Introducing Jan Marc Staelens – Senior Editor

Today I’m excited to announce I am joining the team at It’s Better On The Road to contribute gear reviews and trip reports of my rides around the globe!

After Evan and I crossed paths in Chiang Mai, we decided to team up to deliver more in-depth gear reviews to the motorcycling community combining Evan’s knowledge of website building and my experience with riding and gear.

Here’s a little about me:

After pursuing a zigzagging career leading nowhere across five continents, I was forced to face up to the undeniable truth that my stints working in the corporate rat race, Foreign Affairs, academia, and running my own companies, were merely ludicrous self-delusional attempts trying to hide that I was only cut out for one thing: riding motorcycles! 

Afflicted with two-wheeled wanderlust born from an innate curiosity for what’s beyond the horizon, I pursued an international career spanning Europe, Africa, Australia, North America, and Asia. An unconditional requirement for accepting overseas assignments was the opportunities for motorcycling the location offered, leading me to turn down a promising career opportunity on Wall Street, much to my father’s disappointment.

I greatly enjoy exploring faraway places on a motorcycle. Nothing lifts my spirit more than riding gnarly trails into a remote mountain range or desolate desert and rolling out my sleeping bag next to my bike for a blissful night under the stars. If not out riding, I enjoy reading, mountain biking, tinkering with motorcycles, and writing for motorcycle magazines including ADVMoto Magazine and GearJunkie. 

Although a veteran of intercontinental bike trips, I keep adding far-flung destinations to my bucket list. I consider myself fortunate to share my love for motorcycling with my wife and adult kids, who all ride too. To facilitate living our passion, the family keeps a motorcycle fleet at our base camps in Belgium, Thailand, Portugal, and California. 

I’m excited to share more of my explorations and what I learn along the way with you!