Steve Barnett: The Oldest Man to Ride Around the World for a
Guinness World Record
February 12, 2026
At 77 years old, Navy League of Panama member Steve Barnett is not slowing down. In fact, he is preparing for the most ambitious journey of his life.
On March 8, 2026, Steve will depart Panama to attempt a Guinness World Record: becoming the Oldest Man to Circumnavigate the Globe on a Motorcycle.
If successful, he will prove something he has long believed — that adventure does not retire.
“Now Is the Time”
“Life is like riding a motorcycle,” Steve says. “Stop moving forward and you fall.”
Last year, Steve suffered a heart attack. After recovering, many might have chosen caution. Instead, two months later he was boarding a flight to Southeast Asia, where he spent three months riding through Vietnam and Laos.
That experience reinforced a simple truth:
Life is too short to wait.
Over the past two decades, Steve has ridden across continents and through 79 countries, logging more than 500,000 kilometres. He has travelled on every continent except Antarctica — though he jokes that he did manage to sneak a piece of his motorcycle there.
But there was one thing he had never done: ride completely around the world in one continuous journey.
At 77, he decided it was time.
The Guinness World Record Attempt
Title: Oldest person (male) to go around the world on a motorcycle
Departure: March 8, 2026
Expected Duration: Approximately one year
To qualify, Guinness requires:
One continuous journey on the same motorcycle
Start and finish in the same place (Panama)
Public transport allowed only where necessary (e.g., ocean crossings)
No support vehicles transporting the motorcycle
Full documentation via photos, video, GPS tracking, and records
There is no fixed timeframe for completion — but Steve expects the journey to take about a year. He estimates covering approximately 50,000 miles, though as he readily admits: “It will be what it will be.”
How It All Began
The idea of long-distance riding was sparked twenty years ago — by what Steve laughingly calls “a muse.”
In 2005, while boarding a ferry from Vancouver Island to Seattle, he noticed a young woman in her early twenties sitting atop an astonishingly overloaded motorcycle — duffle bags, camping gear, even a guitar strapped precariously high.
“Where are you headed?” he asked.
“Costa Rica,” she replied.
No riding experience. No Spanish. No plan.
Just courage.
That encounter planted a seed: if she could set off with nothing but determination, why couldn’t he?
In 2008–2009, he rode from Panama to Tierra del Fuego, made a side trip to Antarctica, returned north through Brazil, replaced an engine along the way, and continued to Alaska, New York, and Florida.
The spark had become a lifestyle.
Inspiration, Repeated
In 2022, history repeated itself when Steve met Bridget McCutchen, a 22-year-old rider attempting the Guinness World Record as the youngest woman to ride around the world. They met in Panama.
Three years later, she held her Guinness certificate.
Once again, Steve thought: If she can do it as the youngest, why not me as the oldest?
He contacted Guinness. They accepted his attempt.
And now, the planning becomes reality.
The Route: Panama to the World — and Back Again
To meet Guinness requirements, Steve must start and finish in Panama. However, the first leg involves flying both rider and motorcycle to Madrid.
From there, the route is planned — loosely — as follows:
Spain, France, Italy
Croatia, Serbia, the Balkans, Greece
Turkey to Georgia and Russia
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan
Potentially China to Laos and Southeast Asia
Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand
Shipment to South America
Then northward back to Panama
China remains the most complicated leg due to permit and guide requirements. If that proves impossible, he may ride north through Russia to Vladivostok, then onward via South Korea and Japan.
And after that?
“I haven’t figured it out yet!” he smiles.
Because for Steve, the road itself often decides.
.
.
.
.
.
The Motorcycle: Simplicity Over Sophistication
Steve will undertake this journey on a 2025 Suzuki DR650 — chosen deliberately for its mechanical simplicity.
“It’s the best of 1990s technology,” he says. “It has a carburetor — which I can fix. Fuel injection, I can’t.”
Modifications include:
Larger fuel tank
Aluminium panniers
Upgraded suspension
Improved seat
Carburettor tuning
Navigation systems
One concession to age: camping has lost its appeal.
“A bed and a shower are hard to beat,” he admits. Hotels and guesthouses will replace tents this time around.
Lessons from Half a Million Kilometres
Over decades of riding, Steve has distilled travel into several core principles:
Simpler is better. If something can fail, it probably will — so you must be able to fix it yourself.
Pack light. You need half of what you think you need.
Learn basic language skills. Google Translate helps — but human effort matters more.
Don’t over-plan. Some of life’s best experiences come from changing direction because someone along the way says, “You really ought to see…”
Age: Reality, Not Limitation
Steve does not consider age a barrier — but he respects it.
He avoids extreme off-road trails now and prefers routes where assistance is accessible if needed. Experience has replaced physical bravado.
Decades of international travel — as a consultant, professor, and regional executive in Asia — have given him cultural fluency and adaptability that many younger adventurers are still developing.
Wisdom, in this case, rides alongside endurance.
About Steve Barnett
Born in Los Angeles and educated in northern California, Steve built an international career as a business consultant and professor of international business.
Mid-career, at age 41, he stepped away from work for four years to earn his PhD. He later held visiting professorships in Panama, South Korea, and China, and served seven years in Singapore as a regional Vice President for consulting firms, travelling extensively throughout Asia.
He moved permanently to Panama in 2006 and has proudly called it home ever since.
Beyond his professional achievements, Steve has long been a valued member of the Navy League of Panama, exemplifying curiosity, resilience, and global citizenship — values that resonate deeply within our maritime and international community.
Before the Ride Begins
“I’m not nervous,” Steve says. “But I am anxious. There’s just so much to do.”
He expects the nerves will fade only once he lands in Madrid, starts the engine, and begins to ride.
And for those who dream of their own adventures, he offers simple advice:
“If you’ve ever wanted to do something like this — just go for it. Whether it’s a week, a month, or a year… it won’t happen until you get on the bike and take off. Will you know what you’re getting into? Absolutely not. But that’s the fun.”
A seasoned traveller friend once told him:
“I never know what’s around the next corner… but I know it’s going to be a great adventure.”
That philosophy now fuels a 77-year-old man preparing to circle the globe.
And the Navy League of Panama will be cheering him on every mile of the way.
Follow Steve’s journey:
www.facebook.com/steveswayaround
www.instagram.com/steveswayaround