A BRITISH rider will soon be travelling to the famous Bonneville Speedway in an attempt to break the current 250cc motorcycle world land speed record.
Stuart Swift will be lining up his Aprilia RS250 alongside world-class riders like James Toseland, in the centenary year of Bonneville speed racing. The 51-year-old RAC patrolman is looking to take the top spot in the 250cc production motorcycle class by beating the current record of just over 136 mph, held by British rider Mark Jordan.
To qualify for the world record, Stuart will have to ride faster than the existing record three times, and then an average speed of two runs over the three mile course will be taken for the final figure.
Stuart said: 'I’ve been interested in Bonneville since I was seven years old, but it wasn’t until I was thirteen that I got my first bike, a Honda ST50. This attempt will fulfil one of my lifelong dreams and I truly can’t wait to line up on the salt in August this year. I’ll be wearing number 58 in honour of one of my heroes, the late Marco Simoncelli 2008 250GP World Champion.'
Swift has spent a number of years researching and developing the Aprilia’s engine himself, being a firm believer that a world record beating engine tune cannot be bought.
Michelin advised him to use their new Pilot Road 4s to deal with the large variation in grip, after he contacted them for sponsorship. Michelin Technical Manager, Tony Charlton said: 'When Stuart contacted Michelin with his idea to break the 250cc World land speed record, we knew we could help. We chose the new Pilot Road 4 because it has been designed for optimum performance with excellent grip and stability over a variety of surfaces, whilst being able to cope with the extreme heat that Stuart will have to contend with.'
