Iván Cervantes, five-time Enduro World Champion and Triumph Global Ambassador, has officially claimed the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for “The greatest distance on a motorcycle in 24 hours (individual).”
Riding a Tiger 1200 GT Explorer on the High-Speed Ring at the Nardò Technical Center in Italy, Cervantes travelled more than 2,493 miles (4,012 kilometers) in a 24-hour period, beating the previous record of 2,116.39 miles (3,406 kilometers) by a huge margin of more than 372.82 miles (600 kilometers).
The record attempt was witnessed and validated by a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator on April 30, 2023, with a final confirmed distance of 2,493.28 miles (4012.53 kilometers) — a distance equivalent to traveling from London to the Great Pyramid of Giza or from New York City to Los Angeles as the crow flies in 24 hours!
The Man
Iván Cervantes is a five-time Enduro World Champion, 21-time Spanish Enduro Champion and five-time Spanish Motocross Champion. In July 2021, Cervantes was announced as one of Triumph’s new off-road ambassadors, helping to develop the upcoming range of motocross and enduro bikes.
Since joining the Triumph team, Cervantes has seen great success in riding and competing on Triumph adventure motorcycles, sealing wins at the Baja Aragón, 1000 Dunas Raid and Basella Maxi-Trail Race.
In preparation for the record attempt, in addition to intensive physical training on his own Tiger 1200 Rally Pro, Cervantes began carefully planning his nutrition and sleep strategy, in partnership with Professor Andrew Bagshaw at the University of Birmingham.
The Motorcycle
The motorcycle used for the attempt was a Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer, chosen at random from the production line at Triumph’s factory in Hinckley, U.K.. No special modifications were made to the bike, other than completing the recommended running in and first service schedule before the attempt was undertaken.
The Tiger 1200 family has been designed to deliver the ultimate in adventure bike touring capability, with exceptional comfort and unbeatable character. For the record attempt, features such as the 30-liter (8.93-gallon) fuel tank and excellent wind protection were invaluable in ensuring Cervantes could continue riding, whatever challenges he encountered along the way.
Heated grips and seats provided additional comfort during the cold early-morning hours and unexpected downpours of rain, while the powerful T-Plane triple engine and advanced electronics provided effortless power and control. High-intensity LED lights ensured Cervantes always had exceptional visibility when riding, even in the complete darkness of the remote testing facility at Nardò.
Underlining the excellent performance and reliability of the Tiger 1200, the only maintenance required on the bike was a single, planned tire change halfway through the attempt, where the standard fit Metzeler TOURANCE Next tires were refreshed as the rain started and night began to fall.
The Record
The existing GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title of 2,116.39 miles (3,406.17 kilometers) was previously set by American Carl Reese on Feb. 26, 2017, recording an average speed over 24 hours of 141.9 km/h (88.2 mph).
Riding consistently at speeds of over 124 mph (200 km/h) at the Nardò Technical Center in Italy, Cervantes surpassed the existing record with an incredible five hours to spare in the 24-hour window. Not content to simply beat the record, he set his sights on defining a new benchmark for this challenge: 2,485.49 miles (4,000 kilometers).
In the five hours that followed, he proceeded to ride a further 376.551 miles (606 kilometers), essentially matching the existing record, then continuing to ride the equivalent of the width of France and greater than the width of North Dakota in addition.
The record attempt was witnessed by an official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator, who validated the final distance travelled in 24 hours as 2,493.28 miles (4,012.53 kilometers), with an average speed of 104.26 mph (167.79 km/h).
KEY FACTS
- Attempt duration: 24 hours
- Total distance travelled: 2,493.28 miles/4,012.53 kilometers
- Location: High Speed Ring, Nardò Technical Center, Italy
- Length of one lap: 7.86 miles/12.649 kilometers
- Number of laps: 317
- Riding speed: Over 124mph/200km/h
- Average speed over 24 hours: 104.26mph/167.79km/h
- Number of pitstops: 18
- Fuel used: 137.37 gallons/520 liters
- Number of tire changes: One
- Hours of sleep: 0
QUOTES
Iván Cervantes: “The Tiger 1200 GT Explorer was the perfect bike for this attempt. It’s very comfortable to ride for a long time. For sure, the hardest part was the weather, because it started to rain, but this bike has a very big screen and excellent protection, which helped me a lot. It is a very special bike for me. It’s not easy to ride for 24 hours in a row but, in the end, the record is mine with this amazing bike!”
Nick Bloor, CEO, Triumph Motorcycles: “Iván’s achievement in taking the Guinness World Records title on the Tiger 1200 is simply incredible! His determination and perseverance have led him not only to beat the existing record but to add almost 20% to the distance travelled in 24 hours. An outstanding effort, and one that everyone at Triumph is incredibly proud to have supported.”
Victor Fenes, official adjudicator, Guinness World Records: “I am truly humbled to have witnessed Iván Cervantes’s awe-inspiring achievement of setting the Guinness World Records title for the greatest distance on a motorcycle in 24 hours (individual). Iván’s unwavering dedication and Triumph’s support embody the values we hold dear at Guinness World Records. It is a true testament to the indomitable spirit of human determination and the pursuit of greatness.”
Salvo Pennisi, head of outdoor testing and technical relations, Metzeler: “I would like to congratulate Iván Cervantes and Triumph on this well-deserved success. We are proud to have supported this record and to have contributed with the excellent performance provided by our Metzeler Tourance Next tires, which are the motorcycle’s original equipment.”
