The Trip kicks off: Planet Ride’s first community roadtrip begins
The Trip is back in the spotlight for 2026—not as a new announcement, but as a reminder of what a community roadtrip can look like when it’s built like a real ride: a clear route, a tight production rhythm, and a public that can influence the adventure. On Saturday, September 10, 2016, Planet Ride launched its first community roadtrip from Barapapa (13 Port de la Rapée, 75012 Paris), sending four “Planet Riders” onto the road for three months, with onboard cameras and a web series designed to make viewers feel inside the journey—not just watching it.
Don’t miss the kick-off: the departure event took place from 10 a.m. at Barapapa, ahead of the first episode.
A community roadtrip, powered by the crowd
Since February 2016, the concept gathered serious traction: 4,000 sign-ups, 68 adventurers ready to go, 34 videos generating 10.5M views, plus 20,050 likes and 10,100 shares on Facebook. Not hype for hype’s sake—proof that riders and travel lovers were ready for something more interactive than a classic travel show.
Four winners took the start:
- Morgan and Jules (Team The Islanders)
- Victor and Jean-Étienne (Team The Adventurious)
The premise was simple: ride, film, publish—and let the community shape what happens next.
“Not a classic web series—an immersion experience”
Nicolas Pons, leading the The Trip project, set the tone:
The Trip won’t be a classic web series, but a real immersive video experience. Jules and Morgan—known as a duo from The Island—will allow viewers, thanks to their professional camera skills and episode storytelling, not only to follow their story but to live it with them in real time.
That “real time” ambition matters on the road. When you’re producing while moving, your day isn’t just mileage—it’s also charging batteries, backing up footage, scouting meeting points, and staying ahead of tomorrow’s constraints.
The interactive twist
The community wasn’t just an audience. It was meant to push challenges, influence decisions, and help “redraw” the route. In other words: the roadtrip had a plan, but not a fixed script—exactly where pressure and fun meet.
Episodes were announced to be shared across Planet Ride and The Trip social channels, and relayed by partners including MCE TV, AB Moteurs, and Le Routard.
Route spotlight: a truly unusual itinerary
Three months. Eight countries. Four continents. Six different vehicles. That format implies constant adaptation: riding styles change, road types change, climates change, and so does daily fatigue management.
The announced route:
France → Italy → Kyrgyzstan → India → Indonesia → Namibia → USA → … (secret final destination)
Stage 1 — France
A start on home ground, riding some of the country’s best roads by motorcycle—an ideal way to build rhythm before the long-haul stages. Early days like this are where you dial in team habits: meeting times, spacing rules, fuel stops, and who leads when conditions change.
Stage 2 — Italy
North to South, with a highlighted line from Florence to Bari. Expect dense riding days: mixed motorway transfers, tighter secondary roads, and urban entries where time loss can be real. Plan arrivals before dark when possible—Italian city traffic plus parking logistics can quickly eat into your filming window.
Stage 3 — Kyrgyzstan
A shift to highland atmosphere and big landscapes: Toktogul Lake, the Chychkan Canyon, a night in a yurt, and a meeting with a traditional eagle hunter. This is the kind of stage where offline navigation and fuel planning become non-negotiable: distances between reliable services can stretch, and conditions can change fast with altitude and weather.
Stage 4 — India
Heading for Rajasthan—a region known for intense color, heat swings, and demanding riding focus. City edges can be chaotic; the trick is to keep daily road hours reasonable so attention doesn’t collapse in the last 30 km.
Stage 5 — Indonesia (Bali)
One island, multiple worlds: beaches, rice terraces, volcanic backdrops. Road surfaces can vary within a short distance, and tropical rain can transform grip levels in minutes—especially on polished asphalt in busy areas.
Stage 6 — Namibia
Promised as one of the wildest, most remote segments. In practice, remoteness means basics: water margin, tire monitoring, and a conservative pace when visibility drops with dust or wind. This is also where recovery matters most—sleep and hydration are performance tools, not comfort luxuries.
Stage 7 — USA (Florida)
A penultimate stage in Florida: Miami Beach, Key West, Palm Beach, Naples. A different kind of riding again—more traffic density, more enforcement, more timing constraints. It’s also a stage where you can regain consistency in logistics: predictable fuel availability, easier accommodation, faster resupply.
Stage 8 — Secret destination
The last stage stayed under wraps, revealed only during the journey—an old-school adventure lever that still works when you have a community waiting for the next episode.
About Planet Ride and The Trip
The Trip originated with Nicolas Pons, driven by a personal long-distance motorcycle journey across Asia. The idea was then brought to Planet Ride, which committed to the project with both logistical and financial support, while bringing partners on board: AB Moteurs, Le Routard, MCE TV, Club 14, AXA Assistance, Louis Erard.
Practical info (original launch)
- Date: Saturday, September 10, 2016 — from 10:00 a.m.
- Place: Barapapa, 13 Port de la Rapée, 75012 Paris
Learn more
- Website: https://www.planet-ride.com/thetrip/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/the.trip.sur.la.trace.des.explorateurs/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheTrip5
À savoir aujourd’hui
The Trip remains a strong example of how a community roadtrip can blend real riding, real constraints, and interactive storytelling. What should be checked before taking inspiration for a 2026-style version: current filming/drone rules by country, insurance coverage across borders and vehicles, and the feasibility of publishing “near real time” with today’s connectivity and platform algorithms.
