The ultimate ride: Bodo Antonic’s epic motorcycle journey

“It’s clear that the Tiger 1200 is a perfect touring motorcycle, and it purred through more than 12,000 kilometres of extreme stress without a whine,” says Bodo Antonic. “I needed such a reliable partner, because the extreme temperatures sometimes pushed the machine and me to the limit. The last thing I needed was a motorcycle that was acting up. But the tour across Europe was not only exhausting, but also incredibly rewarding. I am particularly proud that I was able to collect not only lots of great memories, but also a whopping donation of 4,085.70 euros for the Löwenherz children’s hospice. The association, based in Syke near Bremen, does incredibly important work for terminally ill children and their families - a cause that is very close to my heart.”

1,310 euros of this total were donated directly to the Löwenherz association by strong supporters, 1,775.70 euros were received online, and a generous 1,000 euros came from Triumph employees.

The Heat Battle from Athens to Rome

“The journey began in Athens, when I crossed the imaginary finish line in Nuremberg. If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ll understand why I titled the first chapters of my travel diary ‘Heat Battle’—temperatures in Greece this summer soared well above 40 degrees Celsius. Despite the beautiful highway scenery and impressive mountain landscapes, I couldn’t wait to leave the country as quickly as possible, heading through Sofia and Bucharest towards Budapest. Covering over 2,000 kilometres, I managed a distance that some hobby bikers might consider their annual achievement.”

From Spain Through Scandinavia Towards Home

After enduring three days of unbearable heat in Spain, including the capital Madrid and the incredibly picturesque Salamanca (highly recommended), the temperature finally began to drop as he travelled through San Sebastián and Paris to Reims, which offered stunning mountain panoramas.

However, Day Five started with fog and a failing GPS. Unfortunately, his phone wasn’t much help either, so Bodo Antonic had to improvise, navigating by the sun (rises in the east, next destination Luxembourg is east). After a few detours due to the fog obscuring the sun, he had to cross Luxembourg and Brussels off his list of capitals to visit.

Continuous rain from Amsterdam to Bremen and Hamburg almost led to the tour being abandoned. However, Triumph’s weatherproof clothing kept him dry, and the weather forecasts promised improvement in the north around Copenhagen and Stockholm. Originally, Helsinki and the Baltic countries were also planned, but the rain radar unfortunately showed a red card. So, it was back to Germany, only to discover at the next fuel stop that his wallet, along with credit cards and ID, where missing. Although very inconvenient, thanks to modern technology he could pay through his phone, so there was no reason not to continue the journey to his home in Nuremberg, ticking Berlin off the list along the way. Warsaw and Prague, however, remained unvisited.

Nevertheless, he exceeded his timing goal, completing the journey in just 6 days and 23 hours, earning the right to call himself a true “Iron Butt”! Bodo’s journey is a testament to the spirit of adventure and the incredible capabilities of the Tiger 1200 GT Explorer. For those who crave the thrill of the open road and the challenge of long-distance riding, Bodo’s story is nothing short of inspiring.

For more about the “Iron Butt” community, visit: Iron Butt Association