In 2018, Markus André Mayer completed the fastest documented solo circumnavigation of the globe on a Vespa — 27,113 km, 18 countries, 3 continents, 80 days. He averaged nearly 400 km every single day in the saddle, riding classic two-stroke scooters across Europe, Asia and North America — entirely alone, with no support vehicle and no camera crew.
Markus set out to do the impossible: prove that an ordinary man with limited budget and three classic scooters can circle the planet like Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg. He succeeded. This is the full story.
While Markus arrived back in Spain by day 76, he chose to spend three days enjoying local wine and food before crossing the finish line at Madrid's Kilometro 0 on exactly day 80 — mirroring the journey of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg.
To overcome air freight costs and logistical delays, Markus placed three classic scooters strategically across the globe.
Nature threw everything at Markus. He survived five major weather events during the journey.
Day 8 — Thunderstorm, Montenegro Mountains A nightmare ride through unlit tunnels and unpaved serpentines at night, chased by impatient trucks while lightning lit up the mountains around him.
Siberia — Typhoon Racing toward Vladivostok to catch his ferry to South Korea, Markus had to outrun a typhoon. The rain was so heavy that even cars had to stop. He took shelter in a bus stop and waited for his window to escape.
Hawaii & Virginia — 2 Hurricanes He missed both by mere hours. The storm in Virginia Beach on Day 71 left flooded roads, uprooted trees and widespread power outages. Markus called it his "wet and wild goodbye kiss" from the American continent.
Day 65 — Tornado, Smith Center, Kansas The tornado dissolved just miles from him — but the resulting storm knocked out his scooter's lights. Markus rode in blind flight for an hour until a pickup truck driver used their roof lights to guide him safely to a motel.
The 57 technical issues were mostly fixed roadside by Markus himself. On critical occasions, these people made the difference between finishing and failing:
Approximately 85–90% of the trip was self-funded. Markus emphasises that Piaggio/Vespa did not sponsor the tour and he was not a brand ambassador for them. The largest spare parts companies showed little interest. Additional support came from private individuals via PayPal for fuel, food and birthday beers.
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What is the Vespa world record set by Markus André Mayer? Markus André Mayer completed the fastest documented solo Vespa circumnavigation of the globe in 2018 — 27,113 km across 18 countries and 3 continents in 80 days. It remains an unofficial world record as Guinness no longer accepts speed records on public roads.
Was Markus André Mayer alone on the Vespa world trip? Yes — entirely solo. No support vehicle, no camera crew, no second rider accompanied him at any point during the 80-day journey.
Did Piaggio or Vespa sponsor the world trip? No. Piaggio and Vespa were not involved and Markus was not a brand ambassador. The trip was 85–90% self-funded through personal savings after Markus quit his job and gave up his flat.
How did Markus handle 57 mechanical problems on the road? Most were fixed roadside by Markus himself using military training and years of Vespa experience. Critical help came from Fabio Cofferati in Parma, Tamir Hane in Istanbul, ScooterCenter.GR in Thessaloniki and Scooterwest in San Diego.
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