Do you ever wonder everything that could be done has already been done?
Does nothing amaze you anymore?
Well Robbie Maddison is here to change all that!
We’ve seen motorbikes hydroplaning on water before. And it’s darn crazy. But a bike riding on the ocean and catching waves? That’s… impossible. At least, that’s what we thought before Robbie Madison did exactly that in his Pipe Dream project.
Performing the stunt in a promo for DC Shoes, Maddo literally drove a KTM 250 SX across the water at the legendary Teahupo’o reefbreak in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Seriously, the darn bike zipped through the water like a jet ski, with the ex-motocross racer decked in full riding regalia, looking like he rode from a dirt track to the beach to relax or unwind or whatever people do in that beautiful water over there.
No, he didn’t ride a stock motorcycle. For Pipe Dream, the team outfitted a sportbike with elements that will allow it to function in water, essentially turning it into a personal watercraft. These modifications include skis on either side of the bike to help it glide on water, as well as a paddle wheel in the rear to actually push it forward, since saltwater offers little actual traction for the tire. While it looks the bike came from land to water, that’s not actually the case – the team used a pair of barges for the shoot, one equipped for launching the bike a few feet above sea level and another for getting it out of water by riding up a ramp.
And, yes, Maddo really got crushed by the huge wave during that last sequence. Fortunately, he wore a floatation vest under the jacket, so the team was able to find him safe a few minutes later.
Check out the feature on Transworld to read the full story.