March 2026 - Longhaulpaul

Fast Facts

Has ridden over 1.5 million miles
Chasing the Cure for Multiple Sclerosis
Raised over $400,000

March was Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month. If you would like to donate to Longhaulpaul’s cause, please visit longhaulpaul.com.

Where do you live?
I grew up in Attleboro, Massachusetts, and have lived in New Hampshire for the last 30 years.

First motorcycle?
My first motorcycle was payment for a $50 debt I was owed. It was a Honda CB550 Four that hadn’t run in quite a long time. I fixed it up and started riding. I was 21 years old. 46 motorcycles and 1.5 million miles later, I still get excited every time I strap on my helmet.

History of Riding
I joined the Iron Butt Association and discovered riding motorcycles long distances helped me cope with a bad divorce and a ten-year custody battle for my children. There is no doubt that riding kept me out of prison. I entered and finished two Iron Butt Rallies, but retired from competitions after being diagnosed with MS.

Tell us about Chasing the Cure for Multiple Sclerosis
Today, I am riding for a reason, Chasing the Cure for Multiple Sclerosis. My goal is to document riding a million miles raising money and awareness for MS. I have since ridden 700,000 miles and raised $400,000 for charity while setting a few world records along the way.

Current motorcycle(s)?
My current bike is a 2025 Yamaha Tenere 700 which replaced an older model. Between the two, I have logged 1/4 million miles on Tenere 700’s. My journey would not be possible without the support of riders who follow me on social media and my major sponsors like Yamaha, Bridgestone and Aerostich, who make sure I am well equipped to continue riding 50,000 miles or more even single year.

How did you first learn about Aerostich?
I have worn Aerostich almost exclusively since 1998. My first Roadcrafter was purchase used from a very short rider who had rider 100,000 miles in it. It was pink when I got it and the pants were not able to be lengthened to fit me, but I loved the quality and the fit of the jacket. I understood why all the BMW riders were raving about their Stiches. I don’t remember what year it was, but I might be the only rider with two separate photos featured on the same cover of the annual Aerostich catalog!

By the time I entered my first Iron Butt Rally, I had purchased a new Hi-Viz Roadcrafter Jacket. It was sacrificed to protect me as I slid down the highway behind my URAL as it slid down the freeway, creating bright, colorful sparks! From there, I went to the one-piece suit. It seemed to work better for those long days in the saddle. I placed well in many long-distance rallies between 1999 and 2003, all while wearing Aerostich gear and my elk skin gloves. During the 2003 Iron Butt, I experienced loss of dexterity in my hands, weakness in my legs and cognitive issues. I finished in the top ten, but soon after diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I not only quit rallying, I quit riding, expecting to be in a wheelchair soon, or worse.

What has it been like to ride after your diagnosis?
After a few years of disease-modifying treatments to slow the progression, I realized my disease was stable, and the diagnosis wasn’t the death sentence I first thought. I wanted to help other people living with chronic illness to realize the same. I share my story across the country and my message is simple. Find something you love to do in life and make it more important than your disease. For me, it was returning to riding long distances on motorcycles. When I’m on my bike, I don’t have MS!

I don’t pretend that everyone will be able to do anything they want, and I know my course of this disease is more manageable than some, but there is always a way to be involved in an activity you once loved. I cannot compete in rallies anymore because of the cognitive issues (heck, I get lost and confused in a grocery store), but I sure can ride across the country in a couple of days, and love every minute of it. I travel as a patient speaker sharing my story to groups of people living with MS as well as attend and deliver seminars at many national motorcycle rallies across the country as Yamaha USA’s official brand ambassador.

I organize various motorcycle related fundraisers throughout the year like the MS5000 and the MS1000 which qualifies as an official Iron Butt Saddlesore. Both rides can be found on my website at www.Longhaulpaul.com/fundraisers

I love to travel the backroads of our country, but as I am traveling for business and not on vacation, I spend many days making time on the big roads. I spend an average of 150 nights on the road each year and those long days require a good night’s sleep in a hotel. I like to start each travel day by 5:00am and usually ride till 6:00 or 7:00 pm. I average 800-1000 miles most days that I am on the road, and I enjoy every minute of it!

Current gear?
My latest Aerostich gear is a Roadcrafter light jacket that was made with a tall torso and short arms and it fits me like a glove. I wear the AD1 pants and love that the front pockets have little flaps to keep my credit card and spare change from falling out when I throw them on the bed or desk chair in my hotel room each night I am on the road.

My current set has over 300,000 miles on it.

Although the one piece suits are still my favorite, I can no longer wear them because of frequent restroom emergencies my body delivers multiple times a day. MS has wreaked havoc on my bladder and digestive system signals and there is no way I could get a suit off in time! If you see me rushing through a gas station with my pants unbuckled and I don’t stop to say hello, now you know why!

I ride a motorcycle for a living, and my riding gear is all that separates me from the pavement in the event of a crash while also keeping me comfortable in all types of weather conditions. I am often on deadlines and don’t have the luxury of waiting for the weather to clear or taking the scenic route. I ride through heat waves, heavy wind and rain, below freezing temperatures and living in New Hampshire, often find myself riding through the snow.

What do you bring with you on your ride?
I travel all across the country alone and I carry whatever I may need to repair my bike or accessories on the side of the road. If something fails when I am on my way to an event, I have to find a solution, fix it and get back on the road. In addition to a large tool kit, compressor and battery jump box, I carry two sets of just about everything. There are only a couple of items that I do not carry a duplicate of, which makes them even more important to have the very best available. I only travel with one helmet and I only travel with one set of outer gear. I need to trust my gear will work day in and day out, and Aerostich has always been durable and reliable, reliable as a hammer.