Acclaimed writer and two-wheel adventurer Jeff Buchanan has carved out a unique place in motorcycle journalism over the past 22 years. He is now “editor at large” for North America’s largest motorcycle magazine RoadRUNNER and Jeff has finally settled down in what he considers his new home – Mallorca. Jeff will now soon be getting on his motorbike to circumnavigate Mallorca as the magazine’s “Man in Mallorca” to write a series of articles about exploring the island on two wheels before he branches out and covers the whole of the Balearics for the United States motorcycle community.
Jeff was an award-winning commercial director and indie film producer. In his younger years he raced motorcycles and served as a race mechanic for Team Maico on the 1982 AMA Motocross Championship. A happy confluence of circumstances in 2002 unexpectedly landed him in the field of moto-journalism, where he has been happily entrenched as a two-wheel wordsmith ever since.
Chopin
However, in 1988 his parents gave him a copy of the book A Winter in Majorca by George Sand about her trip and stay with Chopin on the island in Valldemossa. He was so captivated by the book that he visited the island and fell in love with it and the story and music of Chopin, so much so he is currently developing a film about Chopin’s time in Mallorca.
In the meantime, Jeff is getting back on his bike to share his experiences in Mallorca with North America. Having quite literally “ridden the world”, he has written a book Collected Wanderings, an eclectic array of topics. From retracing the very real route of the fictional Don Quixote (“A Man in La Mancha”), to a visit to Cremona, Italy, home of Stradivari (“Shadow of the Master”), with an assortment of sentimental wanderings in between, they are born from a life on two wheels. He now intends to embark on a similar journey on two wheels in the Balearics.
“Yes, I’ve toured and written about motorcycling on the mainland, many parts of Africa and the rest of the world, but at the end of my time there, I was always ready to fly home. But I’ve never liked having to leave Mallorca, it’s always felt like home and now it is,” Jeff, who hails from South California/Texas, told the Bulletin. And since I’ve been here, I’ve been amazed by the size of the motorcycling community. I went to the last Vuelta de Mallorca (tour of Mallorca) and there were some 7,000 bikers - only 5% were from other islands or the mainland.
Respect the environment
“Since then I’ve met a couple of key people in that community and they’ve all been extremely helpful. Later this year Palma is hosting the FIM International Motorcycling Federation award ceremony and that’s seriously important. And then, this tiny island, which has only one race track and that is not even designed for bikes, has produced some of the best motorcyclists in the world - just take Jorge Lorenzo, for example. So this island has a deep motorcycle culture. But while I love to race, I’m not a ‘petrol head’. When you’re riding on the street, on the road, you’ve got to obey the traffic laws and speed limits, plus respect your environment, so I’m in no way party to the illegal races in the mountains, far from it.
"When I see 1,000cc bikes in the centre of Palma making serious noise I just think these people don’t need such a powerful bike on an island like Mallorca. I come from the country of Route 66, which I have to admit is pretty boring on a motorbike, but it’s got the history and has a created a huge tourist industry. I’ve ridden nearly all of the major roads in the States and you are talking serious distances, but there’s no need to race them, that’s no fun, well not for me and certainly not the market our magazine caters for.
Going electric
“It was encouraging and comforting to hear the guys here in Mallorca talking about responsible touring, how to reduce the carbon footprint of motorcycling, climate change and how the industry can be constructively adapted to the changes going on around us. The industry is going electric and it’s doing so very quickly. There are already some electric bikes on the race circuit which are just as quick as traditional bikes, if not even faster, but there are two issues. One is the mental changeover, if you like. Electric bikes, like electric cars, don’t have that feel, you lose the noise, plus the batteries are heavy. Weight is a major hurdle bike manufacturers are trying to overcome. So it’s there, but it’s going to take a little longer than the vehicle industry.
"But the attitude here in Mallorca to sustainable motorcycling is where I’m coming from. I’m not an ‘engine and valve’ writer, I use motorbikes as a vehicle to explore destinations and cultures and that is what I intend to do here in the Balearics. I’ve driven all the coastal routes and I just can’t wait to ride them - it’s a totally different feeling. You’re open to the elements and the winding roads. The sea on one side and the mountains on the other make it a paradise for serious motorcyclists who want a new adventure. And there is a great deal of romanticism in the international motorcycle community. I remember being at the Ducati factory and all the guys were getting excited about biking in the States. I was confused and pointed out that they had the likes of Tuscany on their doorsteps.
Low season
“So yes, I can see our readers, not all obviously, coming to Mallorca to explore the Balearics on two wheels. And because my readers in particular are well educated, more sophisticated and wealthy, they will want to experience what the island has to offer in the way of the food and wine, the culture, the history and amazing architecture. It’s about touring at leisure, taking it all in, stopping at local bars and restaurants, being based in small hotels. The focus will be on touring Mallorca in the low season when everything is quieter and slower. I just can’t wait to enjoy some easy riding round my new home and share that experience,” Jeff said. More info: www.amazon.com/Collected-Wanderings-Jeff-Buchanan/dp/0996927964