Swiss endurance rider sets new round-the-world record

A motorcyclist from Switzerland has set the new record for riding around the world, with a mark of 72 riding days and 13 hours (119 days and 21 hours if you count transfer times, etc.).

Urs “Grizzly” Pedraita accomplished the feat on a Victory Cross Country, just barely squeaking under the previous 120-day, two-hour record (including transfers, etc.).

Pedraita (better known as Grizzly) left Daytona Beach on March 12, and headed south, reaching the bottom of Argentina about 17 days later.

From there, he headed to Australia, riding across the country in under six days. His next stop was Cape Town, South Africa, where he headed towards Cairo, arriving in just minutes under 14 days.

A ferry took Grizzly to Gibraltar, and he rode from there to Norway, then across Russia, then South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia, flying from there to Alaska. A ride south took him into Canada, where he crossed the prairies and Ontario, then zig-zagged back west, then back to Daytona, where it all started.

You can find out more about Grizzly’s feat here. He had no support team following him on his journey, and his bike’s suspension, chassis, and motor were basically stock. His trip was timed by GPS; scrutineers stopped the clock when he was on board boats or airplanes ferrying between continents, but otherwise, it ran straight through, whether he was eating, sleeping, or riding.