Perth stunt rider Brayden Davies is set to make history this weekend by attempting a back flip on a 260kg Harley Davidson motorcycle at RAC Arena, a trick pioneered in 2009 by Australian legend Kain Saul and mastered by fewer than five riders worldwide.
Two-year hiatus leads to new stunt
The 32-year-old, who tours with Freestyle Kings, took a two-year break after a show he described as "hard to top." He explained, "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."
Davies has been riding dirt bikes since age four and has spent the past five years as a professional freestyle motocross rider. The Harley back flip has been a lifelong dream, and he will finally attempt it in front of thousands on July 11.
Technical challenges of the Harley back flip
The Harley Davidson XR 1200 weighs approximately three times a standard motocross bike, making it notoriously difficult to control mid-air. Davies previously attempted the trick on a different model but said, "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."
To prepare, Davies built a private training facility with a massive foam pit, where he has practiced over 50 back flips. "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," he said.
Sharing the stage with idols
Davies will ride alongside world-class riders like Robbie Maddison and Rob Adelberg. "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.
Managing nerves and crowd energy
Despite his experience, Davies admits nerves never fully disappear. "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."
He added, "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.
