This guy traveled to more than 70 countries on six continents by motorcycle

“Bolivia is a riders paradise, it’s difficult and an absolute adventure”

You’ve probably already heard about Alex Chacón. He became famous after he sold his belongings to travel around the world on a motorcycle across 200,000+ Km, 50+ Countries and 5 continents, and we wrote about his amazing 500 Days Alaska to Argentina trip here.

Alex Chacon (32) is from El Paso Texas USA, and he’s a full time YouTube and content creator who travels the world by motorcycle. “My passion is to explore new and interesting places and epic life experiences, document them and share them with the world in hopes of inspiring and educating others to follow their own dreams and goals in life in a positive way”.

We wanted to know more about his adventures, so we questioned him about his motivation, how being an adventure rider changed him, and what tip he would give to someone who dreams about exploring the world by motorcycle.

What motorcycle do you own? Does it have a nickname?

When I travel I either buy and sell my motorcycle, rent them or people even just let me borrow them. I try not to give them names of become emotionally attached because at the end of the day it’s much more cost effective to sell or rent.

When did you start traveling by motorcycle and why? Where have you traveled so far?

I started traveling by motorbike when I was 17 years old. I took a 32 day cross country road trip across the United States; I hit 46 states and almost every national park in a 15,000 ride. I always wanted to have an epic adventure and see the beauty this country holds, so I went to practice my photography and adventure muscles in this journey of self reflection.

Since then I have traveled to over 70 countries, 6 continents by motorcycle, my most famous journey being Alaska to Argentina in 500 days on a KLR 650.

Do you feel like this experience has changed you? How?

These motorcycle trips certainly teach me something every time. I develop new skills, I capture new moment and my professional life evolves each time when I capture these videos and experience and share them on my YouTube channel.

What is the most challenging part of being an adventure traveler?

Financial is the most difficult part and trying to mix work and adventure at the same time added with the extra difficultly of riding, expense, extra time and energy into this type of adventure instead of just becoming a luxury traveler and being escorted and transported everywhere with every need beckoned to which would be a much easier job.

“The hardest thing about anything you do in life is just starting. It’s easy to create excuses. Don’t wait to start living the epic life you want when you’re old and retired, do it now.”

Can you share with us a special memory from one of your rides? Maybe one that changed your perspective on something, or taught you a valuable lesson, scared you, or on the contrary, made you feel loved and happy.

I remember I was in Guatemala, and I saw a man on the street begging for money. What made him special was that he had a difficult medical condition known as elephantitis, localized to his foot. The community had shunned him out and threw him to the streets at a young age because they were scared of him and uneducated in his condition. I talked to him and discovered his life story, struggle and was the nicest man ever. It taught me to see past the physical sights and help educate others in areas they might otherwise be unfamiliar with.

Alex Chacón and some kids — Rule #2: Make friends wherever you go.

What was your favorite destination so far and why?

Bolivia is a riders paradise, it’s difficult and an absolute adventure. My recent Drone video I published about my 2 months in Bolivia on my KLR 650 just won the award for best Drone Video of 2019, myself and the world agrees that country feels and looks like another world.

If you could give one tip to those who are thinking to go on their first adventure (but hesitate), what would it be?

The hardest thing about anything you do in life is just starting. It’s easy to create excuses, but we all have the same amount of time on this planet, we can do anything we want. It just takes some creative thinking and the willingness to do it. Don’t wait to start living the epic life you want when you’re old and retired, do it now.

You can follow Alex on his YouTube channel and personal website.