The 21st of June, or the summer solstice, is known by many as the longest day of the year. Even though it’s only 24 hours. Just like every other day. But a minor detail like that didn’t put Valerio Boni off in the slightest. He rode his MV Agusta Turismo Veloce Lusso SCS over 2,000km, visiting 11 countries. And all in the space of 24 hours, to set a new World Record.
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and Italy. Those were the 11 countries Valerio visited, setting a new World Record in the process.
Exactly what world record is that, I hear you ask? Well it’s the most countries visited in 24 hours on a motorcycle. It’s unclear from MV Agusta’s press release and indeed the Guinness World Record website, what he had to beat… but again, those are minor details.
Epic
Boni’s epic journey which he’s named the TVEE (Turismo Veloce Europe Endurance) started off in Malmo in Sweden and finished at the MV Agusta headquarters in Schiranna, Italy. His ride officially started at 5:38pm (which seems a bit bizarre) and ended 2,003km and 24hours later at MV HQ.
To succeed, he had to maintain an average speed of 83.5km/h (51.9mph). Not always easy when you’ve got roadworks, traffic and speed limits to contend with. But he did it, and he had this to say about the whole thing…
“Everything went according to plan, or almost. We reached our objective also thanks to the Turismo Veloce, which proved to be extremely reliable and comfortable, two qualities that certainly were key in this situation. The comfortable saddle, the good protection provided by the windshield, the absence of vibrations and the cruise control function are the most important elements that helped me ride the Turismo Veloce for 2,003km in 24 hours across 11 countries. It was an unforgettable experience, and a not too tiring one either.”
So it would seem the Turismo Veloce gets the thumbs up from Mr. Boni. But would you set off on a 2,000km trip on one?
Of course, all of this pales into insignificance when compared to our very own Sue Perkins’ effort a few years ago. Along with good friend, Charley Speed, Sue set off from Serbia and smashed through 14 countries in 24 hours. The route was carefully planned, taking into account the close proximity of Eastern European girls countries. But this wasn’t an official world record because (probably) it didn’t have a manufacturer behind the attempt, and speeds were, erm, committed.
Watch the 24hr Trailer here…
