Every once in a while someone will catch your eye online and you'll find yourself looking through their posts and wanting to follow their adventures. In this case it's not just one person, but two. Lauren and Jordan are a creative team, spending their time working, riding and producing content.
Lauren, more formally known as 'Wren' is a digital creator who is most often found exploring on her bikes. Jordan, her partner is a photographer who shares her love for adventure.
We caught up with them to talk more about their travels, tips for keeping motorbikes safe and the things they use on their rides. At the end of last year, Jordan had his motorbike stolen, thankfully he got it back so we had to ask what happened!
Take five minutes and get to know more about Wren and Jordan.
Tell us a little about yourself?
Jordan: I’m 28, born and raised in Hampshire UK. I’ve been on two wheels since I could stand. A few years ago after telling myself for years that I’d kill myself on a motorbike I took the plunge, did my full licence and haven’t looked back since!
Wren: I am from an RAF family so I was in different corners of the UK and the world. I think this is why I’m so passionate about travel and find sitting in one country for too long tough! I started riding when I was 7 in a motorcycle display team called ‘The Tigers’ based just outside of Portsmouth – my first bike being a cute little red BSA!
What does riding mean to you?
J: To me, riding is the best way to clear your mind. Rain, sun or snow I’m always down for an adventure.
W: It really is like ‘wind therapy.’ There’s nothing better. I joke with Jordan that when we go ride together it feels like we are in the best form of couples therapy.
Do you have any favourite places to ride?
J: Riding all sorts of bikes means I can go anywhere especially with the bikes loaded in the van but I ride locally around Hampshire and I’m always heading down to the New Forest.
W: New Zealand, specifically South Island. Every twist and turn is breathtaking view after view. It’s magical, which is why I have done it twice by motorbike and twice by car!
What are the best and worst things about riding?
J: It's hard to pick just one good thing about riding but the freedom is definitely up there. The worst thing is being swindled by insurance companies.
W: I love this community. As someone who had a pretty lonely childhood, I’ve found myself to feel so accepted and wanted amongst the riding community. If I had to choose the worst part, it's going out in the winter and not feeling your hands when you get home. The right gear is so important.
What's been your most memorable adventure to date?
J: One of my most memorable trips in the UK was around the byways of the Elan Valley on my 1979 Suzuki. Abroad would be riding a sketchy moped around the entire island of Tenerife.
W: Amazingly, it was one of the locations closer to home. Riding on the beach with Jordan in North Wales was something I’ll never forget.
What are your top tips or hacks for riding in the winter?
J: LAYERS! I have thicker trousers for the winter but I find a pair of long johns or some cheap tracksuit bottoms really make the difference. Top half usually consists of many layers of jumpers and a nice wax jacket to finish. Oh and don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a neck tube, absolute life saver!
W: Oh man, I’m so rubbish at this because I hate looking like the Michelin man…my hands are what get the most cold, so I layer ‘seal skin’ gloves under my regular gloves. I’ve found this helps massively.
How do you keep your bikes secure whilst you're exploring or travelling in the van?
J: When away from the van hiking, the bikes get locked up in the van. To sleep the bikes get shunned outside, that’s when the LITELOK one moto and X1 save the day, keeping my bikes securely anchored wherever I leave them.
W: Oh for sure. Before LITELOK, it was just a big dirty chain tying the two bikes together (if we remembered it). It was better than nothing, but in reality, only one step from nothing. For a little while I used a front brake lock but found that caused my brakes to stick, not the best sensation when riding along!
What kit or accessories could you not live without?
J: My phone mount is a godsend when riding through London. Paired up with my Bluetooth headset to listen to music and take incoming phone calls, it makes motorway riding far more bearable. Another handy bit of kit I use often is my waterproof Knox rucksack. Knowing my camera is safe from the elements gives me real peace of mind.
W: My quadlock! I am rubbish at charging my phone and have been wonderfully lost many times because of this. Now my phone charges as I ride.
Jordan, you were unfortunately a victim of bike theft at the end of last year, what happened?
J: I came home from work to find my Bonneville had completely vanished without a trace. Despite having steering lock and an immobiliser they’d managed to take it. Word got out and everyone was on the hunt. Then a week later I was walking in North Wales with Wren when I received a notification of a possible sighting close to my home address.
I called in a good friend to scope out the lead. Lo and behold he found my bike! Although severely damaged he was able to roll the bike back to my house so I could assess it and make an insurance claim. This led me to think way more into effective ways to secure my bike.
Has anything changed since then with how you store or secure your bikes?
J: Yes massively. I’m way more cautious of how I store my bikes now, keeping them blocked in the garage and locked up securely for starters. I even went as far as to put up security cameras and I'm looking into to a tracking device.
What adventures do you have coming up this year?
J: The most exciting one on the list this year is a trip to the USA to meet an old school friend. He’s organised a 10-day ride across the Moab desert in Utah on a variety of ropey old dirt and adventure bikes, camping, drinking beers and sharing stories.
W: A story for the books that’s for sure!
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