I've longingly read about a number of travel programs motorcycle manufacturers and tour operators do each year, as they seem to get better and better each time they're announced. Eagle Rider has its trek through Alaska, BMW has its across Chile, Royal Enfield criss-crosses Morocco, and KTM heads to the hills of New Zealand, where you can find real-life Hobbits. At least, that's what I'd like to believe.
But Ducati's Expedition Masters program, that's the creme-de-la-creme of all the adventure ride programs, as the company offers a host of possibilities. All, however, are bucket-list-type destinations. All are the type of adventure travel programs where you'd look back and ask yourself, "Did that really happen or was it just a dream?"
And this year's programs are no different. One is even on my own bucket list: Iceland. Honestly, if there was a year to sign up for Ducati's Expedition Masters, this is the year to do it, cause each one of the destinations sounds absolutely amazing. Plus, adventure Ducatis!
"Enriching the lives of enthusiasts through unforgettable experiences on a Ducati: this is the spirit that drives the Borgo Panigale motorcycle manufacturer in creating a world of experiences designed to let Ducatisti enjoy the pure pleasure of riding," says Ducati, adding, "As part of this vision, Expedition Masters stands out as an exclusive travel programme created for the most adventurous motorcyclists, offering the opportunity to explore some of the most incredible, evocative and unspoilt places on the planet on Ducati motorcycles."
So what are the adventures you'll have the option of joining?
First, there's the quintessential Ducati trip through Italy. In celebrating the brand's 100th anniversary, riders will criss-cross Italy on a 1,800-km (1,100-mile) route over the course of 8 days. You'll start at Misano for World Ducati Week, then off you go visiting Venice, Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomites, speed over to the Alps where you'll be able to shred the mountain passes of Pordoi and Stelvio, head to Lake Garda, then Verona, and Mantua, only to return to Borgo Panigale for your final destination. There, you'll tour the Ducati museum, all of which sounds rad as hell.
If Northern Italy isn't your jam (I'm Sicilian, myself), you can head south for the company's Futa Pass to the Amalfi Coast expedition. On another 1,800-km trip, the ride will have you on the back of Ducati's Multistrada V2 and V4s while exploring the likes of Florence, Sienna, Rome, the famed Amalfi Coast—they can't promise a George Clooney sighting, sorry—and in through the mountains to find other legendary Italian passes that beggar belief and pictures just don't do justice. Having been to this part of Italy before, it's pretty damn spectacular. And riding through Rome would be a wild experience, having only ridden a scooter and driven a Ferrari through its streets.
Subtle flex right there, sorry not sorry.
Another is a trek across the American West, starting in San Francisco and ending in Yellowstone. This is a long ride, too, as I'm sure you'll qualify for an Iron Butt. According to Ducati, the American expedition is about 3,000 miles, as you'll begin and end in the City By the Bay. On the back of Ducati's Multistrada lineup, "From the Pacific coast, the route heads inland toward legendary landscapes such as the majestic forests of Sequoia, Yosemite and Yellowstone, the vast horizons of Utah and Idaho, the endless deserts of Nevada, the plains of Wyoming, the great ranches of Montana and the historic gold mines of Oregon."
All of those, however, aren't as cool to me as Ducati's Iceland trip, which has been on my list of places to go since like forever. While it's the shortest of the trips (the country isn't all that big) at 1,500 km, Iceland is the place of legend and seems truly otherworldly. Indeed, there are glaciers and volcanoes, fjords and mountains, black sand beaches and green plains. Shit, they filmed Rogue One there, and god do I want to freakin' go! And Ducati's travelers will be doing it all on a DesertX with off-road tires, so you know I'm down for that. Honestly, this is one of those things I'm going to be dreaming about for a while now, and if you go, you'll likely be thinking about this trip for decades to come.
You should also know that Ducati is partnering with AGV and Dainese to outfit everyone with adventure gear and helmets, along with ATPI Motorsport Travel, to work through all the logistical details for you. In fact, each adventure "includes accommodation in exclusive, high-end facilities and experiences dedicated to discovering the local culture and traditions of the regions visited," as well as full professional photo and video services, too. Hot dog!
These slots tend to go quickly, so if you're interested in joining one of these adventures, get over to Ducati's Expedition Masters' site here and sign up right now. I'll just be over here seeing how many things I'm willing to sell to go to Iceland.
