1. Emilio Scotto Riding a Honda Goldwing GL 1100

Courtesy Rider Magazine

In 1985, Emilio Scotto left his job as a sales representative in his native Argentina and set off on a 1980 Honda Goldwing GL1100 he dubbed the Black Princess. He had $300 in his pocket and a desire to see every country in the world. That was the extent of his planning.

Ten years, two months and 19 days later he finished his trip, having traveled 457,000 miles (735,470 km) and visited 279 countries, islands and territories. He’s in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s longest motorcycle trip.

Scotto was robbed five times, arrested six times, shot at twice, accused of being a spy for the CIA in Nicaragua, and almost poisoned by cannibals in Africa. He was knocked off his bike in the Sahara Desert by a sandstorm. In the Amazon jungle he met a man on the run for murder. He had nine collisions, including hitting an emu in Australia. He rode through one earthquake, two tornadoes and four hurricanes.

And he did it all on a bike that would cause many riders fits of panic to ride in a gravel parking lot. Scotto’s “adventure” bike weighed in at 683 pounds, dry, in stock form. Filled with fuel, oil, water, spares and equipment, it likely weighed more than 800 pounds. His Goldwing, now on display at a museum in Laughlin, Nevada, went through 86 tires, 12 batteries, nine seats and one replacement engine.

Scotto wrote a book titled The Longest Ride about his journey. You can also learn more about his travels by visiting his blog.