An ex-Isle of Man TT Zero bike has set a new land speed record and become the "fastest electric unfaired motorbike in the world" – subject to ratification by the FIM. The record speed, a two-way average over a flying kilometer, was 185.103 mph (297.894 km/h), with a best one-way speed of 194.086 mph (312.351 km/h).
That's an astonishing speed for a bike with the aerodynamic slipperiness of a stack of bricks – aeros are everything once you cross the imperial ton, and absolutely crucial once you get up to these speeds. The air resistance would've been quite a force to fight against for rider Zef Eisenberg as he made the attempt at the Straightliners Land Speed meeting at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire, UK.
Mind you, the team does have a fairing for the bike. Indeed, it's the same bike, built by a team at the University of Nottingham and ridden by Daley Matheson, that's notched two thirds and a heroic second place behind the might of Honda's Mugen team at the 2018 Isle of Man TT Zero.
Unfortunately, Matheson died racing a BMW superbike at the 2019 TT, in a relatively slow-speed crash that underscored the perils of street racing. He never had a chance to ride the latest iteration of the bike, which was improving year by year at a steady rate and getting ready to challenge for a TT Zero win. The team decided to put the bike in the record books as a tribute to their friend and colleague.
Source: Straightliners
