A man in Sweden broke the Guinness World Record by riding a motorcycle in a unique way, balancing on the back wheel while lifting the front wheel in the air at a speed exceeding 200 kilometers per hour. This astonishing feat was achieved by Magnus Carlsson, a 51-year-old Swedish stuntman.
According to a report on the Guinness World Records website on January 13, in June 2023, Carlsson challenged the record for the fastest speed with the front wheel of a motorcycle off the ground at Skövde Airport in Sweden. He successfully broke the record by reaching a top speed of 202.67 kilometers per hour, surpassing the previous record of 175.785 kilometers per hour set in 2020.
Front wheel lift is Carlsson’s favorite stunt and one of the most captivating tricks in his career as a stunt rider. He first attempted this stunt in 1992 and three years later, he challenged the Guinness World Record at Skövde Airport. After 28 years, he revisited the same airport to challenge the record again, achieving success on his first attempt.
In addition to riding with the front wheel off the ground, Carlsson also enjoys riding a motorcycle with a backward straddle. He covered a distance of 306 kilometers using this method, surpassing the previous record of 202 kilometers set in 2014.
Carlsson mentioned his initial goal was to ride 250 kilometers in reverse, but his personal target was at least 300 kilometers. After completing the challenge, he described feeling completely disoriented when turning around to face forward and had difficulty supporting his legs when dismounting the motorcycle.
The decision to attempt breaking the record stemmed from Carlsson’s desire to test his endurance and resilience. Throughout the long-term planning process for the record attempt, he encountered various challenges and considerations such as motorcycle selection, fuel consumption, maintaining balance, and most importantly, documenting the attempt correctly for official certification.