Emilio Scotto

Emilio Scotto (born 1956) is an Argentine adventurer and writer who holds the record for the world’s longest motorcycle ride: 10 years, covering 279 [http://www.geocities.com/scottotravel/ "A Study of Emilio Scotto's Motorcycle Trip" By Peter Forwood, Dec 2005] countries, including numerous islands, colonies, atolls and non independent territories, in a twice-around-the-planet journey. [http://www.geocities.com/scottotravel/Honda_Red_Rider.html “Travels with Emilio,” Honda Red Rider Magazine, March/April 2003] ] .

In 1985, Scotto quit his job as a Buenos Aires sales representative for the pharmaceutical company Pfizer to see the world on his five-year-old 1100c Honda Goldwing Interstate, which over the years was baptize "Black Princess." Scotto, who had never traveled outside of Argentina before, left with only $306 and no contacts for the many stops on his journey.

By the end of his journey in 1995, Scotto went through 13 64-page passports and his motorcycle received one replacement engine, burn 12,500 gallons of gasoline, 350 gallons of oil, 86 tires, 12 batteries and nine new seats.

Scotto's odyssey was often perilous, including journeys through Nicaragua in 1985 during its civil war and Kuwait prior to the 1991 invasion by Iraq. The most dangerous part of his trip, he would later recall, came in Africa when he was arrested as a suspected spy in Burundi, Chad and Cameroon. He was also jailed on suspicion of carrying a forged passport in Zimbabwe. In Liberia, he came into the country during a period of military upheaval and needed to hide in a diplomatic compound in Monrovia for several days until he could receive safe passage out of the country.http://www.geocities.com/scottotravel/Business_World.html “The Last of the Gauchos,” Business World, January 26, 1993] ]

Scotto was not able to arrange to bring his motorcycle into North Korea, but he was able to walk by foot the demarcation zone separating that country from South Korea. He was nearly denied access to China when border officials insisted that he pay a $70,000 entry fee. Intervention by the Motorcycle Club of Beijing helped him enter the country without any prepayment.

Although Scotto did not publicize his journey when he first departed, news of his adventure began to percolate during his travels. A television news report when he was stranded in New York City without funds in late 1986 brought in funds to allow him to cross the ocean. Scotto was able to personally present a letter to Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, and Libyan leader Col. Muammar al-Gaddafi provided him with $300 for the African portion of his journey. [ [http://www.geocities.com/scottotravel/Durban_Daily_News.html “Bike Adventurer Gears Up for Pole,” Durban Daily News January 7, 1989] ] During the later part of his journey, he received corporate sponsorship from Pepsi, Agip and Metzeler. [ [http://www.geocities.com/scottotravel/South_China_Morning_Post.html "Argentinian adventurer on quest for world record," South China Morning Post, March 2, 1993] ]

In 1991, Scotto married his girlfriend Monica Pino at the Argentine Embassy in New Delhi, India. She was his companion on the final four years of his trek.

Scotto’s journey was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the Longest Motorcycle Journey of All Time. He documented his adventure in the 2007 book "THE LONGEST RIDE: My Ten-Year 500,000 Mile Motorcycle Journey", which received 5 stars for almost all readers." [ [http://www.amazon.com/Longest-Ride-Ten-Year-Motorcycle-Journey/dp/0760326320/ref=sr_1_1/103-7043744-8171831?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217350751&sr=1-1 Amazon.com page for “The Longest Ride”] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.emilioscotto.com Emilio Scotto web site]