David Billington
Route Manager
Born and raised in the suburbs of Birmingham, I got into bikes at the age of 15 and passed my test at 16. I then spent five years buying, building, and riding about a dozen bikes, mostly old Triumphs and BSAs, before heading to university.
Career-wise, I trained as a synthetic chemist and spent 50% of my career working in university posts and the other 50% in management roles in industry. I held professorships at two UK universities and spent ten years living in Paris, working in industry for L’Oreal and Servier.
I retired early in 2015 to focus on… motorcycling! I’ve been with Magellan since the very beginning, and Felix and I did the first big recce tour in 2015, covering the routes and hotels for Magellan’s first four tours in just six weeks.
Over the years, I’ve owned and ridden about 25 different bikes since passing my test in 1970. Currently, I own and ride a Honda Goldwing, a 1977 Honda CB750 Four, and a 1991 Kawasaki 550 Four. The latter two were both rebuilt from non-running basket cases.
My favourite tour is the USA Pacific Northwest, which I’ve done on a Honda Goldwing, a BMW GS 1200, and while driving the support truck. The best roads, great sights, and lovely, friendly folks too! Seeing wildlife up close in Yellowstone National Park, riding the Beartooth Pass, and watching Old Faithful geyser erupt were real highlights.
Touring tips: Everyone packs too much! Remember there are shops if you forget something. Ride gently, enjoy the journey, and appreciate the scenery along the way.
I am responsible for planning new tours and routes. I use local bikers’ recommendations when planning a new tour to ensure we use the best roads. Myself (or another member of the team) will ride the routes and stay in the hotels to check everything out before we offer the new tour as a product.
Check out David's three favourite trips