Hello Hoka Hey Community,
My name is Jean Karl. I was born in Paris, France, and now live in the French Caribbean on the beautiful island of Saint Martin.
I have been a proud member of the Niglo’s community since its founding—a European Harley Davidson Club (HDC) created by fairgoers in 1989. The club is built on values of respect, mutual support, solidarity, and loyalty. I am confident I will find these same qualities in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, and I am truly honored to have been accepted. Thank you again for this opportunity.
I am a racer and a competitor at heart. As soon as I could ride, I did—and whenever I can ride, I ride. With our motorcycle club, we traveled all over Europe, no matter the season, the weather, the cold, or the heat. We are a large, tight-knit community with chapters across Europe.
From a young age, I competed in French and European championships until 1994, racing motocross and ATVs. Then, I decided to travel and eventually settled in Saint Martin 30 years ago. Of course, my passion for engines, fuel, and oil soon caught up with me, and I bought a jet ski. I was back to riding—this time on the sea—and naturally, I started competing in local and world championships in France.
After that chapter, I sought a new challenge and took part in ATV rallies in Egypt, Morocco, and across Africa. The last was the Transafricain, where I crashed just a few kilometers from the finish line after 6,800 kilometers. The excitement of the finish line was overwhelming! I spent four months in the hospital, but I recovered, stood back up, and went on to complete two Dakar Rallies in South America
The passion is still as strong as ever, but these days, I tend to organize events that are a bit more laid-back—no more stress, no more racing against the clock.
I was fortunate enough to travel to the United States with friends, and we rode all over the country, including several trips to Sturgis. We saw breathtaking scenery and rode on some of the most incredible roads.
Hoka Hey comes at the perfect time—a challenge against myself, a race against myself, a competition against myself, a rally against myself. Is Hoka Hey the end of my life of adventure, or the beginning of a new one? Who knows.
I look forward to hitting the road again with the Hoka Hey participants and my friends Mickeal, Gilles, and Frankie for this new adventure.
Jean Karl ATZERT # 1338
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