Just thinking of doing a back-flip on a Harley Davidson motorcycle would seem impossible for most, but not for Perth’s Brayden Davies.
The 32-year-old tours Australia and the world with Freestyle Kings, and after a two-year break following a show he admits was “hard to top,” he is back and eager to push his performance to new heights.
“The last shows were huge — I even did a back-flip off a scissor lift. It’s hard to top something like that, so having time away gave us the chance to come up with new ideas and really figure out what would come next,” he said.
The trick rider has been on dirt bikes since age four and has spent the past five years living the dream as a professional freestyle motocross rider.
Now he is honing on his lifelong dream: to land a back-flip on a 260kg Harley Davidson motorcycle, a feat achieved by only a handful of people worldwide and one that Mr Davies has never put to the test in a live show.
He’ll get that chance this weekend in front of thousands at at RAC Arena.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Harley Davidson motorcycles. I’d already been doing wheelies and stunt shows on Harleys, and I’d always had the idea of backflipping (one),” he said.
“A couple of years ago I tried it on a different Harley, but it just wasn’t the right bike. This time we’ve got a different model, made a few small modifications, and now we’re ready to go.”
Weighing around three times that of a standard motocross bike, the Harley-Davidson is notoriously difficult to control in the air.
Mr Davies said fewer than five riders in the world have successfully nailed the trick, which was pioneered in 2009 by Australian action sports legend Kain Saul.
“I haven’t landed the Harley backflip in a show before, but it’s not something I’m just trying on the night,” he said.
“I’ve built a private training facility with a massive foam pit where I can practise safely, and that’s where I’ve been spending a few days each week dialling in the bike.
“I’ve done more than 50 backflips into the foam pit, so it’s all about repetition and knowing I’ve put in the work.”
Mr Davies said this years show was particularly important for him because of who he was riding alongside.
“It’s really cool to ride alongside world-class riders like Robbie Maddison and Rob Adelberg. I grew up watching them on TV and in motocross films, so to now call them mates and ride with them is pretty surreal,” he said.
As for managing the nerves of it all, Mr Davies said it’s something that never really goes away.
“You still get nervous — that’s part of the sport and part of what keeps you doing it — but when you’re riding, you’re so focused that you don’t notice the crowd much,” he said.
“When you finally get a chance to look up, it’s incredible seeing everyone cheering and screaming.
“I still get goosebumps before the show starts. The lights go out, the big screen comes on, we walk into the arena and the crowd just erupts. It’s an amazing feeling.”
The Freestyle Kings live show takes place July 11 at 7pm. Tickets are available through Ticketek.
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