Jonny Walker is a hard enduro magician!

I do NOT own ANY of the content in this highlights video. It is just some clips from Jonny Walker's helmet cam video from this past weekend's Ballbreaker Extreme Enduro. (The first round of the 2024 British Extreme Enduro Championship.) The steepness seen in the video is incredible but when you realize how much the GoPro flattens slopes, it's truly amazing what these top guys can do. Jonny's ability to get through the bottlenecks in the last part of the video is equally impressive.
JW's full video is at: • JONNY WALKER - I RACED...
These 3rd person (off-bike) videos from the same event are also pretty cool.
• The Ballbreaker extrem...
• British Extreme Round ...
• The Ballbreaker extrem...
• British Extreme Enduro...
• British Extreme Enduro...

[@mdsnrr]

Also check out Craig Francis' channel @craigfrancisEnduro for some great POV video from the morning race. Part 1 is at kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZCwpp1upqqGpbM

[@mgdurandolo]

This course is nuts! Great POV, you can practically smell the wet grass, exhaust and burning clutch material through the screen

[@mdsnrr]

Yeah, and some of those places where he was making his way through the bottleneck of riders near the end it didn't look like there was even room to get through. I wouldn't have realized just how tight it was if it wasn't for his helmet-mounted POV.

[@mikem9953]

Holy crap! What was that!? I have never seen anything quite like that! Absolutely insane. I had a hard time watching it, leaning in my chair, holding my breath, heart pounding. Wow! Incredible athletes!

[@mdsnrr]

@mikem9953 I was exactly the same when I was watching it! I would be close to terrified in some of those places if it was me. It really makes my off-road races look pretty tame by comparison.

[@silverstreetmoto1458]

And then laugh at football players as they roll around in agony 🤣🤣 wimps

[@mdsnrr]

@@silverstreetmoto1458 I used to watch football/soccer but the play acting and whining just got to be too annoying. The grit and drive of the top off-road guys with the high skill and fitness make it much more interesting and enjoyable to watch.

[@hondarsw]

My forearms are pumped just watching this. Amazing skills.

[@mdsnrr]

My muscles keep unintentionally tensing and my body kept twisting just watching it. Even compared to other pros he is so amazing.

[@blackwarrior4426]

I think I pulled a groin musel

[@mdsnrr]

@@blackwarrior4426 I find it difficult to sit still while watching this. I keep twisting and turning in my seat. LOL

[@Motomaniac99]

Heck, my forearms cramped an seized by three minutes in..

[@d.b.cooper5775]

At first I thought, this looks easy. Then once you got into the tough stuff, mind blown. Amazing talent.

[@mdsnrr]

Yeah, there are sections that would be fine for me but then there are some that are just so challenging even for the Pros and Experts. The GoPro always makes slopes look less steep but these uphills, downhills, and off-cambers still look incredibly steep. Add in the Rocks, mud, and near freezing temperature and the very top guys are truly amazing.

[@darksidemoto3693]

When Johnny walker comes thru you step aside and watch greatness😂😂😂

[@mdsnrr]

Yeah, all his competitors respect him. Even the Brightmores and the few others who can keep a similar pace to JW don't impede him if he has a better line or better drive through a section and just hope to catch up again.

[@junoslapseintime8580]

Amazing riding. Those hills and that river traffic jam looked wild! 🙌

[@ShortRound27]

Everyone seems to agree that Jonny is a good lad.

[@jpk22265]

This, needs more love!!!!

[@themeatpopsicle]

So cool watching that final lap and Walker getting cheered by all the people in the ditches. A+ stuff

[@russellhopson1658]

These guy's have to be in the best shape. To not just give up. These are some crazy condition . 😳

[@mdsnrr]

That's right. They need such a high level of skill but also a very high level of cardio and strength fitness.

[@cleanpowerelectric]

I’m exhausted just watching

[@mdsnrr]

My heart gets going hard just watching it too. I think I would get exhausted with just practice riding the less extreme parts. I would be worried about needing medical attention if I tried to race that course.

[@natehendricksen3338]

Madness!

[@mdsnrr]

He shows so much technical skill and also ability to pick better lines and use them more effectively. He makes it look relatively easy but when you watch the Vet and Amateur guys in the morning race at the same event, you see how very difficult so many of the parts really are.

[@chrisparti]

It looks like the sort of terrain we used to have to negotiate between trials sections at trials set by the Merthyr trials club. If the sections didn't kill you the routes between each one nearly did 😂😂

[@mdsnrr]

This course really puts the "extreme" in extreme enduro. The incredibly steep sections look like they would be tough at the best of times but all the mud on that cold January day made it so difficult that I couldn't even attempt it. It's amazing how well Jonny and the Brightmore brothers were able to navigate it but I'm also very impressed with even the amateur racers who did the morning race. Both races required a lot of skill and courage!

[@76vetten]

Those hills were crazy. It’s not often I watch these videos and think I wouldn’t ride that. Those hills? Naaaa

[@mdsnrr]

I usually don't think I could race those really tough courses but I often think they would be fun to try without the pressure of a race situation. But this one was at a whole other level. I don't think I would want to try many of those sections under any circumstances.

[@peternufc1981]

Looked hard that 👌🏻

[@gpocaio]

Che becco !!!forte veramente preparato un grande motore elastico bel video 👍👏👏

[@mdsnrr]

Grazie!

[@BrunoSantos-sy8ut]

And he makes a good whisky to.

[@moto3463]

I love enduro.

[@mdsnrr]

Me too!

[@scotto7924]

This is extreme some of the tail end riders will still be there.

[@mdsnrr]

Yeah, the bottleneck of riders near the end of this video hadn't even finished their first lap when Jonny lapped them and finished his second lap. He's quite amazing.

[@grahambarton1942]

Reminds me why I gave up Enduros!

[@mdsnrr]

I'm still trying to get better at regular enduros but Hard Enduros are way above my abilities even for the morning amateur courses. They are thrilling and inspiring to watch though!

[@Gunsmith700]

Great ride! Thanks for sharing. What happened at the tree at 2:16?

[@mdsnrr]

@Gunsmith700 The location at 2:16 is the same as at 12:17 on a later lap. After 2:16, Jonny went down into the stream and under the tree whereas at 12:17 he stayed to the left and passed above the tree. I think that the line under the tree might technically have been out of bounds. The higher line to the left and above the tree seems to be a better line anyway so I don't know why Jonny went into the stream there on that first lap. You can see the part right after 2:16 in my video at 7:00 in Jonny's full video at kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGS9Xoepj55oraM.

[@richardmiddleton7770]

It would be hard even walking that route!

[@mdsnrr]

I saw other videos from the same event and there were sections that were so steep that people literally couldn't climb up them or were sliding down them on ther backsides. Some of the more average riders were sliding down some of the slopes on their butts above or beside their bikes that were sliding sideways down the slopes on their sides. Even the less difficult bypass sections for the non-Pro racers seemed very tough.

[@mikem9953]

Agreed! Wow!

[@pascalcarpy9230]

Ile de la Réunion pilotage fluide excellent

[@chrisshorland1700]

Pure brilliance

[@mdsnrr]

He is so good that he lapped most of the field by the end of his first lap! He is truly amazing.

[@59vaughn]

Wow....😳

[@roybatty2030]

Wow impressive stuff. Imagine how much better he’d be on a massive GS beemer.

[@mdsnrr]

LOL. But if anyone could, it would be Jonny W. (Or Pol Terres; he's done Erzberg on his huge Yamaha Tenere 700 4T!)

[@FantaconeBoxWorks]

Now that's real riding skill. None of that lame stadium crap

[@mdsnrr]

Jonny is also great at Super Enduro in Europe and Endurocross in the US but his ability shines even brighter outdoors.

[@deborahchesser7375]

I used to try to convey the absolute brutality of enduro riding to school friends, they had no clue.

[@mdsnrr]

Yeah, someone really has to see it to at least start to understand it. The people who think "oh they just sit on the bike and the engine does all the work" don't realize how much strength and endurance are involved. It requires so much core, leg, shoulder, and arm stregnth and endurance and then lots of cardiovascular endurance all just to complete. Then added to that there are extreme balance and cordination required to master the skills.

[@deborahchesser7375]

@@mdsnrr you’ve probably heard the old, all ya do is sit there and steer 😆 I had two bikes and extended the offer for somebody to show me how it’s done many times, not 1 taker. Jealous people sure love to flap those gums don’t they ? My first race was a 100 miler and I laid in the floor of the van couldn’t even get my boots off my arms were noodles. Thanks for the great vid brother

[@mdsnrr]

@@deborahchesser7375 I'm glad you like it. I used to think I was pretty fit due to other sports and staying healthy. But then I started riding and found out how much more I needed to do. I had that deja vu all over again once I stasrted riding and racing again years later. I've had a few people who considered themselves to be very fit try it and they got a new respect for it but most won't even try it or try to understand. They seem to think that they have infallible knowledge without considering any real-life data. I guess the silver lining is that the people you meet while riding tend to be nicer than a lot of other people in general.

[@deborahchesser7375]

@@mdsnrr I’ve never met better people than us riders and that’s a fact. You go walking around the campgrounds looking for a spark plug and come back with 3, a beer and a samich lol, damn good folks. It’s the best brotherhood there is.

[@antimateria-6354]

i love to watsch this videos

[@mdsnrr]

Thanks!

[@phillipzx3754]

It's too bad they didn't take advantage of the small creek. 😉 Little known fact. If you put a "Penton" sticker on a KTM, it will add 10 horsepower. 🙂

[@h276wah7]

Johnny Walker is a trials rider

[@mdsnrr]

I don't think he does that much anymore even for practice but that's definitely where he, Billy Bolt, Graham Jarvis, and other top hard enduro guys developed their skills.

[@castrol133]

Got smoked by Brightmore, local lad XD

[@mdsnrr]

Beaten but not necessarily smoked. The Brightmore brothers are very, very good though and this is their main series. Jonny had to stay safe for the rest of the SuperEnduro rounds.

[@johannestremel3541]

what makes this magic compared to other hard enduro riders?

[@mdsnrr]

Look at what he is able to do compared to the others and how easily he is able to do it. Guys like Jonny, Mani Lettenbichler, and Billy Bolt are a step above most of their competition. Are you claiming that you are anywhere near as good as these guys?

[@johannestremel3541]

@@mdsnrrno not at all, I know next to nothing about this sport, i was just wondering cause i copuldn't really tell, this wasn't supposed to hate or talk him down, I just wanted someone to explain it to me

[@mdsnrr]

@@johannestremel3541 Sorry , I misunderstood your earlier comment. What makes the elite at the top of the sport so special is their phenominal level of control and precision. They are able to make a 250 pound bike seem weightless and to find traction where orther riders can't. This is most noticable in getting over large boulders, up very slick steep hills, crossing large sections of rocks, and getting through narrow, wet, slippery, uneven places. Of course it is because of skill not magic but it takes very precise timing of quick body movements with fine control of clutch and throttle and a feel for using stored momentum when traction at the rear wheel becomes too little to get up and over obstacles. All hard enduro riders need to master these techniques but the top few get so good at it that they can do it better and faster than the rest and clear obstacles that seem impossible. Top trials riders are able to do this too but hard enduro adds additional requirements for speed and enurance. My sense of awe comes when I see these guys get over obstacles that other pros struggle with in multiple attempts and end up having to bypass.

[@johannestremel3541]

@@mdsnrr thanks very much, really good explanation!!! i just watched some other video and to me it was way more clear when it's camera angeles where you see the rider to, cause when others are struggling to stay on the bike, some ride through the section a lot calmer and faster

[@mdsnrr]

@@johannestremel3541 Yeah, it's so smooth from JW's helmet cam video that you on't realise how difficult many of the sections really are. The five linked videos in the description above and the 6th in the pinned comment at the top give a better perspective of how difficult the obstacles are for most Pros and Experts.

[@dsulli7383]

Only Johnny Walker I know fights in the UFC

[@mdsnrr]

This is Jonny Walker; no "h". He one of the very best hard enduro racers in the world.

[@dsulli7383]

Looks treacherous!

[@mdsnrr]

@@dsulli7383 Yeah, I think I would be falling and sliding down most of those slopes or crashing at the bottom. I think I would also get hung up on some of those log crossings.

[@fabioalfonso9060]

Blue label😂

[@georgiesgirl64]

Looks great my idea of fun but terribly exhausting

[@mdsnrr]

It looks a bit too challenging for me to try personally in a race situation. I'd have butterflies in my stomach the size of eagles if I was on the edge looking down some of those drops!

[@tomchristensen3392]

Talk about tearing up the landscape

[@adredsox79]

Hope ur cardio is good lol

[@dodgebob1]

That does not look fun.

[@mdsnrr]

It's challenging for sure but once you get into it it, it's great testing yourself and improving your skills.

[@philipshane768]

Let's just completely shit in the drainage system, screw up any habitat and ensure massive erosion for years to come.

[@robertodebeers2551]

This is not fun.

[@mdsnrr]

It's hard to explain unless you do it yourself. My sister runs full marathons and enjoys the challenge but I couldn't enjoy that. I ride regular enduros to keep challenging myself and improving and seeing JW show what is possible is quite inspiring. I will never get to anywhere near his level but I enjoy watching and marvelling at what he can do.

[@vanman724]

Hahah, was thinking the same thing. Hard on the bike, hard on the body, stressful. But I get it.

[@robertodebeers2551]

I started out riding my Greeves Challenger in the Montana woods and hills back in the day, but we never rode at this level of speed/danger. We were looking at the country and occasionally going 60+mph on cow trails out in the open. That was fun. @@mdsnrr

[@vplyv]

Pure stupidity to do such things in nature and in watter.

[@mdsnrr]

That is a very selfish and ignorant point of view. First of all, this racing does no permanent harm to the land or water; it doesn't displace local wildlife; and it doesn't interfere with farming in the area. The bigger issue though is that it gets competitors and spectators outdoors and makes them appreciate the natural environment. These racers and fans are the people most likely to demand preservation of these outdoor environments. The race fees and spectator spending in the local communities also help provide the local economies with the means to protect and maintain these areas instead of letting them get bulldozed over for building or, even worse, used as dumping grounds. Off-road riding and racing in areas where I live have been instrumental in protecting green spaces from urban sprawl and maintaining areas for multiple outdoor activities for our times and for generations to come. It's when people don't care about wilderness areas close to human habitation that they get neglected and destroyed. You should be ashamed of yourself for pontificating about things that you clearly don't understand and have no personal experience with.

[@itwasntme8770]

I think you need to educate yourself a little about the ecology of moorlands and rivers before you pontificate to others. It’s quite clear you don’t have a basic understanding of the subject.

[@mdsnrr]

@@itwasntme8770 I probably have a better understanding of it than you do.

[@itwasntme8770]

@@mdsnrr Not much sign of, “understanding , in your post. B Sc (Hons) Environmental Management and Ecology. What’s yours?

[@mdsnrr]

@@itwasntme8770 Half of my BSc was Ecology but my graduate degrees went the direction of the other half. Those "rivers" near Hapton are minor streams and while they do contain ecosystems, they are not the kind that are found in real rivers. The bikes going through those streams do not cause the orders of magnitude greater pollution that agricultural run-off or even natural leaching from the surrounding rock and soils cause. What is it that you think comes off the bikes in the course of a few hours per year in comparison to all of the things that are happening to those streams all year long? There is some physical impact to the soil areas beside the streams but that is similar to what is caused by many other agricultural and leisure activities and it naturally corrects itself in very short order. The main impact of outdoor activities such as this race is to ensure that there are enough people actively interested in protecting natural areas and keeping them from becoming overly developed and permanetly destroying habitats and harming ALL of the micro-ecosystems in an area. There are very large AONBs that are well protected and kept as natural as possible. But, the whole countryside can't be sealed off in a bubble and people kept away. For one thing, people would still enter and illegally engage in various activities but it would be in all kinds of random areas over a broader range instead of being confined to certain defined locations and properly managed. The other thing is that by keeping people away from natural environments, there would be fewer voting citizens who appreciate and care for natural areas and care enough to act or even vote to preserve and maintain them. The myopic and selfish position of you and the OP do more harm than good.

[@boggybigpants9462]

Unbelievable….