AS a six-year-old on a Riverina farm, Rowan English could never imagine where riding motorbikes could take him.

Yet he's now combined his love of two wheels and his role as the head of the National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics at La Trobe University in a massive trip which kicks off today.

Rowan English and Bruce Taig, two former Finley farm boys, are riding from Melbourne to Kobe, Japan, and all in the name of false limbs.

This is not a fund raiser.

Rowan concedes there are better organised people who can be supported when it comes to providing money to help people who need new limbs.

It's more about raising the awareness of the unique world of prosthetics and orthotics, and having a lot of fun along the way.

The men will be riding Suzuki DRZ 400 trail bikes, small and simple machines which they believe will be ideal for the 20,000km trek which will take them five months.

Rowan is no stranger to long motorbike rides.

He's already tackled Thailand, Europe, the United States and most of Australia.

Yet this trip is special.

"We hope to raise awareness here in Australia of the pressing need for prosthetics and orthotics in many south-east Asian countries," he said.

"We'd also like to raise awareness of the word done by charities such as The Cambodia Trust, Handicap International and the Red Cross."

Rowan said the first thing that sprung to mind when talking about the issue in Cambodia was land mine injuries.

This was still a huge challenge, but so are traffic accidents which are creating a new need for prosthetic services in Cambodia.

On his trek, Rowan will visit universities and colleges along the way that offer training, in the hope that relationships can be established with La Trobe University's campus.

That's already happening though, with two groups of Cambodian students upgrading their qualifications and skills at the Bundoora campus.

While there are many challenges ahead in terms of riding through different countries and terrains, Rowan is optimistic he and the bike will last the journey.

"The biggest challenge I see is breakfast each morning - I am sure that I will sometimes just miss my Weet Bix!" he said.

The journey is expected to take five months.