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Roughing it to get to an exotic
location — be it a remote
mountaintop village or a
historical ruin — can be an
adventure in itself
potential in this
country of 7,000-
plus islands, what
with its rich history
and a heritage as varied
as its terrain. The population is
warm and friendly, as is the climate.
These factors, along with their
experiences touring on almost every
continent, inspired a group of intrepid
businessmen to organize what is the
only BMW motorcycle adventure
touring company in the Philippines: Par
Motorrad (
.
Led by motorcycle afficionados Art
Tan and Philippe Saubier, the company
gives its clients — both foreign and
local — the opportunity to experience
the country’s diverse beauty from the
unique platform of a motorcyle. In this
case, it’s a BMW G650GS Dual Sport
Sertao, a moto that’s renowned for its
dependability, maneuverability, and
versatility — traits it shares with BMW’s
Paris-Dakar Rally-winning bikes.
Top to bottom:
Admiring the
Bicol countryside
on the Ride
for Light tour;
Philippe Saubier
and journalist
Ibba Bernardo;
enjoying the
Military Museum
at Dambana ng
Kagitingan (Shrine
of Valor) in
Bataan during last
month’s Bataan
Historical and
Cultural Tour
The open road
This added immersion and interaction
has made motorcycle touring a
booming business around the world.
Destinations are not limited to the open
road, either. In fact, some motorcycle
tourists prefer to go off-the-beaten path.
Roughing it to get to an exotic
location — be it a remote mountaintop
village or a historical ruin — can be
an adventure in itself. Just ask British
actors and adventurers Ewan McGregor
and Charley Boorman, who decided
to take the long way round — from
London to New York, via Europe and
Asia, traveling from Scotland to South
Africa aboard BMW motorbikes, with
their experience documented in a pair
of similarly-named TV series called
The
Long Way Round.
While such extreme
trips may only be within reach of A-list
celebrities, there are other opportunities
to see the sights astride a motorbike.
Yes, even in the Philippines.
It’s hard not to deny the riding
Riding with
Mt Mayon as
backdrop
O N T H E R O A D
