ON THE ROAD WITH PIA & SABRINA
47°C in Death Valley. Freezing temperatures in Alaska. Gravel roads all the way to the Arctic Ocean. A power outage in Mexico. A broken rim after a collision with a truck. And somewhere in between: two women from Stuttgart, two Royal Enfield Himalayans and a journey that began with a one-way ticket.
47°C in Death Valley. Freezing temperatures in Alaska. Gravel roads all the way to the Arctic Ocean. A power outage in Mexico. A broken rim after a collision with a truck. And somewhere in between: two women from Stuttgart, two Royal Enfield Himalayans and a journey that began with a one-way ticket.
From Alaska to Peru: 37,000 kilometres along the Pan-American Highway
Sabrina Schnell and Pia Lange have been travelling since the end of May 2025. Under the name slow.ducks.on.wheels, they followed the Pan-American Highway south – from Anchorage in Alaska through Canada, the USA, Mexico, Central America and South America, all the way to Peru.
Sixteen months, more than 37,000 kilometres, extreme heat, cold, rain, gravel roads, border crossings and countless encounters: their journey shows what motorcycle clothing really has to withstand during long-term use.
What we particularly like about their story:
Sabrina and Pia are travelling in the Modeka Panamericana II Lady. Not because there was a collaboration. Not because someone sent them the suits. They chose them themselves before setting off on their journey.
And that is exactly why we wanted to know more: Who are these two women? What is it like to ride through North, Central and South America as women? And what does a motorcycle suit really need to deliver when it is designed not just for a weekend tour, but for a long journey in real-world conditions?
Sabrina Schnell and Pia Lange have been travelling since the end of May 2025. Under the name slow.ducks.on.wheels, they followed the Pan-American Highway south – from Anchorage in Alaska through Canada, the USA, Mexico, Central America and South America, all the way to Peru.
Sixteen months, more than 37,000 kilometres, extreme heat, cold, rain, gravel roads, border crossings and countless encounters: their journey shows what motorcycle clothing really has to withstand during long-term use.
What we particularly like about their story:
Sabrina and Pia are travelling in the Modeka Panamericana II Lady. Not because there was a collaboration. Not because someone sent them the suits. They chose them themselves before setting off on their journey.
And that is exactly why we wanted to know more: Who are these two women? What is it like to ride through North, Central and South America as women? And what does a motorcycle suit really need to deliver when it is designed not just for a weekend tour, but for a long journey in real-world conditions?
How do you even begin a journey like this?
How do you even begin a journey like this?
Pia had been dreaming about this journey for a long time. As a teenager, she watched the film The Motorcycle Diaries – and from then on, she could not let go of the idea of travelling through North and South America by motorcycle. Sabrina later caught her enthusiasm, and a personal dream gradually became a shared plan.
After the pandemic, their desire to travel grew stronger. Personal changes, break-ups and dissatisfaction at work added to the feeling that it was time to ask: What are we actually waiting for?
Their answer was clear: If not now, then when?
So they quit their jobs, organised everything and started packing. Insurance, entry requirements, camping equipment, tools and motorcycles waiting for them in Alaska. Pia had only obtained her motorcycle licence in 2022. In 2024, Sabrina got back on a motorcycle for the first time since passing her test at the age of 18. In 2025, they completed a motorcycle safety training course with the ADAC.
Then only one thing was missing: the one-way ticket.
Pia had been dreaming about this journey for a long time. As a teenager, she watched the film The Motorcycle Diaries – and from then on, she could not let go of the idea of travelling through North and South America by motorcycle. Sabrina later caught her enthusiasm, and a personal dream gradually became a shared plan.
After the pandemic, their desire to travel grew stronger. Personal changes, break-ups and dissatisfaction at work added to the feeling that it was time to ask: What are we actually waiting for?
Their answer was clear: If not now, then when?
So they quit their jobs, organised everything and started packing. Insurance, entry requirements, camping equipment, tools and motorcycles waiting for them in Alaska. Pia had only obtained her motorcycle licence in 2022. In 2024, Sabrina got back on a motorcycle for the first time since passing her test at the age of 18. In 2025, they completed a motorcycle safety training course with the ADAC.
Then only one thing was missing: the one-way ticket.
The suit with a name that happened to fit perfectly
For a journey like this, Sabrina and Pia needed completely new motorcycle gear. They were not looking for a lightweight summer jacket or a heavy winter suit. Nor did they want a compromise that only worked on paper.
They needed a women’s motorcycle suit capable of handling Alaska just as well as South America.
What particularly convinced them about the Panamericana II Lady were its removable thermal and waterproof liners, the ventilation system, its fit and its design. The price-performance ratio also played an important role.
They only realised later, back at home, that the suit was actually called “Panamericana” – which made both of them laugh.
Fit was particularly important. Sabrina and Pia have different body proportions, yet both were able to position the protectors correctly and adjust the suits individually at the waist and hips.
They had not planned on buying the same suit – it simply turned out to be the right choice for both of them.
Für so eine Reise brauchten Sabrina und Pia neue Motorradkleidung. Sie wollten keine reine Sommerjacke und keinen schweren Winteranzug. Gesucht war eine Kombi, die bei ganz unterschiedlichen Temperaturen funktioniert – von Alaska bis Panama.
Wir waren auf der Suche nach einer Motorradkombi, die sowohl bei 2 Grad und Regen in Alaska als auch bei 40 Grad in der Sonne Panamas angenehm zu tragen ist, gut sitzt und dabei auch optisch überzeugt.
Die Panamericana II Lady überzeugte sie vor allem mit dem herausnehmbaren Thermo- und Regenfutter, der guten Belüftung, der Passform und dem Design. Auch das Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis war für sie wichtig. Dass die Kombi ausgerechnet „Panamericana“ heißt, bemerkten sie erst später zu Hause. Darüber mussten beide selbst lachen.
Besonders wichtig war die Passform. Sabrina und Pia haben unterschiedliche Körperformen. Trotzdem konnten beide die Protektoren passend einstellen und die Kombi an Taille und Hüfte anpassen. Dass am Ende beide dieselbe Kombi wählen würden, war allerdings nicht geplant.
Heat, cold and rain – the suit had to handle it all
What began as a purchasing decision has turned into a genuine long-term test: 16 months, more than 37,000 kilometres and conditions ranging from Alaska to Panama.
In hot weather, the removable inner layers and ventilation system have been especially important. With regular hydration breaks, Sabrina and Pia rode through Death Valley in temperatures of 47°C and also managed 45°C in Panama. In Alaska, additional layers underneath the suits helped protect them from the cold.
When it comes to rain, they are refreshingly honest: if the weather brings more than a light drizzle, they put an additional rain suit over their motorcycle gear. For their journey, this has proven to be the most practical solution.
After all those kilometres, their verdict is remarkably positive. The suits show hardly any signs of wear, apart from some minor pilling on the inside and slight fading caused by the sun.
With all the layers fitted, the suits are relatively heavy. However, their comfort, ventilation and individually adjustable protectors have won them over.
What began as a purchasing decision has turned into a genuine long-term test: 16 months, more than 37,000 kilometres and conditions ranging from Alaska to Panama.
In hot weather, the removable inner layers and ventilation system have been especially important. With regular hydration breaks, Sabrina and Pia rode through Death Valley in temperatures of 47°C and also managed 45°C in Panama. In Alaska, additional layers underneath the suits helped protect them from the cold.
When it comes to rain, they are refreshingly honest: if the weather brings more than a light drizzle, they put an additional rain suit over their motorcycle gear. For their journey, this has proven to be the most practical solution.
After all those kilometres, their verdict is remarkably positive. The suits show hardly any signs of wear, apart from some minor pilling on the inside and slight fading caused by the sun.
With all the layers fitted, the suits are relatively heavy. However, their comfort, ventilation and individually adjustable protectors have won them over.
„After 16 months and more than 37,000 kilometres, the suits show hardly any signs of wear.“
Sometimes the plan is to have no plan
Sometimes the plan is to have no plan
The route taken by slow.ducks.on.wheels roughly follows the Pan-American Highway. But in reality, the entire journey is an exercise in improvisation.
They plan one or two stops ahead and then see where the road takes them. That sounds romantic – until you are looking for a hotel in Mexico after dark during a power outage, only to discover that it is more of a building site than a place to stay.
That is exactly what happened to Sabrina and Pia.
There were strong winds, no lights, and Google Maps and Booking.com could not agree on the hotel’s location. A local man became their spontaneous guide and led them down increasingly adventurous paths. Suddenly, they found themselves with their heavy motorcycles on a sandy single track in front of several boats.
Continue riding? Probably not.
The men helped them turn the motorcycles around. Eventually, they found the hotel: no running water, no electricity, but a camping lamp, something to eat and two women who were still able to laugh at the whole situation.
Two days later, things became more serious.
While crossing an intersection, a truck trailer hit Pia’s front wheel and broke the rim. Instead of continuing their journey by motorcycle, they had to leave the bikes with a dealer and spontaneously switch to buses and planes.
Improvisation is simply part of a journey like this.
Für so eine Reise brauchten Sabrina und Pia neue Motorradkleidung. Sie wollten keine reine Sommerjacke und keinen schweren Winteranzug. Gesucht war eine Kombi, die bei ganz unterschiedlichen Temperaturen funktioniert – von Alaska bis Panama.
Wir waren auf der Suche nach einer Motorradkombi, die sowohl bei 2 Grad und Regen in Alaska als auch bei 40 Grad in der Sonne Panamas angenehm zu tragen ist, gut sitzt und dabei auch optisch überzeugt.
Die Panamericana II Lady überzeugte sie vor allem mit dem herausnehmbaren Thermo- und Regenfutter, der guten Belüftung, der Passform und dem Design. Auch das Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis war für sie wichtig. Dass die Kombi ausgerechnet „Panamericana“ heißt, bemerkten sie erst später zu Hause. Darüber mussten beide selbst lachen.
Besonders wichtig war die Passform. Sabrina und Pia haben unterschiedliche Körperformen. Trotzdem konnten beide die Protektoren passend einstellen und die Kombi an Taille und Hüfte anpassen. Dass am Ende beide dieselbe Kombi wählen würden, war allerdings nicht geplant.
In the end, it is about people – and simply going for it
In the end, it is about people – and simply going for it
When Sabrina and Pia talk about the most memorable moments of their journey, they surprisingly rarely mention roads, mountain passes or sunsets.
They talk about people.
An Inuit woman at the Arctic Ocean who invited them in to warm up. A German-Austrian couple in Canada. A spontaneous invitation to go off-road riding in the USA. New Year’s Eve with local families in Mexico. A birthday party in Guatemala. Aguardiente in Colombia. Invitations in Ecuador before they had even crossed the border.
These encounters are what make the journey unforgettable for them. They show just how open, warm and helpful people can be – no matter where in the world you happen to be.
Their advice to women who dream of setting off on an adventure of their own is simple: Just do it. The first step is the hardest.
Sabrina and Pia live by the motto:
Why not?
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PANAMERICANA II LADY
