A handlebar and some horns connect Spain and Japan with an impossible motorcycle route

There are sparks that ignite iconic journeys. In this case, toward an image full of identity, capable of crossing borders, landscapes, and cultures.

We are referring to the ineffable Osborne bull. Julio Álamo, motorcycle traveler and asphalt storyteller, has sealed in Matsunoyama Onsen (Japan) the final chapter of a unique journey. An odyssey that began seven years ago called ToroEnMoto.

This adventure intertwines the figures that remain around the world. He has completed it riding a Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer. This companion has not only accompanied him, but has embodied his purpose.

Motorcycle adventure as a way of life

More than 13,050 mi. (21,000 km), eleven countries, and an unbreakable will. That is the distance between El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz) and the Japanese town that hosts the easternmost bull on the planet. It was installed in Japan in 2018 as part of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale.

This final milestone has become a symbol of cultural union between Japan and Spain. It has also been the destination of this deeply symbolic journey.

Julio did not choose the Triumph by chance. The Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer is a motorcycle made for unexplored roads and extreme climates. For distances measured in lived time, not only in kilometers.

It features Showa semi-active suspension, a 7.9 gal. (30 L) tank, a 70.8 cu. in. (1,160 cc) T-Plane three-cylinder engine, and cutting-edge electronics. It also has a bidirectional Quickshifter, riding modes, optimized traction control, and heated seats. Thus, it is the ideal tool when the journey offers no respite.

The Osborne bull as a global ambassador

But beyond the motorcycle, there is the story. What began as a weekend getaway became an itinerary that intertwines art, territory, and culture.

There are still 89 bull figures in Spain, 4 in Mexico, 1 in Denmark, and finally, the Japanese one. They make up an emotional geography that Julio has been weaving with the patience of someone seeking more than just a photo.

On that journey, there are also ferries, steppes, yurts, and broken roads. Of course, hospitable motorcycle clubs. Monumental bronzes like the Genghis Khan that crossed his path in Central Asia.

The welcome in Japan could not have been more revealing. More than 120 people, schoolchildren, authorities, and neighbors celebrated the traveler's arrival with an official event. There was an exchange of gifts and a Shinto ritual of good wishes.

It is not just a postcard; it is the recognition that diplomacy can also be done from the seat of a motorcycle.

“This bull, the one in Japan, represents more than a destination. It is a symbolic and personal conquest.

I started out looking for an excuse to ride a motorcycle again. I found a way to cross my own limits”, Julio confesses, with the serenity of someone who already understands that the goal is not at the end, but in the journey.

Triumph has supported this adventure not only as a manufacturer, but as an accomplice. Because projects like ToroEnMoto speak of shared values. We are referring to authenticity, self-improvement, and passion for riding.

His own Tiger had also been chosen by Sam Sunderland to try to break the world record for riding around the world. This is no coincidence; it is a statement of intent.

Triumph Motorcycles has been a witness since the beginning of this adventure. It is a challenge that leads to pride.

It is so both for the proven reliability of the Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer and for the connection to pure motorcycling that this achievement represents. 

“ToroEnMoto is much more than a motorcycle journey. It is a project that encourages any motorcyclist to have an excuse to go out riding. To discover new places and enjoy new emotions.

Julio's challenge of visiting the last bull in Japan goes further. It has become a human story that tests the physical and emotional limits of the rider.

It is an honor that Julio has trusted Triumph to reach the last bull in the world”, says Paloma Lence, Marketing Manager of Triumph for Spain and Portugal.

Now? Perhaps a trip around the world, perhaps toward another idea yet to be drawn. What is certain is that his journey, like all those that are worthwhile, doesn't end upon reaching the goal. It keeps beating in memory and on the road.

There is always an excuse to go out and find an unexpected destination on the other side of the horizon.