2015 was the year I decided to find out what I was really capable of. It started with camping at -14°C and ended with an unofficial double world record. In between I founded a Vespa club and rode 7,000 km through half of Europe.
I rode Madalina 750 km in temperatures down to -14°C to attend the Elefantentreffen in Solla, Bavaria — the oldest and coldest motorcycle meeting in the world. I camped in the snow. I rode on ice. I loved every miserable minute of it.
It must be repeated.
I founded my own Vespa club in Kempten — the Blechrollerbande Kempten Allgäu. It brought together local scooterists from my home town. I have since gone back to riding solo — but the club remains part of my story and the local scooter scene.
This was the real test. Could I handle extreme distances, extreme conditions and extreme loneliness on a scooter? If I was going to ride around the world in 80 days, I needed to know.
On 30 August 2015 I climbed onto Susi — a brand new, stock 125cc Scomadi TL — and set off from the Brenner Pass in Italy heading north. No modifications. No support vehicle. No second rider.
23.5 hours later I crossed into Denmark at Padborg — having covered 1,691 km through 10 countries.
An unofficial double world record: most kilometres and most countries on a stock 125cc scooter in 24 hours. Both records remain unofficial — Guinness no longer accepts speed records on public roads. I invested the registration fee into planning my next adventure instead.
The answer to my question was yes. I could do it. The world trip planning began.
What was the Scomadi world record? 1,691 km through 10 countries in 23.5 hours on a stock, unmodified 125cc Scomadi TL — named Susi. Brenner Pass, Italy to Padborg, Denmark. An unofficial double world record.
Why unofficial? Guinness no longer accepts speed records on public roads. I chose to invest the registration fee into riding rather than paperwork.
What is the Elefantentreffen? The oldest and largest winter motorcycle meeting in the world, held annually in Bavaria. I rode 750 km to attend in January 2015 in temperatures down to -14°C and camped in the snow.
What is Blechrollerbande Kempten? A Vespa club I founded in 2015 in my home town of Kempten, Allgäu. I now ride solo again — but the club is still active.
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