Simon Gandolfi

Simon Gandolfi (b. London, February 11th 1933[1]) is an English long-distance motorcycle rider. He has ridden over 110,000 kilometres (68,000 mi)[2] on solo, unsupported rides in America and India including:

  • 2007–2008, Mexico to Tierra del Fuego via Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina: 34,000 km on a 125 cc Honda
  • April–December 2009, Tierra del Fuego to New York: 46,000 km on the same Honda
  • November–June 2010 – 2011, India: 18,000 km on 125 cc Honda Stunner
  • April–October 2013, India: 16,000 km TVS Motor Company TVS Phoenix 125

Simon Ralph William Gandolfi
Born1933 (age 86–87)
London
NationalityEnglish
Known forLong-distance motorcycle riding
Websitesimongandolfi.com

A 2010 tour of India, with two companions on another bike, was undertaken in defiance of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, of which he said "The attack infuriated me and I saw all the tourists cancelling and so I rode around India, and if a grand old man like me can ride around India at my age, it can't be that dangerous."[3] The 2008 solo ride was undertaken when Gandolfi was 73,[4] 2010 when he was 77, and the 2013 solo ride around his 80th birthday.[3][5] The 2013 ride around India was published as a series of contributions to The Guardian's "Backpacking" travelogue section between June and October of that year.[6] The column on his ride, which was planned to span India to England, ended when he suffered broken ribs and other injuries after being kicked off his bike by a heifer in the road.[7][8]

Gandolfi's father, Ralph Vincent Gandolfi-Hornyold, Duca Gandolfi, Marchese di Melati, died in 1938.[1] He is the stepson of Lt. Colonel Euan Rabagliati DFC, MC, Legion of Honour, British pilot in World War 1 and World War II MI6 officer.[9][10]

Bibliography
  • Old Man on a Bike. HarperCollins. 2008. ISBN 978-1906321666.
  • Old Men Can't Wait. Shuvvy Press. 2011. ISBN 978-0956430526.
    • Arcadia Press reprint 2013 ISBN 978-1-910050-61-3
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References
  1. Simon Gandolfi, "Biography", Official website, retrieved 30 June 2015
  2. "Biker banter with Simon Gandolfi", Times Now, 2013
  3. "The Easy Rider", The Hindu, 5 August 2013
  4. Sandi Toksvig (29 November 2008), "OLD MAN ON A BIKE – THE SNOW TOURIST", Excess Baggage, BBC Radio 4
  5. David Allsop (5 September 2012), "Always look Honda bright side of life", Saga, Saga Group
  6. "Author profile: Simon Gandolfi", The Guardian, retrieved 29 June 2015
  7. Simon Gandolfi (7 June 2013), "Octogenarian on a motorbike: first stop, India", The Guardian
  8. Simon Gandolfi (11 October 2013), "Backpackers' diaries: the ride towards Delhi and a cow-bike calamity", The Guardian
  9. "Lt.-Col. Cuthbert Euan Charles Rabagliati", thepeerage.com, retrieved 30 June 2015
  10. Victor Laurentius (2 May 2011), Secret Agents in Tuxedos – via Simon Gandolfi Official blogCS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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