Billy Byfield
Guide Manager & Tour Guide
My name’s Billy—well, actually it’s William! But only my gran, the police, and judges call me that.
I’m the Scottish Highlander of the group and, as the famous movie once said, “There can be only one.” And as others might say, thank goodness for that, because two of me might be one too many!
I’m a retired builder—whooopeee—but I’ve still got plenty left in the tank for motorcycle touring.
My kids keep me busy when I’m not biking, and I love nothing more than getting ripped to bits by them in vicious slagging matches, whether verbally or by text. They’ve all flown the nest now, so it’s nice to finally get some peace after years of torture and cruelty they bestowed upon me. Sadly, they all share my wit, so it’s definitely a case of what goes around comes around.
I love motorcycles! There, I’ve said it out loud. I love them so much that it’s all I want to do with every spare second I have. I’ve been riding bikes for most of my life, starting out on a little Vespa PK50 Roma. I’ve had loads of bikes since then and tried everything riding has to offer. My favourite thing to do is off-roading, although from the photos you’ll see I sometimes struggle to stay on! Someone told me I needed to let go a bit more and enjoy myself! It was just the timing I got wrong—jumping a log is never really the right time. But hey ho, it gave us all a laugh… and still does, sadly!
I’m currently riding a BMW 1250GSA and I love it. It’s the Swiss Army knife of motorcycles and a great choice for guiding, with its big metal scaffolding to keep it safe.
I love all sports, from football to table tennis, and I really enjoy competing in anything that pushes me a little bit further. I’ve had a great martial arts career, ridden bikes in nearly every country on the planet, rebuilt and repaired bikes, cars, trucks, and diggers for most of my life, and I’ve even rebuilt a customer’s bike in the desert after a little whoopsie, so they could finish the trip. That’s my number one priority on every trip—to get everyone there and back, no matter what, no matter where.
I’ll always be there when you need me, and I’ll always give 100% to making sure you have the very best time possible.
I’ve been guiding for eight years now, so there’s nothing left to surprise me! You can rest assured that if it pops up on a trip, I’ve handled it before. In fact, the boss got me a T-shirt that says, “If Billy can’t fix it, it’s screwed.”
Laughing is the best medicine in life, and you’ll do plenty of it on my tours. It’s all about having fun, and I love nothing more than a good wooden sword fight in a gift shop, bringing my own special kind of madness to the world.
No matter what level you’re at on a bike, come along, and I’ll make sure you have the best time possible. It’s all about taking part, experiencing new adventures, and putting a smile on your face. Then the memories are yours to treasure whenever you wish!
Ride safe, and I hope to see you on two wheels soon…
Check out Billy's three favourite trips