P122
FEATURE I RECORD ATTEMPT AT BONNEVILLE MOTORCYCLE SPEED TRIALS
(Right) Off into the
white he goes. The
record wasn't set this
year, but the team
will be back to push it
way above 204 mph.
(Below) Here's hoping
this won't be the last
time Rennie and the
Lightning Motorcycles
WTF meet on the salt
flats once again.
serene, like being stuck in a boat as it was
washed through the waves. Each time I brought
it back under control, and each time over the
next couple of days, we couldn't go any faster.
Frustration set in for everyone, but Richard man-
aged to keep his cool better than I did.
In all, we made six attempts to set a new re-
cord but couldn't overcome the laws of physics.
We even tried to run the bike free of bodywork on
the final morning, but the WTF struck a technical
problem at 130 mph and wouldn't go any faster.
It turned out to be a disappointing end for
a week that promised so much. Official tim-
ing recorded a best measured mile of 183.167
mph and a best measured kilometer of
184.311 mph, while Lightning's onboard data
indicated a peak speed of 199.98 mph. We
had reached the doorstep of 200 mph, but the
instability prevented us from sustaining that
speed through the measured mile.
Salt racing is unlike anything I've done before.
The level of patience required will test even the
most zen of people, but there's a strange charm
to it. The people involved are lovely in that all
they care about is them going fast, you going
fast, and everyone coming home safely. There is
zero ego in those pits, which is very refreshing.
This is an unfinished challenge, mark my words.
The Salty Speed Dreams aren't over yet.
CN
