Motorcycle breaks world speed record

It took a pair of turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa engines, an aerospace-inspired carbon fibre body shell and just a little bit of luck to break the motorcycle world speed record.

The 2010 Ack Attack streamliner recorded a top speed of 376.363mph during its timed mile run at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, North America, during the Cook Motorsports Top Speed Shootout 2010.

For the record, 376mph is about 605km/h, and it should be noted that the Ack Attack's exit speed from the run was 394mph - an eye-watering 634km/h!!

Travelling at that speed it would take the rider about an hour-and-a-half to travel from Sydney to Melbourne, though we're not sure if the Hume Highway has a surface smooth enough for the likes of the Ack Attack streamliner.

Rocky Robinson was at the controls of the Ack Attack during the record breaking run in September 2010, toppling the previous record set by Chris Carr in the BUB Seven streamliner which topped 367.382mph (590km/h) in 2009.

With speeds getting tantalisingly close to the magic quadruple tonne, it's only a matter of time before we see the 400mph (643km/h) barrier smashed by a motorcycle.

Interestingly, the Mike Akatiff-owned Ack Attack was in Australia back in 2006, contesting the 2006 Lake Gairdner Speed Trials and to see how fast his creation could really go.

There is a 68-litre ice and water cooling system, as well as dedicated mechanisms to keep the chain, brakes and cockpit at sustainable temperatures. Safety equipment includes a seven-point safety harness for the pilot; parachutes which deploy automatically when the bike exceeds 45 degrees of lean; and low-speed stabilising wheels.

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