4577EDN

Trigger: I'm from Germany, where a lot of people go travel or do something different for a year after high school since we don't have obligatory military service anymore. I just ended up choosing something rather specific and extreme.
It started with me wanting to go to South America and not being keen to get into many buses for so many hours since distances there are long (and I'm tall).
Alone: didn't have anyone I saw fit to ask to join, in the hindsight, it was the best thing to be free and by myself.
Motorcycle: it's cheaper than a car and you experience traveling more than behind a windscreen.
Danger: The biggest dangers are the roads (as far as you could call them roads) and the drivers, especially truck drivers, which often try to overtake in sneaky mountain roads, cut curves and so on.

Just can't get out of old traditions man... /s

I worked in a car manufacturing site and didn't take time off. Working shifts also paid extra.

About 8500€, so maybe 9800$ at that time

I met quite some great people - travelers and locals. Still in contact with some of them. I gained a great understanding of the situation and point of view many locals had, especially farmers and other people with a more simple life.