EARLY BEGINNINGS
The Cannonball story originated with renegade motorcycle endurance racer Erwin “Cannon Ball” Baker who raced trains on his bike across the United States of America. In 1908.
Later, Baker decided he would attempt to break the US transcontinental record. After a record-setting coast-to-coast ride in 1914, he earned his nickname “Cannon Ball” from a New York newspaper writer who compared him to the “Cannonball Express” train made famous by Casey Jones.
An addiction set in and in all, he completed an incredible 143 cross-country motorcycle speed runs totalling 800,000 km. Setting record after record, he would offer to endurance test the best manufacturer’s latest motorcycles with a simple guarantee of “no record, no money”.
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THE MIDDLE YEARS
Inspired by the moto legend, the American journalist Brock Yates then organised the underground coast-to-coast car races in the 70’s that went on to spark the celebrity-filled Cannonball Run Hollywood comedy movies that followed.
But this has always been a motorcycle story.
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THE REVIVAL
So, in 2005, Cannonball Bike Run (CBR) made history with the world’s first mass motorcycle transcontinental challenge.
It’s fair to say that those early days were a bit (cough) ‘racy’ but in the subsequent runnings of the event, CBR has matured into a far more relaxed experience that puts less emphasis on speed and more on seeking out the finest riding roads, enjoying the very best of company and using motorcycles the way they were supposed to be enjoyed.
In the 19 events so far, CBR has visited virtually every country in mainland Europe reaching from the most Westerly point of Europe, to Romania in the East and even venturing into Africa as far South as the Sahara desert.
Together, ‘Ballers have ridden a combined distance equivalent to circumnavigating the Earth over 52 times!
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PRESENT DAY
Over the years CBR has been the subject of numerous press features and even full length documentary films keen to try and capture the unique Spirit of Cannonball – a magical formula impossible to define or recreate.
Of course, it’s not just about the thrill of the ride – it’s about the legendary characters you’ll meet, the memories you’ll make and the crazy shenanigans that will still have you laughing for years to come.
Our special 20th Anniversary event in 2024 will see us ‘adventurize’ Asia for the first time. A modern-day adventure and an intense, unforgettable week spent in a fabulously rarified world.
Why not join us and, just maybe, make your own mark in history?
THE FUTURE
The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.
