Felten breaks land speed record
The blind New South Welshman has hurtled down the salt flats of Lake Gairdner at 266.685km/hBen Felten has become the fastest person to ride a motorcycle blindfolded after reaching 266.685km/h at the recent 2018 World Speed Trials event in Lake Gairdner (SA).
The official records broken were the Guinness World Record for fastest speed for a motorcycle ridden blindfolded and the FIM 1000cc Class Naturally Aspirated / Gasoline / Partial Streamline (fairings) Designated Blindfolded (both pending ratification).
The Blaxland-based Felten, who suffers from clinical blindness after he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at age 15, has been working towards the goal for the last four years, assisted by former 500 GP and world superbike winner Kevin Magee who follows on a chase bike and barks out commands via an analogue radio.
He set his new record on a standard Kawasaki ZX-10R.
“I was absolutely stoked when we received the results… and we nailed it on our first attempt at this year’s campaign,” said Felten.
“Under the FIM rules, competitors are given two hours to complete a two-way run, which is six miles in each direction. The speed trap is a one-mile distance along the run and I needed to hold my speed for that entire mile both ways.
“The event was a massive task with administration, medical fitness assessments, applying for competition licenses, submission of entry forms, managing the team, preparing the ZX-10R – and the list goes on. So it was a massive undertaking and riding the motorbike was actually the easiest part of all.”
Felten will set his sights on the 2019 events at Lake Gairdner.
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