Chongqing - 55 days, 17 countries, 15,237 kilometers, one scooter. Gu Chuang, a 26-year-old from Chongqing, has completed an epic ride across Eurasia on a domestically made scooter, challenging the limits of both man and machine.

Gu Chuang Arrives in Paris. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

"I did it! I rode my scooter with Chongqing plates from China to France!" he declared under the night lights of the Eiffel Tower, marking the halfway point of his roughly 30,000-kilometer round trip. His journey, documented online, has earned praise for his courage and sparked curiosity about the costs—and envy over his freedom.

"It sounds absurd, but if you dare to dream, there’s always a way,” he wrote on social media after reaching Paris. “The only certainty in life is that it’s full of uncertainty."

A scooter with Chongqing plates travels across Eurasia. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

From East Africa to Eurasia

An avid traveler, Gu’s passion for long-distance riding began at 16, when he cycled solo to Lhasa. A knee injury during his military service ended his cycling days, but in 2020, he switched to motorcycles. In just five years, he’s ridden across China’s Xinjiang and Xizang, and even toured four East African countries earlier this year.

For his Eurasian adventure, he chose a modified Chinese scooter—costing 16,000 yuan (about 2,227 U.S. dollars) in total—over expensive, high-powered adventure motorbikes. "It's far more comfortable for long trips than people think," he said.

Gu Chuang sets off from Horgos, Xinjiang. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

To save time, Gu shipped the scooter from Chongqing to Horgos Port in Xinjiang for 1,250 yuan, starting his ride there on June 15. Painted "China Red," emblazoned with the character "Chuang" (his given name in Chinese, which also means "to venture" ) and an eagle, and flying a Chinese flag, the scooter was meant to make a statement: "If you’re riding abroad, ride Chinese. I wanted to show the world how good Chinese manufacturing is."

17 Countries, Countless Encounters

Kazakhstan was his first stop, where he clocked his longest day—700 km in 10 hours—thanks to smooth roads and wide-open landscapes. He passed through Russia, Georgia, Türkiye, Croatia, Italy, Germany, Austria, and more, reaching France on August 7. The return journey will take him along a different 15,000 km route, with total expenses expected to be around 80,000 yuan.

Camping in Türkiye to watch hot air balloons. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

Along the way, he took detours to see the Soviet masterpiece "The Motherland Calls" sculpture in Volgograd, the "Game of Thrones" filming location of Dubrovnik, Croatia, and the hot-air balloon skies of Türkiye. In Georgia's Sevan Lake, he paused to take in the view: "Beautiful—just like Sayram Lake in Xinjiang."

Riding route stickered on the scooter’s tail box. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

His scooter's tail box now sports a printed map of his route, attracting curious onlookers and fellow riders. In Armenia, a biker from Dubai told him repeatedly: "Chinese-made motorcycles are the best in the world."

Scars, Setbacks, and Solitude

The road was far from easy. Heavy rains in Russia turned a dirt track into a quagmire, causing four falls and a rib injury before a kind father and son towed him to safety. In Georgia, he navigated foggy, twisting mountain roads with cliffs at his side and visibility under five meters, falling again and hurting his leg.

Four consecutive falls on the road. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

Gu Chuang with the Russian father and son who helped him. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

Still, quitting never crossed his mind. “Motorcycling is joy mixed with risk. Safety comes first, and you ride within your limits,” he said.

Gu travels frugally, cooking on the road and occasionally treating himself to a taste of home with hotpot base and noodles—sharing the aroma and photos of Chongqing hotpot with curious locals along the way.

The journey has also been lonely. “So lonely,” he admitted without hesitation. “But every hardship adds to your experience. Ten years ago, I never imagined I’d see a Siberian sunset or reach France on a scooter.”

Meeting a 19-year-old German woman in Türkiye who was hitchhiking solo from China back to Germany reinforced his belief: “Life has endless possibilities. What you need to start isn’t money—it’s courage.”

Gu hasn’t ruled out riding in North or South America someday. For now, he’s focused on getting home safely—his scooter carrying not just a rider, but a story that’s already inspired thousands.

(Xie Xinyi, as an intern, also contributed to this article.)