Yamaha Globalrider | Circumnavigate Globe for Medical Research

Yamaha Globalrider

A lot of racing fans know of Telefónica and Movistar because of the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP or more specifically because of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. But this story isn’t about those riders, as much as we all love MotoGP, this is something a little different and it’s being done for a good cause.

The title sponsors of the Yamaha MotoGP team have come together in Jerez to present the Globalrider. The solo ride is one that none of us at Ultimate MotorCycling, perhaps maybe Ron, are brave enough to give a shot. That trip aims to circumnavigate the world in 80 days aboard the first “connected” motorcycle – a Super Tenere XT1200Z. Yamaha has built up the Globalrider with the latest sensory technologies.

But here is the purpose of the ride: to raise funds and awareness for stem cell research and more specifically, tissue regeneration technologies. Piloted by Hugo Scagnetti, who happens to live under the motto of “Moving forward is the only way to return,” things are more than personal for him. Scagnetti developed avascular necrosis, after a serious injury. He received a prognosis that he’d never be able to walk again without the aid of crutches.

Over his 23,000-mile trip on the Telefónica Yamaha Globalrider, he will be transmitting all sorts of telemetric data regarding his medical condition and having it displayed across all forms of social media – in real time. Will the data they collect help researchers? Who knows but his mission isn’t about that specifically. Like many of these ventures, it’s to create an awareness of a situation and change minds, encouraging people to support scientific research for tissue regeneration technologies for children. If you recall, the stem cell debate was quite heated several years ago in the United States despite the proven benefits of treatments.

After 13 months of planning, Scagnetti will kick off his adventure on May 27^th, 2016 from the Telefónica offices in Madrid, Spain. He’s got quite the trip planned, hitting: France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. He will then travel on the republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. There he will embark on an airplane together with his Yamaha to the United States – San Francisco, Seattle, Idaho, and Miami. His journey will end in the United Kingdom before returning to Spain having accomplished his goal.

Telefónica Yamaha Globalrider has already begun bringing people together or more importantly, companies that have the knowhow to get this project rolling. M2M and IoT technologies with the support of Telefónica have developed telemetry, connectivity, monitoring, geolocation, and social networks; multi-screen contents and Movistar+ documentary production, and one of the most advanced bikes in around: the Yamaha Super Ténéré XT1200Z.

When it’s all said and done, Scagnetti will produce a documentary series for Movistar+ which will document his journey but more to the point – show the importance of reaching across boundaries and attempting to get people from all over the world to work together, for something positive. This isn’t for profit; all distribution proceeds of the Telefónica Yamaha Globalrider program will be donated to the research of tissue regeneration and stem cell research.

All of the trip details will be able to be followed online at www.telefonica.yamaha.globalrider.org, which will also include a link where donors wishing to contribute to the raising of funds for research can do so.

Once Scagnetti has completed his journey, Telefónica will send all these donations, plus the benefits resulting from the distribution rights of the documentary that will be produced by Movistar+, to the tissue regeneration with stem cells research team at the Puerta de Hierro Hospital in Madrid.