Over a 13 hour period, Masaru Abe set a record for the world’s longest wheelie on a Yamaha Jog scooter – 312.83 miles! The previous record was also by a Japanese rider (Yasuyuki Kudo), who wheelied for 206.89 miles over a 8 hour, 18 minute, and 43 second timeframe back in 1991.
Apparently Abe started feeling back pain just two hours in, but he dealt with it in hopes of topping 600km (375 miles). In his words, “I thought if I was going to try and break the record, then I would have to post unattainable numbers that would leave people totally speechless.” 12 hours in, he was screaming in pain and yelling out that he wanted to stop. An hour later he had to call it quits, saying “That was the most pain I’ve ever felt. Both of my arms were numb from the pain and I had lost feeling in them. My vision was blurred… I was only partially conscious. I was completely dehydrated. I’d never experienced that before.”
Red Bull sponsored the event (they also sponsored Dougie Lampkin’s Isle of Man lap wheelie), so we can hopefully expect video of this attempt coming up soon. Until then, enjoy the news and this little teaser from the Guardian. I can’t tell if the end shows how Abe refueled his bike or if it’s just some sort of trophy…
Photos from Red Bull.