Julian Head

Tour Guide

I first caught the motorcycling bug in my teens. My first bike was a Yamaha FS1E, and I progressed through RD125s and RD200s to a yellow RD400, which I was convinced was the best bike ever.

However, it wasn’t until 1991 that I discovered my true love for motorcycling, when I went on my first trip to Europe. It was an organised tour with a motorcycle club, travelling through Holland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, and France—and I was riding a Kawasaki ZXR750. I was completely hooked, and I’ve been travelling to Europe on motorcycle trips every year since.

Whether I’m riding through France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Italy, Corsica, the Alps, or the Pyrenees, there’s something uniquely special about travelling deliberately and with purpose on two wheels. Over the years, I’ve ridden many of Europe’s classic roads, but a couple continue to draw me back time and again. The sweeping curves and forested climbs of the B500 Black Forest Highway never fail to put a smile on my face, while the Route Napoléon remains one of my favourite journeys anywhere—not just for the riding, but for the sense of history, changing scenery, and rhythm it offers over the course of a day. These are the kinds of roads that remind me why I fell in love with motorcycle touring in the first place.

Before joining Magellan, my professional life was spent as a Chartered Surveyor in shopping centre asset management—a career that taught me the value of preparation, organisation, and clear thinking. Those qualities translate naturally into guiding. On the road, I’m calm and methodical, comfortable adapting plans when conditions change, and always focused on making sure everyone in the group feels confident and supported. I’ve spent years riding with groups of friends of mixed abilities: planning routes, navigating unfamiliar regions, and dealing with the inevitable surprises that come with touring—and I genuinely enjoy that responsibility.

Alongside road touring, I also have off-road riding experience and have taken part in organised motorcycle trips in Spain and Italy. I enjoy the variety this brings, and the way different environments demand different skills and approaches. What matters most to me, though, is the shared experience—the camaraderie that builds over a multi-day journey, the conversations at coffee stops, and the quiet satisfaction of arriving at the end of a great riding day knowing everything has come together well.

Being part of Magellan allows me to combine decades of riding experience with a genuine enjoyment of helping others get the most out of their adventures. Whether it’s guiding through mountain passes, sharing a favourite stretch of road, or simply making sure the day runs smoothly, I find real satisfaction in creating memorable journeys and sharing the freedom and joy that motorcycle travel brings.