I grew up in Montfort, a small village in The Netherlands. As a kid I spent a lot of my time in the forest, either looking for wildlife or on a mountain bike. At 17 I moved to Eindhoven to study Management, Economics and Law. I started exploring the world with a backpack but only found true adventure when I bought my XRV750 Africa Twin and took it for a test ride to Nordkap, the most Northern point of Europe in Norway. It was here that I met an American rider who had been traveling all over the world on his Ducati Street 2. His stories totally captivated me and planted a seed in my head.

After I had finished my Bachelors degree and had spent some time behind a desk at PWC and Philips I concluded that I needed some more action. I joined the army for a while and then moved on to hospitality. I figured out I had a true passion for working with people and making their days. I set up a big restaurant for a hospitality firm and loved my job. But the seed in my head was growing and at 26 I decided to follow my dream and ride my motorcycle, as far as possible, over land to Australia.

When I made it to OZ 14 months later, having traveled through Europe, The Middle East and Asia, I felt I had a better idea of what life was all about. Seeing the world from atop my bike, meeting the people and learning from different cultures had opened my eyes in so many ways. I decided to keep going, working and riding my way around the world.

Years later I made it to the USA and was invited to present at Overland Expo. At the entrance, I met Pete and Andrew. Two guys who had this wild idea about making soft luggage for motorcycles. When I saw their designs it was the first time I considered switching from hard to soft luggage. We somehow stayed in touch and once I circumnavigated North and South America with Mosko Gear, totaling 9 years on the road, it was time to bring “The Lizard” to Europe.