Michael Spice
Tour Guide
I’ve always had a fascination with motorbikes. At 14, I bought every bike magazine I could each month and read them cover to cover. I knew all the stats! A guy who lived over the road had a GSX-R750, and his house was where everyone would meet up. FZ750, 350YPVS, 250LC, GSX-R1100—I gawped at them all. At 17, my parents promised me a car, but with the caveat that I couldn’t touch a bike… and they won.
Fast forward four years: after university (and knowing I was leaving home!), I took my test. I then went travelling to Australia, and as soon as I got to Sydney I bought a GPZ900R—just like the one in the original Top Gun! I travelled around Australia on it and loved the freedom. I was hooked.
When I got back to the UK and needed a “grown-up” job, I trained to become a commercial hot air balloon pilot—a rather niche career, and definitely not what my school careers advisor suggested! I was fortunate to work in Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia, flying passenger balloons. It was a brilliant job, and back then it was surprisingly easy to get work visas—there were more qualified astronauts on the planet than there were commercial balloon pilots! Passenger enjoyment and safety were always paramount, which, in hindsight, was perfect training for becoming a Magellan tour guide.
Flying balloons also made me a little obsessed with maps and trip planning. When my children were young, they’d catch me looking at maps and wonder what escapade I was going to take them on next. Mountains, waterfalls, lakes, mountain biking, SUPing, and hiking became the standard school holidays for them—the great outdoors. Now they’ve grown up, they’ve caught the travel bug too, and they’re looking forward to seeing where being a Magellan tour guide will take me next.
In 2019, I solo kayaked across Scotland—and back again! In 2020, I bicycled to the Alps for our family ski holiday and wild-camped along the way. I got to Geneva in nine days. I’ll tour by any means possible, but motorcycles are still my favourite. Aside from the GPZ900R, I’ve only owned three other bikes: a Triumph 900 Daytona, a Sprint 1050 ST, and now a KTM 690 Enduro R. Looking back, every bike has had some form of luggage—clearly I’ve always used bikes to travel, and more importantly, to explore.
The KTM means I’m not just limited to the tarmac. I love the challenge of the trails—it’s a totally different style of riding, and that’s where you’ll find me most weekends. However, I discovered that meeting other adventure riders could be a bit of a chore, so in 2025 my wife and I created the Adventure Bike Collective: an online platform and app where you can connect with like-minded riders near you, arrange rides, meet up, and share knowledge. I use the Collective for my local riding, and Magellan for my big tours!
Whether on or off road, I look forward to meeting you on a Magellan tour—perhaps poring over a map with a beer after a great day in the saddle!
Check out Michael's three favourite trips