Leaving family, friends, a successful business and a real job to embark on a solo adventure around the world sounded crazy back then – because it was. But for a Spanish kid named Carlos it was a special calling, a life’s work that drew him away from “stability” into the unknown- and has since inspired countless others to follow a similar path.

For Carlos Garcia Portal, “releasing the clutch” in 2009 has two meanings: starting to ride away in first gear also means letting go of our “clutch on a false reality” and for him, a grasp on the comforts of a “pretty good life”.

And venturing away on two wheels by himself is actually a paradox: He was solo, but never alone. By documenting these journeys to share with any curious souls he’d left behind, a movement emerged into a global brand, a virtual sub culture of millions of followers who tune in for new YouTube episodes every Sunday, for adventures filled with human experiences and breathtaking imagery of distant landscapes.

As a young child, his family considered motorcycling a taboo subject that stirred unresolved pain tied to his uncles’ serious accident in the 1980s. Ironically, the mystique of this topic fostered a secret love affair. At 19, a financially independent Carlos bought a used Yamaha SR 250 Special and his mother had no other choice but to accept that she now had a son who was a motorcyclist. Since then things began to unfold naturally from the SR to a Vulcan 500, then to a K100 LT, followed by a Vulcan 800, and ultimately, a Honda Varadero.

With his first travel companion in hand, it was time for what he calls “stage zero”. The desire to explore the world on two wheels was so strong that, in just over two months, he was already riding his journey from Spain to Australia.

– With the help of a great friend, I protected myself from all fears by equipping my motorcycle as if I were going to war! I gave a strong hug to those I loved most and left for Australia. (…) Traveling showed me that there were other points of view about the same things and exposed many of my normalities, which turned into oddities as I crossed borders. Traveling taught me that there was nothing more motivating than learning. And the only thing that really mattered to me was being free.

Six months later, Charly Sinewan returned to Madrid and to his routine. But he quickly realized that he needed to change his life again to make it ‘less unbearable.’ The answer, as almost always, was found on the road. So, he devised a plan to achieve his dream, at least partially. He traveled for two months, left his bike at someone’s house he had met along the way, flew back to Madrid, worked for four months, and then returned to the place where he had left the bike.

During this period, on a BMW F800, he traveled through 13 African countries covering thousands of kilometers on dirt tracks, sand, stone, and asphalt. He crossed countries considered dangerous and stayed in all types of places, from “good hotels, bad ones, and very bad ones.” Every obstacle presented an opportunity to overcome and he felt more alive than ever! The social media posts gained attention with more frequency and engagement and the audience grew every day. This period began shaping what we know as “El Mundo en Moto con Charly Sinewan”, a project where he shares every step of his journey in his genuinely passionate way that the audience finds so relatable and that has become his natural way of life.

During the first stages of his journey from Madrid to Cape Town, he was confronted with what already knew: he wanted to be a nomad. The fear of losing everything he had, which gave him a false sense of security, resurfaced, but he knew that if he never tried, would never forgive himself. So, he decided to dive headfirst into his project. In 2013, he started looking for sponsors who believed in him, providing not only equipment but also financial support. He also revamped his website, bought new equipment, improved his videos, and prepared a first dossier to present to companies in the industry. And so, he took yet another (huge) step!

– You get to follow someone’s adventure riding a motorcycle in Morocco. But you don’t see the small boat crossing to Europe with 40 migrants packed against each other. Those are the real adventurers.

The adventures have been many, but anyone who thinks it’s been a journey without support is mistaken. As he himself emphasizes, “in the most complicated moments of a motorcycle trip, you don’t fear the people, but their absence”. The truth is, during these last years travelling around the world, he discovered something precious: in every place, there are generous people ready to lend a hand to those in need!           

– When we imagine for the first time a distant trip and are overwhelmed by fears, we tend to visualize people who will steal, kidnap, rape, kill, or dismember us. However, when you travel a lot, you discover that it’s the opposite: most of the time, people appear along the way to protect us.

Today, traveling around the world by motorcycle is very accessible, but making it a profession is not so simple. However, Charly Sinewan has been incredibly successful! He admits, “although I work more than before, I don’t realize it because I’m doing what I love, and that doesn’t feel like work”.

– I dedicate myself professionally to traveling the world by motorcycle and sharing it with thousands of people. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve managed to become self-sufficient through sponsorships, giving lectures or doing online advertising campaigns. I’ve crossed half the world on motorcycle and to this day I don’t have a single truly bad experience to share.

Charly Sinewan’s entire story can be found in a ten-chapter book, offering advice on how to plan a motorcycle trip, covering logistics, bureaucracy, and precautions. It also includes personal stories, as well as testimonies from three women who are also passionate about motorcycling: Gemma Parellada, Lois Pryce and Guada Araoz.

-The truth is, in all these years, I have never looked back. Since I made the decision to change my life, I believe it was the best thing I could have done. It was, without a doubt, the best moment of my life.

Although Charly Sinewan is fully convinced that he made the right decision, doubts about what will happen after he reaches Tierra del Fuego, his goal, linger in his mind. Will he continue being a nomad, or will he seek a different lifestyle?

The future remains uncertain, but one thing is undeniable: the experiences gained from interacting with others will fuel whatever path he chooses.   

If you want to find out how this journey around the world will unfold, following stages of this extraordinary NEXX Rider: https://www.youtube.com/user/charlysinewan