Dave Barr rides into town

HE IS A LEGEND among bikers, especially Harley-Davidson owners, and a legend among amputees. He’s Dave Barr and he was in Vryheid last week, just another leg (so to speak) on his worldwide travels.

He was met by local bikers who accompanied him into Vryheid and showed him some local hospitality at Dee’s Restaurant & Bar. They had an opportunity to talk to this remarkable man who has achieved so much for himself as an amputee, and for others as his travels raise funds. One of the beneficiaries of his current travels is the Leonard Cheshire VC homes.

Travelling around the world is a huge accomplishment, but only the beginning of Dave Barr’s incredible story. His solo motorcycle journey took three and a half years to complete and spanned six continents and 83,000 miles.

What makes it truly remarkable is that Dave made the trip on a 1972 Harley-Davidson motorcycle with two prosthetic legs, the result of an 1981 land mine explosion. He pushed his way through the Sahara, Namibia, and Gobi deserts, slipped through the Andes during avalanche season and braved the unique challenges of riding across China, Russia, Australia, and Africa.

Dave later went on to establish a Guinness Book World Record for crossing northern Europe, Russia and Siberia on a motorcycle in the dead of winter.

Dave uses his experiences to tell story after touching story. His life lessons will enrich and empower you as he shares how he brought his vision to life by setting goals, staying focused, and overcoming obstacles.

Dave’s most recent adventure earned him a second Guinness World Record. This time he went to Australia on his “Southern Cross” journey. In just 45 days, he completed the first motorcycle journey ever between the four extreme geographical corners of the Australian continent.

A documentary is currently in the works about this amazing trip.

Dave Barr is an American veteran of the Vietnam War. He lives in Bodfish, California where he runs a motorcycle tour company. He is also the author of several books and was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000.