Steel Sunshine: A Ride on a Harley to Bangkok from Bali in 1994

Steel Sunshine is a raw, adrenaline-fuelled memoir that chronicles one man’s audacious journey through Southeast Asia in 1994-long before the days of YouTube, GoPros, and budget travel. Armed with nothing but grit and a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, he rides over 5,000 kilometres through lands where carrying a camera meant navigating a quagmire of bureaucracy, corruption, suspicion, and real danger.

From the lush jungles of Sumatra to the neon-lit chaos of Bangkok, he faces mechanical breakdowns, corrupt officials, and unforgiving elements. Yet amid the madness, he discovers unexpected camaraderie in the global brotherhood of motorcycle riders-kindred spirits whose generosity and sense of adventure light the way through even the darkest moments.

This isn’t just a story about the ride. It’s about the untamed beauty of diverse cultures; the wild highs of rock ’n’ roll parties, the sting of betrayal, and the soul-deep revelations that come from diving headfirst into the unknown.

For anyone who’s ever dreamed of adventure in its rawest, most unfiltered form, Steel Sunshine will ignite your wanderlust and prove why the road less travelled is always the most rewarding.

Steel Sunshine is the story of one man’s dream-to ride his Harley-Davidson Fat Boy on an epic journey from Bali to Bangkok.

After following a colourful and varied career path, Mike Orr found himself at a crossroads. One day, he arrived at his office to discover that his business partner had disappeared, taking all the company assets with him. Determined not to give up, Mike enlisted the help and support of his staff, friends, clients, and suppliers. After more than a year of relentless struggle, he managed to restore the business to stability. But the stress had taken its toll. Mike knew he needed an escape.

That escape took the form of a bold and unprecedented adventure: a 5,000-kilometer motorcycle journey through Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, all captured on film. Raising (most of) the funds to finance his own film crew, Mike’s epic trip became an exciting and vibrant rock-and-roll documentary-ahead of its time, years before motorcycle journeys were popularized by figures like Ewan McGregor and Billy Connolly.

This was long before the convenience of social media, GoPros, or smart phones made documenting such adventures easy. Every mile and moment had to be captured the hard way, with bulky, professional-grade equipment and an unknown crew-adding another layer of challenge to an already ambitious journey.

As a pioneer in this genre, Mike encountered real dangers and unexpected challenges along the way. Travelling through regions marked by political unrest and cultural complexities, he had no blueprint to follow and no safety net.

This book chronicles the making of the film and the incredible journey behind it-a story of resilience, adventure, and the pursuit of freedom on two wheels.