THE SURPRISING ADVENTURE OF ARLONAISE JUSTINE TIBESAR
When people talk about vintage motorcycles in Luxembourg, they can’t help but mention the achievements of two great pre-war Arlon champions, Jules Tihange and Frantz Bley, as well as the surprising adventure of Justine Tibesar from Weyler-Arlon.
In 1931, this young 22-year-old adventurer had undertaken a personal world tour. And during her stopover in Saigon, she decided to buy an FN M70 motorcycle (yes indeed! at that time, Belgian motorcycles were sold in Southeast Asia…).
Justine Tibesar had never ridden a motorcycle before; she had to learn how to ride. This didn’t discourage her, and she traveled alone to Paris crossing India, Afghanistan, Persia, Turkey and Europe, most often using poorly developed communication routes, stone paths, or even trails through mountains and deserts.
During this journey, she had to overcome many difficulties, falls, illness… but she was intrepid, and she was welcomed as a heroine in Paris, then in Liège.
Marcel Thiry, the mechanic from Habay-la-Neuve, a well-known collector, has presented at numerous exhibitions the most remarkable Belgian or English motorcycles from 50 or 70 years ago, including an FN 350 identical to the one used by Justine Tibesar during her raid.
For the second time, Marcel Thiry exhibited his remarkable collections this year at City II in Brussels, which thousands of people visited. It was a huge success.
Caption under top photo: Justine Tibesar departing from Saigon on her FN 350 motorcycle in 1931.
Caption under bottom photo: The intrepid Arlonaise, who has just crossed Asia, the Middle East and Europe by motorcycle, is welcomed in Liège by the leaders of F.N. and the Motor Union.
Source: La Surprenante Aventure De L’Arlonaise Justine Tibesar, from an undated French language newspaper, circa 1980s.
