246 Mph, Naked!
246 MPH, NAKED!
If you think going more than 200 mph tucked in tightly behind the windscreen of a sportbike sounds hairy, talk to Floridian Bill Warner, because that's just warm-up speed for him. At an East Coast Timing Association event this past summer at Maxton, North Carolina, Warner rode his 2000 Suzuki Hayabusa—fed by a Garrett GT 35R turbo—to four class records, all at more than 230 mph. The kicker, however, is that all four were achieved in naked-bike
classes! You see, the Team Wild Brothers `Busa was stripped of all bodywork for the runs, the fastest of which was in the M/BF 3000/4 class at 246.778 mph! Other competitors encountered tire issues all weekend but Warner's bike was filled with a Pirelli Diablo 240mm rear, which he said helped eliminate spin and easily lasted through all four record attempts. Don't try this at home, kids! -Blake Conner
