Page 2 of 3: ziggy_marley2

AM: Sounds like you got off to a good start. How’d you end up with Ducati Multistradas on the Marley Africa Road Trip?

Z: When I got together with David Alexanian, we planned to get some bikes and Ducati was interested. I had never ridden a Ducati before but they were putting out these new bikes, the Multistrada. I said, let’s check it out.

On the last day of one of our riding classes, Ducati sent down three Multistradas, brand new, and WOW! they looked beautiful. We took them for a spin and we liked them. I wasn’t sure how well they’d would do off road because we didn’t really get a chance to try them while we were here in LA, but my brother Robbie, a motorcycle stunt rider, came up from Miami to break them in and get familiar. Although we liked them, the real test would be on the South African dirt roads where we’d see what they could do.

AM: How did the bike do with the 17? front wheel?

Z: I was surprised actually. When we took them on some trails in Africa, I was the first one to fall riding down this rocky grade, but it did well. Some of the parts, like the pegs, could be designed better for off-road but the bike itself held up very well. We took it in some deep sand, mud and dirt trails and it did good.

AM: How did motorcycling impact the experience of your trip?

Z: You’re much more aware of your surroundings and what’s going on around you. You’re much more in tune with the environment and more likely to go off the beaten path because it gives you that freedom and the will to do it. I used to ride horses when we were younger and I lived on a farm. This is my iron horse and it gives me the freedom to explore more of the world.

It also gives you much more of a community feeling and the reaction from people is great because they are much more likely to come towards you. It’s open, it’s an open space and you’re not in a box so you’re much more likely to communicate with people, too. That’s true anywhere in the world with motorbikes. Small or large or whatever, you’re a rider with a connection to the world.

AM: Like many adventure riders, I found that folks without money weren’t, by any means, the least happy. Did you have a similar experience in the villages of Africa?

Z: Oh yes. When we were growing up in Jamaica, we didn’t have a lot of things, but we didn’t know any better and were happy. It was poverty by the American standard—but for us it was okay. We weren’t starving, we had somewhere to sleep, and chores to do, but we could survive very easily and were very happy.

AM: What do you like most about adventure riding?

Z: There’s something about it that strengthens my mind. It has developed my brain and thinking. Being in that state, I think really develops a part of me that hasn’t been touched before.

That skill, that part of the brain motorcycling has developed, has me writing more songs in my life in general and affects how I look at everyday things. Even when I’m driving a car, now my “motorcycle brain” doesn’t turn off. It’s like you’re looking ahead… what’s going on there? Looking into the future in a way, seeing what moves other people are making. I like that idea, to be able to look ahead. Look beyond what’s right in front of you to see how lies this ship, who’s coming next and being prepared… more aware.

It really impacted my whole life. I love that it stimulates your senses, mind heart and spirit. It’s all of that. It’s everything—all of that stuff intertwined.

AM: Did you have any difficulties or challenges to overcome on the trip?

Z: We never really faced anything that we couldn’t overcome. I had an injury when I fell off the bike and my wrist got sprained so had to get an X-ray but other than that, the challenges were there, but nothing we couldn’t handle by being persistent and focusing on what we wanted to do.

AM: How was the hospital experience?

Z: It was good and very professional. The X-ray went well and everything was very smooth. I did ask them to take me to the best clinic, though!