Series motorcycles and conventional tires faced an extreme challenge. A team representing the METZELER brand and BMW Motorrad, with a fleet of BMW R 1300 GS equipped with Metzeler Karoo 4 tires, reached and surpassed 6000 meters above sea level, starting from sea level, in less than 24 hours. A very difficult ascent for the riders, motorcycles, and tires, culminating in the famous northern slope of Nevado Ojos del Salado, where the expedition reached 6006 meters in just 19 hours and 22 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 6027 meters.
The expedition consisted of an adaptation route climbing the Circuito de los Seis Miles, on the slopes of Nevado Ojos del Salado, located exactly on the border between Argentina and Chile. With 6891 meters, it is the highest active volcano in the world, and its twin, Nevado de Incahuasi, is 6610 meters high. The BMW R 1300 GS equipped with Metzeler Karoo 4 tires then descended to sea level, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, in Bahia Inglesa. They departed at 3:00 p.m. local time on December 6, crossing the Atacama Desert to reach Nevado Ojos Del Salado, successfully surpassing 6000 meters above sea level in less than 24 hours. The goal was achieved at 10:22 a.m. on December 7.
The riders aboard BMW R 1300 GS fully equipped with Metzeler tires were Salvatore Pennisi, Metzeler’s Director of Testing and Technical Relations, Christof Lischka, BMW Motorrad’s Director of Development, Michele Pradelli, Italian champion of extreme enduro and test rider for the Italian magazine InMoto, and Karsten Schwers, test rider and journalist for the German magazine Motorrad.
Salvatore Pennisi, Metzeler’s Director of Testing and Technical Relations, stated: “This expedition allowed us to confirm the strong relationship between Metzeler and BMW Motorrad but, above all, demonstrate the value of two production products that anyone can purchase and use even in the most difficult conditions. The climb to 6000 meters was extremely tough, especially for our team, who had to undergo demanding physical preparation before getting on the bikes. So, before even expressing our joy for the effectiveness of our tires, we must congratulate the riders.”
