Heroes and Their Motorcycles

Pierre Trudeau, Che Guevara, Lia Grimanis - a national icon, an international martyr and an unsung philanthropist. These three heroes are separated by time and space, yet they are joined together by a shared passion for motorcycles. Join us as we dive into how they changed the world and, of course, how they rode.

Pierre Elliot Trudeau

Some love him, some hate him. But when the Canadian government asked its citizens to come up with their top-10 heroes last summer, he topped the list.

Perhaps it was his hard-nosed handling of the FLQ crisis, or the creation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. More likely, it’s because he was known to kiss random women at press conferences, and once punched a reporter.

Antics aside, none could deny Trudeau’s formidable intellect and unflappable style. When Trudeaumania erupted in 1968, Canada saw an unprecedented surge in trendiness. All of a sudden, Canadian politics elicited feminine screeches that would rival rock concerts. And that has to be rare, right? Women didn’t exactly throw themselves at Paul Martin or Jean Chretien. No, Trudeau was a once-in-a-lifetime leader – a glittering memory of Canadian political coolness that, to younger folk, seems too good to have ever been true.

Some of our favorite Trudeau tales revolve around his love for motorcycles. As a young bachelor, he left for postwar France packing a beret, a tuxedo, a dozen chemises de ville and his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I mean, imagine if our current Prime Minister spent his youth galavanting around the south of France with some lover on the back of his hog. Instantly cooler, right?

In another legendary story, the flamboyant figure decided to protest WWII conscription by donning a German helmet and riding his Harley around Montreal. Our favorite anecdote by far, however, comes from his 1971 state visit to the USSR. On the brink of nuclear war – in the very heart of Mother Russia – Trudeau apparently got bored with Cold War politics. So, he commandeered a motorcycle from the Soviet police escort and proceeded to ride it around the Kremlin.

We like his style.

Che Guevara

Cuban hero. Global icon. Motorcycle diarist.

If you don’t recognize his name, you’ll definitely recognize his face. Che Guevara’s iconic visage is a symbol of Marxism and revolution the world over. He studied to become a doctor so, naturally, he ended up overthrowing the Batista regime and repelling the Bay of Pigs Invasion. This made him somewhat unpopular with the United States and – low and behold – it’s still difficult to get a Coke in Cuba.

If you haven’t read The Motorcycle Diaries , or seen the movie, we’d highly recommend it. The memoir details Che’s 8000km, nine-month journey from Buenos Aires to Miami. The young Che and his travelling partner completed the journey on La Ponderosa – a 1939 Norton 500cc motorcycle.

If this seems like a lot of strain for the mid-sized Norton, it was. In The Motorcycle Diaries , Guevara remarks that they kept it running with the “favored spare part – wire.” Yet while the bike weakened, Che’s resolve against western imperialism got stronger.

And if you think that Che Guevara’s influence doesn't extend beyond Latin America, take a look at the ADV bike in your garage, and think again. The entire culture of adventure riding is indebted to the Argentinian revolutionary. His seminal journey set the tones of wanderlust and self-discovery that we see in modern long distance motorcycling. Whether it’s Ewan McGregor taking the Long Way Round – or some kid taking a gap year to go riding – the spirit of Che’s adventure lives on.

In case you’re wondering, Guevara’s entire journey – through cities and slums, tribes and countryside – boiled down to one conclusion.

I knew that when the great guiding spirit cleaves humanity into two antagonistic halves, I will be with the people.

- Ernesto “Che” Guevara, The Motorcycle Diaries

Lia Grimanis

Who? Our point exactly.

Canada has its fair share of unsung heroes and, unfortunately, a disproportionate number of them are women. Remember that top ten list? – All men. Is it just us, or does Canada have loads of heroines to celebrate as well? Around here, Lia Grimanis certainly springs to mind.

At the age of 18, the Toronto native fled an abusive situation and became homeless. During those hard times, she vowed to find success. Fast forward a few years, and Grimanis is working with the Toronto mayor, founding charities, and undertaking a multitude of bizarre and impressive adventures.

While Grimanis works with a number of charitable organizations, Up With Women is one of her foremost pursuits. Lia founded this organization with the hope of supplying education, career coaching and mentorship opportunities to homeless and at-risk women. Simultaneously, Up With Women works to raise awareness on poverty, homelessness and violence against women.

You know that "most interesting man" from the Dos Equis commercials? Lia is the real life version, only cooler. She’s keen on firewalking, cage-less shark diving, helicopter piloting, East German tank driving, wing walking (like, outside an airplane) and jousting. Oh, and she’s a falconry enthusiast. Oh, and a world record strong woman. And some other stuff too.

In case you’re wondering, you’ll have to pull a 14,521 lb vehicle to top Lia’s record. In high heels. If you plan on doing it flat footed, she’s still the woman to beat – at 17,820 lbs. We’re told that four more record attempts will be in the books by 2015.

Of course, accolades abound for the Canadian superwoman. Top 40 under 40, one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women, blah, blah, blah. But we won’t bore you with all that. Instead, let’s talk about her motorcycling exploits.

For the daily commute, she drives a BMW F650 GS ADV bike – in pink. She was also the first Canadian woman to complete the Fjordrally – a 1000km ride through subarctic Norway. Naturally, she won an award in the process. In the Himalayas, she became the first Canadian woman to ride a solo motorcycle over the Khardung La – one of the world’s highest roadways.

Lia Grimanis, like Pierre Trudeau and Che Guevara, has a taste for adventure. And maybe that’s what ties heroes together. Where others settle, a hero steps further – longing to do things better, sooner, and with more style. I like to think that the heroic disposition is inherently inclined to motorcycling. That riding a bike, in some small way, mirrors the boldness of greater deeds.