Two Germans with 50-year-old mopeds are rewriting the adventure playbook, one 2.9-horsepower kilometre at a time.
Sometimes the best adventures come from the most unlikely combinations. Take two Germans, a pair of 50-year-old mopeds, and the vast Australian outback. What could possibly go wrong? As it turns out, not much. In fact, it might just be the perfect recipe for rediscovering what motorcycling is really about.
Meet Bea and Helmut from Time to Ride, two adventurers who've taken the concept of "less is more" to the illogical extreme. While most of us are obsessing over the latest tech, rider modes, and horsepower figures, these guys have stripped it back to the absolute basics: 50cc two-stroke mopeds from the 1960s and 70s.
Back to Basics
"We wanted to go back to the spirit of motorcycle riding and adventuring," Helmut explains. "The new bikes are amazing, we but if you want to travel and have an adventure with a motorcycle, get back to the basics, travel and create some memories."
Their weapons of choice? Kreidler Florett mopeds – 50cc two-stroke machines that were designed to hit a whopping 40 km/h back in their heyday. With 2.9 horsepower and a need to premix fuel (no separate oil tank here), these aren't exactly what you'd call touring machines. But that's precisely the point.
The Beauty of Simplicity
What strikes you about Bea and Helmut's approach isn't just their choice of machinery, but their philosophy. In a world where we're constantly told we need more, they've found freedom in having less.
"Because it's so small and so light, it's actually a lot of fun to ride, especially off-road" Bea notes. "You have your foot on the ground, you don't have much weight, you don't have to worry a lot when you drop it, you just lift it back up and continue."
The practicalities are fascinating too. With a 12-litre fuel tank, they can manage 300-350 kilometres between fuel stops, not bad for machines that were never designed for long-distance touring. When fuel stops are uncertain, they simply carry extra in old PET bottles. Two-stroke oil? They pack that too, sometimes carrying up to 2 litres for remote sections.
Engineering Adventure
Don't mistake their simple approach for lack of preparation. Helmut, with his background in mechatronics, completely rebuilt both machines and engineered custom solutions for their unique needs. Front racks, extended luggage capacity, bash plates, and even a modified electrical system to charge camera equipment, all crafted specifically for this adventure.
"There are no accessories out there, of course," Helmut explains. "We had to extend the bags because they're just 13-litre bags, we decided we need more room for our luggage, for food and water in remote areas."
The Real Australia
Their journey reads like something from a different era. Starting in Brisbane, they've covered over 12,000 kilometres, tackling everything from the Old Telegraph Track to Cape York. What was planned as a 3-6 month adventure has stretched to seven months just for Queensland alone.
"Going up to Cape York, tackling Old Tele, very remote – we picked the right time of the year, end of October, no people at all. You could swim naked in all those creeks," Bea recalls with obvious cheekiness.
The wildlife encounters sound like something from a nature documentary. "Most of the time, especially when you're out in the bush, you really think you're living in a zoo," Helmut observes. "You open a tent and a kangaroo is passing by, or emu... it's really like in a zoo for us. We're not used to this kind of animals."
More Than Just a Ride
What sets their adventure apart isn't just the unusual choice of transport, but their approach to the journey itself. This isn't about conquering terrain or proving anything, it's about connection.
"You use a lot more senses," Bea explains. "You hear more things if the motorcycle is not too noisy... the smells you have around you, the wild flowers, the eucalyptus trees. You feel the wind when it's cold, when the rain comes into your face, it creates a lot stronger memory of what you've just done."
The Message
Through their YouTube channel "Time to Ride," Bear and Helmut are documenting more than just an adventure – they're sharing a philosophy. "It's not about us being the biggest, toughest adventurers," Helmut clarifies. "It's more about tiny things you appreciate on the road or with the people... we try to inspire others with these little messages."
Their story challenges everything we think we know about adventure riding. You don't need the latest adventure bike, the most sophisticated GPS, or even a particularly powerful engine. Sometimes all you need is curiosity, preparation, and the willingness to slow down enough to actually experience the journey.
As they continue their odyssey – next stop Adelaide, then up through the center via Birdsville Track – Bear and Helmut are proving that the best adventures often come from the simplest ideas. Two 50-year-old mopeds, the Australian outback, and a reminder that sometimes, going back to basics is the most revolutionary thing you can do.
Their rust-colored Kreidlers might look like "dogpoo metallic" to some (as one commenter hilariously noted), but they're carrying something far more valuable than horsepower – they're carrying the pure spirit of adventure.
Sometimes the smallest engines carry the biggest dreams – and that's a lesson worth remembering, no matter what you ride.
Head over to YouTube to check out their story.