Whose Faster: Dirtbike vs. MTB at Hardline Wales

Red Bull Hardline is one of the gnarliest downhill mountain bike races in the world. Steep descents, massive drops, and technical rock gardens make it a proving ground for the best riders on the planet. But what if you swapped out a mountain bike for a dirt bike? Would it be faster?

To find out, professional hard enduro racer Jonny Walker took his dirt bike to the legendary Hardline course to see if he could beat the 2022 winning time of 2 minutes and 20 seconds, set by Jackson Goldstone.

The Challenge

At first glance, you’d think a dirt bike would smoke a mountain bike. More power, more speed, right? Well, not so fast.

• Weight difference: A dirt bike is nearly 7x heavier than a mountain bike. That’s a lot to throw around on tight sections.

• Steep and technical terrain: Mountain bikes thrive on precision. Dirt bikes? Not so much.

• Big drops: What’s smooth sailing for a downhill bike is borderline terrifying on a dirt bike.

Even some of the Hardline competitors were skeptical. Could Jonny even make it down, let alone set a competitive time?

The Run

Jonny came in confident, thinking he had this one in the bag. But as the run played out, things got interesting.

• Tight, steep sections? The mountain bike had the advantage.

• Flat-out, wide-open stretches? The dirt bike clawed back time.

It was a battle of agility vs. horsepower—and it all came down to the clock.

The Verdict

Jonny crossed the line with a blistering 2:33—good enough for a podium finish in previous years. But still 13 seconds slower than Jackson Goldstone’s winning time.

Bottom line? The best mountain bikers in the world are insanely fast. Jonny’s dirt bike had power, but on terrain this technical, pure skill and precision won out.

Still, it was a wild experiment and one of the coolest comparisons we’ve seen in a while