Sam Sunderland’s attempt to become the fastest motorcycle rider to circumnavigate the globe has ended in Australia after his Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer sustained damage in the outback. The resulting technical problem required repairs and a thorough test of the motorcycle before it could return to the road, but that work would have taken too much time for the record attempt to remain achievable.

The British rider had recently completed the second leg, travelling from Bangkok, Thailand, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. That section covered 948 miles in 15 hours and 33 minutes. Before the project was halted, Sunderland had ridden 3,304 miles in two days, seven hours and seven minutes, with rest time included. He is a two-time Dakar Rally winner and a Red Bull athlete.

Sunderland announced that the attempt was over, describing the outcome as deeply disappointing and making clear that ending the project had not been an easy decision. The damage itself led to a technical issue that needed repair, while properly checking the motorcycle afterwards was also essential before riding on. Together, those requirements left insufficient time to continue within the record schedule.

Despite the result, Sunderland said he was proud of the distances covered, the places reached and the adventure of the previous few weeks. He thanked his crew, partners and everyone who had helped organise the attempt, followed the journey and sent messages of support. The project did not reach its intended conclusion, and Sunderland said it was time to head home.