Gordon Stuart will be heading on his latest endurance ride as he attempts to ride his V-Strom 650XT to Arctic Finland, all to raise money for the National Autistic Society. Setting off on the 25th May, he will be attempting the 4,000 mile ride to reach the top of Finland in just ten days via the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and the length of Finland, to cross The Arctic Circle.
Gordon began his fundraising journey in 2011, with a ride to the Arctic Circle that unfortunately ended when a crash forced him to abandon the challenge earlier than planned. Since then, Gordon has raised over £20,000 for various charities via a host of charity motorcycle challenges; riding solo to Nordkapp in 2014, the ‘Iron Butt’ challenge in 2016, riding from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 18 hours, riding through Arctic Iceland in 2018, and enduring the Dalton Highway in Arctic Alaska in 2022.
He said: “The National Autistic Society is an important organisation for me after both my daughter and son were diagnosed as autistic in the last few years. It’s been really tough for my wife and I adjusting our life to support two autistic children with different needs, and we wanted to give back to the National Autistic Society so that they can help support other families like ours. In terms of mileage per day, this ride is going to be the hardest challenge that I’ve faced so far, but it will be worth it if I can raise money and awareness for this brilliant charity.”
Gordon will ride his trusty V-Strom 650XT during the trip due to its versatility and comfort. Gordon shared “The V-Strom is the ultimate do it all bike. I’ll be taking on long stretches of motorway and autobahn, Scandinavian highways, as well as some dirt roads en route to the Arctic, and the 650XT has the perfect balance to tackle them all. I’ve been lucky enough to ride the V-Strom through the Scottish Highlands and on dirt roads in Iceland and it is always up for the challenge”.
To donate to the National Autistic Society click here.