SW-MOTECH Paris\u2013North Cape: 6,000 Kilometers with PEAX

As an official sponsor and luggage supplier, SW-MOTECH accompanied the Paris\u2013North Cape 2026 motorcycle adventure. Four of the company's own riders completed the entire route, while the new PEAX Rackless system was put to use over more than 6,000 kilometers.

The starting shot was fired on June 29, 2026, beneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Around 250 riders set off from there on a journey of more than 6,000 kilometers heading north. The route ran through a total of ten countries and combined road sections with off-road passages. The goal: the North Cape. Paris\u2013North Cape was created by six-time Dakar competitor Tiziano Intern\u00F2 and route designer Manuel Podetti. Participants could navigate either by roadbook or via a GPX track. Four mandatory gates structured the long journey. At these points, timed rest breaks were required before the riders could continue their journey northward.

SW-MOTECH did not limit its involvement to the role of sponsor and luggage supplier. The company also took on the route itself. With Antoine Beltramone of SW-MOTECH Italia, Eric Benedito of SW-MOTECH France, and Arin Macchione of SW-MOTECH USA, three employees from different international branches lined up at the start. The quartet was completed by content creator and SW-MOTECH ambassador Valentin "Valle" M\u00FCller. All four riders completed the entire route from Paris to the North Cape.

The sheer distance was only part of the challenge. High daily mileage and little sleep accompanied the participants, as did rapidly changing weather conditions. In the south, temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius were reached. At the North Cape, on the other hand, the thermometer showed only 9 degrees Celsius. On top of that came crashes and route closures. Riders and machines alike had to adapt to markedly different conditions within a single journey. Along the route, participants also encountered varied landscapes and experiences that formed an essential part of the adventure for Valentin "Valle" M\u00FCller. For M\u00FCller, it was above all this combination of challenge, camaraderie, and adventure that made Paris\u2013North Cape special.

For SW-MOTECH, the event served a further purpose alongside the adventure itself. The company used Paris\u2013North Cape to deploy its new PEAX Rackless system under the conditions of the event. The rackless saddlebags had previously been presented for the first time at the SW-MOTECH OPEN HOUSE. At Paris\u2013North Cape, they were subsequently used by several participants over the entire route. As a result, the bags covered more than 6,000 kilometers over asphalt and off-road passages, exposed throughout to the journey's changing weather conditions.

The PEAX Rackless system dispenses with a classic side pannier rack. This very rackless concept is already reflected in the system's name. At Paris\u2013North Cape, the luggage accompanied participants over the entire distance and through the various stages of the route. For SW-MOTECH, the event thus offered the opportunity to deploy the PEAX Rackless system in the adventure and off-road environment for which it was developed. Alongside this, a media team accompanied the riders along the route and documented the use of the new luggage system. Further information on SW-MOTECH's PEAX Rackless system is available directly from the manufacturer.

As early as the third day, a special stopover was on the schedule. With the first gate in Berlin, participants reached an important milestone of their journey. SW-MOTECH took over the organization of this gate. The company welcomed the participants with a striking archway. There was also a small shop as well as goodie bags for the riders. The stopover thus offered not only the mandatory break on the way north but also the opportunity for direct exchange between SW-MOTECH and the participants.

Fitting the luggage focus of the event, SW-MOTECH also brought an appropriately equipped bike to the Berlin gate. On site, a Kawasaki KLE 500 fitted with the new PEAX Rackless system was presented. This allowed participants to view the new luggage system directly on the bike during the stopover and to engage in conversation with SW-MOTECH. The route then continued north \u2013 with ever new roads, off-road sections, and increasingly different climatic conditions.

For SW-MOTECH, the special nature of the event lay above all in the combination of different demands. More than 6,000 kilometers meant long daily stages. At the same time, the surface alternated between roads and off-road passages. On top of that came a temperature range of up to 42 degrees in the south down to 9 degrees at the North Cape. Several participants covered this entire route with the new rackless PEAX saddlebags. This allowed SW-MOTECH to accompany the system not just on individual rides. The deployment extended over the entire route from Paris to the far north.

The international SW-MOTECH team simultaneously reflected the cross-border character of the event. Italy, France, and the USA were all represented within the SW-MOTECH team. Added to this was content creator and company ambassador Valentin M\u00FCller. All four started together with the rest of the field of participants in Paris and reached the North Cape. For SW-MOTECH, participation thus meant more than a presence as an exhibitor or sponsor on the sidelines. Its own riders were directly part of the event and completed the same more than 6,000 kilometers to the finish.

With the arrival at the North Cape, the journey ends for the riders, but not the program surrounding the new PEAX product family. The next announced appearance takes SW-MOTECH to Italy. From November 3 to 8, 2026, the PEAX series will be presented at EICMA in Milan. There, not only the Rackless system used at Paris\u2013North Cape is to be shown. SW-MOTECH is announcing further products in the PEAX series for the show. These include an auxiliary bag, a tank bag, a tail bag, and an engine guard.

Visitors to EICMA can thus see the new product series in Milan just a few months after Paris\u2013North Cape. SW-MOTECH will be represented at EICMA 2026 in Hall 5, Stand C54. The company thereby draws a line from the deployment of the Rackless system on the 6,000-kilometer route to the presentation of the expanded PEAX family at a motorcycle show.

For SW-MOTECH, the premiere of Paris\u2013North Cape ended with a positive conclusion. The company accompanied the event as an official sponsor and luggage supplier while simultaneously sending four of its own participants onto the route. All four SW-MOTECH riders reached the North Cape after more than 6,000 kilometers. At the same time, the PEAX Rackless saddlebags, first shown at the OPEN HOUSE, were used by several participants over the entire distance. From 42 degrees in the south, through off-road passages, route closures, and high daily mileage, to 9 degrees at the North Cape \u2013 that was the range of conditions. Further information on products and accessories is available directly from SW-MOTECH.