The Story of Yalla Habibi!
What happens when you take one of YouTube's most prolific motorcycle channels, pair them with an award-winning cinematographer, and tell them to circumnavigate the globe in 19 days? You get Yalla Habibi!, a 2025 documentary that defies easy categorization. FortNine—the production company behind some of the most technically rigorous motorcycle content on the internet—decided to throw all that polish out the window and instead chase a Guinness World Record across five continents. The premise is beautifully simple: ride from Anchorage to Miami, then Lisbon to Istanbul, then Mumbai to Kolkata, then Bangkok to Singapore, and finally Perth to Sydney. No cheating. Every flight, every border delay, every sleepless night counts against the clock. Edwin El Bainou rides pillion—the passenger seat—as both subject and the camera operator, which means we're watching someone document their own sleep-deprived descent into chaos in real time.
Behind the Making of Yalla Habibi!
The production itself is a feat of logistics that almost overshadows the riding. FortNine partnered with Ducati to supply Multistrada V4 Rally motorcycles at each continental starting point, which is the kind of sponsorship that only works if you're already trusted in the motorcycle world. What's striking is that this isn't a typical corporate-backed stunt—it's FortNine showing a side of themselves that their regular audience rarely sees. The company built their reputation on educational, meticulously edited content about motorcycles, gear, and riding technique. Yalla Habibi! abandons that framework entirely. Instead of teaching viewers how to ride safely, they're documenting what happens when you ride unsafely (or at least, dangerously) in service of a record. The 90-minute runtime is tight—no padding, no filler—which means every scene has to earn its place. The film premiered in 2025 to immediate critical acclaim, landing a perfect 10/10 on IMDb, a score that's rare enough to make you wonder if viewers are rating the audacity as much as the execution. That said, you don't get a 10/10 without delivering something genuinely compelling, and the reviews suggest Yalla Habibi! does exactly that.
What Makes Yalla Habibi! Stand Out
Here's the thing about motorcycle documentaries: they tend to be either reverent or reckless, rarely both at once. Yalla Habibi! manages to be both simultaneously. The cinematography—captured by someone actively suffering in the passenger seat—has a raw, immediate quality that you can't fake. El Bainou's perspective isn't that of a detached observer; he's freezing, sleep-deprived, and increasingly unhinged as the days pile up, and that deterioration becomes the emotional core of the film. What's remarkable is how the documentary balances genuine danger with genuine humor. These aren't stunt riders doing calculated tricks; they're just people trying to stay awake long enough to make the next border crossing. The dark comedy emerges naturally from the absurdity—the trio encounters every obstacle a cross-continental journey can throw at them, and instead of cutting away, the filmmakers lean into it. I keep coming back to the fact that FortNine didn't sanitize this for mass appeal. They let it be messy, uncomfortable, and occasionally hilarious. The motorcycle content is there (Ducati's Multistrada V4 Rally is genuinely impressive), but it's never the point. The point is watching humans push past their limits, and that's something that transcends the motorcycle niche entirely.
How to Stream Yalla Habibi! Online
Yalla Habibi! is currently available across major OTT services, making it accessible whether you're a dedicated motorcycle enthusiast or just someone looking for an adrenaline rush. Movie OTT tracks real-time streaming availability across all platforms, so you can check the "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page to see exactly which service has it in your region right now. The 90-minute runtime makes it perfect for a single sitting—you won't need to commit to a multi-episode binge. Whether you're streaming on a smart TV or catching it on your phone during a commute, the intimate, handheld cinematography translates well across screen sizes. What matters is that you've got a film that doesn't require you to be a motorcycle person to enjoy it; if you've ever wondered what happens when smart people make deliberately dumb decisions in service of a dream, this is your answer.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is Yalla Habibi! based on a true story?
Yes, completely. Yalla Habibi! documents an actual circumnavigation attempt by FortNine and Edwin El Bainou, with real people, real motorcycles, and real time constraints. The entire journey happened as filmed.
Q: How long is Yalla Habibi!?
The documentary runs exactly 90 minutes, which keeps the pacing tight and the energy high from start to finish without ever feeling like it's dragging.
Q: Who directed Yalla Habibi!?
Edwin El Bainou, an award-winning filmmaker, served as the cinematographer and rode pillion throughout the entire journey. His perspective as both subject and camera operator is what gives the film its unique, intimate quality.
Q: Do they break the world record in Yalla Habibi!?
That's the central tension of the film—whether they actually accomplish their goal within the 19-day window. We won't spoil it, but the journey itself is what makes the documentary compelling, record or no record.
Q: What motorcycles are used in Yalla Habibi!?
The team rides Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally motorcycles, supplied by Ducati for each leg of the journey across different continents.
Final Thoughts on Yalla Habibi!
If you're expecting a polished, inspirational sports documentary, Yalla Habibi! will surprise you. It's messier, funnier, and more human than that. The film doesn't try to make its subjects look heroic—it lets them be tired, cranky, and occasionally delirious. That honesty is what makes it work. It's the kind of thing you watch and immediately want to text a friend about, not because it's perfect, but because it's real in a way most documentaries aren't. Don't sleep on this one.