• Tue. Nov 28th, 2023

Motorcycle adventures powered by duct tape, zip ties and tuna cans

ByDebra J. Aguilar

Apr 26, 2022

Written by ADVMoto staff. Posted in Riders

Aga and Yan (aka FarWayOut) are a European couple traveling the world on a pair of Suzuki DR650. At the end of 2020, they decide to go on an adventure around Australia. The 18,600 mile journey took them through the breathtaking and remote regions of Oz made up of arid deserts, lush rainforests, desolate savannahs and rugged coastlines. With their past experiences in Europe and Asia, as well as expert use of zip ties and duct tape, they managed to complete their expedition with just two hospital visits and four tows.

In 2022, FarWayOut’s the journeys continue. They plan to ship their bikes to New Zealand and later to South America. Now that they have a lot of landing and travel experience, Aga and Yan feel they are a very good team. Yan is the bush mechanic, off-road scout, and filmmaker. Aga is their camp’s navigator, lead photographer, and quartermaster. They balance Yan’s “cautious now” attitude with his “let’s do it” approach. Between them they also speak four and a half languages, enough to communicate in about 30% of the world.

Aga and Yan en route to Cape York, the northernmost point of mainland Australia.

FarWayOut the adventures are long-term and self-funded. Low budget and minimalism are the name of the game. Most of the time you will find them camping next to their zipped and taped bikes that carry the bare necessities and plenty of cans of tuna. It’s an aspect of their journeys that they like to share with other riders – keeping it simple and pushing forward, learning the ropes as they go.

By FarWayOut, Aga and Yan share their stories to inspire others while encouraging them to see the world on the roads less traveled – “far away” from the tourist spots. For someone with no experience or knowledge, overlanding can be intimidating, but it shouldn’t be. These two adventurers show that it’s possible for everyone, and doesn’t require the latest equipment, the newest motorcycles or a big budget. All it takes is a little patience, a little discipline, common sense and a healthy dose of courage.

Aga and Yan 2Difficult terrain at Gibb River Road in northern Western Australia.

Hopefully some of you will soon spot your dirty motorbikes on the road somewhere in New Zealand. They have a secret plan to down some ginger beers in Hobbiton, before venturing further into Middle-earth.

A short story of how it all started

Their whole motorcycle adventure started in 2013 when Aga and Yan first met randomly at a campsite in South Korea. At the time, they were both on separate overland journeys through Asia.

Traveling around the world on a motorcycle had been Yan’s dream since he was 18 years old. In 2012, at the age of 24 (and only three months after obtaining the license), he rode a 20-year-old, well-honed motorcycle. Honda XRV750 Africa Twin from Spain to Japan via Siberia and Mongolia. Crossing Eurasia, Yan tried his hand at the art of bush mechanics and bodger repairs and learned the power of duct tape and super glue, which is how he kept his bike mostly in one piece. The Mongolian roads tested his novice driving skills and made him question his sanity. At the same time, the kindness of the Russians and other pilots continually reminded him that the world wasn’t as dangerous as many believe, and that he wasn’t crazy after all. Then in 2013, after a year of living and working in Japan, he put his faithful Honda on a ferry to South Korea where he ended up camping next to Aga and his family.

Aga and Yan 3Yan’s Africa Twin alias “Donkey” in front of Mount Fuji in Japan.

Aga’s family loved traveling and camping. After countless short vacation trips to different countries, a great land adventure around the world seemed like an interesting experience and a chance to see the planet from different angles. In 2013, 20-year-old Aga, her two younger siblings and her parents crammed into a Toyota Land Cruiser and headed east. From Poland they traveled to Central Asia, China, Mongolia and Russia. the land cruiser was like a circus on wheels, loaded to the gills with too many clothes, books, CDs, tin cans and a bicycle.

Aga and Yan 4Aga’s family and their indestructible Toyota at Song Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan.

In her role as a passenger with no serious decisions to make, her family’s journey seemed quite easy to Aga. Although she really appreciated the freedom of traveling by SUV offered, being able to camp in remote places and discovering the more authentic side of the countries she visited, she lacked the challenge and independence of motorcycle travel. of Yan. So, at the South Korean campsite, it only took a few hours of exchanging travel stories for Aga and Yan to start planning their future trips together.

They also discovered that they had other things in common, such as a strange obsession with green tea, their geeky nature and an interest in photography. However, it took many trips on and off the bike as well as years of hard work, saving, planning and waiting for the right circumstances (damn Covid!) for the idea of FarWayOut crystallize. Now that their dream has finally come true, Aga and Yan are determined to continue to experience the world from the saddle and inspire others to do the same.

Aga and Yan 5Cockburn Ranges Lookout at Gibb River Road in Western Australia.


Portrait of Aga and YanAga Macura and Yan Giovannoni are a Polish-Swiss couple currently traveling the world in two Suzuki DR650. They recently completed a tour of Australia, a journey of almost 10 months and more than 20,000 miles. While it was Aga’s first long motorcycle trip, Yan rode in 2012 from Europe to Japan via Russia, Mongolia and South Korea on a Honda Africa Twin. Aga and Yan are more than happy to answer any questions you have about landing, motorcycle travel, the 42 uses of duct tape or how to fit 30 cans of tuna in your saddlebags. Follow their adventures on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and on their website: FarWayOut.com