How can you afford to travel the world on a motorbike?

How can you afford to travel the world on a motorbike?

How can you afford to travel the world on a motorbike?

Are they all independently wealthy? Does Instagram give them free money for being an influencer? Do they have trust funds? Pensions? Or some other income stream that's unattainable for most ordinary people?

How do you budget for long-term travel?

While some motorcyclists have retired or rented properties or other guaranteed income they can count on every month, and I'm sure there are a lucky handful who earn some coin as influencers, if you're not in a position in life to have that kind of organization, long-term travel is still entirely attainable. Although I warn you: there will be sacrifices.

Using my own life as an example, I didn't even have these things. I grew up with a single mother, four siblings, and an absent drug-addicted father in a run-down area of ​​Los Angeles. I couldn't afford college, so I went straight to work after high school, testing video games, where I barely made more than minimum wage. I worked long hours and scrimped and saved every penny I could, and a decade later I was living alone with a motorcycle in my shared garage, earning up to €55.000 a year.

It might not seem like a ballroom dance to most people, certainly not in Los Angeles, but from my perspective, I was making more than I ever knew I could, so I was able to put thousands of dollars in the bank at a rate of a few hundred dollars a month. I never took on any debt, I bought older vehicles that I could have bought outright, and I didn't drink, party, or eat out. Needless to say, because of my upbringing, budgeting was an obsessive part of my life. I always had to choose between the things I wanted and the things I needed.

In my case, racing or riding my motorcycle almost always trumped a lavish vacation, the newest gadgets, the fanciest cars, or the most organic products. So, when I lost that job, and I was staring at a map and my Yamaha FZ-07, it became my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to, well, blow my savings on the trip of a lifetime.

And that's it. That's my secret. No debt and saving money. Crazy, right? But this is as complicated as it gets.

On my first trip, I saved about €30.000 over a decade. It took me, and eventually a partner, to 49 US states, 32 Mexican states, three Canadian provinces, and all the way to Panama and back again, over a period of about two years.

To live on the road full-time, I gave up my apartment and ran out of savings, scrambling for work and living out of my tent until I could get an apartment again. It was extremely stressful, sure, but it was a worthwhile exchange. It's one of those sacrifices you have to be willing to make.

Then I did it again. I flew to Asia for several months and blew through my savings. Then I came back and did it again. I had to get used to flying without a safety net and trusting that it would always work out. As long-term travelers, we rely on hope and serendipity, so I simply believed in myself enough to know I could make something work when the going gets tough.

Every couple of years, I have to stop and get a regular job and save money to keep moving, but once I left it all behind once, it became incredibly easy to quit my job and ride off into the sunset the second and third time. Travel changes your relationship with the American dream and your relationship with the value of your time.

Are you working on the road?

I'm a fan of the go-all-in, no-plan approach, but sometimes you can also go to work while traveling. Of course, I'm a writer. I've written and published several books now, both nonfiction and fiction, and my book sales have helped ease the financial burden of life on the road. I also write freelance for magazines, which brings in small streams of income here and there. I wasn't really a writer before my first trip, but I began to discover that I really enjoyed it as I traveled.

So, what's something you might enjoy and do on the road? My partner did odd jobs turning a wrench. I've met others who stopped to help with the harvest or used websites like Workaway or AuPair, where labor is exchanged for free accommodation and sometimes a small stipend. If you're lucky enough to be a full-time digital nomad with a conventional job that allows you to work remotely, there's no reason you can't hunker down during the week, saving your travel and exploration for the weekends.

So how much does it cost on the road?

There are some expenses you can't avoid. Fuel, for example, costs what it costs. I've paid anywhere from $2 a gallon to $8. Fortunately, motorcycles are mostly fuel efficient, so on a 200-mile day, I usually spend about $30 on fuel for my FZ-07. Food varies by country, but eating out at a restaurant can cost anywhere from $5 to $20. Picking up simple foods like noodles and spinach and a canned salsa at the supermarket will often be closer to the $5 to $10 range. I also travel with a handful of condiments to liven up meals so they don't get too boring.

For lodging, if I can camp for free on BLM land or national forests when I'm in the United States, that's my go-to. If, for whatever reason, camping isn't a good idea (say, in foreign countries, or if the weather is too bad, or if I desperately need a shower), depending on the country, the cheapest hotels or hostels range from €10 to €80 per night.

Luckily, my bike requires little maintenance, but I always make sure to set aside money for consumable parts, like sprockets or tires.

Realistically, total costs could average €50 to €100 per day, depending on the accommodation.

Travel slowly

When I set out on my first trip, I was constantly on the move. Wake up with the sun, travel 300 to 400 miles, set up camp, repeat. I'd take a day to hike or sightsee here and there, but it wasn't exactly relaxing.

Around the tenth month, however, packing and moving every single day started to take a toll on my mental health, and I found myself wanting to take more breaks, stay in one place a little longer, get to know some of these new people beyond the small talk of introductions, and experience each destination a little more. If you're not constantly on the move, you don't buy gas every day. If you have a hostel with a kitchen, you can save up some money to cook for yourself. If you have someone willing to let you stay with them for free for a while (Bunk-a-Biker can be a good resource), you can use some of that money you've saved for the touristy things you've always wanted to do.

It's a constant give and take, but for me, at least, I want to live on a budget without giving up everything. There's a fine balance between being thrifty and still having fun, and it's easy to get so caught up in saving money that you forget this trip is about more than existing in different places amidst a jumble of campsites and new faces. For example, I definitely blew an entire month's budget to learn to scuba dive in Belize. But what's the point of going to places you've never been if you can't do the things that make them special?

Whatever your circumstances, if traveling the world by motorcycle is something you truly desire, you'll find a way to make it work. It's not for the faint of heart, and it's rarely easy, but the extra work you put in to afford it will make it that much more fulfilling.

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