After years of fighting an ever-increasing workload that threatened their spontaneous natures, Jordan Hufnagel and James Crowe hatched a cunning plan.

Together, they dreamt up West America, a range of camping utensils and apparel that would also get them to the heart of South America on a motorcycle adventure.

Hufnagel is a custom bicycle frame builder and Crowe is a fabricator specialising in trail bikes and the restoration of vintage BMW motorbikes. There's a clear logic to the business model: their travel diaries inspire us to buy the gear, which in turn funds their ride to the heart of South America. Smart.

Adam Leddin worked as a bike courier in Sydney for seven years and is now the editor of Cycle EXIF. His site showcases classic, custom and handmade bikes, and the stories of people who build and ride them.