A team of four BMW R1300GS riders have completed a challenging climb after conquering the Nevado Ojos del Salado Volcano, located between the border of Argentina and Chile. At 22,615 feet (6,893 meters), it is the highest volcano above sea level in the world. A climb that was made even tougher by adding the challenge of reaching the extreme height on their 523 pound machines in less than 24 hours and in extremely low oxygen conditions.

The team set off on December 6th at 3:00 pm local time from sea level on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, followed by the ascent through the Atacama Desert to the Circuito de los Seis Miles. Equipped with Metzeler Karoo 4 tires, the R1300GS bikes finally reached their destination on December 7th at 10:22 am local time culminating in the notorious “Rock Channel” on the northern flank of the Nevado Ojos del Salado, where the expedition climbed to 19,705 feet (6,006 meters) in just 19 hours and 22 minutes to reach a maximum altitude of 19,774 feet (6,027 meters). 

The rugged climb to Nevado Ojos del Salado is a challenging ride for both man and machine, especially when completed in less than 24 hours. Above 5,000 meters the environment starts to become inhospitable to humans due in part to the extremely low oxygen levels. Temperatures drop too, at around -10 °C during the day and -20 °C at night, lowering even more near the summit.

The team says their goal was not to chase a world record but to test the resilience of the new model in extreme environments. At over 5,000 meters above sea level, the cold and low air pressure place particularly high demands on the electronic control of the air-fuel mixture of the Boxer engine, but also on all other vehicle components of the new BMW R1300GS. The chassis and tires are also put to the test by the varied terrain with rocky tracks, unpaved roads, endless sandy areas and sometimes even ice and snow. 

Long-term preparation and prior acclimatization to the region were essential for this journey. In the days leading up to the expedition, several base camps were set up at different altitudes and a simulation was carried out on Mount Etna in Sicily, the highest active volcano in Europe. Specific medical tests and checks at the University of Enna, in cooperation with the health authorities of the province of Enna, were also part of the preparation of the expedition.

This is not the first expedition to climb the mighty Nevado Ojos del Salado volcano on a big adventure bike though. In 2017 a team of riders on Africa Twins reached 19,357 feet (5,900 meters) after starting from sea level, in just 22 hours and 30 minutes.

Riding the recently released BMW R1300GS with no modifications were Christof Lischka, BMW Motorrad Development Manager, Salvatore Pennisi, Metzeler Test and Technical Director, Michele Pradelli, Italian Extreme Enduro Champion and tester for Italian magazine InMoto, and Karsten Schwers, tester and journalist for German magazine Motorrad.