Seth Enslow and his specially prepared H-D XR1200,
which he rode to a record jump of 183.7 feet
Freestyle motocrosser Seth Enslow broke the existing record of 157 feet for a successful long distance jump aboard a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, sailing 175 feet through the air on a specially prepared 2010 XR1200. And he did it twice!
Enslow made the jump Monday aboard a modified Harley-Davidson XR1200 in Sydney, Australi. The jump was broadcast live from Australia via http://www.harleyworldrecordjump.com
Enslow was supposed to make his jump at 9:30am Australia on Tuesday, but hit the ramp 45 minutes early at 8:45am. He cleared 175 feet on the first jump, but because so few media had arrived he opted to repeat the stunt. This time, he gave himself an extra 8.7-foot lead, resulting in a new record jump of 183.7 feet, breaking the record 11-year record by more than 25 feet. That record was once held by the legendary Evel Knievel. “To many, Evel Knievel was the original extreme athlete – long before there were extreme sports,” said Mark-Hans Richer, Harley-Davidson Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer. “This latest generation of riders still revere Knievel – even as they attempt to smash his records.” The world record was first benchmarked by Evel Knievel in 1975 and recently set by Bubba Blackwell in 1999.
Like every other manufacturer, H-D is struggling to prop up sales. They put a lot of their promotional and marketing muscle behind Enslow, hoping a spectacle like his jump will help boost interest in Harley at a time when sales are lagging. Using the XR1200 for the jump was a no-brainer. It looks the part, and as modified and ridden by Enslow, it’s the bike to beat. If you’re into sailing through the air, that is. – Richard Backus
Watch Enslow’s record-breaking jump by clicking on the video below: