The world-renowned Cannonball Bike Run will be making its debut in Asia this summer as the legendary motorcycle road rally celebrates its 20th anniversary. The eight-day, 3,300km ‘InvAsia’ event is an action-packed trip that blends a bike rally and motorcycle tour with the adventure of a lifetime. For 2024, the rally has a radical new route which will see dozens of riders start at Brno circuit, Czech Republic, venture through Eastern Europe and Transylvania, before heading into Turkey within the realm of the ancient Ottoman Empire.
The legacy of the Cannonball story dates back over a century with a maverick motorcycle racer, Erwin ‘Cannon Ball’ Baker who raced trains across the United States and logged over 800,000 km in high speed coast-to-coast bike runs. His story inspired the underground car races and Hollywood movies of the same name.
Revived in 2005, and often mistaken as a race, the Cannonball Bike Run couldn’t be further from that. There is no timing or prizes for arriving first. Instead, the culture is about having maximum fun and creating lifelong memories with like-minded riders from all around the world. The route for each day is meticulously planned and pre-ridden by the experienced team. Motorways are avoided as Cannonballers discover some of best kept secret roads in the world, taking in everything from fast, back-country sweepers and high mountain passes to cooling coastal roads over the course of the 8-day adventure.
While still a bonkers experience for any bike fan, the Cannonball Bike Run has evolved continuously over the last two decades, and the 20th-anniversary run is set to be the best yet. Things get underway on Friday, 28th June, with an optional track session on the iconic Brno MotoGP circuit before a pre-party in the city centre officially kick-starts the event.
The organisers take the headaches out of long-distance riding with luggage transfers to each hotel in advance, support vehicles out on the stages and professional photographers in chase-cars to capture the riders in action for posterity. There is even a transportation service to ship the bikes back, allowing riders to fly directly home after the event has completed.
The road riding will start on Saturday, the 29th, but to maintain an element of surprise, the daily activities and destinations will only be announced to riders each morning, with the secret route provided both digitally and via a traditional ‘rally-style’ route book. Friday, 5th July, will see ‘Ballers ride into Istanbul before a bonus eighth stage on Saturday, when the group ride onto Sunny Beach, Bulgaria for an epic 5-star closing party!
“This is our 20th anniversary event and so, like our catchphrase, we are pulling out all the stops to ensure that it will indeed ‘Be Legendary’ said Steve Mason, Founder of the Cannonball Bike Run (CBR), “There’s a lot of misconceptions about CBR, we’re not a crazy group of bikers racing each other to the next destination. We’re all about relentlessly searching out the most epic riding roads, savouring the raw thrill of motorcycling far away from tourist traffic, and creating an unrepeatable shared experience with the most legendary group of people.
Of course, no one wants their adventure ending early and so we are big on rider safety with a multi-faceted approach including a buddy system, live rider tracking, on-stage support vehicles and strict entry requirements including mandatory full rider safety gear. With the additional benefits that come from riding unencumbered by luggage, at your own pace, and on the same route as a large group who all look out for each other, we are confident that CBR is significantly safer than solo motorcycle touring abroad.
Whilst safety is paramount, our primary mission is for all ‘Ballers to have the best week of their lives, so we spend an inordinate amount of time hand-selecting the best riding routes, discovering charismatic destinations and sourcing excellent local dining – all whilst incorporating spectacular places of interest and activities along the way.
If a predictable, vanilla tour itinerary is what you want, then Cannonball Bike Run is not for you. This is a journey in every sense of the word. One night of 5-star luxury & fine dining may well be followed by rustic log cabins and a lakeside BBQ under the stars the next.
Each day’s stage typically ranges 350-450km of back-road and mountain riding, so it’s not for the inexperienced, but we’ve handpicked luxury hotels for each night so riders can unwind and enjoy quality relaxation time in comfort as they prepare for the next day’s challenge. With our team on hand to take care of everything, there is really nothing required other than to arrive, ride and enjoy.
Over the years, we’ve worked really hard to carefully nurture the Cannonball community, the fact that over 80% of ‘Ballers return again and again speaks volumes. In fact, two of our most legendary riders are currently tied on 14 Cannonballs completed each! Whilst the journey and the destinations may be amazing, it’s the incredible, warm and welcoming people that we’ve brought together that we are most proud of. The Cannonball ‘family’ is bonded by a relatively short amount of time, spent in a fabulously rarefied world, where the experiences shared go way beyond mere dreams.
Being the 20th year, the 2024 ‘InvAsia’ event will be our most ambitious. Not only will this be the first time that we venture into Asia, but being our longest route ever, we’re also providing a bonus eighth day completely free of charge. While we’re keeping the exact routes secret, we can reveal that one stage will see us take on an incredible sequence of roads culminating in the greatest road in the world, the 92km Transfagarasan Pass in Romania.
As always, Cannonball Bike Run 2024 will be equal parts adventure, challenge, luxury, and fun. The plan is locked in, and expectations are high. But it’s only when we hear the words ‘the best 8 days of my life’, that we know our job is done.”
Cannonball Bike Run is the ultimate two-wheel adventure and riders interested in taking part in the 20th anniversary edition can apply today via the official website, www.cannonballism.com