Guga Dias
About Us
We started out with a few short trips, soon enough, the errors turned into successes, every trip was always better than the previous one, and this filled us with courage.
I realized that, if I found a way to share the things I knew, other friends could follow the same paths.
And so, in November 2007, I created the website Diário de Motocicleta.
In Brazil, I go by the nickname ‘Guga Dias’, and in the last years I crossed 28 countries, covering - until now - 668,000 km, 510,000 of which using GIVI equipment.
Why would I mention GIVI right from the start?
Because GIVI believed in my passion for road travel, and it is that passion that brought me here, and turned me into a GIVI Explorer Rider.
But before being able to install the GIVI cases on my own motorcycle, I had to buy my first bike. I waited a long time to fulfil this teenage dream, and I must confess that, for over a decade, I didn’t even notice motorcyclists in traffic, while driving to my office job.
Family commitments, my daughter’s education and work overclouded anything that could distract me from giving my all for other people, and I ended up neglecting myself.
I have no regrets! All in good time, even though perhaps I could have done it sooner.
In mid August 2006, when I was 34, after getting divorced, I finally bought a Yamaha Virago 250cc. The excitement and the desire to travel the world by motorcycle came immediately after, even though I did not know where to start.
The only friends I had were at the office, Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm. With no guide, no travel companion or supervision, I took to the road with very little information and a lot of fears. Soon after, I met the love of my life, Dona Elda - as I like to call her. She fell in love with the Virago (which she thought was a Harley Davidson).
I couldn’t disappoint her, and so I rode for many kilometres with my arms as wide as possible. I had to conquer her, and she had to learn to love bike travel. So I spent my nights studying maps, looking for incredible destinations, tourist attractions, restaurants and accommodations that were worth the trip. And my passion about motorcycle travel planning began to grow.
We started out with a few short trips, filled with worries and uncertainties, and much trial and error. Soon enough, the errors turned into successes.
Every trip was always better than the previous one, and this filled us with courage, even though the information available was limited. Despite a good planning strategy, I felt that part of our travels were still a leap in the dark, since my search was carried out on newspapers, travel magazines or backpackers blogs.
Even though the advice and tips were good, they were not enough, and did not include what a motorcyclist needed to know. We were stubborn, and we stuck to the road... and to each other.
Over time, I made some motorcyclist friends, and when they noticed how often Elda and I travelled, they started to ask for advice on destinations, roads and other aspects as well.
I was so happy to share details about my trips, and even more so when I got some feedback that my advice had helped someone enjoy the perfect adventure.
In that moment, I realized that, just like I was always seeking information about motorcycle travel, my friends were doing the same. If I found a better way to share the things I knew, other friends could follow the same paths.
And so, in November 2007, I created the website Diário de Motocicleta.
