At 60, Mangaluru Entrepreneur To Embark on Solo Bike Expedition Across 38 Countries
The journey is scheduled to begin on May 31 in Mangaluru and is expected to continue for 5-6 months.
Published : May 29, 2026 at 5:36 PM IST
Mangaluru: For many people, turning 60 is seen as a stage where most of life’s journey has already been completed. However, for Mangaluru-based entrepreneur and motorcycle enthusiast Sharath Kumar Ekkur, it marks the beginning of a new dream.
To celebrate his 60th year, Sharath is preparing for an extraordinary global motorcycle expedition that will take him across 38 countries on his Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650. The journey is scheduled to begin on May 31 from near St Aloysius Chapel in Mangaluru and is expected to continue for 5-6 months.
During the expedition, he expects to cover 35,000-45,000 km entirely on his motorcycle.
This will not be Sharath’s first international biking adventure. Nearly a year ago, he successfully completed a motorcycle tour across six Gulf countries: Oman, Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. “That tour was a huge success and gave me the confidence to plan this much bigger journey,” Sharath said.
His upcoming route is far more ambitious. Starting from Mangaluru, he will travel through Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh before entering Nepal. From there, he will ride through Tibet and China towards Central Asia, eventually crossing Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan before reaching Russia.
After spending a few days in Russia, Sharath plans to enter Europe through Latvia on July 22. He intends to travel across 29 European countries, including Poland, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary and Belgium. According to him, the Europe leg alone may take more than two months.
Following the European tour, he will re-enter Turkey and continue towards Iraq and Iran. The return route will again pass through Turkey before heading to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai and finally Oman, where the expedition will conclude. From Oman, the motorcycle will be shipped back to India while Sharath will return by flight.
Sharath said the most challenging part of the journey is entering China. While most countries permit Indian motorcycles using carnet documentation, China follows an entirely different system. Indian-registered motorcycles cannot be used directly there. Riders must obtain temporary local number plates, a Chinese driving licence and travel with a government-approved tour guide.
“In China, you cannot even get a visa without an authorised tour guide. Their rules are extremely strict,” he said.
For the long journey, Sharath has completed extensive technical and administrative preparations. He has secured visas for multiple countries, an international driving permit, health insurance and all required international vehicle documents. He has also arranged digital payment facilities to manage expenses abroad.
His companion throughout the expedition will be the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650, the same motorcycle that performed reliably during his Gulf tour.
To avoid disruptions during the trip, Sharath will carry essential spare parts, including oil filters, clutch wires, brake wires, brake pads and sprockets.
He said engine oil and regular servicing facilities are available in most countries, which gives him confidence about handling the journey smoothly.
The entire expedition is expected to cost between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 18 lakh. Sharath said expenses are significantly higher in China because of mandatory permits, local procedures and tour guide requirements.
“I am giving myself a gift for my life. I want to show that even at 60, people can continue to dream and achieve those dreams,” he said.
Sharath Kumar Ekkur’s ambitious ride across continents stands as a powerful reminder that age is only a number when passion and determination continue to drive a person forward.
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