One of the most famous coastal rides in the world US Highway 1 hugs the west coast from San Francisco to Laguna Beach. Its 650 miles length is steeped in American history and iconism but many tourists only scratch the surface of this sublime journey. There is adventure and luxury to experience in equal measures and the only way to feel the true sense of freedom and escapism is to ride it not drive it. If there is one route that delivers riding the American dream in one easy week long accessible package it has to be Highway 1.
Henry Cole sets out on his radical all American chopper to experience one of the most breathtaking yet inhospitable landscapes in the world. The 1500 mile journey of extremes takes in the Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Route 66 and the glorious mountain ride through Sedona to journey's end just south of Phoenix Arizona. This once in a lifetime ride into this barren yet unendingly beautiful landscape will etch itself permanently on your soul.
Henry Cole embarks on one of America's most grueling rides on America's East coast riding some 2100 miles from Boston in the North East to Key West Florida, the most southern point in America following the legendary US 1.For this trip Henry has perhaps foolishly chosen one of the most radical custom choppers in production, a Saxon Crown, with no front mudguard, little suspension and a poor excuse for a seat - the world famous potholes of New York and the tropical rain of Florida will really test him to the limit! In this the first leg of his ride Henry reflects on the culture and history of Boston before heading off down US 1 into New York, a ride not for the faint hearted. After enjoying the frentism and vibe of New York Henry heads south through Philadelphia and Washington DC, before heading into the sublime riding offered up by North and South Carolina.
In the second part of Henry Cole's epic motorcycle ride down the length of America's east coast riding US Highway 1 from Boston to Key West saddle sore and emotional Henry leaves South Carolina and crosses the state line into Georgia revelling in a little light relief offered up by the Laurel and Hardy convention in Harlem, but the satire is short lived as the weather closes in heading into Florida with torrential tropical storms, not the best thing on a custom chop and a lot of night riding ahead. Battered but not bruised Henry arrives in Jacksonville Florida for a spot of line dancing and to briefly dry out! Then its southwards through Ft Lauderdale to Miami and finally on down some two hundred miles to journey's end in Key West. Will this prove to be one of the world's greatest motorcycle rides or one huge adventure not to be repeated?
Having navigated the West Coast and the East Coast of the US on two wheels, Henry Cole now takes a trip through the Deep South. Travelling through places whose names alone evoke the feeling of southern hospitality, Tallahassee, Jackson, New Orleans, Henry takes time out to meet the locals who are proud of their southern heritage. The big question is, how will Henry do when he swaps his iron horse for a rodeo horse? Be sure to join Henry in his quest to find the real spirit of the mystical Mississippi Delta.
Germany is home to Europe's most enthusiastic bikers, so there must be some incredible riding experiences to be had there which inspires this enthusiasm. Who better to sample this treasure of tarmac than Henry Cole, veteran of countless miles on a motorcycle? Henry begins his journey in Frankfurt, riding to Rottenburg on what is known as the Castle Route. That sounds suitably macho for a biker but wait, what's this? From Rottenburg Henry travels the Romantic Route, surely some mistake? Apparently not, as Henry discovers some picture postcard towns and stunning scenery along the road to Füssen. Who says bikers aren't susceptible to a little romance? Take your opportunity to fall in love with the rural roads of Germany.
Bike mad presenter Henry Cole heads off yet again into the wilds of America. This time riding America’s Wild West from San Francisco across California into Nevada, up through Idaho and Wyoming through Yellowstone national park to journey’s end in Billings Montana. On this 1500 mile ride Henry delights in the vast array of cultures, landscapes and characters he meets along the way and that make up the true dichotomy of this incredible adventure. From Stage Coach drivers, real Cowboys, native Americans, and bike gangs to Ferrari racers, mad truck collectors, total eccentrics and millionaire ranch owners. All this aboard the most ludicrous American Chop he’s ever ridden.
No doubt a little saddle sore from covering over 25,000 in the US on his hog, Henry takes time out to reflect on his amazing American adventures. Looking back at the highlights and featuring brand new unseen footage, including an interview with legendary chopper builder Eddie Trotter, Henry gets misty-eyed at thoughts of travelling Route 66, Highway 1 and even Death Valley. If you're crazy enough to want to follow in his tyre tracks, he'll even tell you how.
Starting out from Chicago on his ludicrous American Chopper, Henry makes his way through the first three states on Route 66; Illinois, Kansas and Missouri. Henry braves the 90 degree heat and torrential rain and meets a huge diversity of characters along the way. It has been 25 years since Route 66 was decommissioned as an official American Highway but is it making a comeback as one of the great historical attractions in the U.S.?
Resident motorcycle mad presenter Henry Cole continues his ride on Route 66 through Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. The scenery is slowly changing and so are the characters and bikers en route; he encounters some of the craziest rednecks ever found on The Mother Road, gets his bike fixed in Amarillo and immerses himself in some of the greatest riding on the planet.
In the final part of Henry Cole's 2,500 mile ride along Route 66, Henry finds the best might have been saved for last as he is passes through New Mexico, Arizona, California and onto journey's end in Los Angeles. Henry heads out of Gallup, New Mexico in 120 degree heat but no-one has told him it's also monsoon season in the deserts in late July. Will Route 66 still rate as one of the greatest rides on earth or is its magical allure slowly becoming a thing of the past?
Could the World's Greatest Motorcycle Ride be only 37 miles long? Well it might not be a gruelling adventure but the Isle of Man is home to the most famous road race in the world; the Isle of Man TT. For presenter Henry Cole this circuit is motorcycling Mecca but what has the Isle of Man got to offer away from the racing? For a ride in Britain, what better than a legendary British machine, so Henry climbs abroad a modern incarnation of the famous Norton brand, winner of 19 TT races. Along for the ride is World Superbike rider Chris Walker who gives Henry the racer's view of this intriguing island.
It is well known that New Zealand is home to some of the most spectacular scenery on earth. A place that holds almost mythical status with any bikers that has ridden its roads, experienced its culture and revelled in its landscapes. Henry Cole climbs aboard his Harley Davidson 48 to tour this fabled land from himself. Henry sets out from Auckland to ride around one thousand miles of The North Island to Wellington where his ferry to the South Island departs. Along the way he catches up with bikers like the Legendary Kiwi Racer Graeme Crosby. When out of the saddle, Henry also finds time to fly to an active Volcano, release a Kiwi bird, experience the Maori's ancient culture, join an Art Deco festival in Napier and explore Wellington. But, most importantly, will the roads delight and will the quite incredible landscape actually deliver one of the greatest rides on the planet?
Henry Cole continues to ride his Harley Davidson through New Zealand, specifically The South Island on this leg of his journey. The South Island of New Zealand is well known for the thousands of miles of empty roads that wind their way through huge vistas, sub tropical rain forests and breathtaking landscapes. Henry arrives in Picton to be welcomed by over sixty bikers who accompany him to Nelson. Then it's onto the delights of rural small town New Zealand in Murchison before heading west to Cape Foul Wind. From Greymouth to Fox Glacier the rain and the scenery gets bigger and bolder. This is a taste of what's to come as Henry heads to Queenstown and beyond to explore the Southern Scenic Route and Fjordland. Henry then loops through an area called The Catlins up to Alexandra and back to Queenstown. In total, Henry will have covered over 2,500 miles of some of the best roads New Zealand has to offer. So will New Zealand deliver the quintessential biking experience?
Henry Cole climbs aboard his Harley Davidson Street Glide to brave the Friday night Sydney rush hour traffic and head 520 miles south west to Melbourne. Along the way he gets the low down on riding in Australia, visits the coolest chopper shop in Oz, flies upside down in a world war two Chinese war plane, comes into contact with the indigenous wildlife and meets the first of many real life Australian characters. As for the riding, almost immediately the roads are sublime especially the famous Black Spur Road that leads down to the start of The Great Ocean Road in Apollo Bay.
Henry Cole heads out from Apollo Bay on the South Eastern tip of Oz to ride up towards Adelaide on one of the greatest roads in the world, The Great Ocean Road. Along the way a host of attractions and characters await like a helicopter ride over The Twelve Apostles, an ancient village dating back to the Victorian era in Warmambool and a day deep underground in the caves at Naracoorte. The characters proliferate including the world champion speedway sidecar racers in Talem Bend. This part of the journey concludes in the one horse town of Quorn and an evening ride in a classic car that is built to drive on a railway track!
Henry Cole faces his biggest challenge yet - crossing the infamous Nullabor Plain. Some 2000kms of nothing, with the only civilization being roadhouses every 200 miles. The Nullabor is also home to the longest straight road in the world, 120 miles of tarmac without even one bend, and to thousands of 7ft high Kangaroos and 500,000 wild Camels that all have a habit of running out onto the road with potentially dire consequences. After the Nullabor the Gold Fields of Kalgoorie beckon and then on to journey's end in the vibrant city of Perth.
After going to the other side of the planet for his last adventure on two wheels, Henry Cole chooses something closer to home this time out as he motorbikes the length of the UK. Henry's chosen dream machine for home tarmac is a Norton 961 Café Racer. Setting out from the most northerly tip of the UK, John O'Groats, Henry plots a meandering route southwards in an attempt to experience the best roads on offer. The first part of the ride takes in the history, the landscapes and probably the rain of Scotland. He meets the odd Laird, a wealth of hostelries, revels in the quietest roads in the UK and samples the locals in all their glory!
Meeting up with some old friends and fellow motorbike fiends along the way, Henry has the chance to visit some of the most scenic parts of the UK with stop offs in The Lake District, The Pennines and The Cotswolds. Finishing his ride at Land's End in Cornwall allows Henry the chance to refresh himself with some scones and ice cream. Will we see the carefree Henry Cole of his dream ride in traffic-free New Zealand, or will it be more of a return to good old irascible Henry after miles on the crowded roads of the UK? Either way, Henry's never been one to hide his true feelings.
Henry Cole is off on his bike again this time riding some 4000 kms on a Scandinavian adventure through Norway, Sweden and Finland. Henry sets out from Oslo in search of the best mountain riding on the planet through the Fjords of Norway. He also checks out some of the finest hotels and attractions including base jumping in Lisaboten, the annual extreme sports festival in Voss and the world famous Landscape Hotel. Henry also explores Bergen and Balastrade and attempts to try some of the traditional cuisine, boiled sheep's head. But by the end of this first show Henry is way behind schedule and hasn't quite left Norway!
At last Henry leaves Norway but before he does he pops into Hell, a small village just outside Trondheim to meet Hell's most famous resident Miss Universe 1990. Then at last into Sweden and he immediately delights in the quite incredible Swedish roads. His first stop is to learn how to deal with a brown bear. Henry then rides on through Sweden sampling the often strange cuisine, the sauna culture and the thousands of miles of lakes and forests. Then to Oulu in Finland and to meet Tommy Makinen, the most famous Finnish rally driver of all time. But as Henry rides the last 600 miles to Helsinki will the torrential rain dampen his passion and will Scandinavia really turn out to be a World's Greatest Motorcycle Ride?
Resident motorcycle mad presenter Henry Cole is off on his travels again. The mission: To ride 2,500 miles across North West Russia from St Petersburg to journey's end in Moscow. Henry's voyage of discovery starts with a few days soaking up the luxury and cultural splendour of St Petersburg before he clambers aboard his BMW GS1200 to ride North east to towns that go by the names of Sortavala, Perdrozavodsk and Cherepovetez. Little does Henry know what he is letting himself in for as he leaves the security of St Petersburg behind. This ride will test every facet of his motorcycling skills and mental endurance!
Russia is proving to be one of the most difficult and challenging rides Henry Cole has ever experienced as he is continuing his ride to Moscow from St Petersburg. Firstly he wakes up in the third most polluted city in the world, Cherepovetez, then it's another 1,500 miles to journey's end in Moscow. Henry's ride takes in the faded beauty of towns like Vologda and the stunning architectural wonders of Yaraslav. But just when Henry thinks it's all over he has to face the horrors of the gridlocked Moscow road system in torrential rain.
Henry Cole is back, riding one of the most exciting routes in the world, a 3000 mile ride from Johannesburg to Cape Town. Travelling off the tourist map, Henry rides across the Kalahari desert and down the middle of South Africa; taking in what he believes to be some of the best tarmac and dirt roads this incredible country has to offer. Before departing, Henry oversees the building of his iconic bike, a replica 1960s Steve McQueen Desert Racer.
After what seems an eternity waiting, Henry Cole embarks on his 3000 mile ride to Cape Town. First stop Soweto, where Henry cruises with some Harley riding girls who epitomise the modernity of this now thriving community. At Kloofzicht lodge, treats are in store a plenty from a dawn hot air balloon ride, to experiencing the South African wildlife for the first time, to abseiling, caving and visiting where it all began - the Cradle of Humankind - the place where the first human remains were discovered.
The town of Kuruman on the fringes of the Kalahari desert could well be Henry Cole's final resting place – only 750 miles into this 3,000-mile adventure to Cape Town.
Henry Cole has so far blown up two motorbikes on his way to Loerisfontein from Johannesburg!
The end is nearly in sight for Henry Cole's South African adventure. He has been on the road for three weeks, blown up two bikes and faced considerable adversity.
Henry Cole attempts a world land speed record for a classic motorcycle on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, America.
With only a few weeks to spare, Henry Cole is passed fit by his doctor to run at Bonneville.
After battling storms and technical issues, Henry attempts to break the world land speed record.
Motorcycle adventurer Henry Cole arrives in the vibrant city of Perth in Western Australia to embark on his longest route to date, riding over 5,000km from Perth to Darwin.
Henry Cole continues his colossal Australian ride of some 5,000 kms from Perth in the south-west to Darwin in the north.
Nearly 2,500 kms into his ride, Henry Cole rolls into the Coral Bay area, halfway up the west coast – and finds the beach resort of Ningaloo reef.
Motorcycle adventurer Henry Cole is now 3,000 kms into his ride from Perth in the south-west of Australia to journey's end in Darwin.
Motorcycle adventurer Henry Cole is only about 1,500 kms from Darwin. After three days on the road he arrives in one of Australia's natural wonders – the Kakadu National Park.
Henry Cole takes his Metisse Steve McQueen Desert Racer on a 1500 mile ride of a lifetime from Ljubljana, Slovenia, to Sofia, Bulgaria; taking in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia along the way.
With the Metisse running smoothly and the sun shining, it's plain sailing for Henry Cole as he takes on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. The beautiful towns of Rovinj and Pula are first up.
Henry Cole and his Metisse Steve McQueen Desert Racer continue their Balkans odyssey as he visits the glorious city of Split.
With the Metisse Steve McQueen Desert Racer soldiering on, Henry has time to reflect on his experience of working as a war cameraman during the siege of Sarajevo, the longest siege of any city in modern times.
It's the homeward leg and the good old Metisse Steve McQueen Desert Racer has nearly made it! The crew’s legendary fixer Predrag Blagojevic takes Henry around his home town of Nis before a quick trip into Sofia, Bulgaria
Henry takes his trusty steed Mavis to the Welsh valleys. The old 1940s Norton might not be the quickest of bikes, but when you're travelling through such beautiful scenery, the last thing you want to be doing is going too quickly.
Henry climbs aboard the brand new Norton Domiracer to take on the A-Roads of East Anglia, where he grew up. Domiracer is eager to eat up the miles but Henry wants to stop at some of the places he used to go as a youngster.
Henry is pottering through the highlands of Scotland on his brand new Honda Africa Twin. This versatile bike is perfect for the route known as the Tartan Titan. Jump off point is the great old Cameraon Hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond.
The Emerald Isle doesn't disappoint as Henry rides one of the most famous bikes of the last year: Triumph's brand new incarnation of the famous Bonneville. Henry is throwing his leg over a brat styled speed twin to get to Giant's Causeway.
Having spent years travelling the world in search of great motorcycle rides, Henry wants to prove that often there are some amazing things to see and do right under our noses. This trip starts right outside Henry's house.
Henry Cole is rather taken with the fantastic riding on offer in Australia and New Zealand. So much so, he's showcasing even more of the 8000 kilometres of supreme highways these two countries can provide the keen motorcyclist in this one hour special. Packed full of practical tips on how to organise local bike hire and interviews with some fellow motorcycling crazies, it's hog-riding heaven.
