Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1507502
FEATURE I TOP OF THE WORLD LAND SPEED SHOOTOUT P116 him to Bolivia: a four-wheel streamliner, a turbine-powered superbike and turbocharged Hayabusa-powered snowmobile (yes, there is an FIM class for that). Only after blowing up both his streamliner and snowmobile did Williams turn to his MTT 420RR motorcycle to make a record attempt. "It's a good thing I brought a lot of bullets," joked Williams of his container full of race ma - chines. On the final day of the com- petition, Williams made his first pass on the 420-horsepower turbine-powered MTT superbike. Racing against an open record, any speed would qualify, and Williams set a (relatively) mod - est 134 mph (216 km/h) down run and backed it up with a 127 mph (204 km/h) return run for a new FIM World Record. Of course, a 420-horsepower motorcycle has more to give, but as it was his first ride aboard the MTT, Williams discovered an override that would cut the engine power at a certain rpm. As a result, he coasted through the timed mile on each run. "The gearing needs to be changed so it can maximize the throttle position," Williams explained. "Because once it goes over a cer - tain rpm, the whole system shuts down. It's a little bit of going through the motions. It's what it's all about. I've never had a turbine bike before; it's pretty cool." The team made some modi - fications to the gearing of the MTT to put in one more run on the Salar. At literally the last minute of the event (6:14 and 45 seconds up against a hard 6:15 p.m. course closure), the turbine-powered superbike made one last pass, this time at 180 mph. But without any daylight remaining on the final day of the event, the team was unable to make a return run to bump up their own record. "I guess the numbers are the numbers," Williams said matter- of-factly. "It's a start." As for his first experience rac - ing on the Salar, Williams says he's hooked. "Hopefully, we'll be back here again. I'll probably bring a turbine [stream]liner next year. No water—nothing to freeze, and mess things up, right? It's all good stuff. I love it. It's quite an adventure." CN Is this the end for the Ack Attack? Quite possibly, but they've said that before.