June 19, 2003

RECORD BROKEN

Way to go:

A motorcyclist was recorded travelling at 157mph as he flashed past a police camera, followed by a friend doing 148mph, a court was told yesterday.

It is believed to be the highest speed recorded on a British road and both riders were warned to expect a stiff penalty after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.

No riots are expected. This beats the previous British record held by BMW M3 driver James McAllister, who touched 156.7mph during an entertaining run to Aberdeen.

My own personal best: a mere 135mph. Post your criminal speeding triumphs in the comments.

Posted by Tim Blair at June 19, 2003 02:49 PM
Comments

I've only made it up to 132, on the stretch of highway crossing the lakes between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The car had quite a bit more in it, but I got scared and backed off.

I also touched 130 and ran about 115 (and never below 110) for a good 45 minutes across the Great Basin west of Salt Lake City. I wasn't in much of a hurry.

Posted by: gek at June 19, 2003 at 02:55 PM

175 kph which isn't bad for my little ol Ford Telstar.

Posted by: Scott Wickstein at June 19, 2003 at 03:15 PM

Sorry Tim, not a high speed story (I live in Adelaide, enough said). But these are the 3 cardinal rules of driving in Australia:

* Speed limit signs are deliberately inflated by 30%. Ensure the only time you do the actual limit is when the person you've been blocking for 20km finally attempts to overtake you. Then act all pissed about it (bonus points for the 'old person in corolla who goes psychotic when overtaken' act).

* Anyone driving a prestige vehicle should be mercilessly hounded. Do not let them change lanes or overtake under any circumstances. After all, they are definitely mocking *you* by having a better car and they deserve to pay the price.

* It is your job to enforce draconian road laws. Remain in the overtaking lane at all times, and match speeds with the car next to you. Special points will be awarded to 'total twat tagteams', whereby two 'enforcers' help bring a dual-lane carriage way into 'full compliance' with the speed limit minus 30% rules.

Posted by: Troy at June 19, 2003 at 03:20 PM

I raced a guy from Houston to Galveston (in Texas) late one night about 15 years ago. He topped out at about 152mph and I won. :/

The speed was so crazy I remember thinking that I might actually launch off a gently sloping freeway overpass like it was one of Evil Knievel's stunt ramps.

I'm older and wiser now. That was fucking stupid and scary.

The scary thing about the guys on those bikes is the photo shows them on what appears to be a turn...at 148-157mph. Sweet Jesus that's crazy.

P.S. Don't buy or let your kids by fast cars. The day my wife tells me she's pregnant I'm buying an old Yugo and putting it in storage for the kid. Hell I will probably even make him wear a helmet when he drives it.

Posted by: John Little at June 19, 2003 at 03:21 PM

Bearing in mind I'm only 18; my best in my mother's Honda Legend was about 185km/h, whilst in my own car (a Toyota Camry), it's been about 170km/h.

On a vaguely related note, I still have a completely clean driving record.

Posted by: Marty at June 19, 2003 at 03:27 PM

"Post your criminal speeding triumphs in the comments."

Speeding? You jest. I purchased my ZX-9R to cruise comfortably at the speed limit thank you very much.

Posted by: Tex at June 19, 2003 at 03:36 PM

C'mon, Tex. Fess up! What's that bike capable of? 180mph or so?

Posted by: tim at June 19, 2003 at 03:39 PM

The NT doesn't have a speed limit on the open road, which more or less takes the fun/bravado out of it. I can only get up to an indicated 178kmh (a miserable 112 mph) or thereabouts before the Commodore's transmission gets nervous and tries to shift out of gear. It's a bloody nuisance because there are lots of stretches where you can do that quite safely (unless you have a blowout or an animal strays onto the road, in which case you and the critter are probably both dead meat).

Posted by: Ken Parish at June 19, 2003 at 03:50 PM

Morgan Plus 8 (not mine alas) - just over 220kph or 138mph.

It was on the South West Highway in Western Australia. I wanted to double the speed limit and did. More fun on the twisties at slightly lower speed to be honest. A wooden framed sports car at lower warp factor is quite a handful. Beautiful noise though.

Posted by: James Hamilton at June 19, 2003 at 03:55 PM

72 km/h and completely airborne for about 2 seconds.

Well, it was a 44 tonne Leopard Tank, down hill with a ramp before a drop-off. Felt like well over that but it's all relative I suppose.

Which reminds me of the time an MP stopped my Tank at a road block out the back of Woomera and asked us what unit we were from before letting us proceed - there is only one Tank Unit in the Australian Army. He also asked what our Control Number was for the route. I told him 105mm and we'ed follow up with some 7.62mm 4B1T. We then accidently jousted his traffic control signs with our barrel as we moved off. You get em everywhere!

Posted by: Razor at June 19, 2003 at 03:56 PM

170 k in a machine with a v8; long time ago but that was fast enough for me. Now,I'm contented to cruise at 110 but,I'm in Vic. and we need to liberate the state from Spring St dribblers in order to buzz along at that pace even.

Posted by: d at June 19, 2003 at 04:02 PM

"who touched 156.7mph during an entertaining run to Aberdeen."

All I can say is that anyone prepared to do speeds of 156.7mph enroute to Aberdeen, has probably never been there.

Posted by: Geoff Honnor at June 19, 2003 at 04:26 PM

145 kph going between Warnambool and Melbourne late one night.
Was aiming for 170kph but then I hit fog

Posted by: Degenerate at June 19, 2003 at 04:52 PM

142mph on I95 South in Florida at 2am.

My 300Z was willing, but I was afeard of da cops...

Posted by: Chris Muir at June 19, 2003 at 05:00 PM


I think I got my Mom's Chevy Suburban (Hooray for SUVs!) up to about 110-115 mph on California Highway 46 (famously, the place where James Dean got himself killed). That was kinda cool.

Posted by: Andrew at June 19, 2003 at 05:02 PM

The standard cut-off speed limit on a skyline is around 220kmh, so I guess that will do for now.
I'm not brave enough to take my Mitsubishi Mirage anywhere beyond 140kmh, mostly for the engines' sake.

Posted by: Clarke Kent at June 19, 2003 at 05:06 PM

My Ducati 900SS Imola south of Grafton, approx 260kph (it wasn't fitted with a speedo, being a factory race bike) but a close guess because I was passed by a mate on a Laverda Jota who was pinched a bit further down the road by a barbecue plate radar at about 275kph.
Best I have been able to get out of my BMW 325i is 135mph on the radar infested roads of south east Queensland. re Texis bike, most big bore bikes are capable of 300kph+ off the factory floor, with acceleration only matchable by things like a TVR Griffon- how have they survived the ravages of Ralph Nader/Bob Brown/Harold Scruby etc?

Posted by: paul bickford at June 19, 2003 at 05:10 PM

I thought they couldn't use Imperial units in the UK anymore, or the EU will come and get them?

Anyway, the worst ticket I've ever gotten was 67 mph in a 40 mph. Though I was still accelerating.

The fastest, I dunno exactly- the speedometer only goes to 120. Proably about 130, middle of the night on an interstate. While my car has a V8, like most cars from the 70s, it's only got a 3 speed transmission. Not too great a top speed.

Posted by: Jeremy at June 19, 2003 at 05:10 PM

125 mph (going downhill) from Flagstaff to Phoenix on I-17. In all fairness, traffic tends to about 90 that direction anyways. I guess it just snuck up on me, officer!

Posted by: Dylan at June 19, 2003 at 05:11 PM

110 mph - i know, a pretty poor showing, but i didn't (and still don't) have a license at the time.

scene of the crime: with a mate in louisiana in his grand am on a deserted stretch of highway along the coast leading into texas. fun day.

Posted by: James Morrow at June 19, 2003 at 05:16 PM

I know I'm a wet blanket, but it's all fun and games till someone gets hurt.

A few years back I saw a bike t-bone a car at 200km/h. Both driver and rider were killed. You witness something like that and it cures you of any desire to speed for life. Guaranteed.

Posted by: Stewart Kelly at June 19, 2003 at 05:19 PM

Since I write for car magazines, I'm lucky enough to drive fresh high-performance vehicles rather regularly. But I'll use this as my one time to brag.

In April of 1995 I hit an indicated 167 mph while driving along California's route 166 mph in a Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 going downhill. Corvette digital speedometers are notoriously accurate, so I'm assuming that that 167 is close to my actual speed. I didn't do it for long, but the car loped at over 100 all day.

My best sustained speed was a 200-mile rush from Santa Barbara, California down to Escondido (north of San Diego) in one hour and 50 minutes. I did this early on Christmas morning 1994 in a Mustang GT when the roads were nearly empty and I figured most of the cops would be with their families. That's an average of about 110 mph, but at times I was being passed by other cars on the 405 freeway.

But now I'm married, have kids and just bought a minivan. I'll probably never get a chance push it past 90.

Posted by: John Pearley Huffman at June 19, 2003 at 05:22 PM

I don't believe in breaking the speed limit. I too much respect for our authorities and lawmakers.

Posted by: Rick Squane at June 19, 2003 at 05:22 PM

Actually my story doesn't count as it was on a German Autobahn without any speed limit and I was the one hitting excessive speed. It was on a five lane (each way) autobahn. I was in the third lane doing 200km/h (trucks were doing 40 km/h in the first lane, cars doing about 120 in the second lane, then my stream doing 200) when a car went by me in the highest speed outer lane going so fast it pulled the rear end of my car along in his wake. He was only in view (on the horizon in the rear view mirror to lost from view on the far horizon) for just over four minutes.

I'd guess his speed was around 320-340 km/h - I didn't even get a look at his face to tell whether he was having any fun.

Posted by: Russell at June 19, 2003 at 05:22 PM

Of course in the previous message I was trying to say I was NOT/NOT the one doing excessive speed - typos the bane of my existence

Posted by: Russell at June 19, 2003 at 05:25 PM

Sort of relevant:

A P-plater hooked on fast driving got a buzz out of making his car fly, but ended up killing a 58-year-old woman.

Aries "Adrian" Galle, 21, repeatedly sped over a suburban railway crossing to make his sedan airborne before crashing into the woman's car, the Melbourne Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

They were apparently airborn for over 20 metres, despite reaching a measly 87km/h.

Poor woman.

Posted by: Robert at June 19, 2003 at 05:35 PM

122 mph in a 327 GTS Monaro. I backed off then because I was a bit worried the *retreads* might not like it! :-o (Well, I was only 20 or so -- all I could afford)

Best average; 4800 km in 48 hrs 30m in a Mazda R100 rotary -- that was across Australia in 1971 when there was still 600 km (?) of dirt on the Nullarbor.

Posted by: Bruce T at June 19, 2003 at 05:41 PM

Argh. It's people like that who give us youngsters a bad name on the roads! I may get the occasional rush of blood (see post above), but 95% of the time I am a responsible driver. I think. Maybe.

Posted by: Marty at June 19, 2003 at 05:45 PM

Coming back to LA from the three day Skip Barbour race training at Laguna Seca, my buddy and I did 155 in a Carrera 2S for about 15 minutes. A black Camaro tried to keep up for a while but fell back. We slowed down to 80 to enter the I-5 highway only to be pulled over by the infamous California Highway Patrol. They only got us for doing 80 in a 70 so we were happy to take it.

If you are going to drive fast, be prepared. Driving that fast in a high-performance car like the Porsche, with proper training, is fairly safe and more fun than you can possibly imagine.

Posted by: Mike A at June 19, 2003 at 06:09 PM

It only took me 17 minutes to reach top speed in Dad's 1983 Landcruiser. It wouldn't go any faster than 155km/h, and that was downhill.

Top speed in the 3.0L VL Commodore: 170km/h. At that speed my neglect of wheel balancing issues became apparent and I back off to a much safer 140 for the rest of the journey.

My current 1987 Camry is unsafe at any speed over 120.

Posted by: Yobbo at June 19, 2003 at 06:58 PM

What a timely post: This afternoon I got up to 160 km/h (100 mp/h) in my 92 ford fairmont.

I'm an 18 yr old p' plater btw

P.S - oh and it was totally empty and great visibility. It seemed to get stuck around 160 but this may be because i was going uphill.

anybody know if there is a speed limiter or anything on my type of car?

Posted by: Chris Rice at June 19, 2003 at 07:15 PM

650km/h in the back seat of an F/A-18. Yes, it was thank you. Land speed PB is 245km/h on my dear Ducati 916. At that speed one's helmet vibrates so much that one sees only a blur.

Posted by: Fidens at June 19, 2003 at 07:33 PM

Fastest - 180 on the melbourne citylink on my just bought VFR800 (ilove that bike), no other cars around and no speed cameras!! yay!! Stick that up your arse Bracksy/Bachey evil duo.

Dumbest - 160 on a thai highway at 18 on a Kwaka eliminator 600 (cruiser), no helmet, no jacket, only sunnies, shorts and a t-shirt with a mate on the back. I think back and shudder.

Posted by: Jake D at June 19, 2003 at 07:53 PM

128mph on the M6 North of Manchester (might have been Cumbria) in a VW Golf: It was very silly of me.

Posted by: AndyM at June 19, 2003 at 08:26 PM

Sorry Chris Rice, fords just suck! lol....

Posted by: Jake D at June 19, 2003 at 08:37 PM

Hey Yobbo, you should see what woefull performance my crapadore has. 120? I dream of 120 in that shit-box station-wagon. Truth be told it's only used for moving stuff I can't fit on the BIKE (praise be to Honda).

Posted by: Jake D at June 19, 2003 at 08:42 PM

1978 coming from Tahoe to Sacramento on highway 50 at 4 in the morning. Driving my friends Challenger which had a 440 with a working six pack carb. Got just over 120 mph before he woke up screaming to slow down :). It definetely had more go than I was able to experience.

Posted by: JimC at June 19, 2003 at 08:42 PM

1978 coming from Tahoe to Sacramento on highway 50 at 4 in the morning. Driving my friends Challenger which had a 440 with a working six pack carb. Got just over 120 mph before he woke up screaming to slow down :). It definetely had more go than I was able to experience.

Posted by: JimC at June 19, 2003 at 08:42 PM

Oh wow, how did I guess that Yobbo owned a VL once ... ;)

While I personally don't speed, I have been passenger in a car doing about 220kph. Having said that, my mate has an YZF-R1 *supposedly* capable of 310kph.

Posted by: bailz at June 19, 2003 at 08:49 PM

205 in a Nissan EXA. Hey, the penalty's the same for being 105kmh over the limit as it is for being 30kmh over. May as well get value for money.

Posted by: Craig at June 19, 2003 at 08:51 PM

Chris: there should be a 180kph limiter on your car.

Posted by: bailz at June 19, 2003 at 08:51 PM

Well "guys" my best speed clocked 160km/h in a VT commodore. Not bad I thought for a chick ! Had the guys in the car talking about it anyway.
P>S Fidens "toys" is horn speed.......

Posted by: Miss Noosa at June 19, 2003 at 10:43 PM

my saturn station wagon will get up to 55mph with a long straightaway and a stiff tailwind...

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at June 19, 2003 at 10:56 PM

Yobbo:

My Camry is a 1991 model and it cruises very comfortably on 120km/h. It doesn't seem to like anything above 150 though. Fair enough, as it's only a pissy little 2.0L 4-cylinder job.

Posted by: Marty at June 19, 2003 at 11:02 PM

Hmm... easy enough with the motor actually running. Top speed (sustained) with the motor turned OFF was around 105mph, in a 1972 Pontiac Bonneville, on I-80, west of the Cal/Nevada line, headed out of the Sierra Nevada range...trying to save a few coins on some gas (the 455 in it was quite thirsty), so cut the motor. The grade was such that it just kept accelerating, and I let it. For quite a few miles, the needle was bobbing along quite happily past the century mark.

Posted by: Wind Rider at June 19, 2003 at 11:31 PM

Well, I can't claim the prize for the fastest but my fastest is certainly the silliest on this thread so far.

I had only had my license for a few months and my parents bizarrely decided that I was mature and capable enough to take the family boat on a date. I'm talking Love-Shack-Chrysler-as-big-as-a-whale 1976 New Yorker.

I'm driving home from the date about 1 am up a 10-lane interstate and I awoke to find my foot to the floor and my love boat rocketing at 105 mph. I was still a bit foggy, so I had the presence of mind to look around for a traffic cop but not to take my foot off the pedal. There, over to my right, is a '69 or '70 Dodge Charger pacing me, probably thinking I was wanting to race. Being a law-abiding citizen and fearing that my racing heart would break through my chest, I declined the implied invitation. I took my foot off the pedal and let my putative foe take the race.

I caught him about two miles later because a traffic cop had also caught him. What's that saying about the meek...?

Posted by: Tongue Boy at June 20, 2003 at 12:02 AM

130 mph in a 1958 Corvette on Route 1 from Danvers Massachusetts to Topsfield Massachusetts.

Posted by: Two in the Hat at June 20, 2003 at 12:26 AM

Vehicle - 107 mph / 173 kph (1996 Intrepids have governors, and that's a good thing).

Bike (as in one you have to pedal) - 51 mph / 82 kph, Rt. 16 south (N.H.), 2 miles south of Pinkham Notch.

Posted by: Roger Bournival at June 20, 2003 at 12:28 AM

I spun out on some gravel while doing over 100 miles per hour ... in a MIATA!

Posted by: Bill at June 20, 2003 at 12:31 AM

Got nailed for 105 MPH in a 55 MPH zone on US 70 in eastern North Carolina.

The highway patrolman was amused: "I never thought I'd see a VW Bug going that fast!"

N.C. patrolmen are real pros and decent humans, he knocked it down to a '70 in a 55" because he said the judge would never believe him if he reported a Bug doing 105. I neglected to tell him the engine and suspension had been seriously modified.

Posted by: Strayhorn at June 20, 2003 at 12:33 AM

You're all a bunch of liver-spotted spinsters in golf carts compared to Chicago's Daemond Rogan - his Honda CBR 600 F4 reached a radar-confirmed 160 mph on Lake Shore Drive.

That's 160 mph.

On Lake. Shore. Drive.


http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/051801_ns_speeding.html

Posted by: iowahawk at June 20, 2003 at 12:52 AM

"his Honda CBR 600 F4 reached a radar-confirmed 160 mph on Lake Shore Drive"

160mph / 257.44kph .... on a fucking CBR600??

Posted by: Tex at June 20, 2003 at 01:29 AM

I didn't read all of the comments, but my own record seems pretty wimpy in comparison.   That was 125 mph on I-80 while driving from Milwaukee to NYC in a 1996 Chevy Impala SS modified by the legendary John Lingenfelter to produce about 430 HP.   Overall, I managed to cover the 890 miles in less than 12 hours, including time to stop for gas, eat, etc., averaging about 75 mph for the trip.

Posted by: Spart at June 20, 2003 at 01:37 AM

168 mph, 1993 BMW M5 E34 :)

Posted by: Xipe at June 20, 2003 at 01:47 AM

SWIM (someone who is not me) was travelling down the Newell Highway. when he was stopped by a road block.
"What's the problem" said SWIM to the Pigs.
"You're the problem" said the pigs
"We saw you speeding , so we sent a car after you, but they couldn't catch up with you.You were going more than 175 Km"
"Then we sent an airoplane after you , but it ran into a headwind,and could not catch you, so they rang through and asked for a road-block"
"BTW what does your girl friend on the back have to say?

Posted by: tipper at June 20, 2003 at 02:00 AM

160mph?

Look on Kazaa, there's a video floating around of a bloke doing 180mph++ on his turbo hayabusa and even then it hits maximum speedo reading, but the revs keep rising.

Tex: I'm assuming that's a severely worked cbr600, with turbo.

Posted by: bailz at June 20, 2003 at 02:29 AM

144 mph in a Volvo V40 (with v-rated tires). There was supposed to be a rev limiter at 130, but it did not kick in. I elected not to report that issue for warranty work. Did it in the rural part of a lightly populated western US state. Tightly controlled conditions, really, no other car within at least 12 miles.

And hey Wind Rider, I knew a guy who turned off the motor coming down the Sierras, too. Here's a tip--watch out for that steering wheel lock.

Just got a new Mercedes C32 AMG. Pray for Matt.

Posted by: Matt at June 20, 2003 at 02:30 AM

151 mph in my Mustang racing a Corvette in the dead of night going from Memphis to Nashville. Pretty sure I could have gone faster but my girlfriend woke up and started screaming at me to slow down.

Posted by: Ryan at June 20, 2003 at 02:33 AM

120MPH on a pre-AMF HD Sportster. Until the oil cap blew off. Ouch.

Fun while it lasted.


"Faster, faster, FASTER! Until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death!"
-- SpeedFreaks Motto

Posted by: mojo at June 20, 2003 at 03:04 AM

The really remarkable thing about the Chicago story wasn't the 160 mph speed -- it was the fact that it wasn't on a deserted stretch of rural interstate, it was on freaking Lake Shore Drive not far from the Hancock Building. Like bowling, that required 16 pound balls. Or a lobotomy.

I used to live in Austin, Texas, the home of former World Motorcycle GP Champion Kevin Schwantz. His late night runs thru Austin -- on one of his factory race team-prepped Suzukis -- are the stuff of legend. I've heard reliable reports of Schwantz hitting 170mph+ on the Mopac Expressway.

But the ultimate in street-legal speed is the twin turbo 870 hp King Snake Viper. Car & Driver TV took one out to a deserted stretch of Nevada highway and squeezed 216 mph on the radar gun.

Posted by: iowahawk at June 20, 2003 at 03:52 AM

Re the Schwantz legend: I once witnessed Wayne Gardner instructing a mutual female friend on how to ride her Vespa. Highlight: a 50-metre wheelstand.

Posted by: tim at June 20, 2003 at 05:01 AM

About a dozen years ago, a 1976 BMW 3.0L/i that had been imported to the States directly from Europe, a bit over 130 mph/210 kph on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway (50 mph limit) on Long Island, on my way to work. In retrospect, not a bright idea, but I sure miss that car.

Posted by: Ben at June 20, 2003 at 05:06 AM

This 39,000 car will be hard to beat.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/06192003_bb_car.html

Man Hopes for Record in 39,000 Horsepower Car

SPANAWAY, WA-June 19, 2003 — Ed Shadle feels the need for speed – and lots of it.

He hopes to break the world land-speed record in a 39,000-horsepower jet car.

The record now stands at more than 760 miles per hour.

The retired IBM computer technician and his partners have invested $100,000 in their dream machine, the North American Eagle.

The three-wheeled vehicle is built around the guts of an old F-104 supersonic jet fighter.

They plan to start low speed test runs at an old air base in Washington state this September. Shadle says on paper their jet car can do 800mph.

They hope to find out in September of 2004 in a desert speed run.

Posted by: Michael at June 20, 2003 at 05:38 AM

The real, true story behind the ridiculous Rocket Car-In-The-Cliff legend... I think.

The Legend of the Rocket Car is brought to your eyes via The FreshPress. FP is a JATO-assisted conferencing board for writers, junkyard dogs, political mavens, information junkies, metaheads, and miscellaneous bohemians. If you'd like to discuss the story, (or anything else), we suggest you get a login and come say hello.
http://www.neopoeia.com/rocketcar/

Posted by: mojo at June 20, 2003 at 06:09 AM

Okay, you've made me resort to the serious stuff. This is 'Target 550', a project currently under construction in Seattle. Its builder is a friend-of-a-friend, Jim Hume, a former NHRA funnycar builder.

http://photo.starblvd.net/~AV8FORD/3-4-5.jpg

The goal here is hit 550 mph, thereby breaking the current world land speed record for piston-powered vehicles.

The car is powered by Whipple screw blown alcohol + nitro Keith Black hemis. It is just a fraction of an inch short of 40-feet long and will weigh upwards of 6000 pounds, wet and ready to run. The frame structure and all critical chassis pieces are 4130. A model of the car has been subjected to the wind tunnel at Western Wahington U, and the design has tested stable at up to 600 mph. The car will be complete and ready to run at Bonneville Speedweek in '04.

Posted by: iowahawk at June 20, 2003 at 06:50 AM

Driving: 124 mph, with the time slips to prove it. 1967 Pontiac GTO. Engine was solid lifter 428 SD 3x2 from a '64 Gran Prix, M-22 tranny and 3:73s, on slicks & open headers. 1979, Thunder Valley Dragways in Marion, South Dakota.

Passenger: 145 mph, last year, in a friend's Z06.

Scariest: 60+ mph on a '63 Lambretta Li150 scooter, last weekend. Don't laugh... just try riding at that speed on 10 inch wheels, in a stiff crosswind, wearing shorts & t-shirt, and not crap your pants.

Posted by: iowahawk at June 20, 2003 at 07:18 AM

well, i used to have an old yammie FJ 1100

the most boring stodgy bike in the world (i was between ducatis at the time - had no garage and didnt care if a yamaha rusted over here in the shaky isles)

the wingmirrors folded flat at anything over 235kmh, i took this to be a built in safety feature

it would also regulalry take off going over nice undulating road south of martinborough (north island east coast). that was fun.

and yes i've had mates killed on bikes, too bad who wants to live forever anyway?

Posted by: gazzadelsud at June 20, 2003 at 07:27 AM

Going back to base from Xmas leave in middle '60's. Friend and I in his 65 Chevy Impala, v-8, limited slip, oversized oil sump, heavy-duty everything, otherwise pretty stock. Pegged (120MPH) as often as possible from St. Louis to Denver (1050 Miles, appprox.) Total transit time = just under 12 hours. Don't know how fast that sucker would run, because it pulled steady up to peg and kept on going. Ran free, all gauges lookin' fine. Kansas in the dark. Excellent.

Two stops for gas. Second time popped hood to check oil. Engine block a dull orange. Changed mind about touching dip stick. Figured if oil pressure gauge said it was okay, I'd take its word.

Ran just above yellow line and just below redline on tach. Lotsa fun.

Posted by: JorgXMcKie at June 20, 2003 at 08:01 AM

I've never driven over 95MPH. Of course, given that my car has an 80-some HP diesel engine and 95 is its TOP speed makes that more understandable.

That and not wanting to, you know, get arrested for reckless driving. That's a big thing.

Posted by: Sigivald at June 20, 2003 at 08:11 AM

My best story must seem a little weenie at this point, but I've done 75-80 mph in a 25 mph zone in Southwest Detroit a few times. All before I quit drinking, of course. And no, this was not on some limited access roadway like Chicago's Lakeshore Drive, either. ;-)

Posted by: Alan at June 20, 2003 at 08:35 AM

Did about 225 coming from Newcastle to Sydney a few weekends back - averaged about 150 km/hr the whole trip. No notice in the mail so I guess there were no cameras out that day :)

I am in love with my ZZR1100....

Posted by: Rob at June 20, 2003 at 09:50 AM

225km/h, heading south from the end of a deserted Mitchell Freeway (Perth, WA) one evening, in a Mercedes 450SEL 6.9. Backed off as I went past Whitfords railway station (that's where the on/off ramp activity started in those days). That car was great, wanted to keep going. Bought another one a few years later which was in much better condition - amazing how it would leap to 160k whenever an overtaking lane arrived, great for blowing away the mobile road blocks. Definitely the best hot rod limousine until Turbo Bentleys appeared.

Posted by: Peter Q at June 20, 2003 at 09:53 AM

I once took my Honda CB1000 to 180 kmh and accelerating, but chickened out when a bend in the road up ahead kept on approaching at an alarming rate!

Posted by: Steve at June 20, 2003 at 10:02 AM

I have a badge from the Austraslian powerboat Asscoiation for doing 100mph- on the water; now that is fucking crazy, looking back from my dotage.

Posted by: paul bickford at June 20, 2003 at 12:00 PM

In 1982, I was leading my troop across a 3km wide field at max speed in my Couger AVGP (6x6, 10.5T, 275HP 6V53T GM diesel). My driver had the engine redlined at 2800rpm. Unfortunately the speedo only read to 110kph, at about 2600rpm. Then we hit a foot high ridge in the middle of the field ... airborne!
A year and half previous, a buddy took his troop through a radar trap on the freeway (limit 110kph). His four vehicles were cruising line-astern in the fast lane, passing the other traffic; best guest would be 125kph+. The cop just stood there, looking at his radar gun and shaking his head.

Cheers

Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs at June 20, 2003 at 01:18 PM

about 18 years ago I got a lift hitchhiking from Ballarat to Warrnambool in Vic Aust by a long wooly haired whoa in a 2 door GTS Monaro. I think he told me that it had a 350 Chev motor,any every going along alright getting home to get on the pissetc, and the snoozer driving asked how fast i'd ever gone, I told him and the next minute he just floored the ol Monaro and as I watched the speedo rise past 100mph(1978 remember)and the bloody thing kept going and started to fuckin shake and get a bit a bit wildnwooly and low and behold she topped out at about 145mph,shaking like me fronting Mike Tyson at his awesome peak. She was fairly fuckin flyin the ol Monaro and the roads weren't that flash either Shittin meself I was Cheers RJB

Posted by: RJB at June 20, 2003 at 01:44 PM

220 kmh on country roads, early in the morning in Victoria. Bold, stupid or just lucky, I didn't get caught.

Posted by: V8uteGrrl at June 20, 2003 at 01:57 PM

Personal certified best was 109 MPH /174 KPH on PA Highway Patrol radar one quite 1985 night in a 1979 RX-7 Savanna. I was still accelerating when I passed the cop and his lights went on.

I put 370,000 km on that motor before I had it rebuilt, and I still have the old girl.

Posted by: Rick T at June 20, 2003 at 03:46 PM

195km/p between Cooma and Jindabyne in a Nissan Patrol Turbo Diesel. The light fog in the air froze on the cars various antenna's, coating them in ice, all bar one snapped off.

By the way, it was a Police vehicle during the Thredbo disaster which also gives it the dubious respectability of being a legal speed, as well as the fasted speed for a 4WD I've seen posted here!

Posted by: Chapster at June 20, 2003 at 04:02 PM

Hmm - one at either end of the spectrum - was in Oz on holiday and floored my hired Saab turbo cab on the Bells Line of Road driving back to Sydney from the Blue Mountains. Not quite sure how fast I was going but I got a stretch where I think I maxed out. Very fun road to drive.

On the other had, I was driving through the western tunnel in Hong Kong (one of the connections between the island and Kowloon) and this idiot in a Mercedes was right up my arse. I was dead on the 70 click speed limit. I hate people riding my bumper so in the middle of the tunnel I slowed down to 40. He got really frustrated and honked me but I did not budge. So he crossed lane (which you are not supposed to do on account of the double white lines) and drove past. At the end of the tunnel I saw a police motorbike pull out and flag him down - he got caught doing that on camera. I found that immensely satisfying.

Posted by: Phil at June 20, 2003 at 04:40 PM

Fastest on land- 130 mph in a friend's 280Z, moving the the party from the dropzone to his house. Comment: I cracked the window, reached out to feel the air, "Yeah, that feels like terminal velocity."

In the air- about 580 mph in an airliner. Boring.

Without an aircraft- 240 mph straight down in a no-lift dive. Pulled about 4 gees just flaring out before opening my canopy.

About two years from now- mach 3.5 aboard the Xerus suborbital spaceplane. All we need is the financing, and I'll be flight test engineer.

Posted by: Rocketplumber at June 21, 2003 at 06:55 AM

I did 170 km/h in a 1977 Honda Accord. I still don't believe it myself.

Posted by: Mike Hunt at June 21, 2003 at 08:38 PM

I neglected to remember my lastest edition to the Victorian road circus on the Monash freeway in an SLK320 Kompressor at 11.00pm one night doing 175km/h. Lucky for me the spy cameras were having a donut break at that time or I would have been in real trouble a company car explaining that one to my boss come Monday morning !!!!

Posted by: Miss Noosa at June 21, 2003 at 09:37 PM

I had my ford taurus SHO at about 125 but that was it. id like to know what cars you doods have to go 150 cause in a regular car on normal roads thats crazy!

Posted by: owen at June 23, 2003 at 04:49 AM

VL commodore speedo goes to 200kph, went past that. Measured it out later, must have been just over 220kph with a bit more power left but ran out of straight road on the S.E. freeway in Brisbane Australia. Destination? Work. Why the hurry?!

Posted by: can't say at June 24, 2003 at 01:14 PM

Only 115 mph for me on my Honda Magna. It's strange though, at that speed on a motorcycle it doesn't really seem all that fast.

Posted by: Bashir Gemayel at June 25, 2003 at 02:03 AM

A report of old scary stuff (I was 16). So let's see what my bro's '50 Studebaker 'bullet nose' V8 will do (maybe you've seen a photo?). 1951, middle South Dakota, straight flat 2 lane. Turned out to be 108mph. Nervous enough for me. Few years later I did best that, but cheating here on this 'bragging contest': 1.9 Mach, clean (no tanks, but just pylons) Republic F-105, leading edge flaps up, air scoop modifications said to slow the machine from 2.1 Mach. 1point9M would be - let's see . . . 1440 MPH, or in KPH about 2310.4. (Ate fuel like crazy doing that, I figured 60,000 pounds per hour - I carried 10K). Anyway, I'm self-disqualified here. Fun though, the old days. The RAAF had English Electric P-1s that would do Mach 2.0, as I recall. Anybody know an Aussie pilot named "Tex" Watson? F.

Posted by: Fungus at June 25, 2003 at 10:47 PM

My personal bests are:
Indicated 152mph in a Volvo S40 T4, A23 Crawley to Brighton, UK (car's for sale now if anyone in the UK wants to buy it - 1998 model on an R plate £3500 or thereabouts).
Also an indicated 120mph on the M4 (again UK) on a KTM 620 EXC enduro bike fitted with motocross tyres (knobblies) and a 40 toth rear sprocket (road gearing) IN THE RAIN!

Posted by: PM at June 27, 2003 at 12:06 AM

My personal bests are:
Indicated 152mph in a Volvo S40 T4, A23 Crawley to Brighton, UK (car's for sale now if anyone in the UK wants to buy it - 1998 model on an R plate £3500 or thereabouts).
Also an indicated 120mph on the M4 (again UK) on a KTM 620 EXC enduro bike fitted with motocross tyres (knobblies) and a 40 toth rear sprocket (road gearing) IN THE RAIN!

Posted by: PM at June 27, 2003 at 12:06 AM

Cross country: 42mph in an M1.
Highway: Sustained was 110mph on the autobahn, high point was 132mph in a Mazda MX-6 turbo. Later I got to 153mph in a Ford Taurus station wagon. Both of those were also on the German autobahn.

Posted by: Outlaw3 at June 27, 2003 at 01:02 AM

I made 127kph in my 1982 1.3 litre Honda Civic automatic whilst driving home from work early one morning. I call my car the Whore of the Orient cos its little, red, comes from Japan and has had a lot of owners.

Posted by: Christopher Valentine at June 27, 2003 at 03:30 PM