Most motorcycle wheelies last only a few seconds. In 1991, however, Japanese rider Yasuyuki Kudo took the stunt to an extraordinary level, riding a motorcycle on its rear wheel for 205.7 miles (331 kilometers).

The record-breaking ride took place at the Japan Auto Research Institute, where Kudo kept a 350cc trial motorcycle balanced on its rear wheel for more than three hours.

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Yasuyuki Kudo’s 205.7-Mile Wheelie

Kudo’s achievement was not simply a matter of keeping the motorcycle’s front wheel in the air. Maintaining a wheelie over such a long distance required continuous control of the motorcycle’s throttle, body position and balance.

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Unlike a short wheelie, where a rider can make quick corrections and stop after a few seconds, a ride lasting hundreds of miles leaves virtually no room for error. Kudo had to make constant, subtle adjustments to keep the motorcycle balanced on its rear wheel.

The 205.7-mile wheelie is particularly remarkable because the ride continued for more than three hours. During that time, factors such as changes in wind, track conditions and the motorcycle’s movement could all affect its balance.

How Do You Ride a Motorcycle on One Wheel for 200 Miles?

A motorcycle wheelie requires the rider to carefully control the relationship between throttle input, speed and body position.

Too much throttle can cause the motorcycle to rotate too far backward. Too little throttle can bring the front wheel back toward the ground. The rider therefore has to make continual corrections while maintaining a stable position.

Over a distance of more than 200 miles, that process becomes a test of endurance as much as motorcycle control.

Kudo also had to remain focused for the entire ride. A momentary mistake in throttle control or body movement could have ended the attempt.

A Motorcycle Record That Still Stands Out

More than three decades after Yasuyuki Kudo’s 1991 achievement, the 200-mile wheelie remains one of the most unusual feats of motorcycle balance ever recorded.

The distance makes the accomplishment especially striking. A 205.7-mile journey would already represent a substantial motorcycle ride under normal conditions. Completing that distance with the motorcycle balanced on its rear wheel turns it into something entirely different.

Kudo’s record demonstrates just how much precision, concentration and endurance can be required to control a motorcycle at the extreme limits of balance.

For most riders, a wheelie lasting a few seconds is already difficult. Kudo’s 205.7-mile motorcycle wheelie took the stunt to an entirely different scale.