On the Road with Jules

Jules, Assistant General Manager

Age: 27 years old Born in: Paris, France Rider since: 4 ans Lives in: Lyon, France Vintage Rides favourite trip: Rwanda, The Land of a Thousand Hills A motorcycle inspiration: Maxwell Hazan Motorworks

Hey Jules! How's your confinement going?

I'm confined in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region with my brother, our girlfriends, our dogs and their cat! I'm very busy with my daily work, but during the weekend I appreciate being able to take the time to cook for everyone. Fresh pasta, risottos, vegetable stir frys... a real pleasure! I feel reassured to have been back in France for a few months, and I think of those who are confined in worse conditions than me, unable to enjoy a large house with a garden. Of an optimistic nature, I tell myself that all this will certainly be over by this summer.

You're one of the new recruits to the team. Can you tell us a bit more about your background?

I joined the Vintage Rides team just two months ago. My new position: Assistant General Manager. I make sure that our trips to South East Asia, Peru, Africa and Mongolia are playing out well. This includes booking hotels, managing the motorcycles for the different tours... I make sure that the passengers have a comfortable seat, that a member of the team greets the riders at the airport, in short, that all the details that make a successful motorbike tour are taken care of, to guarantee unforgettable memories for our riders. This is a new step for me after having worked for several years in the hotel and tourism industry abroad. A great experience that allowed me to backpack a lot since I lived in Saint Vincent & Grenadines, Burma and Lebanon. I intend to put this knowledge of the hotel industry to good use in the management of our future trips!

What kind of rider are you?

I rode a lot with my Royal Enfield Classic 500 during my two years in Burma, as well as a custom Scrambler on a small Honda Tiger base. The latter was ideal during my stay in Indonesia, for the winding roads of Bali! Measuring 1m95, it's hard to find a bike that doesn't look like a Dax when I'm on it... My dream would be to own a Yamaha T700 that looks like a Dakar and can go everywhere. I also love Blitz or Baak custom bikes on old Triumph or CB550 bases, where the pleasure of riding exceeds the comfort. Since my return to France, I have unfortunately not been able to ride a lot because I was very busy with my move to Lyon, but I plan to discover the region and take a tour of the Alps soon.

What was your first adventure?

In 2018, I set off for a motorcycle tour in Ladakh with a friend on a two-week round trip from Delhi to Leh and back by Royal Enfield, without any mechanical assistance or any real preparation. On the menu: passes at over 5000m altitude, ball bearings that give up in the mountains, freewheeling descents of passes, with the engine off, to conserve fuel, and the discovery of mountain sickness! I left my comfort zone in order to give chance to chance, encounters, and mistakes. More than pride, it's a multitude of memories that I will keep in mind and it's certainly my most beautiful motorcycle experience. With hindsight, I think we were a bit unprepared because even if we both had the motorcycle level, we were not well equipped! The only protection I had was a helmet and I hadn't anticipated the rain gear at all. This experience helped me understand the importance of having the right equipment for the weather conditions as well as protective gear such as a jacket, a back protector and high boots (and rain gear!).

Could you share a nice encounter you were able to experience during one of your adventures?

During a road trip in Burma, in the Shan region, I had the chance to attend a traditional wedding in a local village. It was organized a little at the last moment but the spontaneity of this celebration touched me, as well as the natural kindness of the people.

What are your next motorcycle adventure desires?

I would like to develop my mechanical knowledge to participate in the creation of a custom or a renovation. I would also love to discover a craft with indispensable know-how in the motorcycle world such as saddler, metalworker or welder. In terms of travel, having left France at the age of 5, my desire is to do a motorcycle tour in France: I would love to discover the roads of the Pyrenees, Auvergne or Vercors. More generally, I'd like to spend time doing more motorcycle tours in Europe now that I'm back home.