Protective clothing.
A good quality motorcycle helmet in good condition with a current ACU sticker.The ACU have a new sticker which contains a hologram and a number replacing the old "two line" sticker. In future this is the only sticker which will be acceptable.
If your current helmet is already approved and is in good condition it can be re-stickered by an ACU Official.We can offer this service at Honington during scrutineering,there will be a small charge TBC.
A poor fitting helmet can be buffeted about by wind pressure at any speed,it will be noisy so earplugs are recommended.
Clear visors are recommended especially if your bike has a tinted screen because visibility can be limited when you try and tuck in behind the screen to reduce wind pressure.
Best quality gloves are recommended but any that are leather will be acceptable.
Good quality boots designed for motorcycle use.
One piece leather suits preferred but two piece are acceptable as long as the attatching zip is stitched to the leather and not the lining and extends all around the waist area.
If in doubt ask,as well as riding very fast some of us have crashed very fast and are still here to tell the tale mainly due to the quality of our protective clothing.
Machine Requirements.
Common sense dictates most of the requirements regarding the condition of your bike.
If bits are falling off,your tyres are defective and you have any fluids leaking you will be prevented from riding so it is in your own interest to present your bike in a condition to run at its top speed,if in doubt ask before the event because it is easier to put things right at home than at the venue.
A simple item you are advised to have is metal dust caps with proper seals on your tyre valves because cheap plastic valve caps can allow a tyre to deflate at high speed.
Noise limits and licencing.
There will be noise limits at all venues 112db at Honington the limits at Elvington are 101db for roadbikes and 106db for racebikes.You will be tested before you can run.
Most road going bikes with standard length cans will make no more than 100db and any turbo bikes with a silencer should be in a similar range.
Un silenced bikes will not be allowed to run and this includes turbo/supercharger/nitrous bikes to a maximum of 112db.All turbo bikes must have the dump pipes plumbed into the exhaust.
All riders need an IOPD race licence to take part in this type of event that we will issue to you if you dont already have one and in addition always bring your normal driving licence too.
Whats it all about.
Top speed racing is simply accelerating from a standing start to the maximum speed that you can reach over the length of the course,at least a mile normally,at the end of the measured distance a speed trap records the speed as you pass through it.You then have around half a mile to slow to a stop.
On the shorter mile course a fast start will help you as will good gear changes as you are basically competing with yourself in a one mile drag race.
A good racing tuck behind the fairing will help and its a good idea to count your gear changes to avoid the search for 7th gear we have all tried for at some point.
It sounds easy and it is fairly straightforward until you try to improve your speeds then it becomes addictive as you fight the wind to gain each extra mile per hour.As you get closer to the magical 200mph we will do everything we can to help you but please remember at around 300 feet per second things can go wrong very quickly and if it does not quite feel right,back off and check things over before you try again.I can tell you that a puncture at 180mph does not feel too bad,just a little unsteady in fact but as you slow and the tyre returns to its normal shape things become a lot more unsteady so remember SAFETY FIRST,SPEED SECOND and you will not require the services of our excellent paramedics.