Take a look at our team!
RC Tashi
Tashi is from Shangri-La and is an experienced motorcycle tour guide and road manager. He has extensive experience in leading tours in Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, and of course, Tibet, including the challenging overland route from Munich to Lhasa, which he has guided three times. Furthermore, he possesses extensive guiding experience, having led tours in Nepal and throughout Indochina.Tashi speaks English, Chinese, Tibetan, and various local dialects, making him highly effective in communicating with locals and in difficult situations. His resourcefulness and open manner, coupled with a consistently helpful attitude, make him a valuable Road Captain on our tours. Additionally, Tashi manages our vehicle fleet and the motorcycle base in the old town Shangri-La, where he is responsible for maintenance management and organization.
RC Umakant
He is a man of many talents. With over two decades of experience in translation and interpreting, Umakant is a specialist in handling the intricacies of his profession with precision and efficiency. He has successfully completed several high-profile global assignments and has received numerous accolades from guests in India and abroad. Umakant is an expert in team management, making him an excellent choice for the role of Road Captain. He is reliable, well-trained, and has a wealth of experience in leading motorcycle tours. His love for travel and adventure, along with his expertise in navigating complex routes, make him an ideal Road Captain. Umakant’s academic background in physics, mathematics, chemistry, ancient history & archaeology, and Indian philosophy, along with his language skills in Hindi, English and German, enable him to connect with people from diverse cultures.
RC Tashi
Tashi is from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan and was born in 1980. His friends call him DJ Baila because he often DJs in clubs. Of course, only if he is not guiding one of our motorcycle adventures in India, Bhutan, Nepal or elsewhere. Tashi started riding motorcycles at the age of 12 and became a professional Road Captain in 2009, a dream come true for him.
Tashi speaks four languages fluently: German, English, Hindi and Nepali, in addition to his native language Tibetan. He is often asked how he learned these languages. In the early 2000s, Tashi went to Germany to become a central heating and plumbing apprentice. When he returned to Bhutan after a few years, he was more needed in the tourism industry due to his knowledge of German, and he started guiding tours instead of repairing pipes. At that time, he was the only German-speaking Bhutanese guide in the whole country.
English is like a second language for Bhutanese and all schools in Bhutan teach English. Hindi and Nepali are almost native languages that he grew up speaking.
As well as being a great rider and Road Captain, Tashi always strives to please our riders and offers unique cultural insights with his extensive background.
Tashi Delek!
RC Willy
A sociologist, mediator, diving instructor, tour guide, Indian traveler and experienced Enfield rider in Berlin, Willy is an old hand in the Indian Himalayas. He will be continuing his Road Captain career in southern India and Bhutan in the upcoming winter season.
RC Tiziana
Tiziana is Dutch and an architect by training. She grew up infected by the travel bug and spent many years in Italy. She is now more at home in the Himalayas than Holland after riding an Enfield overland to India. As she puts it, that was a dream she never woke up from, prompting her to give up her career in architecture and spend her life on the road. Her favorite mode of travel is still cruising the Himalayas on a Bullet and savoring every second. Tiz now regularly runs our tours in Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
Shiva
Hi, I’m Shiva, born and raised in Bodhgaya, the place where Siddhartha Gautam attained enlightenment and became the Buddha. Growing up there gave me a deep respect for different cultures and traditions.
I studied German language and literature at university and even spent a year in Freiburg, Germany, diving into contemporary German literature while immersing myself in local life.
Motorcycling has always been a huge part of my life. I remember it vividly: when my uncle was high on Old Monk Whiskey, I used to ‘borrow’ his motorcycle and go for a ride. This is how I had learned to ride a motorcycle. Since then, I’ve traveled all across India on vintage motorcycles, exploring the country from end to end. My last solo trip in 2024 took me to 12 major Lord Shiva temples, covering 14,500 km in just 50 days without a single flat tire. During this journey, I also raised awareness on child sexual abuse, combining adventure with social responsibility.
I love everything old-school, especially vintage motorcycles. When I’m not leading tours, you’ll usually find me riding my sidecar on some winding roads. After a few years working as a German translator for a multinational company, I finally followed my true passion and became a full-time Road Captain. Classic Bike Adventure allows me to bring together my love for motorcycles, adventure, travel, and family—something that makes this work truly special.
