An English comedian questioned whether riding a motorbike up Baldwin St was a good idea moments before successfully completing the feat.
John Bishop said he felt like Evel Knievel as he rode the bike up the world’s steepest street, while in Dunedin this week as part of his New Zealand tour.
“I’m honestly not convinced it’s a good idea, to be honest,” Bishop said as he prepared the for the ride at the bottom, with a group of school children watching on.
He need not have worried, though.
Bishop made it to the top, although seemed to stall as he slowed down to avoid a pedestrian on the road.
“People push prams up it,” Bishop said later.
“I filmed it like I was Top Gear.”
Aside from walking and running, Baldwin St has had many unusual ascents over the years.
In 1988 Iain Clark rollerbladed his way up the street, to the disbelief of those looking on.
In 2018 then-11-year-old Harry Willis climbed the street on a pogo stick, setting on unofficial world record and raising $6700 for Ronald McDonald House in the process.
Dennis Pushenko rode up the street on an electric unicycle in 2021 in a bid to show what could be achieved with electric transportation.
Perhaps the most ambitious attempt came in 2016, when champion hill climbing penny farthing rider Oliver Briggs unsuccessfully tried to ride his penny farthing up the street.
– Allied Media