The Fastest Man Around The World - May 6th 2005

The Fastest Man Around The World - May 6th 2005
Ok I know it's a YAMAHA

Also as some of you may already know Nick is a friend of mine and I think you will be interested in this.


Motorcycling Adventurer Nick Sanders prepares to regain his record for the fastest circumnavigation of the earth on his 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 gruelling 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!” The fact that Nick has chosen a 2005 Yamaha R1, a renowned super sports 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.

He's one brave... nut. Best of luck to him, it'll be interesting to see how he gets on. I hope the updates come thick and fast!

(riding an r1 over 1000 miles a day, he must have massive forarms and a behind of steel)

I remember reading an interview with him in Bike magazine where he said that he'd been having a lot of trouble with the Inland Revenue. On one of his subsequent trips he sent his tax inspector a postcard from Death Valley saying "Wish you were here"

Roll on the programme, can't wait.

Interesting to hear M + M soon to part of ITV4.

I wish him luck but in all honesty I don't think it is possible.

[northwind]

What amazed me was the condition of his old R1 when I saw it at the bike show... I don't know how much was original but it wasn't in bad nick at all.

Wish him luck

Not going with him this time then Chewy???

Wish him good luck from the forum crowd. What a job!!!!

PS. He is gonna stink on his return.

http://www.motochallenge.com/rtwdiary.htm Nick’s diary here. The Official start date is Monday 23rd early start/finish line in Callis France at 4 o’clock in the morning. Just got off the phone from him, He said will not be able to reply to e-mails as you would expect but looking forward to the odd text to keep him going throughout the journey

STAGE 1
Ceremonial Start : BMF Show, Peterborough, Britain.
Actual Start : 4:00am Calais (France,Europe). Nick Rides south east to Montecarlo, then north to Prague and all the way across to Istanbul(Turkey, Asia) via Budapest and Buchrest.
Stage End : Istanbul
Estimated Time : 3 Days.


STAGE 2
Stage Start : Mumbai (India, Asia). In the peak of Indian summer, Nick will ride across the Indian mainland to the port of Calcutta on the Bay of Bengal.
Stage End : Calcutta (India, Asia)
Estimated Time : 2 Days.
STAGE 3
Stage Start : Bangkok (Thailand, Asia). This 1300miles of fantastic tarmac, Nick says he will ride Non-Stop. (....well, except pit stops !)
Stage End : Singapore (Asia)
Estimated Time : 1 Day
STAGE 4
Stage Start : Perth (Australia). A long ride in the australian outback. Nick rides north along the western coast upto Darwin passing through Carnarvon and Broome. From Perth he heads down south to Melbourne via Alice Springs and Adelaide. Back up and east to Sydney and Out.
Stage End : Sydney (Australia)
Estimated Time : 6 Day
STAGE 5
Stage Start : Christchurch (Pacific). Shortest Leg of the Journey. Nick rides about 600 miles to ride thru Wellington, the 1st of the Antipodal pair that he needs to get the record.
Stage End : Auckland )Pacific)
Estimated Time : 1/2 Day
STAGE 6
Stage Start : Anchorage (Alaska, N. America). The Longest stage of the journey. Nick ridesfrom Anchorage in Alaska to San Antonio on the Mexican Border, passing through Dawson Creek and Calgary in Canada and Denver in USA. He than heads east to end the stage in New York
Stage End : New York (USA, N. America)
Estimated Time : 5 Day
STAGE 7
Stage Start : Lisbon (Portugal, Europe). Back in Europe, Nick will finish this over 1200mile journey in less than 24 hours, passing through Madrid, the second of the Antipodal Pair.
Stage End : Calais (France, Europe)
Estimated Time : 1 Day
End of Record Attempt.

Latest Update : 24/05/05
14:48hrs GMT
"It's now 01:08 here, I've done 1383 miles. I've ridden non-stop for 26 hours. I am now in southern Germany , having left Innsbruck in Austria we are now on the A12 heading towards Regensburg , and then heading further east to Prague . I'll be staying in Prague tonight. Which is another 400 miles to ride. I am aiming for a total of 1800 miles, which will be in a total of 34 hrs. I am feeling very good. Bike is going well. Going to be riding until 9:00pm tonight."
PREVIOUS UPDATES :
21:19hrs GMT, 23/05/05
"I am in Marseille. I am just about to start riding through the night. It's full moon, so it's quite well lit. It's dry. I am riding well. I don't feel like a second power nap. I am feeling good. The bike is behaving very well. The Idea now is to go along the Cote D'Azur , which is…from Marseille to Nice to Monaco . Then I'll start heading north over the Alps upto Regensburg. We are now upto 680 miles."
18:59hrs GMT, 23/05/05
When I was riding down from 7500 revs to 6500 revs, I suddenly realized there was a tremendous vibration in the front wheel, and I didn't know what it was. It was as if I had hit a serrated road, but I don't think it was that. I don't know what it was. It has now happened a second time, so I am a little bit wary. I seem to be adjusting to whats happening.

At 483 miles, I actually started to fall asleep and drifted very very close to a truck. So I had a power nap. What was interesting about the power nap which I use to use in 1997 was that a 15 minute power nap use to refresh me for several hours, and I was a bit concerned that this technique might not work for me anymore. Particularly because I am a bit older now. But it has worked and I am feeling fantastic. We've done about 550 miles and are now south of Lyon and on our way to Marseille, on the A6 moving onto A7. Am feeling really really good and am now going to do the next 6 hours, which will take me upto midnight.
12:19hrs GMT, 23/05/05
We left Calais at 10:45, we didn't get in to Calais until 2:00 in the morning from London for all sorts of reasons. We left at 10:45 from from the Hotel Beville in the centre of the Calais . We took the A26 …. The Auto Route 26, and then the A1. and now within two hours we are near Paris . The bike is going very well, I am riding it at about 6000 revs.

I am feeling absolutely fine, really good. Feeling very focused and I think the journey is going to go very well. If I carry on with this schedule, I will easily reach 1200 miles in the first 24hrs, may be more….so we'll see how we gonna' go. The route as I am planning for the next 24hrs now is Paris, Down to Lyon, Monaco, towards Geneva, and then towards Regensburg and onto Prague.

The weather is good. Light clouds, blue sky, traffic not too heavy. I am very glad to be actually on the road. It's going extremely well so far. No problems at all. and I am hoping to make to Istabul within 2 and ½ days.