Fortunately, the project OliMoto has just officially confirmed the support of Honda UK and plans to travel some 30,600 km across 4 continents and 20 countries over the next year.
The story began in a much simpler way than it might seem. Joe and Oli They were returning from “Adventure Bike Rider Festival” in 2025 when the conversation arose about great motorcycle trips and about the “Guinness Record for the youngest motorcyclist to complete a circumnavigation”. Finally, that conversation ended up becoming a real project. Father and son began to work on a route of approximately 19,000 miles, about 30,600 km, and they named the adventure as OliMoto.
The plan contemplates leaving Shirlaws Motorcyclesin Aberdeenshire, on July 18, 2027 and travel to London. There the record attempt will officially begin on July 21. The goal is to return to the United Kingdom in November of the same year.
The choice of motorcycles is one of the most interesting aspects of the project. Honda UK has officially joined as one of the main partners of OliMoto and will provide a CB125R for Oli and one NX500 equipped with the E-systemClutch for Joeas we mentioned before.
For SlingIn addition, the project has a particularly symbolic component. Joe Purkis precisely discovered the world of 2 wheels traveling as a passenger in a Honda 400 Four from his brother, bought in Shirlaws in the 80s. Now, almost 4 decades later, he returns to the same dealership to start a new global adventure with his son.
OliMoto four continents and 20 countries
The route has been divided into different stages of approximately 6,000 miles each. The first will have as reference Tbilisiin Georgia, where a complete inspection of the two motorcycles is planned. Then it will be Australia’s turn, with Perth as one of the important points of the route, before crossing into Canada and reaching vancouver. From there the final part of the adventure will begin, again with the course set in the United Kingdom.
The record that OliMoto wants to beat
Currently, Guinness World Records places Kane Avellano as the youngest man to complete a trip around the world on a motorcycle. The British ended his adventure on January 19, 2017, when he was 23 years and 365 days old, after traveling 28,062 miles, about 45,160 km, through 36 countries and 6 continents.
Oli intends to return to the United Kingdom at the age of 18, which would mean considerably lowering the age of the current male record recognized by Guinness. Of course, the objective is still to be achieved. The trip will not begin until July 2027 and will be the completion of the route and its subsequent validation by Guinness which determines whether the attempt ends up becoming a new record.
Without a doubt, one of the most delicate points of the adventure will be the passage through China. The route is planned so that Oli scope Almatyin Kazakhstan, around his 18th birthday. From there, the team plans to continue to China. The change in age also has practical importance for the trip, since the project contemplates entering the country once Oli has reached the age of 18.
The adventure does not only seek a record. OliMoto will also use the trip to raise funds for Save the Children and contact groups of «scouts» during the different stages of the route. The project also already has the support of different companies related to the world of motorcycles, including Thistle.
By the way, a special launch event is planned for next October 22 in Shirlawswhere it will be present John McGuinnesswinner of 23 races of the Isle of Man TT.
