270.000 KM

I’ve ridden the equivalent of 6 times round the world on my Chieftain.

Frenchman Alain Wundrack is a native of Saint Avold in north-eastern France who’s lived in ‘exile’ in Narbonne in the south of the country for over 40 years. He’s been burning up the rubber ever since he got his licence riding his first 125cc, a Motobecane LT2.

One bike led to another and capacities grew along the way, right up to an ultra-fast Hayabusa in 2014. It was then that Alain realised that there might be more to a good bike than seeing how fast it would go. He spent a few days visiting motorcycle dealerships in search of a motorcycle that would give him a different kind of ride experience as his well-deserved retirement drew near. He needed a machine that would be fun, characterful and torquey, with good roadholding, braking, and comfort.

A few miles riding a Chieftain (and a couple of laps of a roundabout at a good lean amid a shower of sparks as the Indian dealer in Montpellier looked on in alarm) convinced Alain that he’d found what he was looking for. 270,000km later (the equivalent of almost seven times round the world) the same Chieftain is still eating up the asphalt with the same majesty. Alain is careful and meticulous, enhancing the bike with a few accessories to embellish its lines and cleaning it on a daily basis. After nine years on the road throughout Europe (venturing as far afield as North Cape in Norway), his Chieftain is still as shiny as ever. While he’s usually a solo rider, Alain sometimes travels with his partner at the helm of a Springfield, or with a few friends in the Basque country. Some of those he meets ask him what issues he’s had after doing so many miles. Alain always has a proud (and slightly testy) one-word answer: none. Short, clear and to the point! The fact is that he’s painstaking when it comes to upkeep and maintenance and has never had any problems on the road. His dealer had to persuade him that the drive chain needed changing after 200,000km (of course, the sprockets were replaced at the same time).

Alain is a real ambassador and has plenty of stories to tell when he meets others on his travels. Last spring he had an even better idea: spreading the word by visiting 36 Indian dealerships across France, sharing his incredible and unique experience riding his Chieftain. Logged in to Waze, he completed his 7000km mission after 11 days in the saddle. When not astride his Chieftain, Alain is usually to be found in his studio engaging in his other passion: sculpture, creating real works of art devised during his journeys on long and winding roads where his mind can wander free.