In 1982, a 23-year-old architecture student from London named Elspeth Beard packed up her secondhand BMW R60/6 motorcycle and set off on a journey no Englishwoman had ever attempted before.
Over the next two years, she rode more than 35,000 miles across four continents, facing crashes, illness, theft, and countless mechanical breakdowns. Along the way, she stopped to earn money—even working as an architect in Sydney—before continuing on with little more than her maps, her wits, and her determination.
She crossed deserts and mountains, slept in tents and roadside ditches, proving again and again that courage isn’t about being fearless, but about moving forward anyway.
In 1984, Elspeth Beard rode back into London, becoming the first Englishwoman to circumnavigate the globe on a motorcycle. She had no sponsors, no GPS, and no social media cheering her on—only sheer resolve.
Her story is not just about adventure but about daring to live life on your own terms.