VALR is more than a business, it’s a community for anyone with a spirit for adventure. In this exclusive conversation, co-founder and CEO Harry Kemsley shares the story behind the name, his passion for motorcycling, and what’s next for VALR. This bike, custom-built by Thornton Hundred, is where the next stage of the journey begins.
VALR is a word that actually comes from Old Norse. It means ‘the fallen’, which is a tribute to many friends and colleagues that I’ve lost over the years from my military life. But it’s also a tribute to those that have been affected by things like warfare and strife.
So, I started out adventure motorcycling in war torn parts of the world while in the military. Riding around on a motorbike in difficult places taught me a lot about riding in those sorts of challenging conditions. And when I came back to the UK, back to civilian life, I found that almost everywhere I went I found people who were fascinated or interested in the same pastime, but just didn’t know where to start. Or there were those that have been doing it for a while but didn’t know how to improve. The combination of my background, my experience and a lot of coaching and coercing from friends and family, I decided to do something about it. And VALR was formed.
VALR is essentially about trying to get a community of like-minded people to understand that getting into adventure motorcycling is actually quite easy, if you know what you’re doing. And if you don’t know what you’re doing, we’re here to help!
There’s something about being on two wheels in an environment that is different to being inside a car or a coach or a bus or whatever. You’re much more engaged with the environment. Plus, that sense of adventure and escaping your everyday life. I found that by being on my bike, being in adventurous places and being just a little bit out of my comfort zone, was enough to keep me really quite interested in what I was doing. And I found lots of people who want to do the same.
Yeah, probably. Don’t look too closely, but you’ll find plenty of scars around my face and head. I think as a child I used my head as my third hand to break most of my falls as I grew up, falling out of trees or falling down holes of one sort or another. So, yeah, I’ve always enjoyed being a little bit uncomfortable, a little bit outside, a little bit in an adventurous environment.
It’s probably all of those things, but I think at a very personal level, when you’re by yourself in a slightly difficult situation, and by the way, difficult is defined by different people in different ways. You could be riding to Brighton for the first time for a weekend camping. That could be difficult for you. You could be riding around Mongolia, living off the land. That’s difficult for you. It’s really about defining what difficult means for you. But whatever that is, what I really enjoy is that sense of overcoming it, getting comfortable with it, being in a place where you feel – yeah, I can cope with this and I’m going to enjoy it.
I want people who are interested in getting into adventure motorcycling, no matter your creed, gender, background, or even your income level, I want you to know how to get into it and enjoy it. There are a few things that it’d be worth knowing before you start with adventurous travel, and I’m there to try and help. VALR is really about doing that, first and foremost. Secondly, if you are into the sport already but want to extend your skills, understand a bit more about how to do these things carefully and comfortably, then again, we’re here to help.
We are an experienced and dedicated team here to help you plan your next adventure. From route planning, guidance on kit, personalised packing solutions and more.
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