A Gaywood motorcyclist has earned international respect after finishing in the top 10 of one of the toughest off-road races in the world.
Jon Pearson, riding a 200kg Yamaha Tenere 700 Rally, participated in the Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rally.
Pearson was forced to battle through four brutal days of mountainous terrain, unpredictable weather, wild animals, and punishing obstacles to finish ninth in the new “Adventure Ultimate” class.
The infamous event is held in the Carpathian Mountains, Romania – better known to many as the home of Dracula.
Now in its 22nd year, the Red Bull Romaniacs has built a reputation as one of the most gruelling and technically demanding off-road motorcycle events in the world.
Often likened to a more extreme, condensed version of the Dakar Rally, the race draws over 600 riders from more than 50 nations each year.
Though Pearson had previously taken on the challenge over a decade ago on a conventional enduro bike, this year he was tempted back by the chance to do it on a much heavier adventure bike – something most riders would avoid on such terrain.
“There are different classes which each have a tailored level of difficulty,” explained Pearson.
“I’d done it before on an enduro bike, but this was a different kind of challenge. Competing on the Tenere in the Adventure Ultimate class meant pushing myself and the bike to the absolute limit every day.”
And those limits were certainly tested.
Riders navigated through dense forests, steep ascents and descents, rocky riverbeds, and even shared the landscape with bears and wolves.
Each day involved five to six hours of physically exhausting riding, with no let-up at the finish line.
“The organisers usually end each racing day with a man-made obstacle course for the spectators,” Pearson said.
“It’s like the worst possible sting in the tail. Right when you’re exhausted, they throw in a crazy jump, a narrow wooden bridge, or something even more sketchy.”
His lowest point came at the end of day two, where the final obstacle was a pair of giant wooden seesaws.
“When I rode over the first one, the seesaw tipped and my front wheel went straight through the wood,” he recalled. “It took five people to haul the bike out.”
Despite a few bruises and a battered bike, Pearson crossed the final finish line to claim a coveted Red Bull Romaniacs Finisher’s medal and a top 10 placing to go with it.
“It was incredibly hard work, like nothing else I’ve ever done because of the challenge of riding such a big bike on such tough terrain,” he reflected.
“But I’m already thinking about how I can get back there next year.”
