Iván Cervantes Breaks Guinness World Record on Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer

June 13, 2023October 17, 2023 admin Triumph 3 min read

Iván Cervantes claims the Guinness World Records title for “the greatest distance on a motorcycle in 24 hours (individual).” Photos courtesy Triumph Motorcycles.

Iván Cervantes recently achieved a Guinness World Record for “the greatest distance on a motorcycle in 24 hours (individual).” Cervantes broke the previous record of 2,116.39 miles with a new record of 2,493.28 miles on a Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer. Cervantes made this attempt on the 7.8-mile long High-Speed Ring at the Nardò Technical Center in Italy on April 29, 2023, and the attempt was witnessed by an official Guinness World Records adjudicator.

The previous record was set by American Carl Reese on February 26, 2017. Reese rode 2,116.39 miles in 24 hours with an average speed of 88.2 mph. Cervantes broke Reese’s record with five hours to spare, adding another 376.6 miles.

Cervantes broke the Guinness World Record for “the greatest distance on a motorcycle in 24 hours (individual)” on a Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer.

This Guinness World Record isn’t the first of Iván Cervantes’ achievements. He’s also a five-time Enduro World Champion, a 21-time Spanish Enduro Champion, and a five-time Spanish Motocross Champion. In 2021, Cervantes became an off-road ambassador for Triumph Motorcycles to help the company develop its range of motocross and dual-sport motorcycles.

Cervantes showing his “Why Not?” tattoo.

The Tiger 1200 GT Explorer that Cervantes used during the attempt was straight from the production line of Triumph’s factory in the UK. The bike received no modifications or changes, except for a break-in run and first service before the attempt.

The record attempt was made at the circular High-Speed Ring at the Nardò Technical Center, which is 7.8 miles in length.

“Iván’s achievement in taking the Guinness World Records title on the Tiger 1200 is simply incredible,” said Nick Bloor, CEO of Triumph. “His determination and perseverance have led him not only to beat the existing record, but to add almost 20% to the distance traveled in 24 hours.”

The Tiger has a few features that helped Cervantes accomplish this record. The bike not only needs to be able to run for 24 straight hours without taking too many breaks, it also has to be able to keep the rider comfortable enough for riding for 24 hours. The 8.93-gallon fuel tank helped keep fuel breaks down (Cervantes stopped to refuel every 17-18 laps on the 7.8-mile long track). The windshield, heated grips and seat, and LED lights for nighttime riding helped keep Cervantes in the saddle for long stretches of time, and they were especially helpful when night fell and rain started. Throughout the attempt, the only service the bike received other than refueling was a planned tire change hallway through.

Nightfall brought its own set of challenges.

“For sure, the hardest part was the weather, because it started to rain,” said Cervantes, “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!”

Cervantes didn’t sleep at all during the 24-hour attempt.

In order to beat the record, Cervantes rode at speeds of over 124 mph with an average speed o 104 mph over the 24 hours. He beat the record with 5 hours to spare, but instead of getting some much-needed rest, he kept going to add 376.6 miles onto the record.

For a look at what the attempt was like, check out the 18-minute documentary below.

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