British motorcycle rider, racer and adventurer, Vanessa Ruck, 36, is pushing herself to new limits with the 1000 DUNAS RAID in Spain.
Taking place this weekend (22nd – 29th October 2022) between Granada, Spain and Morocco, Vanessa – also known as ‘The Girl on a Bike’ – is set to take on the challenge on a Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro motorcycle.
The 1,200km cross-country rally raid will take several days to complete and involves travelling across unpredictable terrain, with loose rocks, ruts, riverbeds, and sand dunes to masterfully navigate. A roadbook is provided to traverse the route, putting navigational know-how to the ultimate test, while a wrong turn could land the rider in serious trouble. Mechanical and riding skills are critical to finishing the epic challenge.
Vanessa found her love for motorbikes seven years ago while recovering from a cycling accident. After a lengthy recovery involving multiple surgeries, she found a new way to quench her thirst for adventure with motorcycling, and never looked back. Having no previous rally experience, Vanessa became the first woman to have ever competed in the Tunisia Desert Challenge and has competed in numerous rallies since, including the notorious Red Bull Romaniacs, Qatar Baja and Rallye du Maroc. She has since made it her mission to break barriers and expectations, whether through upskilling her knowledge of motorcycle mechanics or mastering unforgiving terrain. If she completes the 1000 DUNAS challenge Vanessa will be the first female competitor riding a standard adventure bike.
Ms. Ruck commented, “THE 1000 DUNAS RAID is a momentous challenge, not simply due to the terrain, which is physically enduring, but also the mental strain it takes to navigate the route. I’ve chosen the Tiger 900 Rally Pro as it is the ideal companion for me to step up the challenge and push the limits of what both motorbikes and I can do.”
With it’s generous ground clearance, excellent power to weight ration, dedicated high specification Showa suspension set up, sump guard and engine protection, rally offroad pro mode which disables ABS and traction control, and lightweight Brembo Stylema brakes, the Tiger 900 is as comfortable off road as it is on. Which is fortunate as Vanessa will ride the motorcycle from home in Wales to Granada, an epic 1,200-mile trip, before even starting the 1000 DUNAS RAID.
Before starting, Vanessa will spend some time at the Triumph Adventure Experience in Spain making minor adjustments to the stock Tiger 900 to ensure its versatility and reliability throughout the rally, including dialling in the suspension and fitting off road focused tyres as well as removing weight for speed and making deep sand recovery easier. She’ll be bringing essential equipment and spares such as oil filters, tyres, and brake fluid, preparing her for various potential outcomes, while her bed for the night will be a simple bivouac tent.
For more information on the 1000 DUNAS RAID, please visit https://1000dunas.com/en/
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