The land speed record bike with a hole in it starts speed trials
Wild-looking British speed machine hits the track in shakedown testing
‘My confidence is building all the time’ ROB WHITE, DESIGNER AND RIDER
The outlandish Brit bike that’s targeting the speed record for electric motorcycles has been in action on track as it undergoes test runs in the UK. White Motorcycle Concepts unveiled the WMC250EV back in June, bringing a host of new ideas to the table centred around a vast aerodynamic duct that slashes the bike’s frontal area and drag coefficient without resorting to the sort of low-slung, extendedwheelbase semi-streamliner setup which is more common on recordsetters. That means it’s an idea which could be transferred to road bikes, since the seat height and fairing silhouette could allow for a conventional riding position. The aero also reduces front-end lift, allowing the use of two-wheeldrive – with two electric motors mounted in the front hub, along with another pair driving the rear wheel via an enclosed chain – to maximise traction, which can be a problem on the slippery salt flats where the runs will be attempted. Computer modelling and wind tunnel tests showed a 70% reduction in drag compared to the best conventional road bikes, but it’s only in real-world action that those numbers can be verified, so the WMC250EV’s shakedown tests on home turf were an important step to proving the aerodynamic idea as well as confirming that the electric drivetrain is working as planned.
Initially, the bike has been put through its paces using a 100kW powerplant (137bhp), but the final version will have around 250kW on tap (335bhp). Even with less than half its power available, the team were pleased with the results. The bike has already been running at around 170mph. As the bike’s name suggests, the eventual target is to take the world record to 250mph or beyond. It’s currently held by ex-GP and WSB star Max Biaggi on the Voxan Wattman at 228.05mph.
Rob White, who’s both designer and rider of the WMC250EV, said: “I am delighted with the progress that we have made and the high level of interest that the project has attracted. This is a bespoke motorcycle and for it to run straight out of the box is fantastic. My confidence that we will be successful is building all the time.”