The Kennedy Space Centre in Florida was just host to Max Biaggi and the Venturi team, who aboard the all-electric Voxan Wattman have just set a new electric speed record at 283 mph / 456 kph in a kilometre for a ‘partially streamlined electric motorcycle under 300 kg’.
That’s alongside nineteen other FIM speed records, according to Jalopnik, maintaining Biaggi’s place on top of the leaderboard for the most prestigious award of them all - beating his old record by 30 mph!
By running the machine with fairings and without, plus with ballasts and without, and taking flying runs and standing starts, the team were able to enter the Wattman in a variety of different classes for records over their 6 days at the runway.
There’s a distinct feeling that the Wattman is capable of more, however. The onboard GPS is said to have recorded a 290 mph peak in one run (records are set as the average over two runs), with the machine reaching a stonking 228 mph without fairings.
Have a watch of record breaking Max Biaggi and the Venturi team in this video:
With full ballasts added to get it over the 300kg limit, the machine was capable of 253 mph.
On the right day, with the right tweaks, this could certainly reach 300 mph.
I’m sure the White Motorcycle Concepts team will be looking on with interest, as their WMC250EV machine builds pace for a 2022 attempt to rival Biaggi. Now, more than ever, 300 mph become the magic number.
Interestingly, the WMC250EV with its aerodynamic tunnel weighs in at around 300 kg, so may aim for the 253 mph goal first.
No doubt Guy Martin and the 52 Express team are also looking on with interest, too.
The relentless pursuit of top speed continues, for now Max Biaggi can continue sitting comfy at the top.
