speed dreams the fastest place on earth

[whitedevil]

Bill Nighy narrates a story about how, every year, thousands of petrolheads descend upon a dried-up salt lake bed in Bonneville, Utah. Men from all over the world come to this truly unique setting with their bespoke vehicles with just one plan - to drive them as fast as they can and hopefully join an elite group: the fastest men on earth.

This is a story of a group of British amateur engineers who are willing to risk life and limb on their home-made machines - six very different vehicles, six very different reasons for coming - all building speed machines in a quest to hold a Bonneville record.

The first episode looks at the men behind the machines and this obsession. Men such as Dave and Steve who have built a bike from scratch, self-confessed metalhead PJ who brings a whole new meaning to bringing your work home with you, and Chris, Great Yarmouth's beach cleaner and legendary bike builder. The film ends with them arriving with their machines at this breathtaking landscape ready to find out if they can become members of an elite group.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pvbdv
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GPZ500 sold ~ CBR600FS-2 sold ~ ZX6R sold ~ Street Triple R

[P.]

Watched it earlier, I enjoyed it

[Supermoto_Fan]

It was on somepoint last year - watched it incase it was different, it wasn't but still watched again
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Yamaha MT-09 - Triple powerrrr

[pepperami]

Enjoyed
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Pete.]

The money it costs to take a bike from the UK, and the hassle and pitfalls would make you think twice.

First you've got to ship the bike. In a certified crate. By air if you want it to turn up where and when you want it because it's very possible that a cargo ship might take a thousand-mile detour to pick up a cargo and they won't care that your race bike arrives after speed week has passed. Plus insurance and agent's fees. The when you get it to 'murica you've got to get it out of customs and they won't be in a hurry. A shipping agent can make or break you here and I know of one case where a guy had his bike shipped out but the agent took his return-shipping money and didn't pay the carrier so he had to stump up again.

Then you've got to transport it to the salt and there aren't any airports nearby so a day's driving is normal. So you hire a truck and trailer unless you're lucky to have local help. You could have it delivered to Wendover but you still need a truck and trailer because:

1. The pits are 20 miles from the start line
2. The rules say you have to have a vehicle to collect your bike from the finish line
3. It has to have a CB radio fitted and you have to have a crew member to collect you back to the pits. You can do a couple of thousand miles to and fro on the salt in a week.

Next you've got to find accommodation in somewhere like Wendover. Problem is that not only is it all premium-rate during Speedweek, just like at the TT many people book their rooms the year before so just finding a room can be a task. You're not allowed to camp out on the salt.

Pooling resources and sharing a container like these guys did is the only way sensibly to do it, unless you want to re-mortgage your house and fund it all yourself. Lot of money for a week's racing.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[P.]

[Pete.]

[Shaft]

[Pete.]

Very true but more than anywhere else no-one remembers 2nd place, but you still have to spend the money
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good