Motorcycle was clocked at 157mph, court told (w/photo)

dailytelegraph.co.uk/ ^

[chance33_98]

Motorcycle was clocked at 157mph, court told

By Stewart Payne (Filed: 18/06/2003)

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.

Neil Bolger pleads guilty after being caught in a police speed trap in Buckinghamshire doing 148mph

The men, both 29, were said not to be racing each other. Andrew Osborne, from Leamington Spa, Warwicks, who was clocked at 157mph, and Neil Bolger, from Gaydon, Warwicks, must wait until next month to find out their sentence, but were given interim driving disqualifications.

Magistrates in Aylesbury, Bucks, heard that the men were spotted on the A421 near Buckingham speeding through an underpass on a dual carriageway noted as an accident blackspot. The road had a 70mph limit.

Theresa Murphy, prosecuting, said they overtook a lorry on a sweeping bend before being caught by the speed trap.

Darren Rogers, defending Osborne, a master technician, argued that the case should be dealt with by magistrates and not referred to the Crown Court.

Nicholas Devine, defending Bolger, a lorry driver, said that although he was travelling at excessive speed there were no aggravating features. "There is no evidence of alcohol or drugs," he said.

The case was adjourned for four weeks for reports.

[mvpel]

The thing is, wire gagues, pipe sizes, 2x4's, and other nominal sizes don't change in metric construction.

Instead of 24" or 18" stud spacing, you have 600mm or 400mm stud spacing, and instead of 4x8 drywall or plywood, you have 1200x2400mm plywood (so that it fits nicely on your 600mm or 400mm stud spacing), of the same thickness. The modular stuff is about the only thing that actually has to change size.

And its easier in many ways too - "For example, which has the greater thermal capacity, a 22 million Btu/hr boiler or a 1000 ton chiller? Using metric units, you can tell instantly: the boiler is 6.4MW and the chiller is 3.5MW."

http://www.nibs.org/poster2.PDF

[archy]

I think the photo also shows 229 kph.

oops, 222

In my old riding days in England in the 1960s, *running the ton* [100MPH] was the usual common goal. If that sounds pretty tame compared to some of the numbers so casually kicked around elsewhere in this post, note that such burnouts usually happened after the bike's operators were finished with a day's work and tired, in English weather, at night, and with traffic on London's North Circular Road that included lumbering goods lorries just ahead...and on bikes that were *daily drivers* with little more protective gear other than a leather jacket and *maybe* a *puddin' bowl* helmet of that time period.

Now the number has grown a bit, switched over to the metric way of doing things too. Instead of the magic *ton* the mark to shoot for is now *deuces*- 222 KPH.

Been there, done that. Didn't fall off, so I'm still around to talk about it.

-archy-/-

[wardaddy]

My only issue was speed and handling and the fact that Hog posuers bug me.
I would love to own an old XR-750 like Jay Springsteen rode:

[hobbes1]

I had a V45 up to 125....Always wanted a 65, another guy told me he had his up to 150, in the desert.....

[Charles Martel]

Nice car.

Nice car, indeed. The Miura was the first of the "exotics". What a beautiful blend of art and horsepower.

[hobbes1]

Had a 94 softail over 105, with a passenger on the back..so, Yes, 118 is def Possible.

[Mr. Mojo]

The Miura is one of my all-time favorite autos. That flat-12 sitting right behind the driver made one helluva beautiful noise. ....Capable of 190 mph, if I remember correctly.

My 130 mph was in a Porsche Carrera 4. I was cruising along at a very easy 90 mph when some a-hole in a Toyota Supra decided to tailgate me. Didn't pass me, just tailgated. We were the only two out there on a wide open road, so I decided to see if he could keep up. He quickly became a dot in my rearview mirrow, so after a minute of that I slowed back down to 90 ....and he behaved himself thereafter.

[xsrdx]

at least they could have told us what the boys were riding.

Most any late model (99-03) sport 750, or literbike can run over 160mph. Honda Fireblades (900/929RR) are very popular and capable of 170ish.

Otherwise, a big Suzuki GSXR or Yamaha YZF can make 150 in less time than it takes to read this sentence.

The REALLY fast bikes, Hayabusas, ZX11/12, and Blackbirds, are good for nearly 200mph with a little work.

Japanese sport bike producers agreed to a moratiorum on top speed a few years back, so most of the sport bikes today are limited to 180mph, although few can nudge that limit.

[Bikers4Bush]

I know, I'm just being a curmudgeon.

P.S. Sorry to read where you had to grow up. :-)

[wardaddy]

I was blowing down the autobahn once (I went to Europe a lot on business from 83-96) and I was doing about 120 in the rain in an MB 500 SEC(?) between Frankfurt and Basel on the Allemange side of the Rhine near Colmar France when a twin Turbo Renault rally-car blew by me like I was barely moving. My business partner and I were in awe.

Wish we could do that here.

[xsrdx]

Nice car.

I have a unnatural, unrequieted love for the Muria.

My first love will probably always be the Ferrari Daytona, but that *particular* Lambo just gets me right where it hurts.

[xsrdx]

Muria=Miura *doh*

You might enjoy this

Lamborghini Miura

[1Old Pro]

Interesting

[xsrdx]

I was in a Porsche RUF 928 S-4

Wow. And an H2 triple also. You sound like a guy with a need for speed.

Always kinda dug that 928; Porsche needs to put that Cayenne turbo V8 in a front engined GT.

[SoDak]

The V65 had too much power really, I'm extremely lucky I didn't get killed on it. But, I did have a blast. In fact, lately, I have been cruising the ads looking for maybe a cheap Shadow or V65 to ride to work. I'd love a Harley, but I don't have 20K laying around.

[Semper]

From the picture it seems as though he is riding on the right side of the road - don't they drive on the left side in GB?

[USAF_TSgt]

I picked up a 79 XLS Sportster for $1800, I got it from a Harley repair/equipment store. The owner of the bike was in a minor accident, and the insurance company was giving him $2000 for the bike, and he wanted 3800. The repair shop had the bike, and the owner agreed to sell it for 1800, plus the 2000 from the insurance company. I didn't have a car, just the Sportster, for two years in DC (winter kinda sucked, BTW), putting 70k miles on it, then sold it for $1500. If you're looking for a used Harley, I suggest cozying up to some local bike repair shops.

[SoDak]

I'm 6'6, 290, I cannot be seen on a Sportster, I'd make it look like a moped.

[USAF_TSgt]

Yeah, no Sportster for you, but there may be other, larger bikes in a similar pickle as the Sportster was for me.

[wardaddy]

I saw a Cayenne Turbo SUV the other day...I thought from the rear it was a Volvo SUV till he stomped on it.

Amazing but strange.

Yep...the old H2s were a blast but squirrely as hell. High speed oscillating in curves was the norm.

I had a set of 3 into 3 old Denco expansion chambers I used to put on it....geez...you could hear it for miles around.

I "Cafe-ed" it as best you could back then with reverse clubmans and rear sets and mikunis and stacks etc. She was about an 11 second bike.....very very quick from the top of first going into second when that power band struck...big wheelies. We're talking spring shocks back then..lol...about the same handling as a Norton Commando but much quicker.