It's a first: Australian Josh Sheehan pulled off one of the most dangerous tricks on two wheels, performing a triple backflip on a motocross bike.
To flip his 200-pound bike three times, Sheehan had to get up to 60 miles per hour before shooting up a 37-foot-tall takeoff ramp. The takeoff ramp, set at an 81-degree angle, shot Sheehan almost 80 feet in the air.
VIDEO: First BMX Triple Backflip Explained
Check out the record-breaking jump:
"Words can not describe how stoked I am with landing the triple flip! It still amazes me that we were jumping a ramp that steep and high in the first place. Thank you everyone for your support!" Sheehan wrote on his Facebook page.
The jump took place at Travis Pastrana's "Pastranaland" complex in Frostburg, Maryland. Pastrana, who was the first to land a double blackflip on a motorcycle, founded Nitro Circus, a travelling daredevil show.
Milan Motorcycle Show Celebrates 100 Years of History
From Nitro Circus' website: "In a world where authenticity is rare, Nitro Circus is the only action sports entertainment company that delivers the biggest and best, mind blowing cross platform entertainment for daredevils and risk taking wannabes in the spirit of fun, friendship and camaraderie."
Hat tip: All Top
Blue sky backlights Josh Sheehan as he performs the first-ever triple back flip on a motocross bike.
Milan is famous for its fashion scene, of course, but one of the city's biggest annual exhibitions actually goes in another direction entirely.
-- a.k.a. the Milan Motorcycle Show -- celebrated 100 years of history last week with a four-day parade of restored antiques, crazy prototypes and the very latest in high-tech two-wheeled engineering. Among the highlights of this year's show -- the new Kawasaki Ninja H2, pictured above, which is being hyped as the fastest-accelerating production motorcycle ever.
The H2 has a 200-horsepower engine -- throttled down a bit from its 300-horsepower racetrack brother, the H2R. It's also one of the few Kawasaki motorcycles to carry the Ninja designation. The supercharged streetbike will only be available in select markets, and is likely not even street legal in most jurisdictions. Seriously.
It's a tradition for companies to roll out their newest prototypes at the Milan show. Here, Italian manufacturer Moto Guzzi takes a new approach to the classic cruiser-style bike with the MGX-21 prototype. The black carbon fiber frame is matched by a 21-inch carbon fiber disc wheel up front.
Along with Moto Guzzi, the Italian company Benelli is one of the oldest motorcycle manufacturers in Europe -- it was founded in 1911. In honor of its centenary, this year's EICMA show features an extensive history pavilion with antique models like this 1935 Benelli Monalbero.
The EICMA show is mostly about motorcycles these days, but technically speaking it's a celebration of all modes of two-wheel transportation, including mopeds, scooters and even bicycles. And Italy has a looong history with bicycles. This replica is based on a sketch by a pupil of Leonardo da Vinci circa 1493. Maybe. The authenticity of the sketch is
.
Of course, no discussion of Italian two-wheeled vehicles would be complete without the immortal Vespa scooter. Above is an image of the 1944 MP5 "Paperino" prototype, developed immediately after the end of World War II. Legend holds that company honcho Enrico Piaggio thought the design looked like a wasp, and thus was born the Vespa name. ("Paperino," by the way, was the nickname used by engineers -- it means "Donald Duck.")
Back to the high tech: Industry heavyweight Ducati unveiled its new Panigale 1299 superbike, upping the raw speed ante to 205 horsepower. The Paningale is one of many high-end bikes using the
Bosch ABS anti-lock braking system
, specifically designed for those extreme-angle cornering maneuvers.
Meanwhile, over in the electric motorcycle pavilion, manufacturers displayed the latest-and-fastest in eco-friendly, high-performance battery-powered bikes. Energica unveiled its new Eva, which joins the Ego line of electric motorcycles, pictured above. Maximum speed on the Ego is about 150 mph, but throttle down to a leisurely 50 mph and you can go 90 miles on a single battery charge.
From the featherweight division, Swedish manufacturer Husqvarna introduced two new prototype bikes -- the Svartpilen ("Black Arrow") and the Vitpilen ("White Arrow"), pictured above. Weighing in at just under 300 pounds, the Vitpilen sports a single-cylinder engine and a circular LED headlamp.
For pure eye-candy binging, you want to wander through EICMA's custom pavilion, where exhibitors display their most elaborately tricked-out, customized rides. Harley riders should appreciate the intricate detailing above, but you can check out the entire eye-popping array at EICMA's
.