blood of these two overly ambitious men.
The purpose of the trip seems so simple at first, they must have a death wish and want to end it all while on the uncomfortable hard tail 1937 Nimbus motorcycles. Upon closer observation, they reveal it happens to be one of the manliest ventures point-to-point that any person, or couple of everyday chaps, could undertake. Where as in the past, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman made the journey from London eastward to Manhattan on the comfortable BMW crafted cycles, Tormod and Klaus are roughing it without the repair crew, and stuck on hard tail vintage overhauled toys. Much like a college road trip, the two men will do repairs on site, and the trips are planned based on where friends live, and which roads are less traveled.
The noble steeds these two heroes enjoy their long days on are anything but the ordinary. The 750cc Single overhead cam straight fours are overly exposed, along with the valves and rocker arms. Although exquisite to see a bike’s motor like that in action, it can leave the riders at the mercy of the elements they plan on traveling through. The flat strips of steel and lack of rear suspension seem to be the least supportive of any motorcycle, but that just adds one more thing to this momentous journey.
So it seems with a lack of any direct planning, a couple of 1937 Danish Nimbus motorcycles, and two guys with the largest of hopes, a trip aptly name “The Dumb Way Round” comes to fruition. Although Tormod Amlien and Klaus Ulvestad may not be household names just yet, their journey is going to be one for the record books, and definitely a couple of fellows you want to keep a close eye on as their journey continues back across the US in the coming months.
Source: Bike EXIF