Aaron Pufal, host of the ADV Cannonball Podcast, has released a new book titled Chasing Legends, which expands on his interviews with prominent figures in adventure motorcycling. The book draws from three seasons of his podcast, capturing stories from riders, filmmakers, and authors who have shaped the field. It blends memoir, oral history, and reflections on the community's interconnectedness.
Aaron Pufal, known for hosting the ADV Cannonball Podcast and appearing as a guest on The Lowdown Show, has followed up his audio series with the book Chasing Legends. After being fired from a job serving a billionaire family for over a decade, Pufal purchased a microphone, mounted his BMW GSA, and began interviewing legends of adventure motorcycling. What started as informal recordings in garages and cafés evolved into a exploration of connections spanning fifty years of motorcycle storytelling.
The book features conversations conducted at various locations, including Ted Simon’s kitchen table in France, the rooftop of The 59 Club in East London, Lyndon Poskitt’s father’s workshop in Yorkshire, and the forecourt of the Ace Café. Among the interviewees is Ted Simon, who at 94 still ponders what motorcycles discuss in the dark. Austin Vince, a schoolteacher, recounts conquering the Zilov Gap without sponsors to circle the globe. Charley Boorman shares experiences of crashing on vintage bikes with unreliable tires. Claudio von Planta describes failing his motorcycle test just before filming Long Way Round yet proceeding anyway. Lyndon Poskitt, an aerospace engineer, details building his own rally bike and racing it 234,000 kilometers across six continents. Joey Evans overcame a 10% chance of walking to complete the Dakar Rally. Sam Manicom reflects on riding 200,000 miles on the same BMW frame, describing it as living on “gifted time.” Sterling Noren discusses his work as the filmmaker behind the Backcountry Discovery Routes. Elspeth Beard recalls her 1982 global circumnavigation, which she set aside for thirty years due to lack of interest.
Beyond interviews, Chasing Legends meditates on mentorship, mechanical failure, and the value of curiosity over permission-seeking. It includes anecdotes like blood bikers delivering neonatal transfusions through London nights and a Kansas technician maintaining 86.5 mph for 32 hours across America. The narrative also touches on fathers passing down tools and knowledge to sons in workshops. As a part memoir, oral history, and guide to adventure motorcycling’s past and future, the book highlights missed opportunities and moments of connection.
Chasing Legends is available on Amazon for $19.99 in paperback, $24.99 in hardback, and $4.99 for the Kindle ebook, as well as through other retailers in various countries.