30 | september | october 2017BIKE 2013 Yamaha
Super Ténéré
RIDER Paul Pelland
AGE 49
HOME Londonderry,
New Hampshire
OCCUPATION Writer/
Inspirational SpeakerJULIA LAPALME- twenty years ago, I found that riding
long distances was a good way to escape
a bad marriage, a boggled divorce, and
what became a monstrous 10-year
custody ordeal. The worse life was at
home, the more hours and miles I rode.
Learning to harness the healing power of
the road saved my life thousands of times. I
woke up, however, in a lot of strange places.
Joining the Iron Butt Association
and planning long-distance rallies
kept me occupied, mentally and physi-
cally. During the 2003 Iron Butt Rally,
I experienced muscle weakness, loss of
dexterity in my hands, confusion, and
memory issues. Despite going home
with a trophy, I retired from competing
and eventually was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis.
Five years ago, I realized that, although
I could no longer compete, I could still
ride long days in the saddle, so I decided to
take my prognosis public by documenting
a million miles as an advocate for MS. I
have since covered 250,000 miles, set
two world records, and raised more than
$100,000 for MS charities.
I purchased my first Yamaha Super
Ténéré in April 2013. Ridden through
all the 48 lower states, across Canada
to Alaska and the Arctic Circle, the
bike has taken me to more than 200
speaking events, where I shared my
story with MS patients and their
families, as well as to seminars and
keynote addresses at motorcycle rallies
and general public events.
Over three and a half years and 168,000
miles, my Yamaha had never been prop-
erly serviced, or even washed, and it was
showing signs of needing some TLC. I
decided to give the bike one last hurrah
for the worry-free performance it had
provided me. I wanted to set a world record
for riding the most hours in a single day.
ME & MY BIKETo do so involved chasing time zones on
November 16, 2016, the day that daylight saving
time ended. Riding west from Indiana to Nevada
would cross all four zones: Eastern, Central,
Mountain, and Pacific. I had trouble getting the
tired bike running, but 28 hours and 2,000 miles
later, the Super Ténéré and I had set a new record
for most hours ridden in one day.
Motorcycles are tools to me—tools that I use
daily, tools to which I trust my life, and tools that
whisk me away from all that is harmful and painful
in life. Riding is also central to treating my disease
because when I am on my Super Ténéré I don’t feel
like I have MS. So get the hell out of my way because
I’m on a mission, chasing a cure. —Paul Pelland- • \ \
Learning to
harness the
healing power
of the road
saved my life
thousands
of times.- •
/ /
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