Wheelstand world champ reaches 318km/h
It all happened in the UK recently, with forced-induction motorcycles the bread and butter machinery, and a local taking home the bacon on his Suzuki HayabusaBriton Gary Rothwell is the 2015 world wheelie champion, taking out the 10th edition of the title in North Yorkshire on August 22-23. Rothwell was clocked at 318.455km/h (197.897mph) on his turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa to take out top spot, ahead of 2014 winner Egbert Van Popta (Hayabusa) and Ireland's Paddy O'Sullivan (Suzuki GSX-R1000).
Van Popta holds the wheelie record at 320.9km/h, which he set in 2014.
But where was former Aussie world superbike master Troy Corser, who could have given the title a real nudge?
Thirty riders from Europe hit the Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire to compete in the wheelie title, showcasing what some people see as anti-social behaviour but for others the ultimate in motorcycle control.
Rothwell's success was simple: he was the fastest rider over a kilometre on his back wheel. There are no points for theatrics: it's all about pure speed.
Patrik Von Furstenhoff, the infamous "Ghostrider", was also expected to race and was reportedly aiming for 215mph, but his Hayabusa called it quits before he could compete as full run.
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