If you haven't read Ted Simon's book "Jupiter's Travels", do yourself a favor and do. In 1970, Ted started a 500cc Triumph twin on a trip around the world, a journey that took 4 years. This included (insert adjectives here - you need to read the book to understand) routes as from Tunisia to South Africa, to Brazil on a tramp freighter, through South & Central America, etc, etc.

Burnt pistons, dubious fuel, rebuilds, thousands of miles of dirt/mud roads, furious storms, camping, village "hotels" and eateries, and fascinating people, cultures, sinister border guards, camping out and other misc dangers that he somehow downplays. He didn't have a chase truck or a following van full of parts & supplies or a staff of people arranging safe travel, only what gear he could pack on the Triumph.

When a friend of mine suggested I read the book years ago, I put it off for quite a long time because I'd didn't believe it could possibly be as good as he said it was. But it was. I'm on my 3rd read now, it's funny how much I missed the first 2 times I read it.