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Revision as of 19:00, 22 March 2013
On September 25, 2010, the Top 1 Ack Attack became the world’s fastest motorcycle by achieving an average speed, in both directions across a measured mile, of 605.697 km/hour (376.363 mph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The Ack Attack’s peak speed was officially recorded at 634.217 km/hour (394.084 mph). This record-setting run marked the third time in four years the Ack Attack had broken the motorcycle land-speed record.
The record was confirmed and certified by the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), which is the world’s leading regulatory authority for motorsports racing. The Ack Attack’s record was also recorded in the 2012 edition of the Guinness World Records.
Designed and built from the ground up by Mike Akatiff, the Ack Attack’s bullet-shaped chassis is made from chrome moly tubing. The motorcycle streamliner is powered by two 1299cc Suzuki Hayabusa turbocharged engines (which produce more than 900 horsepower) and runs on Mickey Thompson tires. While pursuing the land-speed record, the Ack Attack experienced a number of failed attempts, including runs which ended in spectacular crashes.
History
The first land-speed record for a motorcycle was unofficially set in the early 1900s by Glenn Curtiss in Yonkers, New York. His recorded speed was 64 mph. Curtiss continued to push the limits of speed at the time, and by 1907 he had more than doubled his own record, setting a new mark of 136.27 mph. This record stood for more than 20 years.
It wasn’t until 1930, in Arpajon, France, that Curtiss’s record was officially eclipsed when Joseph S. Wright rode 137.23 mph on his motorcycle.
From the 1930s through the mid-1950s a number of motorcycle riders pushed their motorcycles to set new land-speed records at different locations (mostly in Europe). By 1956, when riders began to flirt with, and ultimately exceed, the 200-mph mark, the record-setting attempts were taking place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
Bonneville has remained the location for record-breaking attempts to this day. A number of motorcycles have taken advantage of the area’s fast conditions to push the land-speed record higher and higher. In 1975, Don Vesco became the first rider to set a record exceeding 300 mph on his Honda motorcycle.
Between 2006 and 2010, the TOP 1 Ack Attack and the BUB Lucky 7 have gone back and forth with the motorcycle land-speed record on five occasions. The current mark, recorded in the 2012 edition of the Guinness World Records, stands at 376.363 mph, set by the Ack Attack on September 25, 2010.
Attempts and Crashes
September 2004 – At the International Speed Trials by BUB, the Ack Attack, piloted by Jimmy Odom, was hit by a crosswind while pushing 300 mph. Odom was uninjured when the motorcycle streamliner crashed in the high-speed wipeout.
February 2006 – The Ack Attack team travelled to the Lake Gairdner area in Australia in an attempt to break the motorcycle land-speed record in the land down under. With a travelling crew of 23 people, including pilots Sam Wheeler and John Noonan, the team arrived at the salt flats near Lake Gairdner only to discover that the conditions were not conducive to breaking the record. The area had been hit by a huge thunderstorm the week before the team arrived. Since they’d travelled so far, the team tried a run, but the poor conditions only allowed for the Ack Attack to reach a top speed of 249 mph.
September 2006 – On September 3, 2006, the TOP 1 Ack Attack, piloted by Rocky Robinson, broke the motorcycle land-speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Conditions were perfect on the salt, and the motorcycle reached a top speed of 342.797 mph, approximately 20 mph faster than the previous record, which had stood since 1991. The Ack Attack’s record was short-lived however. On September 5, 2006, just two days after the Ack Attack’s historic run, the record was broken by the BUB Lucky 7 streamliner piloted by Chris Carr at 350.884 mph.
September 2007 – Again at the International Speed Trials by BUB, Rocky Robinson piloted the Ack Attack through the measured mile in pursuit of reclaiming the motorcycle land-speed record. At the end of the run, at speeds in excess of 320 mph, Robinson lost control of the bike, crashed, and rolled 16 times.
September 2008 – Back again at Bonneville, the Ack Attack broke the motorcycle land-speed record for the second time. Again piloted by Rocky Robinson, the streamliner set a world-record mark of 360.913 mph.
September 2010 – The BUB Lucky 7 again reclaimed the motorcycle land-speed record at Bonneville in 2009. Then, on September 25, 2010, the Ack Attack, for the third time in four years, set a new world’s record at Bonneville by travelling 376.363 mph. Once again, Rocky Robinson was in the pilot’s seat for another historic run to reclaim the title of the world's fastest motorcycle.
Mike Akatiff
Mike Akatiff is the driving force behind the Ack Attack. An accomplished motorcycle racer, machinist, mechanic, and parts builder, as well as a successful avionics manufacturer, Akatiff first became interested in setting the motorcycle land-speed record in 2002.
Dedicating a large portion of his Ack Technologies facility in Northern California to designing and constructing the Ack Attack, Akatiff began to assemble a team of old friends that could help him achieve his goal of building the world’s fastest motorcycle. After numerous test rides and failed attempts, Akatiff finally achieved his goal on September 3, 2006 when the Ack Attack broke the world record.
By the end of 2010, he and the TOP 1 Ack Attack team had broken the motorcycle land-speed record three times. Currently, the Ack Attack holds the world record at 376.363 mph, set at Bonneville on September 25, 2010.
The Crew
- Ken Puccio, Crew Chief. As a master fabricator, Ken spent countless hours welding the chrome-moly steel frame of the Ack Attack and fabricating sheet metal parts.
- Frank Milburn, Chief Machinist. Frank brought 50 years of experience as a machinist to the Ack Attack team.
- Jim True. As the first member of the Ack Attack team, Jim brought his considerable land-speed racing skills and experience to the team.
- Greg Akatiff, Electronics. Mike Akatiff’s youngest son, Greg handled all of the onboard video, cockpit recording, engine management system, and anything else related to electronics.
The Riders
- Rocky Robinson (2006 – Current) was the pilot of the Ack Attack for each of its record-breaking runs, on September 3, 2006, September 26, 2008, and September 25, 2010.
- Sam Wheeler (2006, Lake Gairdner, Australia)
- John Noonan (2005, Bonneville, UT)
- Jimmy Odom (2004 – 2005)
See also
References
- Harley, Bryan. "Ack Attack Again World's Fastest Motorcycle". MotorcycleUSA.com. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
- "FIM World Record Attempts from 1979 to present". Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (official website). Retrieved 4 February 2013.
- Guinness World Records 2012. Bantam. 2012. ISBN 0345534379.
- Lague, Dick (2009). Ack Attack: Record Breaking Motorcycle. Minnesota: Parker House Publishing, Inc. p. 40. ISBN 978-935350-09-5.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: length (help) - Lague, Dick (2009). Ack Attack: Record Breaking Motorcycle. Minnesota: Parker House Publishing, Inc. pp. 41–47. ISBN 978-935350-09-5.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: length (help) - Lague, Dick (2009). Ack Attack: Record Breaking Motorcycle. Minnesota: Parker House Publishing, Inc. pp. 53–57. ISBN 978-935350-09-5.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: length (help) - Lague, Dick (2009). Ack Attack: Record Breaking Motorcycle. Minnesota: Parker House Publishing, Inc. pp. 58–60. ISBN 978-935350-09-5.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: length (help) - Lague, Dick (2009). Ack Attack: Record Breaking Motorcycle. Minnesota: Parker House Publishing, Inc. pp. 18–20. ISBN 978-935350-09-5.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: length (help) - Harley, Bryan. "Ack Attack Again World's Fastest Motorcycle". MotorcycleUSA.com. Retrieved 4 February 2013.