Round the World in 1967!

[XTreme]

An 80 year old lady has turned up on Facebook with an amazing story to tell.....her name is Mary Sievier. She was unknown to the overland motorcycling community and her story has never been told.

A woman going RTW in 1967 on her own on a BSA Bantam 175cc! As someone who owned a Bantam it was touch and go whether it would get you into the next postcode......let alone the other side of the world!

And she still has the bike! 

Here's a brief summary in her own words:

"Left UK October 1967 on BSA Bantam 175cc bound for who knows where, but wiv a bit of luck, India. 3 years later made it to Bombay. Worked Istanbul 6 months, saw a lot of Turkey, across Iran and into Afghanistan. Offered 3 admin jobs, took one with an American Foundation and stayed 2 years. Fantastic life!

1970 drove a landrover back to Dublin and picked up a Peugeot 504 from the French factory and delivered that to Afghanistan. On with m/cycle to Bombay, across Pakistan. Shipped to East Africa. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Belgian Congo, Zambia, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) South Africa. Shipped to Australia. Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, (somersaulted over handlebars and bruised leg badly, rode on to Darwin and on Doc's orders told not to ride for 6 weeks so got work in lawyers' office, on the strength of having been a Court shorthand writer) Alice, Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney back to Melbourne. Canberra to Sydney and shipped to NZ after 5 months in Oz. 9 months all over NZ, working living in looking after children.

1973 Feb? shipped to Singapore, rode all over Malaysia, Thailand, into southern Laos, offered work but saw trouble brewing, back into Thailand and shipped to Hong Kong. Running out of funds. 3 years later 1976 shipped bike to Los Angeles, flew over later, and rode in a straight line to Charleston to ship bike back to UK, where bike took up squatters rights in my Mother's garage in Selsey, unfortunately to rust with age and a lot of salt in the air.

RIP Bike awaiting a lot of tlc in a motorbike shop near Chichester. Bloody Sore Arse worn off, scarred shins and piles, a lot of fading memories, a book to be written perhaps. All part of life's rich pattern". 

I've been speaking to her and she's still full of life.......and planning to get the bike running again in order to ride it to the Oxford Overland event in September.

@Slowlycatchymonkey @Grasshopper's Ride @Sofia.......this is someone you need to check out on FB! You can follow the conversation on the Adventure Bike Riders group page.

[Tym]

Some people are amazing.

[boboneleg]

Wow, a journey of six years.  But there again I suppose that's about right for a Bantam

[XTreme]

9 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

Wow, a journey of six years.  But there again I suppose that's about right for a Bantam

I asked her this:

"Did you get much resistance from family and friends when you said you that were going to attempt that journey? Cos something like that was unheard of......particularly for a young woman on her own!

Not to mention the Bantam factor! The only thing it had in it's favour was it was very light to push!"

She replied:

"A BSA Bantam was recommended by the police motorbike mechanics in Chichester Police station, 1967 and CMW in Chichester had one, 2nd hand. So I bought it, never having ridden a bike before; sat once pillion and was petrified!

I got the bike to enter a travel competition in a national newspaper, whether I can find it amongst my papers which I have just salvaged from storage I don't know, and my eldest sister and my Mother's best friend suggested I entered the Adventure category, since I was very experienced at hitch hiking. But that I realised would not be permitted, so the next best thing, and what I could afford was a motorbike, and to take it to Russia, who were just opening up to tourists, but not individuals on a motorbike it would seem. Everyone said I would have to have a KGB officer riding pillion so they knew where I was!!

The Russians refused me a visa, on the grounds that the distances were too great, and I threw their letter on the kitchen floor, unfortunately infront of a witness, a school friend, and said: I'll show those bloody reds what distances are, I'll go to India!! And everyone, me included, decided I'd make it to Venice and be back in time for Christmas. I made it to Paris, I was in floods of tears and wanted to go home, but there is such a thing as ... PRIDE! so I continued, and continued, and continued.

Watch this space and wait for the possibility of a book.

My Father had died so I only had my Mother to contend with when I said I was off to India. Oh no you are not! Oh yes I am! I then very petulantly stated I would sell the bike, make a loss, blame her and I would hitch hike to India. At which she picked up a cloth and said: Right, darling, which part of the bike can I polish up for you! And thus began the saga. A Bantam was recommended as being light enough to be picked up and put into a truck by two people, as I found in Australia. and it was the original meccano set, so even I could look after it"

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Brilliant. Thanks for posting this even though it means I have to go on facebook and find out how to follow someone?! Got tickets for Overlander but dunno if im gonna be here cos its also the Eiffel trip date. She sounds like a character and a half! What a find, someone like that turning up is like finding buried treasure!

[XTreme]

24 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Brilliant. Thanks for posting this even though it means I have to go on facebook and find out how to follow someone?! Got tickets for Overlander but dunno if im gonna be here cos its also the Eiffel trip date. She sounds like a character and a half! What a find, someone like that turning up is like finding buried treasure!

Someone asked her if she still rides motorcycles.

She replied "Well I'm not really a motorcyclist". 

Incredible! I don't think she's really understood how groundbreaking this was.

Same with Elspeth Beard really......cos nobody knew about her till 10 years ago or thereabouts.

But Mary was 15 years before Elspeth.....and the world was a very different place in 1967 compared to 1982.

[Tym]

She made it to Charleston SC, that means something in my book!

[XTreme]

41 minutes ago, Tym said:

She made it to Charleston SC, that means something in my book!

Ric Flair country!

[Sofia]

22 hours ago, XTreme said:

An 80 year old lady has turned up on Facebook with an amazing story to tell.....her name is Mary Sievier. She was unknown to the overland motorcycling community and her story has never been told.

A woman going RTW in 1967 on her own on a BSA Bantam 175cc! As someone who owned a Bantam it was touch and go whether it would get you into the next postcode......let alone the other side of the world!

And she still has the bike! 

Here's a brief summary in her own words:

"Left UK October 1967 on BSA Bantam 175cc bound for who knows where, but wiv a bit of luck, India. 3 years later made it to Bombay. Worked Istanbul 6 months, saw a lot of Turkey, across Iran and into Afghanistan. Offered 3 admin jobs, took one with an American Foundation and stayed 2 years. Fantastic life!

1970 drove a landrover back to Dublin and picked up a Peugeot 504 from the French factory and delivered that to Afghanistan. On with m/cycle to Bombay, across Pakistan. Shipped to East Africa. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Belgian Congo, Zambia, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) South Africa. Shipped to Australia. Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, (somersaulted over handlebars and bruised leg badly, rode on to Darwin and on Doc's orders told not to ride for 6 weeks so got work in lawyers' office, on the strength of having been a Court shorthand writer) Alice, Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney back to Melbourne. Canberra to Sydney and shipped to NZ after 5 months in Oz. 9 months all over NZ, working living in looking after children.

1973 Feb? shipped to Singapore, rode all over Malaysia, Thailand, into southern Laos, offered work but saw trouble brewing, back into Thailand and shipped to Hong Kong. Running out of funds. 3 years later 1976 shipped bike to Los Angeles, flew over later, and rode in a straight line to Charleston to ship bike back to UK, where bike took up squatters rights in my Mother's garage in Selsey, unfortunately to rust with age and a lot of salt in the air.

RIP Bike awaiting a lot of tlc in a motorbike shop near Chichester. Bloody Sore Arse worn off, scarred shins and piles, a lot of fading memories, a book to be written perhaps. All part of life's rich pattern". 

I've been speaking to her and she's still full of life.......and planning to get the bike running again in order to ride it to the Oxford Overland event in September.

@Slowlycatchymonkey @Grasshopper's Ride @Sofia.......this is someone you need to check out on FB! You can follow the conversation on the Adventure Bike Riders group page.

Yes, she is great! I knew. about her from a friend. In fact I have a collection of amazing weman and men stored in books and hard drives. They all are great role models.

[XTreme]

56 minutes ago, Sofia said:

In fact I have a collection of amazing weman and men stored in books and hard drives. They all are great role models.

Am I in there?

[Sofia]

10 hours ago, XTreme said:

Am I in there?

Not yet!! Soon

[Specs]

I met her briefly at the Overland Event in September 21 where she did her, I think, first presentation. She was sensational and had everyone entranced. 
 

 

[Six30]