Aiming for a Record-24 Hours on a Quad Bike

Quad bikes are usually associated with two purposes: handling light and heavy farm work, or competing in various races — from the local forests and fields to the deserts of the world. However, these machines have far more potential, and one of them is travel. Antanas Kanopkinas, who has completed the Dakar Rally on a quad and stood on the third step of the World Championship podium, now has a new goal: to set a record for the longest distance covered on a quad bike in 24 hours. He plans to do this challenge during the upcoming weekend at a motorcycle festival in Estonia.

“Last year, a company in Canada claimed they rode a CFMOTO quad for 24 hours and covered 790 kilometers — and that result was officially registered. I thought to myself, that’s a distance we’d cover in a single day during Dakar. So, if we’re talking about a 24-hour effort, I believe we can break into the four-digit range,” said Kanopkinas. After some research, he found that someone had indeed registered a little over 1000 km covered within 24 hours on a quad.

“My first goal is to see if I can physically endure such a distance and stay focused the entire time. The second is to test the machine — the engine won’t be turned off for 24 hours, except for fuel stops. And of course, my minimum plan is to cross the 1000-kilometer mark — but ideally, I want to hit 1200 km,” explained the CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team athlete.

He will attempt the record with a completely stock CFMOTO 850 G3 — brand new, straight from the crate. Kanopkinas says this will serve as yet another demonstration of the manufacturer’s reliability, as no modifications will be made to the quad.

Open for Public Viewing

Kanopkinas will begin his attempt this weekend in Estonia during the CFMOTO Day Baltic 2025 event at Kadrina Manor. The route will consist of a 6-kilometer loop made mostly of varied off-road surfaces.

“A few hundred meters of each lap will be on asphalt — to pass through the festival area. We tried to avoid that, but it was unavoidable. Still, the main goal is to complete as much of the record distance as possible on any surface other than asphalt,” he added.

To manage fatigue, Kanopkinas has a strategy in place, including a carefully chosen start time:

“I’ll begin at 4 PM on Saturday — while it’s still bright and calm, I’ll try to collect ‘easy’ kilometers by riding fast. The night will be the hardest part. During that time, I’ll hydrate heavily to stay alert.”

Approaching the challenge with professionalism, Kanopkinas is prepared for potential setbacks. His safety is insured by Perlas Insurance. According to him, the hardest moment will come at sunrise:

“After around 14 hours of riding, the body will be at its limit, but that’s when people will start to gather — the festival crew, spectators. That support will be hugely motivating.”

He’s not afraid of the monotony, either — Dakar and other rally raid events have taught him to cope with repetitive riding.

The attempt will be monitored by Lithuanian-based race timing company Raceadmin.eu, which will track speed, distance, and time.

Everyone is invited to witness this endurance challenge and take part in the CFMOTO Day Baltic 2025 motorcycle and ATV festival on Sunday in Kadrina, Estonia — set in a stunning natural setting.