Watch A Lunatic Wheelie His Bike To A 209 Mph World Record
Gary Rothwell is a proper lunatic. He was once towed behind his own motorbike at 156 mph wearing a pair of titanium-soled boots. This resulted in a world record that still stands today, largely because no one has been foolish enough to attempt to beat it. And yet, his most recent trick is perhaps even crazier.
On Sept. 20, the mad Brit hailing from Liverpool used his 540 horsepower turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa to break the world record for the fastest wheelie, managing 209.8 mph over one kilometer (0.62 miles) on just his rear tire.
The event took place at “Straightliners,” an event held at an airfield in York, England. Earlier this summer, Rothwell won the wheelie world championships at one of its races, recording a speed of 197 mph. But it was a fraction shy of the world record, hence the Liverpudlian’s return to give it another shot, this time smashing his goal of cresting 200 mph on one wheel.
Never satisfied, Rothwell’s final run of the day saw him attempt 210 mph, but a sudden gust of wind resulted in a giant tank-slapper, something Rothwell later described as a “poo in the pants moment.”
During his wheelies — that must last for at least one kilometer to be eligible for a record — Rothwell holds the front wheel around a foot off the ground. An inch higher and the wind would catch under the bike and turn it into a somersaulting rocket; a delicate line Rothwell manages with incredible poise and balance.
Straightliners wasn’t just about Rothwell’s incredible achievement: Gizmodo reports that the record for the “world’s fastest motorized shed” was set at 88 mph, and a jet-powered shopping cart hit 61 mph. Then there was Andy Slade, a man with just one arm, who used his brute strength and willpower to keep his bike upright at more than 175 mph.
Yes, the city of York is more than just an idyllic English area known for its thatched-roofed cottages, tasty pastries, sheep, and an ever present stench of cow manure. It’s also home to one of the craziest events on earth.
