BIKING UP TO 6275 M : A
BIKING UP TO 6275 M : A WORLD RECORD CHALLENGE THE LIMITS UP AND AWAY: PUSHING THE LIMITS MOTOREX MAGAZINE 15 Text: Brad Graham, photos: MCS The aim: to beat the world altitude record for motorbikes. In the saddle: three of Switzerland’s top enduro specialists. Among them is the current world record-holder for high altitudes, Jiri Zak. Who will accomplish this herculean task? A grueling challenge for man and machine on the world's tallest volcano, Chile's Ojos del Salado (6893 m). Finally! Chile reopened its borders in November 2021, giving Jiri Zak, the reigning motorcycle altitude world champion, a chance to better his own world record of 6546 m on Ojos. When it comes to enduro, just one ride through the Atacama Desert is never enough. No wonder this Andean volcano is a favorite location for world altitude record attempts for top manufacturers in a wide range of vehicle categories. But Jiri's endeavor was cut short by heavy snow, razor-sharp penitentes and temperatures down to –36 °C on the dormant stratovolcano. Reaching 6556 m, he succeeded in bettering his old record by a mere ten meters. But he's not satisfied yet!
