Chip Yates Hits 190.6mph on 2 Wheels

In brief: Electric motorcycle legend Chip Yates has shattered the previous 2-wheeled EV speed record by 17mph.

The word

During the Mojave Mile last week, Chip Yates, already an electric motorcycle riding legend, hit 190.6mph, breaking the previous record by 17mph. Yates says the bike wasn't full throttled when he hit that speed either.

Computer modeling of the current rendition of the Swigz.com Pro Racing crew bike says it can do 200mph, but Yates could only qualify on two runs because of technical problems with the charging unit limiting the bike to only its first charge.

He thinks the speeds can get even higher, maybe even 210mph, once the crew addresses another issue they've discovered: rear buffeting causing drag.

Yates' next challenge is Pikes Peak. He will follow in the footsteps of another EV legend, Eva Hakansson of KillaCycle Racing, whose ElectroCat climbed the hill last year. Yates will be attempting to do it at speed, however, setting new records as he goes.

And so ...

Good luck to Yates on the climb!

Photo credits: Wired