It's hard to believe it, but Red Bull Romaniacs celebrated its 22nd-ever running in 2024.
Romaniacs is regarded as a bucket list hard enduro event by many, who train hard to put themselves to the test. And if they're able to make it to the starting line, that's exactly what they proceed to do. For how long? Four grueling, body- and bike-destroying days, if luck is with them and they also cross the finish line. Or less, if they don't.
For the past several years, Romanian motorcycle YouTuber Krankit has wanted to try his hand at Romaniacs. But for a number of reasons, 2024 was the first time he was able to bring his bike to the opening parade in Sibiu and stubbornly fight his way through the infamously insane obstacle course known as the Prologue.
If you're not, say, Pol Tarres or Billy Bolt, like many of those who participate in Romaniacs, there are a whole bunch of factors that go into getting you to the start.
For starters, there's getting an appropriate bike and parts. There's also the not-so-small matter of training, because hard enduro is as much a test of your body, strength, and stamina as it is of your bike. Without the physical and financial support of a team, all of this is that much harder to accomplish.
And skill-building, of course. Getting as much practice as you can, as well as participating in smaller-scale hard enduro events before you build up to the Romaniacs headliner. And Krankit did all that, to varying degrees. Though in retrospect, he remarks in this video that he didn't fully understand just how much days of this abuse take out of your body. But that's why hindsight is always 20/20, right?
There's also the fact that once the Prologue is over, it's time to hit the mountains around Sibiu. And while this video showcases a whole lot of onboard GoPro footage of Krankit's 2024 Romaniacs attempt on his Sherco, one thing that onboards consistently fail to visually articulate is just how steep some of the terrain really is.
Even though there are different courses marked out for different competition levels, as you'd hope and expect, there's no part that isn't challenging. Then again, if there was, it wouldn't be Romaniacs.
If you're thinking of trying your hand in Romania anytime soon, you might want to watch this video to aid in your planning. For the rest of us, you might also want to watch it just to fully appreciate what it is these riders do each and every year. Because it's beautiful madness, and it's breathtaking to watch.
