Seventeen-year-old Oli Purkis is preparing for an unusual motorcycle record attempt. Alongside his 49-year-old father Joe, he plans to become the youngest male rider to circumnavigate the world by motorcycle. The Aberdeenshire pair have mapped out a 19,000-mile journey through four continents and 20 countries, backed by Honda UK.

The project will operate under the name OliMoto. The scheduled departure is from Shirlaws Motorcycles in Scotland on July 18, 2027, followed by a ride to London for the official Guinness World Record attempt, due to start on July 21. The planned return to the UK is in November 2027, when Oli is expected to be 18 years and 65 days old.

The Honda pairing

Honda UK is providing a CB125R for Oli and an NX500 E-Clutch for Joe. That gives the journey two distinct motorcycles, with the younger rider set to tackle the route on the smaller machine while his father rides the larger one. Joe is taking a sabbatical from work so he can ride in support, help his son during the expedition and document the trip.

The preparation programme is already under way. Oli is on course to complete his full A1 licence in mid-October, and both riders have booked extra tuition with Rapid, Honda’s official training partner. They will also attend general first-aid courses and training specifically focused on motorcycle incidents. Shirlaws is due to host a launch event on October 22, with John McGuinness, a 23-time Isle of Man TT winner, scheduled to appear.

A route built around service points

The route is divided into sections of approximately 6,000 miles. The first is planned to finish in Tbilisi, Georgia, where both motorcycles are due to receive a full service. The following section is intended to reach Perth in Australia, with another full service planned in Vancouver, Canada.

China is also part of the itinerary, and riders must be at least 18 years old there. The plan is therefore to reach Almaty, Kazakhstan, around Oli’s 18th birthday before heading towards the Chinese border. Joe told MCN that his professional experience of travelling in China gives him confidence about handling that part of the journey.

MCN identifies the current record holder as British rider Kane Avellano, who returned to South Shields on January 19, 2017, aged 23 years and 365 days. Completing the planned expedition would give Oli a substantially lower age at the finish. The attempt is also being developed with the practical demands of a long expedition in mind, from staged servicing to additional rider training.

OliMoto is combining the record attempt with fundraising for Save the Children and plans to connect with Scout groups in the countries along the route. More than £2,200 had already been donated through the team’s JustGiving page, while Cardo and Lomo are also supporting the project. Honda UK head of motorcycles Andy Mineyko said the venture fits the brand’s values of reliability and adventure.