Two-time Dakar Rally champion Sam Sunderland has begun one of the biggest challenges of his career, setting off from London on September 5 in an attempt to become the fastest person to circumnavigate the globe by motorcycle. Riding a Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer, the 37-year-old Briton is aiming to cover almost 29,000 kilometres across 16 countries and five continents in less than 19 days, 8 hours and 25 minutes. Sunderland has now begun his journey, and we’ll be following his progress as he tackles an extraordinary route that will take him across Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North America and North Africa before returning to London. We wish Sam the very best of luck as he takes on this remarkable challenge.
From Dakar champion to world-record attempt
Sunderland is no stranger to demanding motorcycle challenges. He won the Dakar Rally — widely regarded as the world’s toughest off-road race — for the first time in 2017 with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. He returned to victory in 2022, claiming his second Dakar title and winning the inaugural FIM World Rally-Raid Championship in the same year. He retired from competitive racing in 2024, but his appetite for adventure clearly remains as strong as ever. The circumnavigation attempt hasn’t been without its setbacks. Sunderland’s original attempt was postponed after he broke his back during training. Following months of rehabilitation, he recovered and returned to training determined to take on the challenge.
“Breaking my back reinforced why I want to do this,” Sunderland said. “Challenges don’t always happen when everything is perfect, they’re about how you respond when things don’t go your way.”
29,000 kilometres across the world
The scale of the challenge is difficult to comprehend. Sunderland needs to ride further than the length of the UK every day while dealing with unfamiliar roads, changing weather, multiple time zones, physical exhaustion and the mental strain of spending up to 16 hours a day in the saddle. The six-leg route began in London and heads first towards Istanbul, before continuing through Asia to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. From there, Sunderland will cross Australia from Perth to Sydney before riding the length of New Zealand. The longest section of the journey follows, taking him across North America from Vancouver to Montreal. The final leg will see him travel from Casablanca, Morocco, back to London. Along the way, Sunderland will pass iconic locations including the Bonneville Salt Flats, while tackling up to six long-haul transfers and the constant pressure of racing against the clock. The challenge also requires him to touch two antipodal points — locations on opposite sides of the Earth — as part of the circumnavigation.
The bike behind the attempt
Sunderland is tackling the record on a Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer, fitted with Michelin Anakee Road tyres and a large 30-litre fuel tank. The motorcycle will have to cope with an extraordinary range of conditions and surfaces while Sunderland potentially spends up to 16 hours a day in the saddle. Any urgent maintenance during the attempt will rely on Triumph’s global network of dealerships and aftersales facilities. It’s a demanding test for both rider and machine, with reliability and keeping the journey moving likely to be just as important as outright riding ability.
Chasing a record that has stood for more than 20 years
The current record was set in 2002 by fellow Britons Kevin and Julia Sanders and has remained unbeaten for more than two decades. The Sanders have supported Sunderland’s attempt, sharing their experience and providing insight into the journey and the parameters required to complete a genuine circumnavigation.
“Records are meant to be broken,” said Kevin Sanders. “We did this more than 20 years ago. Sam’s going to face a whole set of new challenges compared to back then. We’re really keen to see how Sam does.”
For Sunderland, the attempt is about more than simply breaking a record. He hopes the journey will encourage others to pursue their own adventures, overcome setbacks and push beyond what they believe is possible.
“I know exactly how difficult this is going to be,” said Sunderland. “This isn’t just about riding a motorcycle. It’s about managing sleep deprivation, making decisions when you’re exhausted, adapting to whatever the road throws at you, and continuing to move forward every single day.”
With the clock now running, the challenge is well and truly underway. We’ll be keeping an eye on Sam Sunderland’s progress and wish him every success as he takes on this incredible motorcycle adventure.
