Yamaha
Motorcycling Adventurer Nick Sanders prepares to regain his record for the fastest circumnavigation of the earth on his Yamaha R1.
By
May 7, 2005, 08:17

THE FASTEST MAN AROUND THE WORLD

Motorcycling Adventurer Nick Sanders prepares to regain his record for the fastest circumnavigation of the earth on his Yamaha R1.

Nick Sanders & the Yamaha R1

After 20 years of adventuring, Nick Sanders can surely claim to be one of the most versatile adventurers in the UK. Nine years after he originally won the record, Nick is getting ready for his sixth round the world motorcycle challenge, and this time it's 20,000 miles and less than 20 days! Nick will only carry his credit card and his film camera, no change of clothes, no GPS, no maps and no tools.

Nick states that this next round the world challenge will be his last attempt, so it really is a case of nothing must go wrong. Men and Motors, soon to be part of ITV4, have commissioned a six part series covering Nick's attempt, which will be broadcast throughout October.

Leaving from the BMF National Motorcycle Rally in Peterborough on 22nd May 2005, Nick will be sent off by 80,000 riders as he attempts to reduce the 20,000 mile solo circumnavigation of the world to less than 20 days and set a new World Record!

True to his style, as if to ride 1,000 grueling miles every single day for the record was not enough, Nick’s chosen route is far more demanding than the previous record, it includes India and South East Asia at the height of summer, where the temperatures go up to 50 degrees centigrade, which in his words, ‘is hot enough to fry an egg on the petrol tank!’.
“In May, in India, it's hot enough to fry an
egg on the petrol tank!”

Yamaha R1

The fact that Nick has chosen a 2005 Yamaha R1, a renowned supersports bike, is not necessarily the obvious choice for this arduous touring challenge, but for Nick there could not be a better bike for the job. ‘In my opinion the R1 is one of the supreme touring bikes and I know from my previous attempts it has the performance to get me there.’ The bike is not going to be altered or modified other than fixing a small spare capacity fuel can in place of the pillion seat and enlarging the main fuel tank, so that together they give him non stop riding for up to 350 miles. The only additional technical support will simply be a tyre sealant in case of punctures.

Having initially been a schoolboy and junior national cycling champion, Nick Sanders turned semi-professional in the late 1970’s when he lived in France for three years. Between 1981 and 1991 he then embarked on a series of high profile cycling expeditions which took him to over 60 countries including journeys in South America, to the Source of the River Nile, across the Sahara and twice around the world by bicycle, the second time in a Guinness Record time of 79 days, averaging 171 miles a day.

Nick then turned to motorcycling, and in 1992 he rode 38,000 miles around the world on an Enfield ‘Bullet’, taking seven months to complete the journey. After which he then rode the 16,000 mile length of the Americas from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska in 30 days.

On his second attempt around the world in 1997 Nick took a different route, travelling 20,000 miles in 31 days and reducing the record for fastest vehicle circumnavigation of the world by two days, earning him the title ‘Fastest Man Around the World’. He then rode around the world THREE more times on the Yamaha R1.

Nick's other journeys also include taking fee paying riders across North America to Alaska, to the edge of the Sahara and twice on a 30,000 mile journey around the world.

Nick's website www.motochallenge.com and supporter www.ukbiker.co.uk will be recording the world record attempt on a daily basis.


For more information or details of your nearest Authorised Yamaha Dealer call 01932 358121 or visit www.yamaha-motor.co.uk

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