Some motorcycle journeys are planned around destinations. Others are planned around the people who inspire them.
For Robert and his fellow riders, Steve, Stephen and Chris, this expedition across the Icelandic Highlands was never simply about crossing one of Europe’s most remote landscapes. It was about honouring the memory of a great friend, Karl Gunnlaugsson.
Karl, affectionately known as “Kalli”, was the KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas importer for Iceland and one of the country’s most respected figures within the motorcycling community. A former Motocross and Enduro Champion, he often joked with the team that they should ride across Iceland one day.
His challenge was always the same.
“We must ride across Iceland. It will show you how soft you English have become and how tough we Icelandics are.”
Life got in the way, and the trip never happened.
Following Karl’s passing in March 2024, the team knew that they had to make the journey.
With what would have been his 60th birthday this August, the time had finally come to honour his memory in the best way they knew how.
A Journey Made Possible by Friendship
Throughout the expedition, the support of Karl’s family – Helga, Gulli and Steffi – was invaluable.
The team were also joined by their close friend Einar Sigurðsson, whose knowledge of Iceland proved indispensable. A former Icelandic Motocross and Enduro Champion, Einar has also played a significant role in the development of the INEOS Grenadier and now operates the INEOS dealership in Reykjavík.
More importantly for this adventure, he ensured the riders could complete the crossing by transporting fuel to remote mountain huts scattered across Iceland’s interior – a logistical challenge that made the expedition possible.
Without that support, much of the route simply couldn’t have been attempted.
One of Europe’s Toughest Landscapes
Many people imagine Iceland as a land of glaciers, waterfalls and green valleys.
The reality of central Highlands is something entirely different.
Covering vast volcanic deserts, lava fields and isolated mountain tracks, Iceland’s interior is one of the most unforgiving riding environments in Europe.
With a population of just 390,000 spread across an island roughly the size of Hungary, there are enormous stretches where there is simply nobody else.
Even reaching these areas is only possible during a narrow summer window, when snowmelt and glacial rivers become just manageable enough to cross.
During the four-day expedition, the team averaged around 30 river crossings every single day.
Many crossings had to be abandoned altogether, forcing lengthy detours in search of shallower routes. Rocky river beds, strong currents and fully loaded motorcycles meant every crossing demanded complete concentration.
It was physically exhausting.
But that’s exactly why they had come.
Wind, Volcanic Deserts and Endless Challenges
The rivers were only part of the story.
The team battled violent crosswinds powerful enough to lift the front wheel of the bike and push it sideways across the volcanic plains.
They rode through black ash deserts that seasoned Dakar competitors compared to the Sahara, before climbing into snow-covered mountain passes and descending onto lava fields stretching far beyond the horizon.
At one point, a sudden sandstorm swept across the landscape with the Vatnajökull Glacier visible just over a kilometre away – a surreal reminder that Iceland continually defies expectations.
From deep volcanic ash to soft glacial sand that threatened to swallow both bike and rider, every mile demanded determination, skill and perseverance.
From the Highlands to Akureyri
Even away from the bikes, Iceland continued to provide some memorable sights.
One of them came in the form of a Ford F450 XL Super Duty that had been modified by Arctic Trucks, complete with raised suspension and enormous Super Swamper tyres. Standing a 6’4”, even Robert was dwarfed alongside it.
As Robert put it, it would certainly make an interesting choice for the school run.
From there, the team began to leave the high plains, desert and tundra behind as they made their way towards Akureyri, known as the “Capital of North Iceland.”
The route took them through an incredible rift and glacial valley, following the Glerá River as it grew from a stream into a wide, fast-flowing river before eventually emptying into the Eyjafjörður fjord.
After five nights spent sleeping in remote huts and surviving on military rations, arriving at the brand-new Skald Hotel brought an entirely new meaning to the word “luxury”.
Better still, they had a day off.
A Well-Earned Taste of Luxury
During their break from riding, the team were invited to visit Forest Lagoon, owned and developed by another of Kalli’s close friends, Finnur Aðalsteinsson – or, as Robert knows him, “Finner the Farmer”.
Described by Robert as a “force of nature”, Finney developed the geothermal spa after a geothermal spring emerged on his land following an earth tremor.
Set within Vaðlaskógur Forest, the result provided quite the contrast to the mountain huts and river crossings of the previous few days.
But there were still motorcycles to ride.
With the help of Finney and Einar, local guides were arranged to join the team for the next stage of their journey.
The Green Plains Weren’t Quite What They Seemed
Leaving Akureyri, the landscape appeared to offer some respite.
After days of black volcanic deserts and unforgiving terrain, the vast grass-covered plains above the city look reassuringly familiar.
For a moment, the team thought they had found something resembling home.
They were wrong.
Beneath the grass was one enormous bog.
Deep single-track ruts, swampy rivers and difficult terrain made for hot, exhausting riding. And then there were flies.
Stopping to help somebody who had become stuck meant being immediately surrounded by them.
Eventually, the team emerged above lake Mývatn, one of Iceland’s largest volcanic lakes, surrounded by volcanic craters and covering approximately 14.3 square miles.
Its name also provided an explanation for what they had just endured.
Mývatn translates to “Midge Lake”, a reference to the huge numbers of midges and flies around the area.
By this point, nobody in the group needed the translation.
More Than Just an Adventure
Throughout the expedition, the team experienced some of the most spectacular scenery any motorcyclist could hope to witness.
They passed extinct volcanoes now filled with water, crossed enormous glacial rivers, battled volcanic deserts and bogs, stopped at remote mountain refuges and travelled through landscapes unlike anywhere else on Earth.
Yet, despite the breathtaking views and extraordinary riding, Robert came away from Iceland particularly struck by its people.
Their resilience, resourcefulness and determination left a lasting impression on the team. Whether it was Einar ensuring fuel was waiting in some of the most remote parts of the country, Finney turning an unexpected geothermal spring into a destination, or the countless people who helped make the expedition possible, the Icelandic spirit became as memorable as the landscape itself.
Ultimately, this journey was never about ticking another destination off the map.
It was about friendship.
It was about keeping a promise.
And it was about remembering someone who had inspired so many people through motorcycles and adventure.
From Robert and the team, there could hardly have been a more fitting way to remember Kalli.
And after everything Iceland threw at them, one recommendation remains very simple:
Go and experience it for yourself.