Banker-turned-biker Valerie Thompson just earned a spot in the Bonneville Salt Flats "200 MPH Club;" setting a new land speed record of 208.81 MPH on her BMW S1000 RR superbike. At race pace the scenery looks halcyon as a duck pond at dawn, but the noise is the kind of fierce you hide under your covers from.
She gets into the throttle at about 0:55 in.
This clip is from an earlier run, which hit around 203 MPH. Here's another clip, this time in Mojave, where Thompson topped out at 210 MPH. The sound here is little higher, and a little more more familiar to those of us who like winding up two-wheeled rockets like this.
The 208.81 MPH record set a few days ago was in the MPS-G 1000 class; Modified Partial Streamlining - Gasoline, 1000ccs. Thompson rides a 2012 BMW S1000RR, with a pretty serious host of upgraded parts:
- BMW HP Race Data Logger
- BMW HP Race Power Kit
- BMW HP Race Calibration Kit
- BMW HP footrest system
- BMW HP Race Seat
- Akrapovič Titanium Exhaust System
- CTEK Battery Charger & Maintainer
- Vortex Racing Sprockets
- Worldwide Bearings – Ceramic wheel bearings
- Paintwork by Orlando Autobody
- Hyperpro Motorcycle Steering Damper
- MS Production Carbon Fiber Race Bodywork
- Front Brake: SICOM Composite Ceramic Brake rotor, 320mm diameter, 6mm thick Brembo M4 four piston monobloc fixed calipers
- Rear Brake: SICOM Composite Ceramic Brake rotor, 220mm diameter, 6mm thick single piston floating caliper
Thompson's held seven land speed records over her racing career, with a personal best top speed of 212 MPH. She has spent some time in Pro-Stock drag racing and done other speed-record runs on Harley-Davidsons.
Images: Valerie Thompson Racing