Page 48 - HR-2017-C-Classical-Feb1617r

500+ HP Turbine Engine

only some parts of the frame remain as proof 224.9 mph to the target of 231.7 (372.8 km/h), up at Elvington was by now producing an
that the starting point once was the Y2K turbine they had to come up with an additional 100 hp estimated 542 peak horsepower (404 kW), with
motorcycle and even these are soon to be (75 kW). a torque of at least 450 lb-ft (610 Nm) at
replaced. The cost of this project was maximum rpm.
estimated at around £200,000 (US$308,000) This was achieved with a lot of hard work and a
last year and since then it continues to evolve. special addition to the engine fuel system: a These performance figures are not 100 percent
accurate because the
Although originally the motorcycle proved to be too
motorcycle was brutal for any dyno to handle.
designed with The latest attempt was on May
aerodynamic carbon 13, on a Dynojet 250 equipped
fairings, the team with an Eddy Brake system.
ultimately decided to go The bike was strapped down
for a naked, with 150 kg (331 lb) of force on
streetfighter look, each side in a bid to achieve
allowing for the turbine maximum traction for the 240/
and all the technology 40-18 rear wheel.
used to be on full
display. As soon as it Despite every measure taken,
was completed, at around 80 percent throttle
Eisenberg created the the rear wheel started to spin
Madmax Race Team on the dynos 750 kg (1,653 lb)
and decided to take his grooved steel roller. That would
creation for a try at breaking some speed water/methanol injection system. Using a mix be the inescapable result of too much torque.
records. of 30 percent methanol and 70 percent water, a When the bikes ECU calculated a perceived
In May 2014 at the Elvington Airfield in special order pump injects 1.4 liters (0.36 US acceleration from 190 to 240 mph (306 to 386
Yorkshire, UK, the fully-faired race bike, gal) into the turbine inlet every 10 seconds at a km/h) in just one second at the rear wheel, it
sponsored by Tag Heuer, broke the British pressure exceeding 200 psi. Holding enough shut down the turbine as it was designed to do
Land speed record with a one as a safety precaution. Mind you,
way speed of 214 mph (344.4 this happened before using the
km/h). In August 2014 in water/methanol boost!
streetfighter form it set a new
world record of 224.9 mph (361.9 As of May 17, Madmaxs turbine
km/h) over a mile from a streetfighter, at the hands of Zef
standing start, which was ratified Eisenberg, is the proud holder of
by the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU), three world records and one British
the Speed Record Club and the national record:
Timing Association. 1 - Worlds fastest Turbine
Motorcycle 1 mile (one way): 233.7
The plan for this year was to mph (376.1 km/h)
return to Elvington for some 2 - Worlds fastest Streetfighter 1 mile
more record breaking. This (one way): 231.6 mph (372.7 km/h)
posed several problems that the 3 - World’s fastest flying quarter mile
team had to overcome. First of for Turbine Motorcycle: 3.91 sec
all they needed more power. The 4 - Britains fastest Naked Motorcycle
streetfighter bike has a drag (Official ACU two way average):
coefficient of around 0.9 as opposed to the for just 20 seconds, the team estimated this 225.6 mph (363.1 km/h)
much sleeker 0.35 of the fully-faired race bike. additional boost should cut it.
After some careful calculations, they realized All these were achieved in road legal trim, as
that in order to increase the top speed from The Madmax turbine streetfighter that turned the motorcycle is registered for road use. The