Bikers' ride through 50 countries could break Guiness world record

Tony Hurworth and Trevor Atkinson, from Willington, aim to ride through 50 countries in 20 days, which would be a Guinness world record, if ratified.

Starting in Scotland next summer, the journey will take them through nearly every European country, from as far east as Georgia and finishing in Portugal.

They will pass through both the world’s smallest and largest countries- the Vatican City and Russia – on the 12,000 mile trip.

Trevor Atkinson and Tony Hurworth and their route through Europe

The experienced bikers have taken on several previous adventures, including the Magnificent Seven in 2010 when they set off at 7.07am on the seventh day of the seventh month to travel through 14 countries in seven days.

Mr Atkinson said: “You get to see so much scenery and the roads we travel on are practically empty. The people we meet are always entertaining as well.”

With a trip so big there are several uncertainties including how Brexit will affect European travel and how fast they can get through borders.

“Borders slow us down a lot, with previous trips in Ukraine taking a total of six hours to cross the border. We can cover great distances on the Autobahns and highways but not so much on the bumpy country roads – avoiding cities always helps.”

Last time their sat navs took them on wild roads, so this time they will mainly rely on maps and compasses.

“The sat nav once got us lost in Paris due to the weak signal and we ended up getting escorted out of the city,” said Mr Atkinson.

Everything must be planned, from the weight of their bikes, the routes they take and the time they spend on the road.

“It’s an intense couple of weeks and is not a pleasure trip,” said Mr Atkinson. “We can’t relax when we have a record to break.”

These trips are not without hazards from the bumpy roads of eastern Europe, to border disputes in Azerbaijan and serious heat in Turkey.

On a previous trip, friend Steve Armstrong came off his bike. He suffered a serious shoulder injury, which has put him out of action for a long time and he is devastated at having to sit this one out.

The pair will collect sponsorship money for Macmillan Cancer, a charity which they have a personal connection to. Mr Atkinson lost his wife to cancer in 2004 and Macmillan was very supportive.

Fundraising starts in the New Year but early donations towards costs are welcome. For more details, visit the Burn Bear Bikers Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/2299005520332805/