Sam Sunderland sees world record attempt cut short by technical issue

Sam Sunderland has suffered a heartbreaking end to his attempt at becoming the fastest rider to circumnavigate the globe on a motorcycle, after his Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer picked up damage while travelling through Australia.

You may like to read our Triumph Tiger 1200 review.

Sunderland had recently finished the second leg of his attempt, after riding from Bangkok, Thailand, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunderland had managed to cover 948 miles in just 15 hours and 33 minutes, with the two-time Dakar Rally winner and Red Bull athlete setting a strong pace throughout the first two legs of the attempt.

However, the damage suffered in Australia proved too much to overcome, as the time needed to make the repairs before testing the bike would have taken too much time. 

Sunderland has since shared the news of his abandoned world record attempt on social media, with the British rider left devastated.

A statement from Sunderland said: 

"Well... this isn’t the update I hoped I’d be sharing.

"Unfortunately, my Around The World record attempt has come to an end.

"Out in the Australian outback, the bike sustained damage which led to a technical issue that needed repairing. We did everything we could to keep the project alive and get back on the road, but the time needed to repair and properly test the bike meant the record was no longer achievable.

"I’m gutted, honestly.

"Anyone who knows me knows I don’t give up easily, and this definitely wasn’t a decision I took lightly. But sometimes you’ve got to accept what’s in front of you.

"Massive thank you to my crew, our partners and everyone who worked so hard to make this happen. And thank you to everyone who followed the journey, sent messages and cheered us on along the way. The support has meant a lot.

Sunderland went on to say that while he's "disappointed, I’m also proud of what we achieved, the places we reached and the adventure we’ve had over the last few weeks.

"It wasn’t the ending we were chasing, but that’s part of adventure sometimes. Time to head home. Thanks for coming along for the ride," added Sunderland.

Prior to his world record attempt being cut short, Sunderland had completed 3,304 miles in just two days, seven hours, and seven minutes, including rest time. 

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