We’re well used to Nick Sanders and his intrepid, record-setting motorbike trips by now, but his latest escapade used minimal horsepower: rather than a Yamaha R1 or Ténéré 700, the fearless British adventurer circled the world on a Yamaha Wabash RT e-bike.
The endeavour is actually a return to his Sanders’ roots – his first circumnavigation of the planet back in 1981 used pedal power, setting a record for fastest round-the-world attempt on a bicycle. He did another pedal-powered trip around the world in 1984, completing 22,000km in just 79 days. Forty years later, aged 65, Sanders covered 20,000 miles in eight months on a bog-standard 500Wh battery-powered hybrid human/electric two-wheeler.
Another globe-trotting record for Nick SandersTravelling light, with only a cycling jersey, shorts, spare T-shirt and shorts, flip flops and camera gear, Sanders set a daily target of 100 miles for 229 days. His journey began at Yamaha Motor Europe HQ outside Amsterdam, and he cycled through Europe towards Athens, then across to Israel, and finally to Dubai for a 35-day ride across the Middle East.
Next was a 40-day leg across India, followed by an incredible climb up through Nepal and the Himalayas to reach an altitude of 16,000ft. After navigating his way down through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia, Sanders started an almost 3000-mile leg across Australia, kicking off in Darwin and ending in Sydney. With no time to rest, he headed to the United States, where he rode from Los Angeles across the entire US to eventually arrive in New York, before heading back to Europe and Amsterdam, where it all started.
The Wabash RT is Yamaha’s first gravel e-bike, and it is fitted with a 70Nm PWSeries-ST drive unit powered by a 500Wh battery.
Nick Sanders said, “The first time I ever rode around the world it was with pedal power, so it is nice to have come full circle over the last 40 years. I have worked with Yamaha for a long time, so when they brought out their range of e-bikes and we discussed the opportunity of taking on a Round the World challenge on the Wabash RT, I was very excited!”