There are a few motorcycle riders who are my heroes, and you probably know their names: Kenny Roberts, Gary Nixon, Dick ‘Bugsy’ Mann, Chris Carr and Jay Springsteen. Some you may not know of like Emilio Scotto who took ten years to ride virtually every country in the world on a Goldwing no less. And now I add to that august list the name of Zoltán Sulkowsky.
Sulkowsky rode around the world on a Harley-Davidson and sidecar. Not a big deal as things go these days, but he did it in the eight year span of eight years from 1928 to 1936! Consider that for a moment. Mostly dirt roads, mostly hostile countries. “They experienced the riches of sultans, witnessed primitive cultures and extreme poverty in remote villages, traveled through wilderness with the ever-present danger of wild animals and bands of outlaws, and traversed roads of all descriptions. They dealt with mud, sand, unbearable heat, bitter cold, and rivers where the motorcycle had to be taken apart to cross in a small boat. They forged roads where no roads had existed and brought a whiff of exhaust-scented civilization to people who had never before seen a motor vehicle.”
Did I mention that he did this on a Harley? And did I mention that Mr. Sulkowsky was from Hungary? He started and ended his journey from his home town of Budapest.
This is a beautiful book of motorcycling adventure when riding a motorcycle and travel was truly an adventure, and I recommend it highly.
To find it, go to www.whitehorsepress.com.
P.S. Wordpress won’t let me put this picture in my comments but I can post it here:
The last public appearance of Evel Knievel in Daytona Beach
While I have the utmost respect for motorcycle riders, I must disagree with you on Emilio Scotto. In my opinion the guy is a fabrication of his own hunger for fame and fortune. I read his book and recently met several of his recent business partners and friends. There seems to be a lot of controversy around his claims of past accomplishments. Several websites, wikipedia, you tube comments, facebook groups and even his own contradicting website raise some serious doubts about his statements. In my opinion he is a colorful character with a vivid imagination who has probably dreamed and read about other riders, did some actual motorcycle travel and just felt that what he could not accomplish with his bike he could fill in and complete with his word processor.
Dear Dustin
Thank you for your response ! I was beginning to wonder if anyone out there was reading this stuff.
When it comes to tall tales, motorcycle riders can spin them out with more color and passion than even the most creative fisherman. It’s a wonder there are any bars in Sturgis still standing considering all the hot air let loose during Bike Week there.
I had the opportunity to spend some time with Emilio Scotto a few years back when I published one of his stories in Cycle World’s Travel & Adventure. I’ll agree with you that he’s an active self promoter who works tirelessly promoting himself. But everybody who has had any success in the media is the same, myself included. Sadly, that’s the way of it. Those stories of producers, agents and editors tapping someone on the shoulder and saying, ‘ Come here kid, I’m gonna make you a star,” are extremely rare. Success in the media usually comes through exhaustive self promotion. Indeed, I spent some time around Evel Knievel, and was even in the Civic Center in Daytona for his very last public appearance. He was as forceful and aggressive, and obnoxious that last day as he ever was. But, he had to be. And it worked well for him.
There are two details that, to me, speak for the veracity of Emilio’s claims. First, is the stacks of magazines containing his articles. Emilio financed his travels by contributing to Spanish speaking motorcycle magazines. All of them contained his photography and stories. Second, are his passports. I have a photo (it belongs to Cycle World, they still have it ) of him holding up his passports and all of the stamps in them. I spent a good long while examining them, and they looked real to me. The stamps of various countries are hard to fake.
As for varying versions of his accomplishments; yes there probably are. And yet, when one is in the business of telling his own story over and over and over, especially when that story is so long, then different versions emerge. And even to the storyteller, facts become tangled and memory gets in the way.
All in all, I’d say that Emilio’s exploits are genuine with a little bombast thrown in.
As for his detractors, it’s hard for some non-traveling person to believe the stories of world travelers. I’m not in the same league as Emilio, not even close. Compared to him I’m a dilettante. And yet, there are folks who are convinced I’m with the CIA because of my travels. Amazing.
I’d like to thank you, Dustin for contributing to this blog. I don’t get a lot of letters here, and to have a response such as yours that is well thought out, concerned and polite, is a joy.
Again, thank you.
Best,
Beau Allen Pacheco