World Record Stunts

Share on Facebook posted 05-12-09 by Angelo D'Argenio

Anyone with a high tolerance for pain and too much free time can attempt a stunt. In fact, that low bar for entry is what brings us some of our most hilarious Internet videos, like misbegotten shopping cart jumps and people setting themselves ablaze just for the heck of it. However, it takes an authentic stunt man to set the bar for all the wannabes who come after him. That is what makes world-record stunts so impressive. They aren’t simply “cool bike jumps” or “cars on fire” — they are the best cool bike jumps and cars on fire. They are instances of people who see something and decide that they need to refine it — pain and injury be damned — again and again until they are the best in the world. Here are some of our favorites:

Fastest Nose Wheelie

Nose wheelies are known for causing some of the craziest bike wipeouts you can find on video. The combination of high speed and front heaviness causes many an eye-catching front flip. This guy decides to push it to the limit by doing his nose wheelie at over 100 miles per hour. At speeds like that, you are fighting against wind resistance just to stay up.

Smallest Gap Driven Through by a Car on Two Wheels

The gap that this world record holder drives through is actually narrower than the width of his car, compelling him to balance just to clear the box. After the first failed attempt, he pulls off the feat, managing not to flip the car onto its back.

World’s Longest Bike Jump

Ever wonder what the world’s longest bike jump would look like? Longer than you could possibly imagine. The ramp that this guy lands on is bigger than some buildings! He ends up jumping 400 feet — and cleanly, at that! No crash, no skid, no sparks, just a plain clean jump onto another ramp. Tremendous!

World’s Highest BASE Jump

I don’t get why people are allowed to BASE jump off of buildings still under construction, while completed buildings are off-limits. This building in the United Arab Emirates, called Burj Dubai, is the tallest man made structure in the world, even though it is still under construction. Now that it is near completion, no one is allowed to attempt a jump from the same building anymore, so any daredevils looking to break the record need to find a taller structure, which, by the way, doesn’t exist yet.

World’s Hottest Pepper

OK, this isn’t really an action stunt, but stupid people do it a lot. Admittedly, I put it in here just because it is one of my favorite world records to watch. The Bhut Jolokia pepper is so hot that handling it without gloves can give your skin blisters, and these guys were dumb enough to just straight-out eat it. It’s essentially poison in spice form. Please … do not try this at home.