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World War II Rider Beatrice Shilling, OBE

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by Jason Marker from https://www.rideapart.com

With a simple, thimble-shaped washer, this pioneering woman gearhead saved the lives of countless RAF pilots in WWII.

During the Battle of Britain, the Royal Air Force discovered a glaring problem with its Rolls-Royce Merlin-powered fighters—the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire. See, that generation of Merlin was fitted with dual-choke, updraft carburetors built by the S.U. Carburettor Company Limited. These worked just like your regular updraft carb and were great in level flight. Problem was, you see, that fighter planes don’t spend a lot of time in level flight.

Any negative-G maneuvers, such as pitching the nose down sharply in a dive, would cause the carbs to flood and the engine to cut out. Not exactly what you want in your badass, high-po, Nazi-killing fighter. RAF pilots figured out pretty quickly that they could perform a quick half-roll before diving in an attempt to counteract the flooding, but this only worked so well. It also introduced a delay in the RAF boys’ maneuvers that provided ample opportunity for the fuel-injected Luftwaffe fighters—especially Willie Messerschmitt’s legendary BF109—to either blow up the RAF planes or run for it as the situation allowed.

The RAF needed a solution to this problem, and fast. Enter one Beatrice Shilling.

Humble Beginnings and Early Career
Beatrice Shilling was born on March 8, 1909, in Hampshire, and raised in Surrey. Her parents were butcher Henry Shilling and his wife Annie (née Dulake). She was, by all accounts, a peculiar young girl for her time. She was obsessed with Meccano, a model-building system similar to an Erector Set, and even won a prize in a national Meccano-building contest. She spent her pocket money on tools, knives, and pots of glue, and, the fact that most concerns us here at RideApart, bought her first motorcycle at age 14. From that instant, Shilling knew she wanted to be an engineer.

Shilling left secondary school at 17 and apprenticed under legendary electrical engineer, sister badass, and Women’s Engineering Society founder Margaret Partridge. Partridge, who knew quality when she saw it, encouraged Shilling to pursue further engineering education. Following her mentor’s suggestion, Shilling then enrolled at Victoria University of Manchester where she studied electrical engineering—one of only two women enrolled in the program. She graduated with her Bachelor’s in electrical engineering in 1932 and promptly pursued a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Unfortunately for her, Shilling graduated and entered the workforce in the midst of one of Britain’s worst recessions at that point. She kicked around from job to job, struggling to make ends meet, until she landed a spot as a research assistant at the University of Birmingham. There she worked with Professor GF Mucklow studying forced induction, especially supercharging.

In 1936, Shilling was recruited by the Royal Air Force’s research and development arm, the Royal Aircraft Establishment. Her first job at the RAE was as a technical writer working in the Air Ministry’s technical publications department. Her supervisors quickly realized her talents were wasted writing Spitfire owner’s manuals and pilot checklists, and she was transferred to another department where she did R&D on aircraft engines.

On November 1, 1939, she was promoted to Technical Officer in Charge of Carburetor Research and Development (a job I wouldn’t wish on anyone after years of tinkering with carbs myself) and, eventually, to Principal Technical Officer. It was in that role that Shilling developed the answer to the RAF’s stalling Merlin issue. Before we get to that, though, we have to talk about motorcycles.

Motorcycles and Motorsport
Now, all that airplane stuff is fascinating, but you all are here to read about motorcycles, right? Don’t worry, I got you covered. As I mentioned earlier, Shilling got her first motorcycle, an unnamed two-stroke job, at the tender age of 14. The first thing she did with it was teach herself how to tear down and rebuild the engine. From there she got into modifying her own bikes, and, like any good gearhead, trying to figure out how to make them go faster.

Throughout the 30s, Shilling raced motorcycles while pursuing her engineering degrees and working for the RAE. She and her all-woman—or nearly all-woman, the information is a little sketchy—team campaigned modified Nortons at various tracks throughout England. In 1934, she set a speed record at Brooklands by lapping the track on a Norton M30 with an average speed of 101.85 mph. She was one of the few riders who’d achieved this, and one of only two women—the other being the formidable racer and adventurer Florence Blenkiron.

For this feat, she was granted the British Motorcycle Racing Club’s prestigious Gold Star Award and bragging rights for the rest of her life. There’s also a story that comes up whenever discussing Shilling’s Brooklands lap that she refused to marry her future husband—fellow racer, rider, RAE employee, and RAF bomber pilot George Naylor—until he matched or beat her lap. Apparently, he eventually did, because the couple was married in 1938.

After The War, Shilling and her husband traded in their motorbikes for racing cars and spent some years tear-assing around the U.K. These cars were, of course, heavily modified by Shilling in her home workshop. Throughout the late-40s and early-50s, Shilling and Naylor raced a lightened 1934 Lagonda Rapier and an Austin-Healy Sebring Sprite. In the 60s, they upgraded to an Elva 200 Formula Junior car. They weren’t the best racers on the circuit, but to paraphrase Les Claypool, they never did win no checkered flags but they never did come in last.

Miss Shilling’s Orifice
So, back to Spitfires. The shortcomings of the Merlin’s carbs were well known, and much gnashing of teeth and rending of garments went on among RAF pilots, technicians, and engineers as they tried to fix the problem. As the RAE’s Chief Technical Officer for Carburetor R&D, Shilling was in the perfect position to do something about the flooding Merlin carbs.

She developed a small device—A brass thimble-like affair with a hole in it that eventually evolved into something like a small washer—that restricted fuel flow through the carburetor. This kept the carbs from flooding under negative g-force maneuvers and made sure the boys in the RAF had all the reliable power they needed constantly on tap. Sir Stanley Hooker, head of supercharger development at Rolls-Royce, called it “Miss Shilling’s Orifice” and the name stuck.

While it may sound odd to our ears here in TYooL 2023, Hooker’s name for Shilling’s restrictor plate is a lot more complimentary than other names people, primarily fellow engineers and RAF brass, had for the device. Most of those—Miss Tilly’s Diaphragm, for example—either referenced birth control or found ways to be derisive. The RAF pilots loved the device, however, especially since now they could keep up with the German fighters without the constant risk of falling out of the sky. Miss Shilling’s Orifice, officially called the RAE Restrictor Plate, stayed in use until Bendix developed the pressure carburetor—an early style of throttle body fuel injection—in 1943.

Denouement
For the rest of her life, Beatrice Shilling continued messing around with engines. She retired from the RAE in 1969 and died in 1990 at the age of 81. I could probably write another two or three thousand words about her here, but I’m already pushing it with as long as this story is. There’s so much more to tell about her, and I only scratched the surface.

For example, I glossed over the constant sexism, obstruction, and disrespect she received from colleagues throughout her career. I didn’t get to talk about her work on the Blue Streak Missile, her becoming an Officer of the British Empire (OBE), or a dozen other interesting things about her life. Another time, perhaps.

If you’d like to know more about Beatrice Shilling and her many shining parts (and why wouldn’t you?) you should dig through my sources and follow your nose. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can try to find a copy of her biography Negative Gravity: A Life of Beatrice Shilling written in 2003 by Mathew Freudenberg. It seems to be long out of print and the only copy I found was offered on Amazon for the eye-watering price of $1,227 Yankee dollars. If you can find a cheaper copy of it anywhere, let me know.

Motorcycle Streamliner: My Life in the Fastest Lane

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by Keith R. Ball with photos from the book

This book is amazing because Denis’s life, always seeking the Fastest Lane was and is incredible. For Bonneville enthusiasts, this book is a must read.

Not only does it tell the trying stories around precarious run attempts, but it points out every pitfall to success on the salt. Denis also goes into detail concerning mechanical, aerodynamic, component and team difficulties.

Click Here to Read this True Adventure only on Bikernet.com

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Mobile Application For Road Safety Enforcement

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Known as the Public Eye Enforcement Programme (PEEP), the mobile application will empower anyone with a smart phone to record road traffic violations and forward to the Authority for the prosecution of offenders.

by ghanamma from https://www.ghanamma.com/

NRSA To Introduce Mobile Application For Road Safety Enforcement

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) is developing a mobile application to improve road safety across the country.

Known as the Public Eye Enforcement Programme (PEEP), the mobile application will empower anyone with a smart phone to record road traffic violations and forward to the Authority for the prosecution of offenders.

The Board Chairman of the NRSA, Jeremaine Nkrumah, made this known when he led a team of officials from the Authority to commend the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, for his leadership and determination in championing road safety in the region.

Their visit was also to recognise the minister for his productive collaboration with stakeholders in managing the operations of motorcycles and tricycles on major roads as well as bringing some sanity to the Madina Zongo Junction within the La Nkwatanang Madina Municipality. A citation was presented to the Regional Minister.

PEEP mobile application

Touching on the mobile application, Mr Nkrumah said it would be piloted in the Greater Accra, Eastern and the Ashanti regions immediately after the new legislative Instrument, drafted by the Authority is approved by Parliament.

“We are currently developing a website and mobile application and we are going to take advantage of the constitution aspect of citizens’ arrests and empower anybody who owns a mobile device to be able to record,” Mr Nkrumah noted.

He added that the sender of a video which led to prosecution would be rewarded.

“If a person sends in a video and the video leads to prosecution, the mobile number of the sender if registered with the mobile money, will get a percentage of the fine,” he said.

Mr Nkrumah explained that statistics have shown an increase in the number of vehicles registered as compared to expansion works on roads across the country.

“What is scary in statistics is that for a country of 9,200 square miles and road network of 78,000 square kilometres, roads do not expand as rapidly as the number of vehicles added onto the industry every day,” he said.

He added that 16,000 new vehicles were registered every month, accounting for over 500 vehicles every day into the system.

Tricycle directive

For his part, Mr Quartey thanked the Authority for the recognition and appealed to the officials to support the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GA-RCC) to revisit the implementation of restrictions on tricycles on the Tema highway.

“We had a meeting with the Police Regional Command and we want to revisit the directive. We believe three months’ moratorium is enough.

So I crave your indulgence to avail yourself as quickly as possible for us to move into action, possibly we can do this after the Easter festivities. The RCC has donated a pickup truck and two motorbikes to the Greater Accra Police Command to be used to patrol the stretch of the motorway,” he added

He, however, appealed to corporate bodies and stakeholders to support the activities of the RCC in ensuring safety in the region.

“Operation Clean Your Frontage is also in play. We have had four months of sensitisation, which is enough moratorium. After the Easter holidays, all assemblies in the Greater Accra Region will go into full force to ensure the implementation of the Operation Clean Your Frontage by-law,” he added.

Honda RC213V-S Breaks Auction World Record

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An as-new example of Honda’s RC213V-S has just broken a new world record, becoming the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction.

Hosted by specialist automotive marketplace Collecting Cars, the ‘MotoGP bike for the road’ sold for a remarkable total sales price of £182,500.

The rare superbike has never been ridden and remains in its original flight case, with just one mile on the odometer. Having never left its shipping crate, the bike is totally pristine with absolutely no damage or wear.

Created with a focus on light weight and agility, the RC213V-S is a road-legal MotoGP bike, built around a hand-fabricated aluminium frame with carbon-fibre body panels and titanium fasteners, resulting in a dry weight of just 170kg.

Powered by a 999cc four-stroke V4 engine, this 2016 model also features the full HRC Race Kit, which comprises a recalibrated ECU, a titanium exhaust system, a front ram duct, a race-pattern quickshifter, a data logger and a remote control cable for the front brake lever. These upgrades reduce the bike’s total weight by 10kg and increase power output from 157hp to 215hp.

Also fitted are some of the highest quality components available, including Ohlins TTX front forks, powerful Brembo brakes and forged magnesium Marchesini Racing wheels.

Edward Lovett, founder of Collecting Cars, said:

“Honda’s RC213V-S is a thrilling, exquisitely crafted machine, and this example attracted global attention and extremely competitive bidding on Collecting Cars. We are proud to have achieved yet another world-record sales price – this time for an incredible road-legal MotoGP that will be a jewel in the new owner’s collection.”

To find out more information on this lot, visit Collecting Cars.
https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2016-honda-rc213v-s-1

Compared to traditional car auctions, Collecting Cars offers significantly better value for sellers and buyers alike. For sellers, the detailed photographic presentation and professional descriptions mean their car is showcased in the best possible way, and is marketed to a huge captive audience of passionate enthusiasts. Furthermore, there is no listing fee, and they receive 100% of the hammer price.

For buyers, the premium on auction lots is levied at just 5% + VAT – substantially lower than traditional auction houses, which typically charge 12% or more – and is capped at £6,000. On hammer prices above £100,000 this means that the buyer’s premium is even less than 6%.

About Collecting Cars:
Collecting Cars is an online auction platform that curates consignments from around the world and markets them to a global audience.

The streamlined and transparent process makes buying and selling cars, motorbikes, and automobilia via its online auctions one of the most effective and hassle-free ways of transacting.

To date, the Collecting Cars platform has sold more than 5,300 lots, and total sales value generated for sellers exceeds £191 million. The multi-national auction company has headquarters in London, and offices in Munich, Sydney, and Los Angeles.

More than 90% of sales since launch have happened without a physical viewing, underscoring the significant trust that Collecting Cars has earned among its customers.

Visit Website at: https://collectingcars.com/

World’s Fastest Female Motorcycle Racer

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Valerie on 5-Ball Racing Panhead built by Keith Ball

Valerie Thompson is the World’s Fastest Female Motorcycle Racer and a 10x land speed record holder with membership in the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame as well as eight 200 MPH Clubs and one 300 MPH Club.

She is consistently ranked as one of the World’s Top 10 Fastest Motorcycle Racers.

“The first time I raced at Bonneville, there were only 3 other female competitors, so we really stood out. A lot of people didn’t take me seriously until I established myself as a serious competitor capable of breaking records.” – Valerie Thompson

“I collected my first two records with team owner Keith Ball, who had a lot of faith in me and provided my first two record rides at Bonneville. Now I have Denis Manning, designer of the BUB 7 streamliner and AMA Hall of Fame member, as a mentor and team director.” – Valerie Thompson

Racing the BUB 7 during the 2018 Dry Lake Racers Australia (DLRA) Speed Week competition at Lake Gairdner, she set a new speed record of 328.467 mph (528.616 km/h) to become Australia’s fastest female streamliner motorcycle racer.

2022 Will Be a Busy Year on the Salt for Valerie.

Click Here to Read a Feature Article on Valerie on Bikernet.com

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Click To See the book on Building the Salt Shaker – a Panhead on which Valerie set her First Speed Record. “The Worlds Fastest Panhead ” by 5-Ball Racing Team.

In 1917 Henderson Motorcycle breaks Indian Twin Motorcycle record

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The Henderson Motorcycle travelled from Los Angeles to New York City.

The Henderson suffered just one flat tire, went through three sets of Champion spark plugs and used three Duckworth chains.

On August 26, in 1917, Alan Bedell left Los Angeles, California on his Henderson motorcycle arriving in New York City (3,296 miles) in seven days, sixteen hours and fifteen minutes later, breaking the record set by “Cannonball” Baker on an Indian Twin.

Click Here to Read this Article on Bikernet.com

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Crushing the Record for the World’s Longest Motorcycle the American Way

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by Cristina Mircea from https://www.autoevolution.com

The title for the longest motorcycle in the world belongs to an Indian who built one that measures 86 ft and 3 in (26.29m). Bharat Sinh Parmar holds the Guinness World Record since 2014. That didn’t sit well with the guys from Bikes and Beards, who decided to bring that record to the United States, using a vintage Japanese bike.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Bikes and Beards is the YouTube channel of SRK Cycles, a bike dealer based in Pennsylvania. This isn’t their first unusual vlog, as the whole purpose of the channel is to redefine the way you use a motorcycle and push the boundaries of human creativity. In case you haven’t slept well at night wondering if you can run a motorcycle underwater for 10 minutes, do browse their channel and you’ll find out.

The common approach for others who’ve tried to build a long motorcycle has been to place the engine and the drive train on the front, then add a long swingarm and then the wheel in the back. But there’s a simpler way to do things, which is to build two square tubes at both ends of the bike and have them welded on the motorcycle. The long frame would then get connected to those tubes.

The guys’ bike, a 1980 Honda CB750 Custom motorcycle, ended up measuring 108 ft, which was a success, not to mention the fact that everything was accomplished within one week.

In order to break the record, the motorcycle had to prove it can actually handle itself on the road, taking turns and everything. Bharat Sinh Parmar had to ride his for 308 ft (93.8 m) without putting his feet down, to break the previous record. But the Bikes and Beards guys took their stretched bike for a 1,058 ft (322 m) ride, crushing the Indian’s record.

Have A Look At The VideoBlog:

Delfast Dnepr Electric Motorcycle Sets Record at Bonneville Speed Week 2021

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by Cristian Curmei from https://www.autoevolution.com

The current electric movement is extending further than anyone may have previously imagined. One company pushing electric speed limits is Delfast with their most recent speed record setting action at Bonneville Speed Week 2021.

If you haven’t heard of Delfast yet, it’s time to catch up as this team is breaking all kinds of barriers. Since the Ukrainian-based manufacturer of e-bikes set a Guinness World Record for “Longest Range” back in 2017, the company has fallen under the attention of many a circle, even providing their EVs to police forces around the world.

Their most recent achievement, and one worth the attention, is their newest speed record achievement at Bonneville. Now, they did go out there with an e-bike, but alongside said e-bike, with an electric motorcycle based on a previous Bonneville visitor, the “Dnepr Electric” motorcycle from back in 2018. This bike set the record at 104.78 mph (168.62 kph) in the “A” Omega category.

The rider of the vehicle back in 2018 was Serhii Malyk, a Ukrainian racer and multiple title champion that just so happens to love hanging out at Bonneville and kicking up salt on just about anything that’s fast.

Ever heard of Dnepr? Well, this Soviet-ran manufacturer’s history began before WWII. However, it wasn’t until 1952 that the company ran full steam ahead. With a design focused primarily on military use, these puppies are still found today, some still sporting the sidecars of their time.

What really brought fame to this brand was their attempt in copying an existing motorcycle design, the BMW R-71. Without any apparent documentation, Soviet engineers decided to copy the BMW model. With a 22 hp engine, four speeds, and shaft drive, the Soviet’s named it the M-72.

Well, a most recent acquisition of the Dnepr trademark and all intellectual property rights by Delfast has granted the Ukrainian manufacturer the ability to step into the electric motorcycle game. After all, how else are you going to “grow” a business?

With this eye on the EV revolution, Delfast has taken the previous Dnepr Electric motorcycle, and upgraded the version to include an updated controller, and most importantly, a synchro motor inclusive of permanent magnets. Overall, it’s cranking out a top 100 kW of juice, the equivalent to 134 horsepower. However, Delfast states a top 136 horsepower output in their press release.

Honestly, at this point, it doesn’t even matter. Why? Because they did it! They set a new record speed of 107.2 mph (172.52 kph), near 3 mph (4.82 kph) faster than the record. Sure, it may not seem like much, but those extra two-something miles are proof that the work and tech this team is developing is on the right track. For this ride, Serhii was the choice pilot once again. After all, he seems to have the most experience with this bike.

What does all this mean for Delfast and Dnepr? Well, for Delfast it means a new era of electric research, one that falls into an existing category of vehicles, motorcycles, allowing them to really accelerate their growth, and for Dnepr it means the brand continues to live on. Win-win if you ask me. From here, there’s only one way to go; back to Bonneville next year, with a bigger, better, stronger, faster machine. Can’t wait to see what electric motorcycle they’ll be showcasing for road use.

Arcimoto Partners With Lightning Motorcycles To Develop Electric Tilting Motorcycle

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Arcimoto and Lightning Motorcycles Begin Development of World’s Fastest Electric Three-Wheel Tilting Motorcycle
Built on the platform of the Lightning LS 218 and outfitted with Arcimoto’s patented tilting trike technology, the new electric bike will look to set the record for fastest three-wheel motorcycle at Bonneville.

from https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210630005368/en/

from https://www.nrtoday.com

Arcimoto, Inc.® makers of fun, affordable, and ultra-efficient electric vehicles for everyday drivers and fleets, today announced a collaboration with Lightning Motorcycles with the goal to develop the fastest tilting three-wheel motorcycle in the world—gas or electric—using its patented Tilting Motor Works TRiO tilting trike technology.

“From the moment I met Richard Hatfield and saw the Lightning for myself at Bonneville, I knew there was the potential to create an electric trike unlike anything in the history of motorcycles, ” said Bob Mighell, Arcimoto’s Chief Tilting Officer, who himself broke the land-speed record for 3-wheeled motorcycles at the 2013 Motorcycle Speed Trials held at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. “This will be the first time we outfit an electric bike with the TRiO kit, and it certainly won’t be the last, as we drive toward a sustainable future faster than ever before.”

The Lightning SuperBike set a record as the world’s fastest production motorcycle, electric or otherwise, with the SCTA official World Record of 215.960 mph and a best timed run of 218.637 mph at Bonneville during Speedweek in 2011. The record-setting run was powered entirely by solar energy at an estimated cost of only 8 cents.

“As the world’s leading manufacturer of high performance electric motorcycles, we are excited to bring our technology and know-how to the collaboration with Arcimoto for the three-wheel market. The convergence of our proprietary technology, the market adoption of EVs, and the widely recognized environmental benefits of clean energy propulsion make this an excellent and exciting time to bring these vehicles to the mass market,” said Richard Hatfield, Founder and CEO of Lightning Motorcycles. “Our vision is to see Lightning’s electric motorcycles provide performance-oriented and environmentally conscious transportation, as well as adrenaline inducing fun, for both new and experienced riders all over the world. This collaboration amplifies our vision. It’s an honor to build the first electric bike outfitted with the TRiO alongside ‘Bonneville Bob Mighell,’ who has proven throughout his career that trikes can, and should, fly.”

Arcimoto’s Tilting Motor Works TRiO is the leading tilting three-wheel conversion kit for touring motorcycles. TRiO allows the rider to lean naturally, maintaining performance and the thrill of the ride while increasing safety, stability, and confidence. TRiO kits can be augmented with the TiltLock leveling system, allowing the bike to stand up by itself while stopped at lights or in traffic.

“This collaboration is something that could only happen between two legendary speed demons of Bonneville,” said Mark Frohnmayer, Arcimoto Founder and CEO. “While Plaid-level performance has never been a part of the Arcimoto narrative, proving our tilting trike technology beyond ludicrous speed will give us, and our customers, added comfort that our future micromobility solutions are stable under the most demanding conditions. Further this first adaptation of the TRiO for an electric motorcycle is in full alignment with Arcimoto’s mission to catalyze sustainable, emissions-free mobility.”

The prototype collaboration trike is anticipated to be unveiled at the “FUV and Friends Summer Showcase” to take place at the Portland International Raceway on July 26. To request a ticket, send an email to summershowcase@arcimoto.com. Pricing and availability of the TRiO Kit for the Lightning LS 218 will be announced at a later date.

by Shivani Kumaresan from https://www.benzinga.com

Arcimoto Inc announced a partnership with Lightning Motorcycles to develop the fastest tilting three-wheel motorcycle in the world. Arcimoto will use its patented Tilting Motor Works TRiO tilting trike technology.

TRiO allows the rider to lean naturally, maintaining performance and the thrill of the ride while increasing safety, stability, and confidence.

The prototype collaboration trike is expected to be unveiled at the ‘FUV and Friends Summer Showcase’ to take place at the Portland International Raceway on July 26.

“From the moment I met Richard Hatfield and saw the Lightning for myself at Bonneville, I knew there was the potential to create an electric trike unlike anything in the history of motorcycles,” said Bob Mighell, Arcimoto’s Chief Tilting Officer.

Arcimoto known for its light electric vehicles acquired Tilting Motor Works in January 2021. Tilting Motor Works is the creator of the TriO three-wheel conversion kit for touring motorcycles.

Bob Mighell, founder and CEO of Tilting Motor Works broke the land-speed record for 3-wheeled motorcycles at the 2013 Motorcycle Speed Trials held at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

Arcimoto already has a range of light electric vehicles that serve as emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles and just plain fun vehicles. These make the most of smaller, lighter vehicles to cut through traffic to get to an emergency site on time or make sure a pizza stays hot.

Arcimoto’s Deliverator and Rapid Responder vehicles support two occupants, sitting one behind the other. The Deliverator three-wheeler has a top speed of 75 mph (roughly 120 km/h) and sports a 102 mile (about 164 km) city range. Built on the modular Arcimoto Platform, the Deliverator offers 20+ cubic feet of cargo space (0.56 m2), and size that allows three vehicles to be parked in a single space.

These are not the only light electric vehicles the company is manufacturing. The company showed off its latest prototype in late 2020, which is a three-wheeler called the Roadster. It is a roofless three-wheeler with a chopped-down windshield, more like the kind of trikes riders currently use for personal mobility.

Track Records at Summit Point Raceway and Nelson Ledges Road Course

By General Posts

Stefano Mesa and Pirelli Take Two with Track Records at Summit Point Raceway and Nelson Ledges Road Course

Mesa’s Ninja® ZX™-10R is Unstoppable with the New DIABLO Superbike SCX Rear

ROME, Ga. (June 10, 2021) – Pirelli Tire North America captured the brand’s third and fourth absolute motorcycle track record of the 2021 racing season as Stefano Mesa put in an impressive performance at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia and then backed it up with an inspiring ride at Nelson Ledges Road Course in Garrettsville, Ohio. The new lap records were set aboard a 2021 Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-10R motorcycle-equipped with Pirelli DIABLO Superbike slicks.

“The feeling of achievement in setting a lap record just never gets old,” said Mesa. “Each year these things become harder and harder to accomplish but having Pirelli and the new products that they continue to develop certainly make a world of difference. They continue to develop incredible products and in return that allows me to be faster. The new 125/70 and 200/65 sizing are just insane, and when combined with this SCX rear compound, it’s a phenomenal package.”

Mesa’s new lap record of 1:10.551 in the Championship Cup Series at Summit Point Raceway was set in the Unlimited GP class, topping his own previous lap record of 1:10.728. A DIABLO Superbike SC2 in 125/70-17 was used on the front of his ZX-10R motorcycle, while a DIABLO Superbike SCX in 200/65-17 sizing was used on the rear. Just one week later, Mesa carried his momentum into Nelson Ledges Road Course by setting a new lap record of 1:03.926 in the WERA Series’ A Superstock class. A DIABLO Superbike SC1 front in 125/70-17 sizing and DIABLO Superbike SCX rear in 200/65-17 sizing were used to outpace the previous record of 1:04.192.

“We’ve seen the new SCX rear tire start to drop lap times across the nation, so these records are no surprise,” said Oscar Solis, Senior Racing Manager, Pirelli. “Stefano [Mesa] has a new weapon of choice with the SCX and we’re glad that he continues to put his trust in the Pirelli brand. He always manages to make this look easy, but we know it’s not. Congrats Stefano!”

Mesa is now the third different Pirelli rider to earn an absolute motorcycle track record in 2021 and the first to do so twice. Pirelli continues to remain the motorcycle tire of choice for North American riders looking to reach the top step of the podium and log fast laps at events and series that do not have a spec tire rule. Reward prizes are offered to riders who set a new motorcycle track record while using Pirelli race compound tires.

For more information about the complete line of Pirelli motorcycle tires, please visit Pirelli.com