Two-time Superbike World Champion and four-time 250cc Grand Prix World Champion Max Biaggi has ridden a Voxan Wattman to a series of land speed records for an electric motorcycle, including a new two-way-average top speed record of 283.182 mph (455.737 kph). The maximum one-way speed Biaggi reached was 292.204 mph (470.257 kph), according to Voxan.
Biaggi, age 50, set the records riding the Voxan during a six-day period (November 18-23) on the 15,000-foot-long (4,600 meter) Shuttle Landing Facility runway at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, in Florida.
According to Voxan, Biaggi set the following FIM Land Speed Records for electric motorcycles:
Under 300 kg (660 pounds) class:
1 km, flying start, partially streamlined – 283 mph (456 kph)
1 mile, flying start, partially streamlined – 282 mph (454 kph)
1 km, flying start, non-streamlined – 230 mph (370 kph)
1 mile, flying start, non-streamlined – 228 mph (368 kph)
¼-mile, flying start, partially streamlined – 182 mph (293 kph)
¼-mile, flying start, non-streamlined – 177 mph (285 kph)
1 mile, standing start, partially streamlined – 169 mph (273 kph)
1 mile, standing start, non-streamlined – 161 mph (260 kph)
1 km, standing start, partially streamlined – 138 mph (223 kph)
1 km, standing start, non-streamlined – 136 mph (219 kph)
¼-mile, standing start, non-streamlined – 96 mph (156 kph)
¼-mile standing start, streamlined – 92 mph (149 kph)
Over 300 kg (660 pounds) class:
1 km, flying start, partially streamlined – 253 mph (408 kph)
1 mile, flying start, partially streamlined – 251 mph (404 kph)
1 mile, flying start, non-streamlined – 228 mph (367 kph)
1 km, flying start, non-streamlined – 226 mph (364 kph)
1 mile, standing start, partially streamlined – 158 mph (255 kph)
1 km, standing start, partially streamlined – 134 mph (216 kph)
1 mile, standing start, non-streamlined – 134 mph (216 kph)
¼-mile, standing start, non-streamlined – 95 mph (153 kph)
¼-mile, standing start, partially streamlined – 88 mph (142 kph)
On his Facebook page, Biaggi recently posted the following (which appears to be an automated translation from Italian into English):
Hi guys,
Last week I flew into Florida to Cape Canaveral, to John F. Kennedy Space Center, which is the NASA spacecraft launch structure. Obviously entering such an iconic place is an incredible emotion and it is even more considering that, on the same tracks where the Space Shuttle landed, I would have reached unimaginable speeds until some time ago, riding a mot or futuristic, driven by an electric propeller.
In these eight days, together with the entire Voxan Motors crew, we prepared to break the records we set a little over a year ago and make new ones. The weather didn’t always help us, but we finally managed to finish 21 records!
It was a crazy adventure, which I lived differently from the first time. I knew what to expect and I focused on a few details, which I didn’t evaluate last time.
What an adrenaline rush guys! Its something that gets you through!!! In those moments when you’re sitting on the bike and waiting for the green light to start, a thousand thoughts quickly pass through your mind. The grey ribbon of the track looks infinite and confuses with the sky! You check all the procedures and try not to think that you will fly at half the speed of sound, with the wind trying to impose its will!
Then you start and then endless moments on the instrument you read 470 km/h! Crazy… At that speed the tracksuit on the arms and back vibrates. And to say that my maniacality always leads me to take care of everything in the smallest details. My suits are very tight at every point, but obviously everything is extremely relative to that speed. This minimal blowout of high-frequency tracksuit generates heat on my skin, almost burning. Almost feels like I’m hanging around in my Vespa in 100 mph t-shirt. Unbelievable, she never had so much adrenaline in her body!
Then you have to say that when you pass a certain speed the classic sibilo from the electric propulsion transforms, becoming similar to the wreck of a plane. Wow.
Reached the goal and then it’s not over, because “to get back on Earth” you need to stop! Here at that speed it’s not easy at all, You need to take care of your rear tyre and keep in mind that the temperature, which in MotoGP is an ally to perform, could become your worst enemy here! In that moment you listen to the noise, your smells and senses come into play at the service of your instinct. Above all, we need to stop at a very precise point, to avoid ending up off track. This is why we thought of putting in the braking corridor of cones, which indicated the exact point where to start braking. Well you won’t believe it, in the days when we made various records, we had to progressively approach the cones towards the center of the track and increased the size! Unbelievable, I used to struggle so much to watch them. The brain does not have the habit of traveling at that speed and because of the strong turbulence, often the surroundings of reality get confused, partializing the vision. Above all, you’re crushed on the “tank” (give me the term) and optical vision is already limited by itself. I mean guys everything is extremely different because all my speed, braking, sounds, matured in years I rode the most beautiful bikes on the planet are cancelled. We need to reset everything and write a new file, there’s no other way!
At the end of these days, great emotions and the awareness that I have done a good job with all the Voxan Motors guys, as we have reached 21 world records.
In fact, in addition to reaching 470 km/h top instant speed, we achieved the highest speed ever reached from a naked motorcycle. An absolute record, considering not only electric motorcycles, but also those powered by an internal combustion engine.
Guys I wanted to share this long story with you. In an era where everything runs fast, I wanted to stop time and write these lines, to try to convey even a part of the emotions I experienced in those days.
I hope I made it! I particularly care to know your opinion about it! I read and comment. A hug to you all.
Stay tuned
Max
